The Brief

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in Moana. Antonio Banderas in Puss in Boots. Ellen DeGeneres in Finding Nemo. Chris Pratt in The Lego Movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Garfield, and… a couple others.

All these big-name actors and comedians have lent their voices and talents to lead roles in animated features. And they’re just a handful of the many, many examples.

So when did this phenomenon start happening?

As the story often goes, the practice of casting celebrity-level actors rather than trained voice actors in animated films can be traced back to Robin Williams’ casting in the 1992 Disney hit Aladdin.  

The idea is that the popularity of the character led other producers and directors to want big-name actors in their films too — in an effort to draw in more adult viewers. The consequence, so the argument goes, is that the practice led to a decrease in opportunities for trained voice actors (similar to actors and celebrities replacing models on magazine covers.)

But according to Eric Goldberg, the supervising animator for the Genie and co-director of Pocahontas, and veteran animation casting director Mary Hidalgo (The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse): that’s not exactly how it happened. (The two recently spoke with The Academy Museum Podcast host Jacqueline Stewart, for an episode focused on casting in animation.)

The history of casting celebrities in animation

Goldberg says that while many people do point to Williams’ casting in Aladdin as a turning point, “being an animation geek, I know of many other cases where they did cast famous people.”

Ed Wynn and Lucille Ball in a photo from May 18, 1953. The caption reads, "'Best young comedienne we have,' said Wynn after she made TV debut in his show."

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Los Angeles Herald Examiner Photo Collection / Digital Collections of the Los Angeles Public Library

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A few examples:

“Cliff Edwards, the voice of Jiminy Cricket [in Pinocchio] was already a well-known recording star, known as Ukulele Ike. And everybody knew Ukulele Ike back in 1940. In the 1950s, they cast Ed Wynn and Jerry Colonna as the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, respectively [in Alice in Wonderland], and they were both vaudeville and radio comedians. Very, very well known,” says Goldberg.

“So it certainly has had its history,” Goldberg says. “But I think in this particular case, because the humor was so linked to Robin's rhythms and Robin's style of delivery, I think that made it a turning point for an awful lot of people.”

How Robin Williams’ Genie did change things 

According to Goldberg, what was new in Williams’ portrayal of the Genie was his style of humor.

“Disney humor was not exactly ‘gut-buster’ humor. It could be a little bit tame,” Goldberg says.

“And truth be told, Disney films went more for the characterization than the gut-busting laugh, let's put it that way. Hopefully with a character like the Genie, we got both. And with this humor, there had never been that kind of humor in a Disney film before. So we all kind of felt a little subversive, you know, sticking this stuff in a Disney movie and just wondering if we're going to be be allowed to keep it in.”

Robin Williams recording the voice for his character in the 1996 sequel "Aladdin and the King of Thieves."

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For casting director Mary Hidalgo — who didn’t work on Aladdin, but cast other Disney films like Tarzan and Finding Nemo — Williams’ casting had a wide-ranging impact in another way.

“I think that triggered something,” Hidalgo says. “That kind of set the bar — his comedy and his presence — he really, totally ‘plussed’ that character and that role. And I think from that moment there was a lot of high demand for that kind of actor. Somebody that will come in and read your words, but also really plus it, you know? That's why we go a lot of times for comedians.”

A push for “names”

But Goldberg and Hidalgo both say that there’s no denying that there has been — and still is — pressure from studios and producers to cast big big-name actors in animated films, particularly when it comes to lead roles.

Hidalgo recalls recommending actor/comedian Will Ferrell for the character of Sully in the 2001 film Monsters, Inc.

“He was so great, but they didn't know who he was. They knew like, ‘Oh, that guy on Saturday Night Live.’ But that's part of the whole job is trying to sell them on this thing that they don't know about, you know? And then they do always go kind of for the bigger star.”

The role ultimately went to actor John Goodman, who Hidalgo calls “the most perfect voice in animation.” And Ferrell was cast in The Lego Movie, which Hidalgo worked on, years later.

The drawbacks of celebrity

There are some times, Goldberg says, when casting a celebrity in a role can take something away from the magic of an animated character.

