Songs in Sign Language on Disney+ 2026: Behind the Scenes

Disney Animation has rebuilt three musical numbers from recent films in American Sign Language for Songs in Sign Language, now streaming exclusively on Disney+. It’s the studio’s first project of its kind, created with Deaf West Theatre and directed by Hyrum Osmond.

Osmond drew the idea from his father, who is hard of hearing. He said he didn’t learn sign language while growing up and regretted the barrier that created between them. “It’s really all about connection,” Osmond said.

Three Disney songs rebuilt for ASL

The project revisits “The Next Right Thing” from Frozen 2, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto, and “Beyond” from Moana 2. It arrived during National Deaf History Month, with more than 20 animators working on the musical numbers.

This wasn’t a matter of replacing the existing characters’ hand movements. DJ Kurs, artistic director of Deaf West Theatre, said the team studied each song inside its larger story before interpreting the lyrics. The signs had to fit the beat and rhythm, with meaning carried through the hands, face, and body. After outlining the signs, the team presented them to actors to see how the movement worked in performance.

Sign language and English aren’t direct translations, Osmond said, so Disney Animation and Deaf West worked with the Deaf community on how each sign should look. Approximately 95% of shots received new animation. Many animators volunteered because the work resonated with them. Osmond’s earlier Disney credits include Frozen (2013) and Olaf Presents (2021).

Authenticity shaped the performances

For “Beyond,” Kurs cast a Deaf actor of Pacific Islands heritage to preserve the song’s cultural nuances. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” featured Colombian actors who are Deaf. Sign language reference choreographer Catalene Sacchetti discussed her translation with the performers and revised it after hearing their feedback.

Sacchetti gave one example. In ASL, the sign for “rat” can also carry meanings such as “fake” or “pretend,” creating room for confusion. Colombian consultants used a different sign, and the team chose it for the Encanto sequence because it better matched the scene’s action and aesthetics.

The Colombian sign for “rat” is the detail I can’t stop thinking about.

Osmond hopes the finished project gives audiences, particularly members of the Deaf community, a deeper sense of connection. Disney Animation hadn’t attempted anything like it before, he said, but the studio supported the idea from the beginning after understanding his vision and its importance.

Source: The Walt Disney Company