‘Hexed’ producers take us behind the magic of Disney’s new animated adventure

LOS ANGELES — Disney is inviting audiences into an all-new magical realm with the upcoming animated adventure “Hexed.”

Ahead of its release, On The Red Carpet got a look behind the magic, visiting the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank to talk with the film’s producers about how the “Hexed” world came to life.

In “Hexed,” a rebellious teenage girl named Billie Doe opens a portal to a magical world, kicking off an action-filled journey. But before the film hits screens, the creative process itself proved to be its own kind of magic.

“Animation is an amazingly iterative process,” producer Roy Conli explained. “You keep putting it up about every 12 to 14 weeks and look at it. It starts off with still drawings, and slowly but surely, little pieces of animation go in and then next thing you know, you’ve got a film.”

While the movie features mystical elements, creatures, and a stacked voice cast including Hailee Steinfeld, Rashida Jones, Jodie Foster, and Walton Goggins, producer Yvett Merino points out that the true heart of the story lies the complicated, relatable relationship between Billie and her mother.

“What I personally love about it and what I think a lot of audiences will connect with is obviously I was a teenager at one point and had a relationship with my mom,” Merino shared. Reflecting on her own experiences parenting a 17-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter, she added, “I felt like I knew everything and she didn’t know anything.”

Conli notes that the film balances humor and action with a universal heart. “The film is fun, funny, action-filled, but I think at the heart of it there is a truth in emotion that is really kind of phenomenal,” he said. “Parents and kids are going to love this equally.”

“Hexed” arrives in theaters Nov. 25.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Walt Disney Studios and this Station.