Disney’s ‘Pinocchio’ star says working with Tom Hanks was a dream come true

Disney Plus is premiering its highly anticipated adaptation of the classic fairytale, Pinocchio, during the streaming platform’s celebratory Disney Plus Day on Sept. 8.  

The film stars Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as the voice of the titular character alongside Tom Hanks as Geppetto, the lovable man whose one big dream was to have a son of his own.

In a shop filled with toys, treasures, and creations — he’d never been able to fill the hole that wanting a child left in him. So when Pinocchio becomes real, it’s a slice of heaven he never thought would be his. The bond between characters undeniably led to a bond between Ainsworth and Hanks, one he treasures.

In an interview with Radio Times, Ainsworth couldn’t sing Hanks’ praises enough, realizing that he was experiencing something remarkable working alongside the icon.

“You always dream of working with legends such as Tom Hanks, and luckily my dream came true with Pinocchio. He was really, really nice. Like, he gave me the nickname Ben-occhio on set, which was really nice!”

Ainsworth also went on to say that Hanks encouraged him to wear his own Pinocchio hat on set, further connecting him to his character. Playing the role of Pinocchio is something special for Ainsworth, who loved being part of the project — especially the musical numbers.

Of course, the addition of new songs in the film is exciting in itself, but the recording of them was another memory Ainsworth will always hold close to his heart.

“The music and the songs were so fun to do. We recorded some of the songs in Abbey Road Studios, so it was exceptional, like going in there. It was like, not a lot of people have even been there. So we recorded in studio three into John Lennon’s microphone. So it was out of this world. I was just singing a song, you know, and it was amazing!”

Pinnochio premieres tomorrow on Disney Plus in honor of Disney Plus Day, and it is certain to be a must-watch.