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Actor-director Phill Lewis has decades of experience in the sitcom space, primarily focused on live-action comedy. This television season alone he has directed episodes of Netflix’s “Mr. Iglesias,” CBS’ “B Positive,” the “Punky Brewster” and “iCarly” continuation series, and the still-to-be-scheduled “Head of the Class” reboot. But, the Covid-19 pandemic gave this industry veteran a first: directing animation with “One Day at a Time’s” “The Politics Episode.”

How different was your process to prep for “The Politics Episode” than a live-action one?

The most important part was knowing the actors as well as I did. I think that really helped alleviate any stress going from live-action to animation because I knew what their wheelhouse was. My live-action system is getting the scripts, reading through and figuring out blocking before the table read so that when I’m standing in front of the actors I’m able to say,...

The epic storytelling of Disney's The Lion King continues with The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, a primetime television movie event premiering in November on Disney Channel. The movie follows Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, as he assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a team of animals tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. The movie is a precursor to The Lion Guard television series, premiering in early 2016 on Disney Channels and Disney Junior channels around the globe. A special preview of The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar will be presented at Disney's D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, on Sunday, August 16 (2:00 p.m.), but today Disney Jr. has released the first clip from this TV movie, and revealed the full voice cast.

James Earl Jones and Ernie Sabella reprise their roles from The Lion King as Mufasa and Pumbaa, respectively,...

Disney Television Animation has begun production on The Lion Guard, an animated television movie and series that continues the story introduced 20 years ago in the acclaimed Disney animated film The Lion King. Geared towards kids age 2-7 and their families, The Lion Guard television movie will premiere in Fall 2015, and the subsequent series will debut in early 2016 on Disney Junior and Disney Channel.

The wildlife education experts at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park will serve as consultants on The Lion Guard stories, which will incorporate themes of conservation, family and community while also highlighting problem-solving, creative thinking and diversity. Author and Swahili expert Sarah Mirza is the language and cultural advisor.

Nancy Kanter, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, had this to say in a statement.

"The story of The Lion King has deeply touched families around the world since its original theatrical release 20 years ago.

(Reuters) - Netflix Inc's U.S. streaming video service added five children's shows from Walt Disney Co's Disney Junior and Disney Xd cable networks under a multiyear licensing deal announced on Thursday.

Netflix will be the exclusive subscription video home in the United States for two of the shows, "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" from Disney Junior and "Tron: Uprising" from Disney Xd. The two shows are available starting Thursday, a statement from the companies said.

Three other shows, "Handy Manny," "Special Agent Oso" and "JoJo's Circus," will appear on the Netflix streaming service in the United States later this month.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Chris Gallagher)...

Beverly Hills, Calif. and Burbank, Calif., May 9, 2013 — Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq:nflx) and The Disney/ABC Television Group (NYSE:dis) today announced a new multi-year licensing agreement that will make Netflix the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for one of the most popular shows on Disney Junior, Jake and the Never Land Pirates, as well as fan favorite Disney Xd show Tron: Uprising. In addition, Handy Manny, Special Agent Oso and JoJo’s Circus will also be available for members in the U.S. to watch instantly later this month. “Disney and Netflix have shared a long and mutually beneficial relationship and this deal expands on the incredible line-up of Disney content already available for our members,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix. “Families love Netflix and we know they especially love the imaginative and high-quality TV shows and movies from Disney. We’re excited to bring Jake and the Never Land Pirates,...

The animated series debuts on Friday, January 11 at 9:30 Am on Disney Channel and at 5:30 Pm on Disney Junior. The premiere dates announcement comes just more than a week after the series’ special Sofia The First: Once Upon A Princess delivered 5.2 million total viewers on Disney Channel, becoming the top cable telecast of 2012 among kids 2-5 and girls 2-5. Created for kids ages 2-7, Sofia The First tells the story of Princess Sofia, an adventurous girl who is adjusting to royal life after her mom marries the king and she becomes a princess overnight. The series features the voices of Ariel Winter as Sofia; Sara Ramirez as Queen Miranda, Sofia’s loyal and caring mother; Wayne Brady as Clover, Sofia’s wise-talking rabbit sidekick; and Tim Gunn as Baileywick, the castle’s royal steward. The guest voice cast includes Eric Stonestreet, Viola Davis, Bonnie Hunt, Ellie Kemper, Megan Mullally,...