“You always want the characters to be their own characters,” Goldberg says. “You don't just want them to be a paper-thin carbon copy of who the voice actor is, for example."

In that sense, Goldberg says, casting lesser-known actors can help, because "you aren't necessarily referencing the persona of a previously known actor."

Listen

How do I find The Academy Museum Podcast?

It's now available from LAist Studios. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts!

Topline:

The backstory: Once a year, dozens of sound artists converge on the hill with views of the harbor below to perform their audio art, which can range from serene to “beautifully weird.”

What to expect: This year includes a performer bending a bar of tin with his bare hands to get it to emit what’s called a "tin cry" and synthesizer-based soundscapes that take inspiration from both the ocean and the industrial space below.

When to go: Soundpedro is free and lasts from 7-10 p.m. Saturday.

More info at the Soundpedro website.

When I first came to the states many years ago, if I’d mentioned Arsenal, people would have thought I was referring to the U.S. military or something. But all that has changed. You can now watch U.K. premier league games in sports bars, most kids play soccer, and Ted Lasso is must-watch TV.

To which I say — welcome. We English are proud of the fact that soccer began with us more than 150 years ago. And every World Cup, we think, surely this will be the year that the trophy returns home — the year that we’ll win!

Queen Elizabeth II awarding the Jules Rimet World Cup Trophy to Bobby Moore after England won the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley.

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Getty Images Europe

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I mean it did happen … once… back in 1966. It’s such a long time ago the game was televised in black and white and shillings were still being used. My mother was nine months pregnant with my brother, and got so excited jumping up and down she went into labor and had him the next day. World Cup Willie they called him. Actually his name is David, but never mind.

Since then, every four years everyone in the U.K. watches the games with bated breath. And then something stupid will happen, and we’ll lose, like that time in 1998 when David Beckham (who played for England before he came to L.A. Galaxy) lost his temper and was sent off, and we’ll sit there, gloomy and despondent. I know because I was there in my friend’s living room in London, gloomy and despondent, thinking just once, just once, maybe could we please have a win?

David Beckham's infamous 1998 red card in the England vs. Argentina game.

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The last World Cup, I went to Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica to watch England play. At 7 a.m. it was full of people already on their third pint of beer. And when the team got through to the next round, the gentle men of England ran outside the pub, whipped off their shirts and started weaving through traffic, singing football chants and acting like hooligans. I really couldn’t decide if I was embarrassed or if it felt like home.

Anyway, this time, since I’m now an American citizen, it’s in my contract that I need to support Team USA. I’m a dual citizen, though, so I’ll also be cheering for England. If by any chance Team USA and England play each other, my two selves will be watching, with a cup of tea in one hand, and a cold brewski in the other, and the polarities will explode, or something. But what will probably happen is that both teams will be eclipsed by Brazil or France playing the beautiful game… beautifully. Cheers.

Stereotypes die hard. Los Angeles actually has a massive public transport system serving the region, which boasts the world's longest light rail line in the form of the 58-mile long Line A (or for old-timers, the Blue line) and tons of buses.

But if you opt to engage in the gladiator sport that is L.A. driving — a reminder you're going to need to park that thing too.

Here's where we come in.

Curb parking

No surprise, our curbs are painted in different colors with different restrictions.

Heads up: Red, White and Blue curb regulations are in effect 24/7, unless otherwise noted. And additional restrictions could apply if posted on a sign, according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

Red Curbs — Nope

• No stopping, parking or standing 
• Doesn't matter if there's a driver or passenger inside the car

Yellow Curbs — Depends

• For commercial loading only
• Vehicles with a commercial license plate can park here, but only if they are actively loading or unloading stuff, for a maximum of 30 minutes
• Restrictions are in effect Monday through Saturday 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise posted on signs
  
  • That means you can park in yellow zones after 6:00 p.m. with no restrictions, unless otherwise noted
• Vehicles without a commercial license plate may load and unload passengers or baggage, for a maximum of 5 minutes

White Curbs — You gotta get going fast

• Passenger loading only for a maximum of 5 minutes

Blue Curbs (Accessible Parking Zones) — If you have the placard

Those famous 'clashing' L.A. parking signs

Before we move on to other facets of parking in Los Angeles. We want to take a moment to address a persistent complaint about confusing parking signs that are often clustered together.

