The Disney Legends Gala brought a parade of celebrities to the Honda Center in Anaheim on Sunday night during the closing of the D23 Expo at the Mouse House.
The Disney Legends Awards program is a hall of fame for individuals who have had a significant impact on the Disney legacy. Past honorees include Christina Aguilera, Stan Lee, Betty White, and Oprah Winfrey.
Angela Bassett has been honored for three decades of work with Disney, including her role in Touchstone’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” narrating National Geographic’s “The Flood,” Disney+’s “The Imagineering Story” documentary series, and most recently her Oscar-nominated performance as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler recalled being inspired by Bassett’s work as a child when he introduced her. “Her vision and what she does is a real gift,” he said, recounting to the crowd how she led the cast after the death of lead actor Chadwick Boseman. “She’s amazing. She’s been amazing for decades.”
“From day one of my pursuit of a career as an actress, I knew I was part of something greater than myself. I offer my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported me on this journey,” Bassett said. “I will forever be proud to be your wife, mother, sister and mother-in-law.” maternal aunt“.”
Titanic director James Cameron was also honored for his work on the Avatar franchise, with the third film currently in post-production, with the fourth and fifth films set to be in pre-production. He is also behind several documentaries produced in partnership with National Geographic, including the Emmy Award-winning Secrets of the Whales and the Emmy-nominated Secrets of the Elephants. He also executive produced the National Geographic series OceanXplorers, set to premiere in fall 2024.
“Titanic” star Kate Winslet appeared via video message, saying: “Dear Jim, you continue to reach greater heights, and I'm not sure if anyone else will reach them. The power of your imagination continues to inspire us all.” She then introduced “Avatar” star Zoe Saldana, who presented Cameron with his award.
“Thank you for giving me the best gift a director can give an actor: job security. I’ll have my pension by the time the last Avatar movie hits theaters,” Saldana laughed. “Working with you has been a wild ride. Your passion, dedication, and attention to detail are truly unparalleled. But above all, thank you for making me laugh, making me cry, and making me sad.”
“As a storyteller expressing myself through film, it’s not about a solo act,” Cameron said in his speech. “You’re only as good as the artists you can gather around you. And I know that my job every day, when I start working, is to empower and encourage other artists, whether they’re actors, designers, concept artists, computer animators, and inspire them to be the best artists they can be every day. That’s my job.”
Cameron also took a moment to honor his producing partner John Landau, who died last month. “There’s one person who stands out in my mind right now as I stand here, and that’s my producing partner of 30 years, John Landau,” he said. “All of us in the Avatar family miss him terribly. We’ve made it our goal to continue his legacy as an unsung Disney legend.”
Host Ryan Seacrest presented the Disney Legend Award to Kelly Ripa, who has hosted him for many years. “There is no better storyteller than Kelly Ripa. She is the best at what she does to make people feel comfortable,” he said.
Reba began her career as an actress on the television series “All My Children” and the sitcom “Hope & Faith.” She is best known for her work on morning television as a co-host of ABC's “Live,” which she has appeared on since 2001.
Ripa quipped to her boyfriend Seacrest, saying, “Ryan, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm so glad we finally found something else to have you with.” She then thanked her “hot” husband Mark Consuelos with some R-rated jokes, adding, “We met on the set of All My Children 30 years ago, and from there, we had our three kids backstage at the Disney Labs. I'm kidding! We had them in our dressing rooms. I'm kidding again. I'm kidding again — HR asked me to remind everyone.”
Bassett, Cameron and Ripa were joined by fellow Disney legends honored by Jamie Lee Curtis, James L. Brooks, Harrison Ford, Frank Oz, John Williams, Miley Cyrus, costume designer Colleen Atwood, Disney Parks cast member Martha Blanding, the late storyboard artist Steve Ditko, animator Mark Henn and creator Joe Rohde.
Highlights of the ceremony included Lindsay Lohan and Jodie Foster introducing Curtis, Cyrus' love letter to “Hannah Montana” and Ford's emotional acceptance speech.
