LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Framed through the lens of renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, more stars are playing out their fantasies, living out their Disney dreams.
Actress Rachel Weisz is Snow White, tennis star Roger Federer is King Arthur from “The Sword in the Stone” and actress Julie Andrews is the Blue Fairy from “Pinocchio” with actress Abigail Breslin as Fira from “Disney Fairies” in a new wave of celebrity images celebrating “The Year of a Million Dreams” at Disney Parks.
They join Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella, Beyoncé as “Alice in Wonderland” twirling in a teacup and David Beckham atop a steed as Prince Phillip from “Sleeping Beauty” in a 14-page insert appearing later this year in several Condé Nast publications. Johansson, Beyoncé and Beckham also starred in the first flight of Leibovitz images last January.
The new photographs, placing stars in classic Disney fairy tale settings, continue the “Disney Dream Portrait Series” of celebrity images produced by Leibovitz as Disney Parks announces an extension, through 2008, of its “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration.
Elaborate sets and costuming went into the transformation of Weisz, Andrews, Breslin and Federer. Soundstages morphed into pixie-dusted spectacles as Leibovitz clicked away.
“It’s thrilling to have an opportunity to re-create the characters we all loved as children,” Leibovitz says. “The stories are real to my own children now, and their belief inspires me.”
Dreamlike images in a year of dreams was a natural, added Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.
“Putting celebrities right inside their fantasies reinforces the power of dreams, where anything is possible,” he said. “Disney’s ‘Year of a Million Dreams’ is about the imaginations and dreams that are inside us all. Through the lens of Annie Leibovitz, these dreams and fantasies come alive. It’s the perfect fit.”
For Weisz, slipping on the familiar hair band and dress of Snow White was a dream come true. Her finished image, “Where You’re the Fairest of Them All,” is a soft, sylvan scene in which she is surrounded by forest friends.
“I think you always want to be Snow White, it’s every little girl’s dream,” Weisz said.
Federer traded his tennis racket for a regal sword, posing on a rock as the gallant King Arthur.
The finished photo, entitled “Where You’re Always King of the Court,” shows Federer, red cape flowing, beside a roiling sea.
In another photo, Breslin as Fira (from the “Disney Fairies” series) reposes on a giant leaf while the wand-waving Julie Andrews as the Blue Fairy of “Pinocchio” showers her with pixie dust. “Where the Magic Begins,” reads the photo.
The special insert will be unveiled in the December editions of Cookie, Condé Nast Traveler, Details, Glamour, GQ, Men’s Vogue, New Yorker, Self, Vanity Fair, Vogue and W.
On Oct. 1, Disney announced its “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration would be extended throughout 2008 at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The celebration is filled with new attractions and entertainment plus more “dream-come-true” moments for guests than ever before.
SCARLETT ‘HAS A BALL’ FOR DISNEY PARKS
Acclaimed actress Scarlett Johansson portrays Disney Princess Cinderella in an image created by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. Johansson, clad in a glamorous ball gown and 62-carat, Harry Winston diamond tiara, glides down the palace staircase at the stroke of midnight and unknowingly leaves behind a single glass slipper.
BECKHAM BENDS IT FOR DISNEY PARKS
International soccer star David Beckham portrays the gallant Prince Phillip from Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ in an image created by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. Atop a white steed, Beckham, as the brave prince, battles a fire-breathing dragon.
DREAMGIRL’ SPINS FOR DISNEY PARKS
Singer/songwriter and actress Beyonce portrays Alice from Disney’s classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in an image created by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. Beyonce, joined by actor Oliver Platt as The Mad Hatter and singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett as The March Hare, takes a wild spin in a whirling, giant teacup.
KING OF THE COURT
Tennis ace Roger Federer, who has been the #1 ranked men’s tennis player in the world for four consecutive years, portrays King Arthur and pulls a sword from an anvil as world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz (not pictured) takes his picture during a Disney Parks photo shoot July 13, 2007. It’s part of a new series of images that Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida commissioned Leibovitz to create for Disney Parks’ ‘Year of a Million Dreams’ celebration. The finished image features Federer in a setting that is reminiscent of Disney’s animated film ‘The Sword in the Stone,’ in which a young King Arthur follows the wizardly teachings of Merlin.
