Goofy and Donald Duck Voice Actors Discuss Their Roles in the Kingdom Hearts Series. The voice actors have lent their voices for the span of 10 games and 17 years as the beloved pals of Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck.
Tony Anselmo is the man behind the beak of Donald Duck. Donald plays a key part as a healer and fighter for the team, along side Goofy and Sora, the main player character in the series. Bill Farmer portray’s our favorite goof ball, Goofy. Goofy is primarily a protector and defender in the Kingdom Hearts series, wielding a large shield to protect himself and his teammates. Both actors have been involved with the series since day 1 and have voiced these classic pals in film, television, and song for even longer.
Recently, the two sat down for an interview with D23 to discuss their time as Donald and Goofy and their favorite memories during their 20+ year careers as voice actors. Take a look at what they had to say.
D23: How is recording for a video game different than doing voice work for movies and shorts?
Bill Farmer (BF): There are typically many, many more lines of dialogue involved with a video game than with a movie or TV series, so I knew that I would be busy with a lot of work.
Tony Anselmo (TA): While there may be more dialogue to record in a game than in a short, the dialogue for our characters must be written, performed, recorded, and mixed, with the same consistency and character integrity as in any other Disney product.
D23: Do you have a favorite memory from working on Kingdom Hearts through the years?
BF: Two things. One, Kingdom Hearts was first produced in Japanese, and so I heard the Japanese actor’s voice in my headphones while I provided the English translation. It’s somewhat of a challenge, but it’s a lot of fun to contribute to such a new and inventive project. Secondly, we do not record in a distinct front-to-back linear fashion, so figuring out the story and how to voice a particular scene was a fun challenge.
TA: I have to say working with my old pal Bill Farmer is never short on laughs.
D23: Do you have a favorite thing about the Kingdom Hearts version of your character?
BF: Seeing how Goofy changes from world to world was my favorite thing.
TA: I’m proud of Donald’s sense of adventure, courage, and heroism.
D23: What is your favorite interaction with fans of Kingdom Hearts?
BF: The fans are so involved, and so knowledgeable about the game that it thrills me to know that I am helping to provide something that so many people enjoy.
TA: I’m always impressed by how big a part of their lives Kingdom Hearts is and how dedicated they are.
D23: Did you ever expect Kingdom Hearts to become such a huge phenomenon?
BF: From the look of the game and the story, I knew that it would be a hit, but I had no idea that it would be so massively popular. It was a wonderful surprise.
TA: We never know at the time. We hope our audience will be entertained, and it’s always rewarding when they are.
D23: Is there something exciting or new in Kingdom Hearts III that fans should look forward to?
BF: I certainly hope so, but I’m usually the last to know, so just keep your ears open. I’m sure there is something great just around the corner.
TA: Even more spectacular animation, color, design, and characters than before.
D23: Throughout the different games, your character travels to different worlds and often takes on fun new designs and costumes to match the worlds. Could you name three of your favorite designs of your character?
BF: There are so many to choose from, but I guess my favorites are Halloweentown, Monsters, Inc., and Timeless River.
TA: I must admit, I laughed pretty hard when I saw Donald in his Monster design.
D23: What is something you hope fans take away from playing the Kingdom Hearts games?
BF: I just hope they have as much fun playing the game as we had making it!
TA: If they are entertained, have fun, and come back again for this new game, we couldn’t ask for more.
D23: We are coming to the end of a very long saga with Kingdom Hearts III. How does it feel to say goodbye to this beloved franchise?
BF: Like all projects with Goofy, it is sad when the journey ends, but knowing that it will entertain people for years to come makes it all worthwhile.
TA: They asked me that question after we finished the first game. I doubt anything this popular could end any sooner than its audience wants it to.
Both Bill and Tony will continue voicing the classic characters in other forms of media, but it sounds like they would both be up for another installment in the Kingdom Hearts Series. In the mean time, you can play the newly released game to hear these talented individuals, along side their equally talented cast mates, in Kingdom Hearts 3.
Photo Credit: D23/Disney
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