SONAIYA KELLEY is a film reporter at the Los Angeles Times. The Bronx, N.Y., native previously served as a digital producer at Essence and Allure magazines and has contributed bylines to Complex, Mashable, and Patch.com. She is an alumna of Stony Brook University’s School of Journalism and the Bronx High School of Science.

Articles by Sonaiya Kelley

Features

Five-year-old Berti headlines a cast of characters created to introduce children to kindergarten through song and dance.

All the School’s a Stage

With big, choreographed dance sequences, the first year of school gets the Broadway treatment in Disney Jr.’s Kindergarten: The Musical.

Fall 2024

Features

The intergenerational story between father and son, Mufasa and Simba, is a key to The Lion King’s longstanding emotional hold on audiences.

Long Live the King

On the 30th anniversary of The Lion King, TAG members recall working on this iconic film.

Summer 2024

Features

Using a variety of techniques including depths of color, an artistic goal on Jessica’s Big Little World is to depict the physical environment from a preschooler’s point of view.

Kidding Around

Preschool shows are tasked with educating while entertaining a demographic known for its short attention span. Here’s how they do it.

Spring 2024

After Hours

Whether he’s working as an animation artist (above) or a stand-up comic (below), color plays an important role for di Nallo.

Living in Color

A colorful view of life enables Storyboard Artist and Stand-up Comic Angelo di Nallo to go beyond the laughs.

Spring 2023

The Climb

Chogrin with Guillermo del Toro.

Creative License

Animation artist, art toy designer, director, and so much more, Chogrin is living proof that you can have the best of all creative worlds.

Winter 2022

Frame x Frame

Tacchia’s own facial expression influences her art.

Color Her Unimpressed

Easy access to Post-it notes and a search for creative freedom resulted in Miranda Tacchia’s impressive first book, Unimpressed.

Fall 2022

Frame x Frame

Creative Solution

Creative Solution

A desire for more creative control led writer and story artist Aminder Dhaliwal to the world of graphic novels where her art and social commentary unite.

Fall 2021

The Climb

Ito in front of a mural she painted on the outside of the original location of Q Pop, a Japanese toy store and pop art gallery in Little Tokyo. After the building was sold, the mural was removed.

The Power of Persistence

Storyboard artist, writer, and director Elizabeth Ito shares how her personal journey has shaped her career.

Spring 2021

After Hours

Speaking Your Truth

Speaking Your Truth

A need to spotlight black creatives inspired Waymond Singleton to co-create the podcast Black N’ Animated.

Winter 2020