Producer Suzanne Todd sits down for an interview

Alice Through the Looking Glass opens in theaters in just a few days. In celebration we are sharing some highlights from interviews with the cast and film makers that brought this creative movie to life. Today I am sharing from our interview with Alice Through the Looking Glass producer Suzanne Todd. Suzanne shared with us about the highlights of making this film, a charity that is close to her heart, and what it is like being a single women working in Hollywood.

Suzanne Todd became everyone’s favorite person when she told us the loveliest of stories and gave the most unique gift to one of the bloggers in the group. First she showed off the most quirky, fabulous, and completely sold out limited edition Alice in Wonderland shoes. Everyone was all like “Ohhhh!  Ahhhh!” And then it gets really good…..

Suzanne shared about how her dear friend Maria Schriver was trying to get the word out about her charity Move for Minds which raises money for research for women with Alzheimer’s disease. She told us a story about how she shared a post on twitter about the fundraiser and someone who she didn’t even know tweeted that she had been inspired to donate. And it just so happened that the stranger who donated was in our group!  Keri Lyn from She Saved donated in honor of a family member. So cool. The gesture was so encouraging to Suzanne that she gifted her with the fantastic sparkly shoes!  And just as Disney magic would have it – the shoes were a perfect fit!

I can safely say, I have never once participated in an interview that started this way. Obviously, Suzanne Todd is my new favorite person.

When asked what she was most passionate about in this movie, Suzanne Todd shared that she worked on both Alice movies. She found a movie where a girl can be the hero was exciting to her. She also shared that while the first Alice movie was wildly popular, they were not planning on making a sequel. They were thoughtful about the second movie. She shared that the second movie was harder to make because the first had been so wildly popular, there was so much pressure the second time around. She said that the older she gets the less she wants to be a part of movies that “don’t feed my soul.”

One challenge they had making this second Alice film was getting every original actor on the timeline. She shared that every single actor was Tim Burton’s first choice during the first casting. She shared that sometimes there are 20 actors in mind who will work for one role. You call to see if the first actor is interested and available and if not you simply go down the list. She shared that the whole cast was a first choice, and then to get this cast together again was a challenge but of course necessary.

She went on to share her philosophy as not only a film producer, but also a mom of three  “….working triple duty as all moms do, and I just feel like the older I get, the more precious I find my time is to me. So that for us (the film makers) was really important……the idea of being able to put a movie out there that is a kind of ‘we girls can do anything’ movie, you know.”

Time is a big theme in Alice Through the Looking Glass and Suzanne made some points about the technology of our day. She shared that as technology came out; fax machines and cell phones, etc, we were all told it would give us extra leisure time. “….. but really what is does in some ways is it’s turned all of us into 24 hour workers, you know, ’cause there’s no time of the day when you can’t be doing something productive that has to do with your technology.”  Sadly, I think we can all relate. She shares that it would really make her happy if the movie inspired families to just be in a space where they talk about being more present with family more.

As a single mom of three teens and tweens she shared some great parenting advice. She shared that ‘no technology’ rules that apply to her kids also apply to her. As a working mom she says that family time is important, but also individual one on one time is so important. She admitted she had a hard time not sweating the small stuff in years past, but that she is getting better. She says she is often giving herself advice when she is advising her kids on something. She also shared that it has been so beneficial to her to meditate and take time away during the day to try to push out the negativity that is holding her back.

A big thank you to Producers Suzanne Todd for taking the time to speak with us about Alice! Images are by Disney and used with permission.