Several big names in entertainment were hailed as Disney Legends as part of the Disney fan convention D23 on Friday.
The event, which happens every two years, saw Star Wars’ Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, actress Whoopi Goldberg, the former Marvel chairman Stan Lee and actress and TV host Oprah Winfrey got honored.
On the press line, Hamill spoke about how his Star Wars co-star would have reacted to getting the award and how he hoped her presence in the final of the new trilogy would be treated after Fisher died in December 2016.
American media proprietor Oprah Winfrey said “What have I done to be a legend that is the first question. Legend is such a profound, dramatic and dynamic title to hold in the world, so I was thinking, what have I done to be a legend? And then I thought, ok, the Oprah show was legendary so I can accept it in the name of the Oprah show.”
Actress, Whoopi Goldberg, said “I just think today I’m going to Disneyland and I’m not taking the kids. That’s how I look at everything. It’s a great thing, man, I’m lucky. I know it and it’s fantastic and I’ve worked for and with Disney for so long but I didn’t know they had a program like this.
“That’s how slow I am. They said ‘Oh we’re giving you this thing’ and I was like ‘Oh ok thanks’ and they were like ‘No, you don’t understand. We’re giving you this thing’. This lady came and said ‘Say thank you’ and I went ‘Thank you’ and then I looked it up and I was blown away.”
Other notable people who became Disney Legends included Disneyland ride creator Wayne Jackson and theater and film director Julie Taymor.