Ed Sheeran says new Disney+ film ‘The Sum of It All’ is “a documentary on grief”

Ed Sheeran‘s new documentary, The Sum of It All, is now streaming on Disney+. At its premiere Tuesday night, Ed said, “It isn’t a documentary on a musician. I feel like it’s a documentary on grief.”

While the film is ostensibly about Ed making his new album, Subtract, it also deals with Ed’s personal struggles, including the death of his best friend and his wife, Cherry‘s, cancer diagnosis. According to People, Ed said at the premiere that he wanted to make the doc “human and relatable,” rather than a buttoned-up “promo package where it’s what the artist wants you to see.”

“I never wanted to make a documentary that was like, ‘sad pop star’ and feel sorry for ‘sad pop star.’ And what I think that is really great about the documentary is the themes that it explores, everyone goes through,” he explained. “Everyone goes through the fear of sickness in the family. Everyone goes through grief. Everyone goes through ups and downs of their mental health.”

He added, “I think it’s more human … people watch it and … they’re not saying, ‘Oh, I’m sad for Ed because Ed’s sad.’ They’re watching it, relating it to their own life.”

“What I’m hoping is that this documentary goes out there and it exists for what it should exist for, which is a snapshot of grief and mental health and depression, and that we can close the door again and get on with our life,” he added.

On a lighter note, responding to the idea that he’s “cute,” Ed said, “I feel like, if you strip away the guitar on the songs, then no one cares.”

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