British girl who asked for first Disney heroine with glasses invited to BAFTAs
Watch: British girl who wrote to Disney asking for princess with glasses invited to BAFTAs
A British school girl who wrote to Disney asking them to create a princess that wears glasses has been invited to the Bafta awards by director Jared Bush.
Lowri Moore, 12, from Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, who has worn glasses all her life, bravely sent the request to the entertainment giant when she was just nine.
She hoped there could be a character that looks like her, and isn't associated with being a 'geek' or a 'nerd' for wearing glasses.
However, she was left with no response – not because it hadn't been received or because they didn't care to reply, but because Encanto director Bush had to keep his lips tightly sealed that the main character in the film was in already going to be wearing them.
Nevertheless, he held on safely to her letter, and now that he's finally got the chance to discuss the film with Lowri, has invited her to attend the awards ceremony with him on Sunday.
Speaking to Lowri on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, Bush said, "I think she knows she’s my hero, I can’t imagine being that age and being that brave.
“I think the biggest thing I’d like to say is, as it turns out, like you mentioned, I may be in the UK this weekend, and I was wondering, Lowri, if you might be interested in maybe joining me and the other film-makers at the Bafta Award ceremony?”
Lowri and her mother, Cyrilyn Moore, gasped at the request, with Lowri immediately repeatedly nodding, lost for words.
Presenter Jon Kay joined in excitedly with, "I think that is a yes."
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When presenter Sally Nugent asked Bush to explain to Lowri what the invitation means exactly, i.e. whether there is a 'red carpet' or a 'fancy part', he responded with, "I think the most important thing is I’m so excited to meet you in person.
“I’m going to tell you all the Disney secrets that I couldn’t tell you, but now I am going to whisper them all, and no-one can stop me.
"We're going to have a really good time."
Wiping away her tears of happiness, Lowri just managed to say the words "thank you so much".
Also overwhelmed with emotion, her mother added, "That is like the stuff dreams are made of, isn't it? That's beautiful."
After being thanked by both Kay, Nugent, Lowri and her mother, Bush ended their video call with, "You're such an inspiration to all of us, so it's our pleasure, and I'm just really really excited, we're going to have a really great time."
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Encanto tells the story of Mirabel Madrigal, a young girl with glasses who, despite living in a magical community, has no apparent powers of her own. However, she is soon desperately turned to for help when she discovers the enchanted village is in danger.
Lowri and Bush previously managed to chat in early February when the director was being interviewed on BBC Radio Nottingham via phone from the US. He surprised her then too with a special drawing of Mirabel by one of the film's artists, Jin Kim, and promised he would post it to her.
Tweeting at the time, Bush wrote, "3 years ago, Lowri wrote Disney asking for a heroine w/glasses. I couldn't say that her wish was already coming true!"
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And, ironically, this wish was coming true with Mirabel's appearance inspired by another woman who wore glasses. With the plot of Encanto set in Columbia, local guide Alejandra Espinosa was hired as a cultural consultant for the film.
While Espinosa did actively have a large amount of influence over the decisions made for Encanto, a huge influence that she had unintentionally, and obliviously, had was what the main character of looked like.
After she had already seen over a thousand images of Mirabel, Espinosa's boyfriend at the time told her "They've made a doll out of you", as reported by Spanish paper EL PAÍS.
However, despite the alikeness, she couldn't see it. “I identify with Mirabel not because of the hair and the glasses, but because of her attitude; frank, honest, determined but at the same time excited. Mirabel has a little piece of my spirit," she told the paper.
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However, while she asked EL PAÍS not to say the character was based on her, it also reports that the directors of the film confirmed in a Zoom meeting that she was in fact part of the inspiration for Mirabel.
Encanto has received three Oscar nominations, including best animated film. Earlier this year the song We Don't Talk About Bruno, written by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, also became the first original Disney song to reach number one in the UK singles chart, according to the Official Charts Company.
The Baftas is due to take place at London's Royal Albert Hall on March 13 – and can now expect one more attendee, years after sending her letter, Lowri.
Additional reporting by PA.
