Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Anderson-Lopez in 2018
Born
Kristen Anderson

(1972-03-21) March 21, 1972 (age 51)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma materWilliams College (BA)
OccupationSongwriter
Spouse
​
(m. 2003)​
Children2
Awards2014: Academy Award for Best Original Song
2015: Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media
2015: Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
2018: Academy Award for Best Original Song
2021: Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics

Kristen Anderson-Lopez (born March 21, 1972) is an American songwriter known for co-writing the songs for the 2013 computer-animated musical film Frozen and its 2019 sequel Frozen II with her husband Robert Lopez. The couple won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Let It Go" from Frozen and "Remember Me" from Coco (2017) at the 86th and 90th awards respectively. She also won two Grammy Awards at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.

Personal life

Anderson-Lopez was raised in Croton-on-Hudson, New York (a suburb of New York City), until 1986; the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1986 to 1990; and Waxhaw, North Carolina (a suburb of Charlotte), from 1990 onward (which was her home during her college years).[1][2] Her parents, Erin and John, still live in Waxhaw.[2][3] According to her father, Anderson-Lopez first fell in love with the theater at the age of four, when he took her to see a U.S. Bicentennial musical tribute staged in their then-hometown of Croton-on-Hudson.[3] After her family moved to North Carolina, she attended and graduated from Charlotte Country Day School.[1] She went on to Williams College in western Massachusetts, where she double-majored in drama and psychology and graduated in 1994. While at Williams, she became a member of the college's oldest all gender a capella group-The Ephlats.[2][3] After a theater internship in Florida,[2] Anderson-Lopez spent several years working temporary jobs while pursuing her dream of becoming a Broadway theatre performer in New York City.[3] In 1999, she entered the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop[1] and found her true calling as a lyricist, and also met her future husband Robert Lopez.[4]

In October 2003,[5] Anderson married Lopez, who would go on to become an EGOT-winning[6][7] songwriter, composer and lyricist, including three Tony Awards[8][9] for Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon. They have two daughters;[10] Katie and Annie, who both had voice parts in Frozen.[10]

Anderson-Lopez's sister, Kate Anderson, co-wrote the songs for Olaf's Frozen Adventure.

Stage productions

In 2006, Anderson-Lopez and her husband wrote the songs for the Walt Disney World production of Finding Nemo – The Musical.[11]

Anderson-Lopez is the co-creator of the musical In Transit, developed at the O'Neill Musical Theatre Conference. The musical ran Off-Broadway at the 59E59 Theatre, from September 21, 2010, to October 30, 2010.[12] The production received the 2011 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble, as well as a nomination for the 2011 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Musical (among others) and the 2011 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. It opened on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre in November 2016, directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall.[13][14][15]

She co-created the romantic stage musical Up Here, which debuted in 2015, with her husband and Alex Timbers.[16]

Her work for young audiences includes numerous short and full-length musical adaptations for Theatreworks USA (Diary of a Worm, Fancy Nancy, Condensed Classics).

Anderson-Lopez worked with her husband on the Disney Theatrical Productions stage musical adaptation of Frozen, with Jennifer Lee writing the book.[17]

Film and television productions

Anderson-Lopez's first collaborations with her husband involved writing several songs together for children's televisions shows, such as Wonder Pets on Nick Jr and Bear in the Big Blue House on the Disney Channel.[18]

Anderson-Lopez, along with her husband Robert Lopez and Henry Jackman, wrote and produced music for the 2011 Disney film Winnie the Pooh,[19] for which they were nominated for an Annie Award for Best Music in a Feature Production.[20][21] She also provided the voice of Kanga in the film.[22]

Her work with her husband writing songs for the 2013 Disney film Frozen,[23] including "Let It Go", won her an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 86th Academy Awards and two Grammy Awards at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.[24][25] Anderson-Lopez and her husband also wrote the music for the sequel, Frozen II.[26]

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez again collaborated in writing songs and lyrics for the 2017 Pixar film Coco,[27] for which she won for an Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production.[28] She also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song "Remember Me" at the 90th Academy Awards.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez sings Elsa’s part in “I Seek the Truth”, an outtake song of the Frozen II soundtrack, along with Patti Murin singing Anna’s part. Murin had originated the role of Anna in the Broadway production of Frozen.[29]

Anderson-Lopez and her husband wrote and produced music for the 2021 series WandaVision, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series features multiple title theme songs based on various classic American sitcoms, as well as the song "Agatha All Along".[30][31]

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2013 Best Original Song "Let It Go" (from Frozen) Won
2017 "Remember Me" (from Coco) Won
2019 "Into the Unknown" (from Frozen II) Nominated

Annie Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2011 Music in an Animated Feature Production Winnie the Pooh Nominated
2013 Frozen Won
2017 Coco Won
2019 Frozen II Nominated

