Recently, we noticed a Kveller post from four years ago — “Is This ‘Frozen’ Song a Rip-Off of ‘Yentl’?” — became one of our most popular articles. We were confused. Yes, we think “Papa Can You Hear Me” (from Yentl) and “Do You Want to Build A Snowman” (from Frozen) sound eerily similar, but that was yeaaars ago. Why are people coming across the article now?
This mystery was solved when we realized the Deadpool 2 writers made the same connection between Yentl and Frozen — and made it a running joke in the film. (Deadpool 2 writers, if you read Kveller, hello and welcome!)
Ryan Reynolds, who plays Wade Wilson (a.k.a. Deadpool) and co-wrote the film, is thought to be responsible for this connection. (Ryan Reynolds, do you read Kveller!?!) As the Wrap reported (and we’re going to have to trust them, because no one at the Kveller office has seen Deadpool 2), “The “Yentl” joke is just a long road to give Reynolds a chance to make a dadly observation about the two songs — and maybe kick off a copyright battle between Streisand and Disney.”
And this is confirmed in a Reynolds interview with USA today: “Reynolds thought of the gag two years ago, after catching Yentl on TV and countless re-watches of Frozen with his two daughters, James (3) and Ines (20 months), with wife Blake Lively. ‘It sounded like a very frighteningly similar song, so I made a little light of it,’ he says.”
Ryan, can you hear us? Ryan, do you see us?
