Winnie the Pooh releases nationwide in Theatres on Friday 13 May 2011

“WINNIE THE POOH” TUNES IN

ZOOEY DESCHANEL HITS THE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD

Actress/Musician/Singer/Songwriter Deschanel Performs Three Songs for the Philosophical Bear’s New Big-Screen Endeavour

He’s a bear of very little brain. She’s half of the acclaimed band She & Him. This year, they come together on the big screen in “Winnie the Pooh,” which hits theatres in select international markets in Spring 2011, and in the U.S. on July 15, 2011. Actress/Musician/Singer/Songwriter Zooey Deschanel (“Almost Famous,” “(500) Days of Summer”) joins Winnie the Pooh and all of his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood, performing three songs for the film, including her own take on the classic “Winnie the Pooh” theme song, “A Very Important Thing to Do” and the original end-credit song “So Long,” which was written by Deschanel and performed with She & Him bandmate M. Ward.

“This has been one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had,” says Deschanel. “And I’ve just been thanking my lucky stars that I was able to work on this movie, because it’s delightful.”

Filmmakers were drawn to Deschanel’s signature style. “She was the perfect choice to do the ‘Winnie the Pooh’ song—a classic theme from the Sherman Brothers,” says director Don Hall. “Her music actually embodies the underlying spirit of the movie. We’re taking something that has vintage roots in the sixties, but spinning it in our own way and updating it. If you listen to Zooey’s music with She & Him—that’s their sound to a tee.”

Adds director Stephen Anderson, “It’s a perfect way to start the movie, letting the audience know right off the bat that this is Winnie the Pooh like you know him, but it’s something for today. We wanted to keep the same charm as the original, but give it a fresh spin, a contemporary feel, and she opens the movie with so much freshness, so much energy.”

“It’s always fun to have a contemporary artist rediscover a classic and that’s exactly what Zooey did,” says producer Peter Del Vecho. “She brought her own personality to the song—when she sings about introducing the individual characters, it’s as though she’s known them her whole life—and she has.”

“I’m a big fan of Winnie the Pooh and all his friends,” says Deschanel, who also plays the ukulele in the song. “It’s really hard to pick a favourite: Winnie the Pooh is so special, he loves honey and he’s just cool. Eeyore is amazing, I love Eeyore. And Piglet is so small. It’s really a four-way tie between Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger.”

Among the songs Deschanel performed for the film is “A Very Important Thing to Do”—a song that helps illustrate the contest the friends from the Hundred Acre Wood take on to find Eeyore a new tail. She also lent her voice to “Everything is Honey” and “Pooh’s Finale,” joining Jim Cummings (the voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger), Tony Award®-winning songwriter Robert Lopez (“Avenue Q”) and other cast members.

For the end-credit song, Deschanel teamed up with Ward to perform “So Long,” a song Deschanel wrote. “When I was writing ‘So Long,’ I just held the images for the end credits in my mind,” she says. “I spent a number of days tinkering with ideas, melodies and chord progressions that I thought would fit the images, the new music being written and the original Sherman Brothers stuff– but still be my own thing. The song definitely has its own feel, but also pays respect to the original.”

Deschanel plays piano for “So Long” and turned to the instrument when it came time to write the song. “I usually write on piano because that’s the first instrument that I learned when I was a little kid,” she says. “All of my musical theory knowledge is in linear piano form.”

Her heart, however, is in the vocals. “I’m always thinking in terms of vocals, and arranging a fabric of vocals is the most exciting part. I love to sing backup parts—I always try to squeeze in as many as possible,” she says. “It’s fun; it’s my style.”

Deschanel’s songs, plus the Sherman Brothers classic and a host of original songs by Robert Lopez and wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“The Wonder Pets”), as well as original score from composer Henry Jackman (“The Da Vinci Code,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”), will be included on the “Winnie the Pooh” soundtrack from Walt Disney Records.

Winnie the Pooh releases nationwide in Theatres on Friday 13 May 2011.

About Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh is the world’s most beloved bear, having made his debut in 1926 in the first book of Pooh stories written by A.A. Milne featuring the exquisite illustrations of E.H. Shepard. With a rich storytelling heritage, Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the 100 Acre Wood represent friendship, simple joys and the curious yet gentle nature of a child’s imagination. Winnie the Pooh is supported across the Walt Disney Company through a new full-length feature film to be released from April 2011, consumer products, live entertainment, an online presence, park attractions, DVD/Blu-Ray, as well as books and magazines that reach hundreds of millions of readers across EMEA every year. For more information go to: www.disney.com/winniethepooh.

About the Movie

Walt Disney Animation Studios returns to the Hundred Acre Wood with “Winnie the Pooh,” the first big-screen Pooh adventure from Disney animation in more than 35 years. With the timeless charm, wit and whimsy of the original featurettes, this all-new movie reunites audiences with the philosophical “bear of very little brain” and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo—and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore, who has lost his tail. “Ever have one of those days where you just can’t win, Eeyore?” asks Pooh. Owl sends the whole gang on a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit. It turns out to be a very busy day for a bear who simply set out to find some honey. Inspired by three stories from A.A. Milne’s books in Disney’s classic, hand-drawn art style, “Winnie the Pooh” hits South African theatres on 13 May 2011.

About The Walt Disney Company in South Africa:

The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive media group. TWDC has been active in South Africa for over 50 years. In 2006 the Disney Channel launched on the Multichoice DStv platform and in 2009 was voted the #1 coolest TV channel in South Africa in the Sunday Times Generation NeXt survey. Disney is one of the top distributors of US programming in the region, and brings network series, movies and Disney-branded kids and family content to TV viewers, including top rated US network series on air in the market such as ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Brothers and Sisters’. In 2007, Disney’s film distribution arm is the leader for family movies in the market, enjoying considerable success in 2009 with box office hits such as ‘Up’ and ‘The Proposal’ and in 2010 with the record breaking ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Disney is now also at the forefront of bringing new technologies to the market through classic film titles such as ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ on Blu-Ray and DVD. In 2009 Disney launched a direct to consumer mobile site for consumers in South Africa (disneysa.mobi), allowing tweens and families to access a range of Disney content directly from their mobile phones.