When you encounter this phenomenon, we suggest patience. You don't need a degree in math, probably just a pen and paper.

For the sign in the video, here's when you can and cannot park (we think):

• No parking on Mondays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. because of street cleaning
  
  • all other days you can park between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., but please be aware there's a 2 hour parking limit
• Every night, you can stop your vehicle for 10 minutes only for passenger loading between 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
  
  • If the curb is not white, then you can park outside of the 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. window without that restriction
• You can park for 2 hours:
  
  • Between Tuesdays and Saturdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
  • But remember on Mondays, parking is prohibited from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. because of street cleaning
  • On Sunday, you can park for 2 hours between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Heads up: When in doubt, find somewhere else to park.

Meter parking

LADOT says it operates some 38,000 parking meters in the city. Sometimes it feels as if there are as many meter enforcement people out there.

There are different ways to pay — coins, credit cards, and via text or an app at a number of meters.

Heads up: If a meter is broken, meaning it cannot accept coins or a credit card, then you can only park for free up to the posted time limit.

Other no-no's

Here are several other no parking rules, pulled from this list from LADOT

• In alleys, except for to unload things or passengers
• Within 15 feet of a fire station driveway or fire hydrant
• No double parking
• In a center median strip, unless signs indicate otherwise

Parking on a federal holiday

Certain city parking regulations are not enforced on national holidays. They are enforced on state holidays.

• Time Limit
• Parking meters
• No Parking with specified days and times only
• No stopping with specified days and times only
• Street sweeping (also not enforced the day after Thanksgiving and after Farmworkers Day)

If a national holiday falls on a Saturday it will be observed by the city on a Friday. If it falls on a Sunday it will be observed by the city on a Monday. Parking restrictions are not enforced on both the holiday and the observed holiday.

You may know about Union Station as an L.A. landmark or as a transportation hub — but how much do you know about its rich architectural history?

To foster that interest and knowledge, Metro created a series of public tours of the station this spring.

“There's so much that you might just walk by without really having the opportunity to delve deeply into,” said Zipporah Lax Yamamoto, deputy executive officer of Metro’s art program. “[The tours are] a really wonderful opportunity to be able to spend time with the station, learn more about the historic landmark, which belongs to all of us.”

Union Station in Los Angeles

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Myung J. Chun

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Architectural style

It’s called Union Station because when it opened in 1939, it connected the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific railroads with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway.

While it was designed by father-and-son team Donald and John Parkinson, the architects who gave us L.A. City Hall, its style is very different. Union Station’s interior and exterior mixes art deco, Spanish colonial and other styles into a hybrid dubbed Mission Moderne.

As you begin the tour, entering from Alameda Street, tour guides ask you to look up at the decorative elements in the high ceilings. The beams and geometric patterns may look like wood — but they’re actually just painted to look that way.

A community destroyed by development

Along the way, the tour gives background on pieces created more than 30 years ago. These include "City of Dreams/River of History" by artists May Sun and Richard Wyatt in 1995. Sun’s piece uses remnants of the Chinese American homes torn down to build the station, a reference to the high price that community paid for this building’s construction.

Detail from "City of Dreams/River of History," created by artists May Sun and Richard Wyatt at Union Station.

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“It was an enormous price. Chinatown ceased to exist in this area. … The families that lived here during that time are still around and maintain archives of that time period and the original Chinatown here, and we've worked with those families to have those objects on display,” Lax Yamamoto said.

Meanwhile, Wyatt’s large-scale mural includes the face of a Chinese man, along with nine other people of different races, ethnicities and ages; a nod to the diversity of the city since its founding in the late 1700s.

There are also stops to see new art installed for the World Cup.

A mural by Richard Wyatt at Union Station

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Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist

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There are three tours left in the series but the RSVPs have reached their maximum; however, Lax Yamamoto said Metro will decide whether to continue them based on what people have thought about the tours.

Meanwhile, Union Station is set to swell with people in the next couple of months as L.A. hosts World Cup games. The station is the site of an official FIFA-sponsored Fan Zone from June 25-28.