Every Disney celebrity who contributed to the Now Disney franchise for my ultimate 2021 Angry Birds Dream Blast holiday guest cast ensemble (fan-made)
To commemorate Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary, as well as the 10th anniversary of the very first Now That's What I Call Disney album, I put together a list of celebrities, ranging from Disney Legends to Disney individuals, who made a big contribution to Disney programs. Enjoy the magic of Disney every holiday season, and also every day too. Let's all hope we never lose sight of one thing, that it was started by a mouse.
"Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever."
– Walt Disney
"Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever."
– Walt Disney
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- Actor
- Sound Department
- Soundtrack
Wayne Allwine was an American voice actor, sound editor and artist who was well-known for voicing Walt Disney's mascot Mickey Mouse from 1977 until his death from diabetes complications in 2009. He was succeeded by Bret Iwan. He was married to Minnie Mouse voice actress Russi Taylor and had four children. He also did sound editing for Frankenweenie, The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective.Now Disney projects appeared in- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006)
– Year inducted: 2008- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Russi Taylor was an American voice actress from Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was the official voice of Minnie Mouse from 1986 until her death from colon cancer in 2019. She also voiced a lot of minor characters from The Simpsons including Martin Prince, Sherri and Terri. Grey DeLisle-Griffin succeeded her roles from The Simpsons. She was married to Mickey Mouse voice actor Wayne Allwine from 1991 until his death in 2009.Now Disney projects appeared in- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006)
- Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011)
- Sofia the First (2012)
- The Lion Guard (2015)
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
– Year inducted: 2008- Actor
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Tony Anselmo was born on February 18, 1960 in Salt Lake City, UT, and formed an early fascination with all things Disney sparked by a screening of Mary Poppins (1964) at the age of five.
His family moved to Sunnyvale, in northern California, when he was seven, and he continued to actively study Disney and animation. He began drawing, built a light table of his own, and began creating animation with a Super 8 camera.
He attended Marian A. Peterson High School in Sunnyvale, and began to cultivate his talents with night art classes at local colleges, and began regular correspondence with the artists who animated the Disney films, including Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Eric Larson, and Milt Kahl.
With the support and encouragement of his Disney Animation correspondents, Anselmo was able to attend California Institute of the Arts on a Disney Family Fellowship. He began his studies in the Character Animation Department at CalArts in the fall 1978.
The school had a standard four-year degree program, but because of its close connection with the Disney Studio, the students' work was subject to the scrutiny of studio executives. Anselmo was selected to transfer to the Studio after only his second year. On September 1, 1980, he reported for work to the Disney Animation department in Burbank, CA.
In subsequent years, Anselmo contributed to the animation of 20 Disney animated features, including The Black Cauldron (1985), The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Lion King (1994), Tarzan (1999), and The Emperor's New Groove (2000).
One of the Disney stalwarts that Anselmo frequently encountered during his early days at Disney was Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck. Anselmo asked Nash to show him his vocal technique. From time to time, the two continued their informal "training" in performing Donald's dialogue. When Nash passed away on February 20, 1985, Anselmo inherited the role of Donald Duck as Nash had wished.
Anselmo's first performance as Donald was on a television program titled DTV Valentine (1986) a special on The Disney Channel, and since then, Anselmo has voiced Donald hundreds of projects, including television, feature films, theme parks, and consumer products.
Anselmo has also shared voice-over duties (with Russi Taylor) for Huey, Dewey, and Louie since 1999. He has voiced the nephews on Mickey Mouse Works (1999) and Goofy's Extreme Sports: Rock Climbing/Hansel And Gretel/Donald On Ice/Mickey's Mechanical House (1999) (while Taylor voiced the nephews in DuckTales (1987), Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999), and Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004), Mickey's Speedway USA (2000), and the remastered DuckTales: Remastered (2013),) He also lent his voice to minor characters in The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Mickey's Around the World in 80 Days (2005), and Phineas and Ferb (2007).Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lion King 1½ (2004)
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006)
– Year inducted: 2009- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Bill Farmer is an American voice actor from Kansas who is most well known for being the official voice actor of Walt Disney's Goofy since 1987. He also voiced Pluto and Horace Horsecaller in other Disney cartoons, Stinkie in the Casper films, Sam from Sam & Max: Hit the Road, Otis in Son of the Mask and Sylvester, Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam in Space Jam.Now Disney projects appeared in- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Toy Story (1995)
- Hercules (1997)
- Toy Story 2 (1999)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- The Lion King 1½ (2004)
- Cars (2006)
