Stars Align Update

Creating Stars Align is a passion project for Thea. It is something she wants to achieve for a few reasons. Living with disabilities can be overwhelming and daunting, but even those with disabilities have dreams, goals, and aspirations. The only difference is the journey along the way can be harder and longer.

When Thea set out to make her animated series a reality, she knew it would not be an easy task. She also knew that to tell the story she wanted, without compromising her vision, she would have to do it herself. Big studios/companies have a history of butchering stories, and she did NOT want that to happen to hers! She wants to ensure the LGBTQ+ and mental health representation was not stripped away from the story she wants to share with everyone.

Earlier this year Thea had a health setback. Her mental health took a pretty big hit as well as her physical health (they tend to piggy back on her). Thea lives with a connective tissue joint/musculoskeletal disorder (chronic pain as a result), Scoliosis, Tourette’s (diagnosed earlier this year), ADHD, Anxiety Disorder with Panic Attacks and MDD (Depression) to name a few of her bigger diagnosed disorders. Her health has caused her to have to elongate her schooling. She should have graduated last June, but instead opted to go down to two courses the second half of her grade 12 year and then do another semester with the other two courses.

Thea’s health issues make living a day to day situation and when she pushes herself, she needs time to recuperate. Drawing and animation make her happy, so she uses much of her energy to do it. To create Stars Align she realizes that she can not do it alone. We have partnered with BoldBird Studios who are very supportive and excited to help make her show a reality. Bringing on more artists is expensive and money is just not available to do so, at this time.

We also have amazing voice actors on board ready and willing to bring Thea’s characters to life, but they too need to be paid.

Between Thea’s health and finances we have decided to put Stars Align on hold until early 2024. In no way is Thea giving up on her passion project! We are stepping back, regrouping while saving up money to make it a reality!

One more situation Thea is working through is finding her way to draw her characters again. Multiple people made countless references to her characters looking like The Owl House characters. At first she was flattered, then it became overwhelming. Yes, Thea can draw TOH characters very well, because that style is somewhat similar to hers. However, something we have tried to explain over and over again, is that she created her characters before EVER seeing TOH. She created them before the show ever aired! This constant comparison caused her try to alter her style to the point she lost the ability to draw her characters. That caused a mental down spiral which is when I (her mother) stepped in and said we needed to take this step back!

Thea is working towards getting back to her characters that she loves so much. In the meantime she is finding a passion with merchandise making, and getting back to drawing again (she couldn’t draw much of anything for a while in the Spring).

We are so grateful to have amazing voice actors and a wonderful studio on standby to help make Stars Align be the best it can be. They have been so supportive and we are very grateful for that!

Thea is also very grateful for those who are already fans of Stars Align and her many wonderful characters. We hope you can have patience while we lay the pieces properly to make this happen for all of us!

Thank you,
Candace (Thea’s mom)