Spend some 'fun and sweetness' time 'At Home With Olaf' during your coronavirus quarantine: 'The world needs more Olaf always'
[Update April 14, 2020: This story has been updated to include new quotes as well as new Twitter reactions from Olaf fans.]
Thanks to the combination of the spring weather and the coronavirus quarantine, now isn’t the ideal time to build a snowman — even if we wanted to. Thankfully, Disney Animation is warming our hearts via a new digital series of Frozen shorts starring Josh Gad’s hug-loving snowman, Olaf. Directed by Hyrum Osmond, episodes of At Home With Olaf are debuting throughout the week on Walt Disney Animation Studios’s official YouTube page and social media channels. And these shorts are literal homework for the duo: Osmond is overseeing the animation of the cartoon shorts at home, while Gad is recording Olaf’s voice in his own house.
Not that either of them is complaining, since working from home means they get to slack off on normal business attire. “It is a common assumption that actors (when performing voice-over roles) wear their pajamas to work. Well, for the first time in my career, I can safely say, I recorded the voice of Olaf in my pajamas,” Gad wrote in an e-mail to Yahoo Entertainment. “My hat goes off to the incredible animators led by the brilliant Hyrum Osmand and Jennifer Lee who have all worked from home during these difficult times and brought Olaf to life again, presumably all while wearing their own pajamas as well. Our Pajama crew is honored to bring a little smile and joy to all who watch these wonderful shorts during these difficult times.”
On Twitter, Osmond expressed his delight at being able to bring “A little fun and sweetness for your day.”
Delighted to announce the new Olaf Shorts series that I was privileged to write and direct. #AtHomeWithOlaf
A little fun and sweetness for your day. A huge thank you to @alittlejelee @joshgad and the many artists working from home that helped make it possible. https://t.co/K15IgSCVeR— hyrum osmond (@mrhyrum) April 6, 2020
Gad has been using his Twitter feed to share some behind-the-scenes details. For example, the actor posted this photo of his recording set-up for aspiring sound engineers everywhere.
Here’s a behind the scenes look at me recording new Olaf dialogue from home for #AtHomeWithOlaf in conjunction with @DisneyAnimation led by @mrhyrum and the geniuses all working from homes to bring these new shorts to life. Also, guys, I’m now a sound engineer too!! pic.twitter.com/9Yl6rsx1m3
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) April 6, 2020
He also revealed that he was wearing a silk Kimono while voicing the second episode, “Alone in the Forest.” We have a feeling that Elsa would approve.
“Alone in the Forest” #AtHomeWithOlaf created at home by Hyrum Osmond. Voiced from home by me in a silk Kimono. #DisneyMagicMoments pic.twitter.com/s27rBpSZn7
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) April 7, 2020
The kimono wasn’t a standard costume, though. Sometimes Gad simply rocked a knit top and tighty whities. Does that count as TMI?
New week, new Olaf shorts!!! Here now is "Birthday" #AtHomeWithOlaf created at home by Hyrum Osmond. Voiced from home by me, in standard tighty whities and a knit top. #DisneyMagicMoments pic.twitter.com/Q2QV4Mdkjj
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) April 14, 2020
At Home With Olaf will reportedly consist of 20 shorts, and so far, Frozen fans seem to love these cartoons as much as Kristof loves ‘80s power ballads.
This is what I needed pic.twitter.com/DyXu2aqZZ6
— Tiff (@earthtotiffany_) April 14, 2020
I love Olaf so much. He makes my heart happy.
— Breanna @🏡 (@Breanna_A89) April 14, 2020
These are always a bright spot in the day. Thank you for continuing to share Olaf with all of us. Sending you a warm hug. 🥰??🎥?? pic.twitter.com/ttNTxbNJrd
— Alanna Smith (@SmithAlanna) April 14, 2020
To Hyrum Osmond. Thank you.
To be the only animator & finding you make this from home when Hyrum is also probably worried is amazing.
Do people not know how long it takes to animate anything?
This is incredible & many should be looking closely to this animator's future projects.— John Dreyer (@ashowforyou) April 6, 2020
Olaf is so cuuuuuuuute, I'm going to cry! pic.twitter.com/BJOf7qeYji
— ossisims (@ossisims) April 6, 2020
The world needs more Olaf always.
— Beth #StayHome Corcoran (@RungineerBeth) April 7, 2020
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC and WHO’s resource guides.
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