MORE ‘FROZEN’
Find a review of the movie and an interview with Idina Menzel at movies .azcentral.com. Anderson-Lopez was approached to work on the Walt Disney World production of “Finding Nemo — The Musical” in 2006, the couple embarked on their first full-time collaboration.
“She was invited to find any composer she wanted. And she picked me,” says Lopez.
“I was like, ‘I hear about this guy Bobby Lopez; he just won a Tony. And he’s standing right here,’ ” says Anderson-Lopez.
Taking on the task of writing the music for “Frozen” required daily conference calls with the film’s directors starting in January 2012 to help flesh out the characters. Still, the couple had an advantage in the tale about two sisters at odds with each other.
“That really resonated for us, having two daughters. Our youngest just thinks our oldest is a superhero. And our oldest is often like ‘Leave me alone.’ ” says Anderson-Lopez. “We knew exactly what that older-younger dynamic is.”
There were frustrating moments in the creative process (“It definitely can be full of angst,” says Lopez). And the two sometimes have to separate work pressure from home frustrations. “Sometimes it’s like, ‘OK, what’s going on here?’ It’s not about a
‘‘ I get to play all day with my best friend, and he also happens to be my favorite Broadway composer.”
About working with her husband lyric is it? It’s about your mother,’ ” says Anderson-Lopez.
They broke through on “Frozen,” and the raves are rolling in.
called it “a new Disney classic” and said “the most endearing aspect” of the film was the couple’s songs. “Let It Go” is enjoying front-runner status for best song-award contention.
The duo are not exclusive writing partners. But they plan to continue working from their Brooklyn home on a yet-to-be announced Disney project and a stage production called “Up Here.”
“The only bad thing about being a husband and wife team is, when things aren’t going well, you cannot go home and complain to your spouse,” says Lopez, who says he still breaks open a bottle of expensive champagne every anniversary to give thanks for the partnership.
“I get to play all day with my best friend, and he also happens to be my favorite Broadway composer,” says Anderson-Lopez. “We’re both very, very grateful.”