Josh Gad Shares Exclusive Details About ‘Reunited Apart’ (Which Has Already Raised More Than $200,000)

Josh Gad is opening up about why he started his YouTube series, Reunited Apart, and we can’t seem to let it go. (Sorry, had to.)

PureWow recently sat down for an exclusive interview with the 39-year-old actor, who shared brand-new details about Reunited Apart. Gad created the show as a form of at-home entertainment, bringing together casts of iconic movies in a virtual setting while simultaneously giving back to charities. Although it has turned into a must-watch production, the Frozen star revealed that his two children—Ava (9) and Isabella (6)—were his original muses.  

“Reunited Apart was inspired by my kids—watching all the movies I grew up with and celebrating these incredibly important films and seeing their responses for the first time,” he told PureWow.

As someone who enjoys bonding with his family through entertainment, Gad has a standing appointment at his daughter’s school, where he reads Harry Potter to the class. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, the actor started looking for similar ways to connect with children.

“Every Friday I go to my daughter’s school, and I read a chapter from the Harry Potter books. And frankly, I felt robbed of that,” he explained. “So, that night I got on social media, and I did something that seems so incredibly silly and pointless, but I started reading a book…and people seemed to really respond.”

Gad is referring to when he posted a Twitter video of himself reading children’s stories. Thanks to the clip’s popularity, the actor was inspired to develop Reunited Apart, which not only brings together fanbases but also supports good causes.

For example, the Lord of the Rings episode alone has raised more than $150,000 for No Kid Hungry from viewer donations, in addition to a $1.3 million donation from Cheerios, which was announced at the beginning of the episode. Gad and Cheerios are asking fans to make sure #GoodGoesRound by spreading positive messages.

“Over the course of the past couple episodes, we’ve raised over $70,000, which has been just so insanely mind boggling and incredible,” Gad continued. “That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing. We all want to do what we can right now. We all feel hopeless, but if we can bring a little sense of joy to homes, then hopefully people will pay it forward and give a little back to charities.” That number has since climbed to $200,000, thanks to LOTR.

BRB, spreading the word.