Children's and Family Emmy Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2022 Outstanding Short Form Program We the People Won

Critics' Choice Movie Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2013 Best Original Song "Let It Go" (from Frozen) Won
2017 "Remember Me" (from Coco) Won
2019 "Into the Unknown" (from Frozen II) Nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2013 Best Original Song "Let It Go" (from Frozen) Nominated
2017 "Remember Me" (from Coco) Nominated
2019 "Into the Unknown" (from Frozen II) Nominated

Grammy Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2015 Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media Frozen Won
Best Song Written for Visual Media "Let It Go" (from Frozen) Won
2019 "Remember Me" (from Coco) Nominated
2021 "Into the Unknown" (from Frozen II) Nominated
2022 "Agatha All Along" (from WandaVision) Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2015 Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics "Kiss an Old Man" (from The Comedians) Nominated
"Moving Pictures" (from The Oscars) Nominated
2021 "Agatha All Along" (from WandaVision) Won
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music WandaVision Nominated

Tony Awards

Year Category Nominated work Result
2018 Best Original Score Frozen Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c De Brito, Deia (August 19, 2011). "Successful Disney writer 'knew what she wanted'". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d Toppman, Lawrence (February 28, 2014). "Former Charlottean is front-runner for Oscar for 'Let It Go". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Anderson, John (February 11, 2014). "Oscar nominees have roots in Waxhaw". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  4. ^ Kennedy, Mark (May 10, 2014). "Musical theater workshop becomes incubator for Broadway shows". Washington Post. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
  5. ^ "WEDDINGS/CELEBRATIONS; Kristen Anderson, Robert Lopez". The New York Times. October 12, 2003.
  6. ^ "The Style Blog". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ "Oscars 2014: 'Frozen' Ballad Wins Best Song, Giving Robert Lopez the EGOT". Billboard. March 2, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2014.
  8. ^ "2004 Tony Award Winners". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  9. ^ "Who's Nominated? - All Categories". tonyawards.com. May 3, 2011. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
  10. ^ a b Alexander, Bryan (November 25, 2013). "'Frozen': Family affair for married songwriters". USA Today. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  11. ^ "Finding Nemo – The Musical: Entertainment at Disney's Animal Kingdom® Park". Walt Disney World. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  12. ^ In Transit lortel.org, accessed June 27, 2016
  13. ^ Gans, Andrew. "A Cappella Musical 'In Transit' Will Play Broadway's Circle in the Square" Playbill, June 27, 2016
  14. ^ Viagas, Robert. "Telly Leung, Justin Guarini Among Cast of A Cappella Broadway Musical 'In Transit'" Playbill, August 30, 2016
  15. ^ Gans, Andrew. " 'In Transit', New A Cappella Musical, Begins Broadway Previews" Playbill, November 10, 2016
  16. ^ Hetrick, Adam (October 27, 2011). "Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Alex Timbers Developing Romantic Musical Up Here". Playbill. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  17. ^ Gordon Cox (February 9, 2016). "'Frozen' Musical Sets Broadway Dates for 2018 After 2017 Tryout - Variety". Variety. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  18. ^ "Sodajerker presents… Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez". Songwriting Magazine. Songwriting Ltd. January 12, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  19. ^ "Full cast and crew for Winnie the Pooh (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  20. ^ King, Susan (February 4, 2012). "'Rango' wins the Annie Award for animated feature". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  21. ^ Giardina, Carolyn (February 4, 2012). "'Rango' Wins Annie Award for Best Animated Feature". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  22. ^ "Winnie the Pooh (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved February 13, 2012.
  23. ^ Disney's 'Frozen': Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel to voice animated tale Retrieved December 1, 2013
  24. ^ Lily Rothman (March 2, 2014). "EGOT! Frozen's Robert Lopez on Scoring His Oscar". Time. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  25. ^ ""Let It Go" From Frozen Wins Best Song Written For Visual Media". Recording Academy. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  26. ^ Carbone, Gina (October 24, 2017). "Kristen Bell: 'Frozen 2' Is 'VERY Good' With New Characters You'll Love". Moviefone. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  27. ^ "Disney's COCO Soundtrack to Feature Original Song by Bobby & Kristen-Anderson Lopez". BroadwayWorld. Wisdom Digital Media. October 4, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  28. ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 4, 2017). "Annie Awards: Disney/Pixar's 'Coco' Tops Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  29. ^ Romano, Aja (November 19, 2019). "The Frozen 2 soundtrack: a guide to the best songs". Vox. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  30. ^ Taylor, Drew (January 4, 2021). "Each Episode of 'WandaVision' Will Have a Different Theme Song Written by 'Frozen' Songwriters". Collider. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  31. ^ Bahr, Sarah (February 27, 2021). "Meet the Songwriters Behind the 'Wandavision' Hit 'Agatha All Along'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.

External links

Awards for Kristen Anderson-Lopez
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