KING OF THE COURT
KING OF THE COURT: Tennis ace Roger Federer, who has been the #1 ranked men’s tennis player in the world for four consecutive years, portrays King Arthur and pulls a sword from the anvil that holds a magical grip upon it in a new image created by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The gallant scene is reminiscent of Disney’s animated film ‘The Sword in the Stone,’ in which a young King Arthur follows the wizardly teachings of Merlin. The regal image is one of three unveiled today to celebrate Disney Parks’ ‘Year of a Million Dreams.’ Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida commissioned Leibovitz to create images featuring international celebrities in fairy tale settings. Two more Leibovitz images that Disney Parks released today feature actress Rachel Weisz as ‘Snow White,’ and actress Julie Andrews portraying the Blue Fairy from Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’ with her ‘apprentice’ fairy, portrayed by starlet Abigail Breslin. The first three images that Leibovitz created for Disney Parks were released in January 2007. Those images featured actress Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella, singer/actress Beyonce as ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and international soccer star David Beckham portraying Prince Phillip from Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty.’
SNOW WEISZ
SNOW WEISZ: London-born Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz portrays the ‘Fairest of them All’ — Snow White — in a new image created by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The serene, forest scene is one of three new Leibovitz images unveiled today to celebrate Disney Parks’ ‘Year of a Million Dreams.’ Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida commissioned Leibovitz to create images featuring international celebrities in fairy tale settings. Two more Leibovitz images that Disney Parks released today feature tennis ace Roger Federer as King Arthur in ‘Sword in the Stone,’ and actress Julie Andrews portraying the Blue Fairy from Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’ with her ‘apprentice’ fairy, portrayed by starlet Abigail Breslin. The first three images that Leibovitz created for Disney Parks were released in January 2007. Those images featured actress Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella, singer/actress Beyonce as ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and international soccer star David Beckham portraying Prince Phillip from Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty.’
A ‘FAIRY’ TALE PAIR
A ‘FAIRY’ TALE PAIR: Academy-, Emmy-Award winning, and Tony-Award nominated actress Julie Andrews portrays the Blue Fairy from Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’ with her ‘apprentice’ fairy Fira, portrayed by starlet Abigail Breslin, in a new image created by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. The fanciful scene is one of three new Leibovitz images unveiled today to celebrate Disney Parks’ ‘Year of a Million Dreams.’ Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida commissioned Leibovitz to create images featuring international celebrities in fairy tale settings. Two more Leibovitz images that Disney Parks released today feature tennis ace Roger Federer as King Arthur in ‘Sword in the Stone,’ and actress Rachel Weisz as ‘Snow White.’ The first three images that Leibovitz created for Disney Parks were released in January 2007. Those images featured actress Scarlett Johansson as Cinderella, singer/actress Beyonce as ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and international soccer star David Beckham portraying Prince Phillip from Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty.’
SNOW WEISZ
World-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz (seated) looks over some of the images she shot of Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz (far left) during the Disney Parks shoot in Westbury Gardens in Long Island, New York on June 29, 2007. It’s part of a new series of images, released Oct. 31, 2007, that Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida commissioned Leibovitz to create for Disney Parks’ “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration. The finished image features Weisz portraying Snow White in a serene, woodland setting.
KING OF THE COURT
Tennis ace Roger Federer (left), who has been the #1 ranked men’s tennis player in the world for four consecutive years, looks over images shot by world-renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz (right) during a Disney Parks photo shoot July 13, 2007. The finished image features Federer in a setting that is reminiscent of Disney’s animated film ‘The Sword in the Stone,’ in which a young King Arthur follows the wizardly teachings of Merlin. It’s part of a new series of images that Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida commissioned Leibovitz to create for Disney Parks’ ‘Year of a Million Dreams’ celebration. The finished image features Federer in a setting that is reminiscent of Disney’s animated film ‘The Sword in the Stone,’ in which a young King Arthur follows the wizardly teachings of Merlin.
