When audiences think of Chris Pine, his movie star image is that of a hero. Be it of a renegade maverick like James T. Kirk in the Star Trek films, the mischievous but kindhearted Jack Frost in Rise of the Guardians, or the noble embodiment of positive masculinity like Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman. He screams hero so much that he plays the most put-together Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Often, Pine’s heroes are also ones that have a comedic side to them, and that is intentional. “I’ve always been attracted to characters who are basically buffoonish, that think of themselves more than they actually are and get shown that in some way. I love a banana peel moment,” said Pine.

Pine is also known for having dipped his toe into playing villains. In 2014, he pulled double villain duties in Horrible Bosses 2 and as a scoundrel version of Prince Charming in Into the Woods. Just last year, he played the sinister Frank in Don’t Worry Darling. In Disney’s latest animated film, Wish, Pine gets to play his most villainous role yet, King Magnifico, the ruler of the magic kingdom of Rosas, who appears to be a benevolent ruler but is, in fact, a power-hungry manipulative villain. In other words, it’s a nice return to classic Disney villains and a chance for Pine to really cut loose.

Chris Pine sat down with MovieWeb to talk about what it was like to play a Disney villain, his history with music, and the legacy of Disney animation.

The Prestige of Playing a Disney Villain
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Wish Release Date November 22, 2023 Director Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn Cast Alan Tudyk, Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine Main Genre Animation Genres Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When it comes to villains, the Disney pantheons hold a special place in both cinema history and the hearts of moviegoers. Greater than any rogues’ gallery for any superhero, the villains from Dinsey’s animated films have stood tall as the pencils of evil for generations. From the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to Hades in Hercules, these villains are famous the world over and are sometimes even more popular than the Disney heroes themselves.

Yet, in recent years, Disney has shifted away from the traditional villain. Ever since Frozen’s massive twist of Prince Han as the true villain, Disney animated films tend to favor either movies with a twist villain like in Zootopia, or ones where there isn’t so much a physical antagonist, but the battle is more against an idea like generational trauma in Encanto or insecurity in Ralph Breaks the Internet. Even classic Disney villains like Maleficent and Cruella de Vil have been reimagined as anti-heroes.

Related: Best Chris Pine Movies, Ranked

King Magnifico is a return to a classic Disney villain and one that allows Pine to really cut loose and play a wide range of emotions. “Playing a villain is more fun than playing a hero often because you get to do all the weird fun stuff,” said Pine. “To play a character who plays all the colors. At first, he is charming and magnificent and powerful, and then he is angry and unhinged, and then he is whimpering and asking for help; you get to play the full cycle.”

Stepping into a Disney villain role is a daunting task, particularly when you are in the highly coveted Disney 100-year celebration film that Wish is. Fortunately, the pressure did not get to Pine. He says, “I was only really apprised of what an honor it was playing a villain by a buddy of mine who was telling me all about the Disney villain songs and what a big deal it was. I only found that out after I sang the song.”

A New Classic Disney Villain Song
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2023 has been a great year for Chris Pine singing fans (of which there are many). He delighted audiences as the bard in the action-comedy Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and now with Wish, he gets not one, but two songs that showcase his vocal range. One is a classic duet, while the other is an all-out villain song, “This Is the Thanks I Get.”

Ever since Pine belted out “Agony” in Into the Woods, fans of his have wanted him to sing more. He is such a great singer that the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack features two Christmas songs sung by Pine as his version of the hero. While many might not associate with Pine as a singer at first, he has a talent for and a long history with it. As he explained,

I sang a little bit in high school. I grew up loving Frank Sinatra. I played guitar and did that for a while, and I never really thought about it.

Pine revealed an early attempt at singing, “I actually did audition for La Cage aux Folles when I was 23. I didn’t get it, but I was close and auditioned for Harvey Fierstein and was terrified. I think I was shaking the whole time.” This makes for a fun connection in the rich tapestry of Disney Animation as Harvey Fierstein voiced Fao in Disney’s Mulan. Pine later added, “Then I did Into the Woods, and that was a real joy, and I thought, this is super fun. It’s definitely a part of my interest, and I love doing it.”

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Pine revealed that the night prior, he was watching Rio Bravo with John Wayne and Dean Martin, citing Martin’s ability to both sing and act. “It reminds me of the greats of times past who could dance, sing, and fight people, like a James Cagney. He would beat people up and then do a tap with Bob Hope on a table, so those guys I really emulate.”

Pine has a deep respect for the classic stars of the Hollywood Golden Age and, in many ways, has crafted that sort of career for himself. He is comfortable playing a rogue outlaw in a serious drama like Hell or Highwater, can jump into the lead of an action film like Star Trek, and also is a talented singer and dancer. Pine really can do it all. After Wish, there is no doubt that “This Is The Thanks I Get?” will be thought of alongside “Be Prepared” or “Mother Knows Best” in terms of Disney villain songs.

Chris Pine’s Favorite Disney Memory

Disney has been a part of the culture for 100 years, so it’s something everyone has memories of. Pine, like many, went to Disneyland and cited riding Space Mountain a lot as a kid. Disney even tied into Pine’s first crush. He says, “My first crush was Ariel from Little Mermaid, either her or She-Ra.” In regard to his favorite Disney animated films, he cited a classic:

Really the one that stayed with me the most is Lady and the Tramp. I have these very fond, rose-tinted memories of that.

Joining a Disney Animated film is a great honor. After 100 years, there is a certain pedigree that comes with being chosen for a Disney animated film, and this is something that Pine is aware of. “To be a part of Wish, the 100-year anniversary of Disney — Disney has been an important part of all of our lives growing up in storytelling and images and worlds that they have created, so it’s an honor.” He is already part of many major franchises, from Star Trek to DC, but Disney as an institution has been around longer than both of those. In fact, for many audiences, their first memory of Pine might have been in Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement.

On a personal note, it feels appropriate for Wish to be a movie about fulfilling dreams, as this interviewer was probably as nervous, if not more so, than Pine was auditioning for Harvey Feinstein for La Cage aux Folles. I make it an annual tradition to watch Pine’s three Star Trek movies every Thanksgiving, and even wrote an article about it. The idea of meeting Chris Pine, let alone interviewing him, was something I never dreamed of, but as Wish shows us, following dreams can make incredible things happen.

Wish opens in theaters on November 22, 2023.