Three short days ago I sat next to Bryce Dallas Howard and was told that I was responsible for all her parenting choices. Pretty cool, right? Bryce entered the room as a bright ray of sunshine, smiling from ear to ear and thanking us for being there. What? As “mommy bloggers” she went on to say that with a large age gap between her two kids she feels like there’s just so much information out there. Our blogs help her figure out what’s what. That was really cool.

Disclosure: I was invited on a press trip for Disney Entertainment. My travel and accommodations were provided by Disney. All opinions are my own unless noted otherwise. No further compensation was received.

Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com

Bryce Dallas Howard stars in this summer’s (soon to be) hit Disney’s Pete’s Dragon. Her character, Grace, works forest ranger in a sleepy town. Her father tells the tales of a fierce dragon that lives deep in those woods.

Shooting Pete’s Dragon in New Zealand for 3 months. Bryce brought her family and it almost felt like full circle. 30 some odd years ago, Ron Howard (Bryce’s father) shot Willow in New Zealand and she still has vivid memories of that time she spent there. Her kids are about the same age she was at the time too which made it even cooler. While in NZ her kids attended an international school so they could still follow the same curriculum as American students. She mentioned how the children of all the actors and directors as well as cast members, all hung out together and became friends, like one big, happy family or really, a “traveling circus” of sorts.

Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com

Interview with Bryce Dallas Howard

The entire interview was flawless and so fun. Bryce was so down to earth, and super sweet. It felt like we were chatting with an old friend over coffee like any other day. Fresh off the high from the Los Angeles world premiere, Bryce didn’t skip a beat when answering our questions and keeping the conversation going.

Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com

So why did Bryce choose this role? This 2016 Pete’s Dragon is so different and having read the script one would obviously wonder why Disney changed up the movie script right? Well, Bryce let us know her thought process after seeing the script for the first time.

I think it’s so beautiful and it really reminded me of the Disney films that I watched as a child that were quite defining for me and emotional and really sort of cemented this idea of kind of American values. – Bryce Dallas Howard on reading Pete’s Dragon script.

As a fundamental part of her childhood, Bryce always identified with the child when she would watch Pete’s Dragon. Looking at a film one way for so long could probably be difficult to switch roles so now as an adult how is she more like her character is one question we had for her.

I instantly was thinking about it from the perspective of being a parent. I don’t want to create a sort of this complicated persona. I just wanted to really approach it simply with kind of the relationship and the dynamic I have with my kids and just be with Pete in the way. – Bryce Dallas Howard on getting into the mother role in Pete’s Dragon.

Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com

So that “riding dragons” mention in my post title? That just so happens to be Bryce’s favorite part of filming Pete’s Dragon. It’s not every day that you can say you rode on a dragon, especially one as famous of Elliot. Bryce and Wes Bentley didn’t take that for granted at all.

I was just in hysterics that whole day! We (Wes Bentley) were just losing it the whole time because you know, we’re adults and we have kids and just like we’re on a dragon. The way they set it up it was kind of like this rig where we had harnesses on and you had to climb up. You were pretty high up. You climbed up on a ladder and it would move around like a ride. So it was nice that they kind of replicated the Disneyland experience in New Zealand while we were shooting. It was really fun. Bryce Dallas Howard on flying on Elliot in Pete’s Dragon.

Have you seen the movie yet? Well, Bryce flying on Elliot sorta looked like this…. but with a lot more wind in her hair.

Bryce Dallas Howard -(Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

I was so sad when the interview had to come to an end. Bryce’s personality just sucks you in and I could talk to her for hours. I’ll be waiting to see what Bryce Dallas Howard coming up because I just know she’s going to rock it and shine in whatever role she takes on.

To read my full review on Pete’s Dragon head over here. Don’t worry, I don’t get away any spoilers.