Through Disney General Entertainment we have the privilege of enjoying beloved brands such as Freeform, Hulu, FX, and National Geographic. From animation to diversity and inclusion, professional interns are assisting with driving their teams forward and bringing us new content. Disney General Entertainment proudly spotlighted some of its great interns through an ongoing intern spotlight series. We are excited to get to know the hard-working interns and share how their experiences are laying the foundation for their Disney careers.

Disney Television Animation (TVA)

Zaire Davis – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Intern

M.A., TV & Film
Savannah College of Art and Design

What have you enjoyed about your Disney internship so far?
I have enjoyed being able to learn at a company that defined many of my childhood memories.

What are you looking for next in your career? What type of role would you like to be in?
I would love to get in the production or writing space! Being able to shadow and learn from the folks in TVA made me realize that whatever I end up doing, I want to have fun while doing it!

How have your life experiences influenced how you define yourself and the impact you hope to make in the diversity and inclusion space?
Growing up, I assumed that dark-skinned black girls such as myself never got the guy or would ever be lead heroines. The shows that I watched were full of white faces, just like the rest of the Central Valley in Northern California where I grew up. I wanted to work in a space where I could further help ensure that all children get to see themselves on screen.

Quick! You’re stuck on a deserted island and can call on three Disney characters as your lifelines. Who do you pick?
Genie, Maleficent and Hercules!

ABC Alternative Series and Specials

Chase Lasken – ABC Alternative Series and Specials Intern

B.A., Film and TV Production
Loyola Marymount University

What have you enjoyed about your Disney internship so far?
So much! I have enjoyed watching casting videos for upcoming ABC unscripted shows, visiting sets and tapings of live shows like Jimmy Kimmel and The Bachelor, and meeting with other interns and employees across the company who share a passion for all things entertainment!

Best piece of advice that you can share with other interns?
Plan to do something small every day that you enjoy. I personally love going on quick walks outside, making myself lunch or watching funny YouTube videos from late-night shows. I find myself constantly falling into a cycle of nonstop work, but these little moments help me break that cycle and get me through the day with a clearer mind.

How have your life experiences influenced how you define yourself and the impact you hope to make in the diversity and inclusion space?
As an LGBTQ+ storyteller, my goal has always been to shine a more positive light on the LGBTQ+ community and tell unique stories that can inspire and create change. I believe there needs to be more LGBTQ+ protagonists/role models in media representation (especially the elderly) so that queer youth can see that it is possible to thrive in a world that seems to be constantly against them. I want to create hope for LGBTQ+ youth, hope that I did not have growing up.

Quick! You’re stuck on a deserted island and can call on three Disney characters as your lifelines. Who do you pick?
Marlin from Finding Nemo (if he can find Nemo, he can probably find me?), Olaf (for comic relief), and Rey from Star Wars (who wouldn’t want to ride in the Millennium Falcon).

ABC News, Specialized Units

William (Will) Kim – Production Intern

B.A., Economics
University of Chicago

What have you enjoyed about your Disney internship so far?
The diversity of experiences I have received working with people in the specialized units and all the cool things I’ve learned about the news industry.

What are you looking for next in your career? What type of role would you like to be in?
Eventually, I would like to be a producer. So, the type of role I would like next would either be a production assistant or an associate producer.

Best piece of advice that you can share with other interns?
Be tenacious, be ambitious and always try your best.

Favorite Disney character, show, movie, franchise, park or property? Why?
Disney World – it’s large and exciting!

ABC Signature Studios

Paige Hua – Creative Programming Intern

B.A., English
University of California, Los Angeles

What have you enjoyed about your Disney internship so far?
The people and the culture. Even beyond my team, everyone I’ve met at Disney has been so welcoming, friendly, and always down to chat. I’ve met some of the people I admire most in entertainment here, including my amazing co-intern Anvita and our managers Caitlin Smith and Marc Parra. Coming to work with them is a privilege.

Best piece of advice that you can share with other interns?
Think of networking as making friends. As an introvert, the phrase “networking” always felt icky, and I never liked the connotation that you’re only networking because you wanted personal gain. But even though I’m introverted, I’ve always loved making friends, and that’s the mindset I have whenever I’m reaching out to chat with people.

How have your life experiences influenced how you define yourself and the impact you hope to make in the diversity and inclusion space?
It took me until college to realize that when I’m reading books I have a really hard time imagining characters as anything other than blonde and blue-eyed. Or, even if they’re described as black-haired, I hardly ever imagine a character with an Asian background. I think that’s because visually, I’ve hardly had any content in my life growing up showing me that Asians and Asian Americans are allowed to be heroes without knowing how to do martial arts. I came into television because I want to be behind the shows that are humanizing BIPOC characters in mainstream media, showing audiences that anyone can be anything.

Favorite Disney character, show, movie, franchise, park or property? Why?
It’s definitely “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.” Ben Barnes was fully my childhood crush at 8 years old, and I used to watch this film religiously before bed every day for a year. I’m confident I have every line memorized.

Editor’s Note: Since this profile was originally put together, Paige has officially moved on to a full-time role as an executive assistant with 20th Television. Congrats, Paige!

Interested in setting the foundation for your Disney career? A Disney Professional Internship is a great way to start! Visit DisneyInterns.com to learn more and explore current offerings.