Disney has released its yearly Christmas advert, with this year’s story called The Stepdad – and it features a soundtrack from jazz singer Gregory Porter.
The ad begins with the main character, Mike, moving out of his home and in with his partner and her two children. He and his canine companion are welcomed with open arms and the family begin to prepare for Christmas.
They are shown doing various Christmas activities like building snowmen, video calling their families and baking, all with a little help from their Disney companions and with plenty of references to Star Wars and Marvel.
After a small slip up, the new step-dad stays up all night trying his hardest to make it up to the kids, and eventually the family are brought together by the magic of Christmas.
The advert also serves as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman who played King T’Challa in Disney’s Black Panther and who Porter described as a “a great friend of mine before he had any success, before I had any success.”
In the advert, Mike’s nephew and stepson share a ‘Wakanda Forever’ salute over a video call.
Gregory Porter continued of his late pal: “He used to play chess with my brother, and I would sit on the side waiting to play chess with them, but they were all ‘we’re too good for you’ and they’d never let me play!”
“But he’s part of my life story. We would sit in the coffee shop and talk about having success someday. I was writing songs, he was reading scripts and writing scripts, so it was just amazing that we cross paths in such an interesting way, now.”
Throughout the advert jazz singer Gregory Porter sings Love Runs Deeper, an emotional track about adjusting to new family life. The charity single supports the Make A Wish foundation and all proceeds until December 31 will be donated to the charity.
When asked if he sees himself in the main character, Porter replied: “I do, I think in trying to find traditions to carry on to my sons, it’s a thing. It’s very important to me.”
The singer-songwriter has written a song for his son Demyan and often dedicates his music to his children.
He continued: “It’s about taking the things that he’s learned from me, and taking it to his children. Taking it to his next generation, taking it to the end of his life.
“So this is in a similar vein; trying to create something and create new family traditions and a new thing with stepdad Mike. So, yeah, it’s very near and dear, and quite sentimental.”
For more of the latest showbiz news from Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
