Jim On Film
Page 2 of 4
Below is a list of some of my favorite shoulda been Disney performers who have appeared in recent Disney films. Of course, it would be hard to create an exhaustive list--particularly considering the large casts of the popular sports films The Mighty Ducks, its sequels, and Remember the Titans, which hosted some very talented people.
This list does not include stars whom I would love to see in more Disney films who have already hit it big--Reese Witherspoon, Danny Glover, Charlize Theron, Julie Andrews, Dennis Quaid, and others.
Christina Aguilera
The varied casts of the most recent incarnation of The Mickey Mouse Club brought to the Disney family a gaggle of talented youngsters, few of whom were ever seen again in works released through the Disney division. Keri Russell would play a baby-sitter in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, Justin Timberlake would appear in the television movie Model Behavior, and Ryan Gosling would return in Remember the Titans, but there are many more who have yet to return to the studio that gave them their big chance. What was so amazing about the cast was their vocal and dancing ability, which would later give the world Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, J.C. Chasez (of ‘NSync), Nikki DeLoach (of Innosense), and Deedee Magno (of Broadway’s Miss Saigon). But there are many more who have yet to make a significant mark. A few personal favorites include the hilarious Lindsay Alley; Rhona Bennett, who has great comedic timing and a powerful voice; Dale Godboldo with his ability to create fun characters; the funny and vocally talented Jennifer McGill; the personable Terra McNair; and the goofy Marc Worden. Besides the kids, adult Terri Misner was hilarious and could make the stupidest skits a laughable affair. While some of these Mousketeers have had occasional roles on sitcoms and in commercials, none of them have yet achieved the success they deserve.
In the under-seen 1989 adventure Cheetah, Lucy Deakins played teenager Susan Johnson opposite Keith Coogan as her younger brother Ted. Susan and Ted are American teenagers in Africa who adopt a cheetah cub when her mother is killed by poachers. When it is time to set her free, she is kidnapped, and they risk their lives to save her. As one of the few films of my childhood, Cheetah, which has never been released on video to be purchased, has always held a special place in my heart. While not a particularly challenging role, Deakins has a very likable screen presence that reminds one of Annette or Janet Munro. Her girl-next-door aura made her ideal for other Disney films, but unfortunately, this was not to be.
After years of hearing unanimous acclaim from friends and acquaintances concerning the 1991 drama Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, I finally bought the video without even seeing it. Immediately, I was blown away by the versatile Gabrielle Anwar as Sonora Webster in this story of a girl during the depression who leaves home to join show business. Through determination, she becomes the girl on a diving horse for a traveling act and, after reaching her goal, loses her sight in an accident. She is both earnest and endearing, playing both a driven child and a troubled young woman. Her dramatic scenes are touching, and her romantic scenes sweet. This hint at Anwar’s talent is enough to suggest that she could have become the studio’s next Hayley Mills, but, unfortunately, she has only appeared in, for the Disney division, the horrendous The Three Musketeers.