For Louaye Moulayess, some of the finest life lessons he learnt as a child came from Disney films.
Aladdin taught him how to be himself and to value friendship. From Beauty and the Beast, he learned the importance of not judging a book by its cover. The Jungle Book showed him why it was important to face his fears.
These were lessons Moulayess carried well into his adult life after first encountering them in engrossing, magical worlds: in the fruit markets of Agrabah, the candlelit halls of the Beast’s castle and the forests of Seoni.
Today, the Lebanese animator has a hand in shaping such stories, working as part of the animation team on Disney's latest, Raya and the Last Dragon.
"This was the project I was waiting for. Of course, I feel that way about every project but I felt more weight working on this film," he tells The National, comparing the project to films such as Spies in Disguise and Frozen II. "It's still a fantasy adventure, but it has a bigger message and more serious tone."
The film takes place in Kumandra, a land based on South-East Asian cultures, but the division that grips the fictional nation is reminiscent of Lebanon, where Moulayess was born and raised.
He was 19 and studying computer science at a Lebanese university, when he decided to pack up his sketchpads and fly west to study animation.
“I had no experience in animation at all,” he says. “I didn’t even have a portfolio. I found an art school in San Francisco that had a philosophy of letting everybody in. You have to do well in your first or second semester. It was perfect for me. I studied there for four years.”
In 2011, Moulayess landed a Pixar internship that kickstarted his animation career. He worked on Cars 2 and soon landed a full-time job at Blue Sky Studios, where he worked on two Ice Age films as well as Rio 2 and Ferdinand. In 2019, he joined Disney.
The studio released Raya and the Last Dragon last month, a tale that follows a lone warrior as she tracks down the world's last remaining dragon, in a bid to stop a pack an evil threat.
If the film's message of unity was to stick, Kumandra had to be a fascinating, unforgettable place.
Working from home and having those team meetings through Zoom, I just felt like we were all connected somehow
“I knew it had to be very, very precise,” Moulayess says.
In its ancient history, Kumandra was a thriving civilisation built along the banks of a sprawling dragon-shaped lake. Humans lived alongside dragons and enjoyed prosperity until the arrival of the Druun, a shadowy force described as a mindless plague.
Though the dragons sacrificed themselves to defeat the Druun, their disappearance resulted in the disappearance of a lion’s share of the kingdom’s waters. Humanity found itself living in harsher conditions, which became exacerbated after they divided into five separate lands.
And that's where Raya and the Dragon, starring Star Wars actress Kelly Marie Tran and Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina, kicks off.
Moulayyes says animating Awkwafina’s character, the clumsy and self-deprecating dragon Sisu, was one of the most fun parts of the project.
“We found inspiration in lizards, dragon lore and fantasy,” Moulayess says. He adds that the team wanted Sisu to come across as the archetypal, fire-breathing dragon but rather more playful and slightly awkward.
Animating a Disney production from home was a challenge. However, it also brought plenty of unanticipated inspiration to the project, Moulayess says.
“It’s amazing how we can adapt as artists. It became second nature ... But working from home and having those team meetings through Zoom, I just felt like we were all connected somehow. We’re all sitting down in our pyjamas and it was a different connection to the team.”
Looking back at the trajectory of his career, Moulayess says he has been “incredibly lucky", giving credit to a high school incident.
“In high school, I was drawing all the time and one day, I was sketching while climbing the stairs and a bully stopped me. He was like ‘what are you doing?’ and I told him I was just drawing. He then told me ‘oh, you like animation and stuff, give it a year or two. You’re going to stop liking it.’ I will never forget this because it was almost out of spite that I just kept with it," he recalls.
"And that would be my advice to anyone wanting to pursue a career in animation. The key is to do it, to keep doing it.”
SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
RB Leipzig 2 (Klostermann 24', Schick 68')
Hertha Berlin 2 (Grujic 9', Piatek 82' pen)
Man of the match Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
