DISNEY’S HALL OF Fame of talking-animal buddies is vast. The pressure was on, then, for directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn to create a creature companion for Wish, Disney Animation’s feature-length celebration of the studio’s 100th birthday. They explain why confident goat Valentino — furry friend to Ariana DeBose’s hero Asha — is a worthy new addition.
HE’S GOT PLUCK
The culture of Wish is rooted in the Iberian peninsula, so a goat fitted Asha’s rural home — and story. “Baby goats love to climb,” Veerasunthorn says. “It’s a movie about pursuing your wish, so it’s good to have a character who is not afraid.”