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How ‘Nimona’ Overcame Staggering Setbacks and Wound Up in the Oscar Race
Producers Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary worked through an acquisition, studio shutdown and pandemic to release the Oscar-nominated tale of acceptance.
When brave knight Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed) is falsely accused of assassinating the queen, he teams up with the chaotic, shapeshifting teenager Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) in the hopes of clearing his name and bringing peace to the kingdom. The “Nimona” team faced pushback from Disney on the film’s queer representation, including a kiss between Boldheart and boyfriend Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang). Leveraging their extensive industry networks and adept negotiation skills, Ryan and Zackary orchestrated the revival of the project, ultimately securing a deal with Annapurna Animation in 2022.
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