Disney offers RM20.8 mln for the Notre-Dame it once immortalised on film

NEW YORK: Disney, which scored millions with the 1996 animated blockbuster “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” said on Wednesday it would give US$ 5 million ( RM20.8 million) to restore the fi re- damaged Paris cathedral.

“Notre-Dame is a beacon of hope and beauty that has defi ned the heart of Paris and the soul of France for centuries, inspiring awe and reverence for its art and architecture and for its enduring place in human history,” said Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger in a statement.

“The Walt Disney Company stands with our friends and neighbours in the community, offering our heartfelt support as well as a US$ 5 million donation for the restoration of this irreplaceable masterpiece.”

Disney’s connection to the storied cathedral includes its 1996 animated hit “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” based on the Victor Hugo novel. The fi lm, with animated incarnations of Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Frollo, sold an estimated US$ 325 million in tickets worldwide.

The company also manages Disneyland Paris, a 5,510-acre theme park about 20 miles (32 kms) east of the French capital.

The Disney donation is among the first major contributions from a US entity following Monday’s blaze, which gutted the grand Paris landmark, destroying the roof, causing the steeple to collapse and leaving France reeling with shock.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook announced the tech giant would give an unspecified amount, while Henry Kravis, cofounder of investment fund KKR and his wife Marie- Josée Kravis, said they would give US$ 10 million to the project.

The University of Notre Dame in Indiana has also promised US$100,000.

Billionaire Bernard Arnault and his LVMH luxury conglomerate, Total oil company and cosmetics giant L’Oreal also each pledged 100 million euros (RM467 million).

However, the slew of announcements from French giants raised eyebrows in France, with some politicians on the left arguing that the ultra-rich could best help protect the country’s cultural heritage by fully paying their taxes — or helping the “human cathedral” of people in need. — AFP

Writer and director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (second from right) poses with cast members Brittany Snow (left to right), DeWanda Wise and Gina Rodriguez at a screening for Netflix’s ‘Someone Great’ in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday. (Top left) Rodriguez and her fiance Joe LoCicero at the screening. (Top right) Wise, Rodriguez and Snow attend the after party for the ‘Someone Great’ screening at ArcLight Hollywood on Wednesday. (Inset) Gina Rodriguez arrives for the screening. — Reuters/AFP photos