When you consider that the title sounds like the caffeinated fever dream of a particularly excitable eight-year-old, it’s perhaps not that surprising that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has had so many incarnations: Gritty monochromatic independent comic book, beloved ’80s cartoon, mega-grossing feature-film trilogy, an endless assortment of action figures, fondly-remembered videogames, a second animated series that ran for several years in the 2000s, and a big-screen animated reboot.

Next year, Nickelodeon will relaunch Turtles as a new animated series, and EW can report exclusively that Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings’ Sam, The Goonies’ Mikey, and Rudy’s Rudy) will be voicing red-masked Raphael.

Disney Channel has found some big talent to entertain the little viewers of Special Agent Oso.

Mel Brooks, Sarah Chalke, Rebecca Romijn, Jenna Elfman and Freddy Rodriguez are among the stars who have signed on to provide guest voices on the animated preschool series.

The star-studded episodes will air the week of April 4 on Disney Channel's Disney Junior block. In one episode, Brooks will play a...

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Kidspickflicks Exclusive! Kids may think that Taylor Lautner's first acting job was as the title "boy" in Shark Boy and Lava Girl, but in fact, the teen wolf we now know as "Jacob" started with a voiceover job for Petco. For kid actors, voiceover work has become the breeding ground for tomorrow's future superstars.

Part of the reason is the savvy of Melissa Berger Brennan, the Hollywood agent who has jump-started the careers of many kid actors by identifying their talent on the microphone. She says that a good Vo actor is usually a good on-camera actor but it doesn't necessarily work the other way around, "It's not like they just have to smile at the mom or bring in a bowl of cereal, they have to be natural with it." Once kids nail the emotional depth off camera, she says that it usually translates on camera.

Berger Brennan's...

Updated: The upcoming kids cable channel Disney Junior, will make its debut as a block on Disney Channel on Feb. 14 with new animated series Jake and the Never Land Pirates. In other Disney Channel premiere news, new original movie Lemonade Mouth is set to debut on March 25. Five other new series also are set to join the Disney Junior. schedule: the short form titles Mickey Mousekersize, Special Agent Oso: Three Healthy Steps and A Poem Is... (narrated by Jennifer Garner and Katie Holmes, among other familiar voices), and full length series Babar and the Adventures of Badou and Tinga Tinga Tales. Existing Disney Channel pre-school series such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Special Agent Oso, Jungle Junction and Imagination Movers, will also be seen on Disney Junior. Additionally, Disney Junior will replace Playhouse Disney as a programming block weekdays (4:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Et/Pt) and weekends (4:00–9:00 a.

Get the kids set for a very special assignment with Agent Oso. The furry agent is going to be extra busy this holiday season but how will he cope? Poor Special Agent Oso doesn't have a family to be with this Christmas, and he's a bit miffed that the other agents Dotty and Wolfie haven't got time to hang out with him.

J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg's highly anticipated, top-secret movie Super 8 has its stars and is ready to film. Elle Fanning (pictured, Dakota's little sister who starred as the title character in Phoebe in Wonderland and voiced a character in Astroboy) and Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights") will star along with kids Gabriel Basso (he played Fake Freddie on "iCarly"), Zach Mills (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) and Ryan Lee ("Special Agent Oso") and grown ups Ron Eldard (Mystery, Alaska) and Noah Emmerich ("White Collar").

The storyline of Super 8 is being kept quiet but it's influenced by the movies Abrams and Spielberg grew up watching and loving. Super 8 is a type of film used in a home video camera popular in the 1970s. It's set for release next summer.

Source: Variety...

We know him as a member of the Goonies and someone who’s made grown men cry twice (playing Rudy Ruettiger and Samwise Gamgee). But if you have preschoolers in your life, chances are they know Sean Astin as the voice of Oso, the stuffed panda bear who works for U.N.I.Q.U.E (United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events) – an international organization of stuffed animals charged with helping kids accomplish everyday tasks, showing them ways to stay active outdoors, and teaching them the importance of telling the truth and what to do if they get lost...

By Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

HollywoodNews.com: Sean Astin is eagerly anticipating word on release of his recently-completed indie comedy, “And They’re Off” – a mockumentary in which he plays a failed horse trainer. “By traditional standards, he’s not really a trainer – he’s only had one horse — but as far as he’s concerned, he is,” reports the actor with a laugh. “He’s upbeat no matter what awful things go on. He’s got a documentary crew following him around the track at Santa Anita at dawn, teaching about horses. He’s out walking around the track saying, ‘I’m not going to ask my horse to do something I wouldn’t do myself.’”

According to Astin, the script by Alan Grossbard was “a hoot.” Veteran TV director Rob Schiller, making his feature debut, left room for the actors, including Cheri Oteri, Martin Mull, Kevin Nealon...

The big yellow bear of Playhouse Disney is getting some high profile guest stars. Academy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director Mel Brooks, Emmy Award-winning actor Brad Garrett and famed Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz guest star in the second season of Disney Channel's Emmy-nominated Playhouse Disney series, "Special Agent Oso," starring Academy Award nominee Sean Astin. The fun begins for Oso begins on Saturday July 10 (8:00.8:30 a.m. Et/Pt), with new episodes every Saturday throughout July and August. The season will include the introduction of two new special agent characters: Buffo the water buffalo, voiced by Brad Garrett, is a slightly clumsy and excitable inventor charged with creating all of Oso's special agent gadgets. And Oso finds...

The big yellow bear of ABC Family is getting some high profile guest stars. Academy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director Mel Brooks, Emmy Award-winning actor Brad Garrett and famed Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz guest star in the second season of Disney Channel's Emmy-nominated Playhouse Disney series, "Special Agent Oso," starring Academy Award nominee Sean Astin. The fun begins for Oso begins on Saturday July 10 (8:00.8:30 a.m. Et/Pt), with new episodes every Saturday throughout July and August. The season will include the introduction of two new special agent characters: Buffo the water buffalo, voiced by Brad Garrett, is a slightly clumsy and excitable inventor charged with creating all of Oso's special agent gadgets. And Oso finds...

See 2 new clips from the "Recycling is Forever" episode of Disney Channel's "Special Agent Oso." The animated show features the voice talents of Sean Astin, Phill Lewis, Meghan Strange, Cam Clarke and Amber Hood. Jamie Mitchell directs and the show was created by Ford Riley. See this on April 17th at 8:00 aa.m. Et/Pt on Disney Channel! "Special Agent Oso" stars Academy Award-nominee Sean Astin as the voice of Oso, a fuzzy, lovable, bumbling special agent-in-training who enlists the help of viewers at home to complete his assignments. Paying homage to special agent classics, the series follows Oso, a stuffed panda bear who works for U.N.I.Q.U.E. (United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events), an international organization of endearing stuffed animals charged with helping kids accomplish everyday tasks such as cleaning their room, brushing their teeth and learning how to use the library.

Disney Channel will be presenting a mini-marathon of the hit animated series "Special Agent Oso" on Monday, August 24. The marathon will feature four episodes, along with the premiere of a new episode.

The new episode "Tie Another Day/ You Only Start Pre-School Once" will kick off the marathon and debut at 8:00 am Et.

The series is voiced by Sean Astin as Special Agent Oso, a fuzzy, lovable bumbling stuffed panda bear and special agent-in-training who enlists the help of young viewers at home to help him complete his missions.

The series airs every morning at 8:00 am Et during Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney morning programming block for preschoolers.

Disney Channel has ordered a second season of its animated preschool sleuth series Special Agent Oso, according to Variety.

Sean Astin lends his voice to the lead character on Special Agent Oso, which the Disney Channel said is the fastest-growing preschool series ever for the cabler.

Riffing on classic secret agent movies, Special Agent Oso revolves around a bumbling stuffed panda bear who works for Unique -- "United Network for Investigating Quite Usual Events." Oso and his team help kids accomplish tasks such as using the library or cleaning their room.

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