![\"Songs](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Disney-Songs-in-Sign-Language_Encanto.jpg\")
<\/a>Songs in Sign Language \u2013 \u201cWe Don\u2019t Talk About Bruno\u201d from \u2018Encanto\u2019\nA Personal Touch<\/strong><\/p>\n
For Osmond, who had his first credit as an animator on Bolt (2008), went on to supervise the character of Olaf in Frozen (2013) and was head of animation on Moana (2016), making Songs in Sign Language was personal and profoundly rewarding. He says the team decided to zero in on three songs that would deliver a range of energy and emotion. \u201c\u2019We Don\u2019t Talk About Bruno\u2019 is a very different song than \u2018The Next Right Thing,\u2019 which is much more subdued and emotional \u2026 We really wanted to play with that with that difference Also, technology changes very quickly, so we wanted to pick some [sequences] that we could still access and utilize within our current animation tool set.\u201d<\/p>\n
Producer Heather Blodget adds, \u201cFrom the very beginning of this project, Hyrum\u2019s goal was not to just put sign language over the existing performance, but to reimagine the choreography and performance of the song in a way that would translate with ASL. We collaborated with DJ Kurs and the great folks over at Deaf West Theatre to think through how each shot translates and what the different implications of movement should be. They drew from an incredible community of Deaf performers who were well versed in this style of storytelling. Catalene Sacchetti did a great job in her role as sign language reference choreographer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kurs notes, \u201cWhen Hyrum approached me with a potential collaboration involving the integration of ASL into the fabric of Disney storytelling, it was an immediate \u2018yes\u2019 for us. My reaction was a mix of excitement and a deep sense of responsibility. Disney stories are the universal language of childhood. The chance to bring our language into that world was a historic opportunity to reach a global audience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are moments when Disney Animation creates something that is truly remarkable,\u201d adds producer Christina Chen. \u201cWhen Hyrum came to us with the idea of reimagining some of our iconic musical numbers using sign language, I immediately started thinking to myself, how is he going to do that? He had it all figured out and knew how he was going to build a team to get this done. Put a challenge in front of someone who has passion for an idea, and it\u2019s amazing what they can achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two of the featured songs, \u201cThe Next Right Thing\u201d and \u201cBeyond,\u201d spotlight a single character performing the song. This allowed Kurs, Sacchetti and the actors from Deaf West Theatre to concentrate on the performance and interpret how the lyrics could work in ASL. In the case of \u201cBeyond,\u201d Kurs cast a Samoan actor who is Deaf to ensure that the cultural nuances of movement were accurate. Similarly, for \u201cWe Don\u2019t Talk About Bruno,\u201d Colombian actors who were Deaf were cast, ensuring authenticity.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used \u2018The Next Right Thing\u2019 as a proof of concept because it focuses on a single performer and is a very dramatic song,\u201d says Osmond. \u201cClark Spencer [Disney Animation president] really wanted us to do \u2018We Don\u2019t Talk About Bruno\u2019 from Encanto, which is a fun and elaborate production with nearly 30 characters and lots of choreography. We knew that it was going to be a ton of work, but I\u2019m glad he pushed for it because it turned out great and really challenged us to do something special.\u201d<\/p>\n