Just imagine how much cooler Olaf will be floating across New York City as a gigantic balloon! USA Today announced that our snowman buddy will be claiming his well-deserved spot this November as one of four new pop-culture icons inflated to life at the 91st annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, broadcasting on NBC at 9 a.m. ![]()
“Having an Olaf balloon alongside Mickey, Elmo, and Big Bird is a dream come true and something that, because (the parade’s) so storied and has such a long tradition, I now get to share that with my own kids,” says Josh Gad, the voice of Olaf.
Everyone’s favorite snowman will make his parade debut a day after Olaf’s Frozen Adventure—a new featurette accompanying Disney•Pixar’s Coco—hits theaters November 22. The 22-minute featurette is a continuation of the original Frozen, and with holidays on the horizon, Olaf scours the kingdom to find the best family traditions so that Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) can have a magical Christmas.
Although Gad admits to being biased, he believes it’s “a very humbling honor” that the beloved character has struck a chord with kids, which the actor sees on a daily basis. (We can personally confirm that it’s not just with kids, for that matter).
“Whether it’s his purity, innocence or naivete, there’s something they all can relate to or have some sort of entertaining response to,” Gad says. “I absolutely treasure that.”
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We can barely contain our excitement because Gad has also officially started voice work on the much-anticipated Frozen sequel coming November 2019, but the Olaf balloon can subdue our flurry of emotions for now. Chris Buck, who directed the first Frozen movie in 2013, drew a sketch for the balloon that inspired the Macy’s Parade Studio design team. Gad recalls watching the parade with then-girlfriend (and now wife) Ida Darvish in 2005, back when he was starring in his first Broadway production.
“We were standing there on this rooftop watching all this in the rain, and it was just such a magical experience,” Gad says. “To now have one of my own characters inspire one of those iconic floats is pretty surreal.”
And we’re sure having Olaf up there will make the experience all the more magical.
Posted 4 years Ago