The final interview from my Frozen trip is the one with Santino Fontana, the voice behind Prince Hans. Now, I usually try to keep my posts spoiler-free but it just wasn’t possible with this one. So, for those of you that haven’t seen Frozen yet, check out the image below, go see the movie, then come back to read this interview.
For everyone else or those that just can’t stand not knowing what Santino had to say, here it goes.
* * * WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD * * *
Santino Fontana has been busy in his current Broadway role but took the time out to address a few burning questions from our group of bloggers. He originally auditioned two years prior for Kristoff as a tour guide but, after that storyline was scrapped, he was invited to audition for Hans. Hans’ character kind of when from a Gaston-ish role to a more regal one, closer to Henry V. Then the twists started to come . . .
Santino Fontana on Frozen and Twists
The ‘twist’ is one that hardly anyone sees coming. In fact, in any screening of it, there’s one particular part where you’ll audibly hear the audience gasp. That was no accident.
If you do go back and watch, I think you would start putting pieces together. But we, very specifically, didn’t want anyone to know a second before it happened.
Animation allowed him to explore a whole other kind of acting.
It’s pretty liberating. When I wanted to be an actor, I always think of trying to get to the place of the floor is lava, that feeling of like you’re a little kid. You’re just playing like, “Ah, the ground is lava!” If I can get to that place of finding what I’m playing like a kid, it’s pretty thrilling. And the great thing about animation is you’re not limited by anything physical or even logical. You can totally be in a place of nothing but imagination.
With his other show, Santino often had to take the “red-eye” flight back to New York right after recording. All-in-all it came out to be around five days of voice work.
It was five days, five days of recording and, you know, in five days in a Broadway show you’ve done eight shows, so it’s kind of nutty.
The Truth Behind Santino Fontana’s Part in Frozen
Even with a lot of traveling in between, there was a reason why he was moved to do so much to be a part of Frozen.
Because I would be a doll. No . . . I remember seeing all those great Disney movies and being obsessed with them. I remember being obsessed with Robin Williams in Aladdin. So the idea to be a part of that family is so exciting. It’s something new and I think most actors are always looking for something that’s exciting and new, that we haven’t really done.
Aside from Olaf’s dream sequence, Santino’s favorite scene that he did was the ‘twist’ scene because of the audience’s reaction. He even mentioned going back to New York and sneaking in to watch the movie with his girlfriend, just to hear the reaction. Although, it was a little different at the premiere’s screening.
Because there were a lot of kids in the audience last night, it was the first time I heard people clapping at my demise. It was almost like, “Okay, come on. He has feelings too.”
Okay, okay, so I couldn’t really bring myself to give away the spoiler in detail. But, it’s much more interesting this way, don’t you think?
Disney’s FROZEN is now playing!
Online Links: Official Site, Facebook, Twitter @DisneyAnimation (#DisneyFrozen), Pinterest
I was invited on an all-expense paid media trip as a guest of Disney and in honor of the FROZEN movie. All opinions are my own.
