Sandra Oh and Cathy Ang lend their voices to Netflix’s magical animation Over the Moon
Enchanting new musical animation Over the Moon, exploring a captivating lunar journey, is heading to Netflix very soon.
Here’s everything we know about Over the Moon…
Over the Moon - when does it start?
Over the Moon arrives on Netflix on Friday October 23.
What is Over the Moon about?
The animated film follows young Chinese girl Fei Fei, voiced by Cathy Ang, who is struggling with her grief for her late mother. But the science-loving youngster is also fascinated by the legend of moon goddess Chang’e, which her mother recounted to her. In a bid to prove that Chang’e really exists, Fei Fei builds her own rocket ship and sets off on a colourful adventure to the moon.
“When Fei Fei's father tells her that he wants to remarry, that feels like losing her mum again so she is desperate to connect with this goddess who has always represented eternal love and has always been a source of connection and joy with her mum,” says Cathy. “There’s a desperation and so much love that Fei Fei doesn't know where to put because she's still grieving. But she gets inspired and realises, ‘I have to do this for my mum and for myself and for my family’.”
Who is in Over the Moon?
Alongside Cathy Ang, Star Trek’s John Cho voices Fei Fei’s devoted father, while Broadway star Ruthie Ann Miles is her late mother. Killing Eve’s Sandra Oh is Fei Fei’s kindly future stepmother Mrs Zhong and Robert G. Chiu is her pesky stepbrother-to-be Chin. The Masked Singer’s Ken Jeong is Gobi, a quirky Lunarian who Fei Fei meets during her intrepid journey and Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo is Chang’e.
“It is significant and wonderful that it is predominantly all Asian faces. That’s exciting to me and a new experience,” says Sandra. “The roles we are taking on and the stories are very culturally specific, which is something that in the Asian community we need to expand and take on and embrace. So there's a lot of meaning in this for all of us and there’s a message of moving on. I’m so grateful to be a part of it.”
Is there a trailer for Over the Moon?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26DIABx44Tw
There certainly is! The teaser shows little Fei Fei hearing the story about Chang’e who waits for her true love on the moon. At a family dinner, Fei Fei is told it’s just a silly myth but she insists that it is real. Fei Fei grabs her trusty rabbit Bungee and sets about designing her rocket. Once in the air, not all goes to plan, however, and Fei Fei discover that her Chin has stowed away with her. But a range of magical creatures soon appear before their eyes and is that a glimpse of the elusive Chang’e?
What else do we know?
The film is directed by Oscar-winning animator Glen Keane, who previously worked on hit Disney films Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. It is packed full of catchy songs, most notably Rocket to the Moon, sung by Cathy, who got the role as Fei Fei when she recorded the track as part of a demo session.
“That was a nerve-racking day,” says Cathy. “We were in the studio doing a scratch record of the whole movie and we were running behind. My song was last to record and I knew I had to nail it. I was getting more nervous and I was sweating and my voice was shaking. But they liked it and they put me in the movie. I am living the dream.”
