Black Panther–well, Chadwick Boseman–is now a Disney Legend. The Walt Disney Company has announced 14 new honorees as part of their Disney Legends brand. This 35th anniversary edition of Disney Legends includes actors, animators, Imagineers, and more.
The list: Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Chadwick Boseman, Rob’t Coltrin, Patrick Dempsey, Robert Price “Bob” Foster, Jonathan Groff, Don Hahn, Josh Gad, Doris Hardoon, Idina Menzel, Chris Montan, Ellen Pompeo, and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Perhaps the standout name is Chadwick Boseman, one of just two members being honored posthumously (the other is Foster). Boseman passed away just over two years ago.
The hall of fame was established in 1987 and included just one honoree that year: Fred MacMurray, whose most notable Disney movie is The Shaggy Dog (1959), later remade with Robert Downey Jr., a member of the Class of 2019.
The honorees also join the likes of Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, George Lucas, and nearly 300 more as Disney Legends. The Class of 2022 will be recognized at the D23 Expo this September. In addition to the Disney Legends ceremony, the three-day event will also feature panels, animation classes and a look at the upcoming “100 Years of Wonder” exhibit launching in 2023.
Regarding the D23 Expo, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said, “I can’t wait to give fans a first look at what we have in store for our hundredth anniversary, and how we’re using this occasion to celebrate all the fans and families who have welcomed Disney into their lives.”
What are your thoughts on the Disney Legends Class of 2022? Who would you add to the hall of fame?