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006)
- Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011)
- Sheriff Callie's Wild West (2013)
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
- Vampirina (2017)
– Year inducted: 2009- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Secondary to studying performing arts as American University in Washington, D.C., Aaron made her debut in motion pictures with a small part in Robert Altman's Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982). Since, she has built her acting career as a character actress, and continues to work with some of cinema's most significant directors; particularly, Woody Allen and Mike Nichols.Now Disney projects appeared in- Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014)
- Rose Abdoo is currently playing Selma in "Reboot" on Hulu and Josefina in "Hacks" on HBO/Max. Rose is known for her television role as Gypsy in "Gilmore Girls" and Gypsy & Berta in the Netflix movies "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life." She was the recipient of the TVLine Best Comedy Revelation of 2016 for her dual role. Rose has over 110 television & movie credits, Other notable TV appearances: "Parenthood," "Scandal," "Grey's Anatomy," "Grace & Frankie," "The Comeback," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." She is known to young fans as Señorita Rodriguez from "That's So Raven." Rose's film appearances include "The Guilt Trip" with Barbra Streisand, "My Best Friend's Wedding" and George Clooney's Oscar nominated "Good Night & Good Luck." She is the voice of several characters in "Hotel Transylvania 1&2" and is currently voicing several characters on the new series "Madagascar: A Little Wild." Rose plays Bev in "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar" the critically acclaimed comedy film from Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumalo. Rose is also a recipient of L.A. Weekly's Female Solo Performer of the Year award.Now Disney projects appeared in
- Sofia the First (2012)
- Now Disney projects appeared in
- Aladdin (2019)
- Actor
- Producer
Constantine Abramson is known for The Situation (2012) and Choo Choo Soul (2006).Now Disney projects appeared in- Choo Choo Soul (2006)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Special Effects
Brad Abrell is a Los Angeles based actor whose talents are incredibly diverse; he is an on-camera actor, voice-over actor, radio host and puppeteer. Brad grew up in Miami, FL where as a kid he used a tape recorder and Mad magazines as scripts to make his own radio shows. He graduated from the University of Florida and while in his home state, his radio resume' included mornings on 94.9 Zeta 4, WAOA 107.1 and WMMO 98.9. He moved to Los Angeles where the trail of his credits is as varied as his roles; from Mannix in all three Men in Black films, to his loveable shark character, Mr. Chomp, in Disney's Doc McStuffins, to Bubble Buddy in SpongeBob SquarePants, to his black-suited Agent Trigger on Gravity Falls. The list of his on camera commercials is equally as broad including Tide, FedEx, Lowe's, McDonald's, Voya, Kia and many more. Brad has performed as a puppeteer for the Muppets, Muppets Tonight, and Spider-Man 2 and even hosted a game show on Nickelodeon. In addition to his voice-over and on-camera career, Brad is currently co-hosting the nationally syndicated "Ashley & Brad" radio show. He is married to his wife of 19 years and has 2 sons.Now Disney projects appeared in- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Numan Acar is passionate actor and storyteller. He was born in Kozoglu, Kelkit District, and grow up in Erzincan in Turkey. He emigrated to Germany where he become a civil engineer. After completion of his studies he started an acting career. Numan had his international breakthrough as "Haissam Haqqani" in the prestigious US TV show Homeland, season 4. Further roles followed in the shows Prison Break, 5th season and Jack Ryan, 1st season. Numan worked in feature films with several award-winning directors, Zhang Yimou (China), Ryoo Seung Wan (South Korea), Fatih Akin (Germany), Terry George (Ireland), Guy Ritchie and Asif Kapadi (England). He speaks several languages fluently including German, Turkish, Spanish and English and has knowledge of Kurdish, Arabic and Pashto. As a storyteller Numan's focused on telling stories with high diversity aspects. He is a member of the European Film Academy.Now Disney projects appeared in- Aladdin (2019)
- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Ava Acres is one of Hollywood's most versatile young actors. She played "Madeline" in American Horror Story: Hotel, young "Queen Regina" in ABC's Once Upon a Time, and recurred as young "Rebecca" in CW's award winning musical comedy Crazy Ex Girlfriend. Ava's recent credits include a recurring role on Ryan Murphy's 9-1-1 (Fox), Handsome: A NETFLIX Murder Mystery, and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. Ava can also be seen as the evil supervillain Katya in MARVEL's Agents of Shield., and appeared in season 7 of Mad Men as Susie. Ava played a young Shailene Woodley in White Bird In A Blizzard (Gregg Araki, dir.), and Daniel Bruhl's daughter in the feature film Face Of An Angel (Michael Winterbottom, dir.) She starred in Ron Howard produced short film Evermore, played Naya Rivera's daughter in the thriller At The Devil's Door (Nicholas McCarthy, dir.), and played the lead role in a short directed by Demi Moore for Lifetime's FIVE - an anthology of short films exploring the impact of breast cancer. In one of her earliest film roles, Ava shared the screen with Academy Award winner Anna Paquin in the feature Free Ride (Shana Betz, dir.). Other television work includes a Tales From The Darkside pilot for CBS, a series regular role on the Fox comedy pilot Outnumbered, roles on Weeds, Harry's Law, Criminal Minds, and more. Ava enjoys singing, piano, ukulele, dance, and is an avid writer.
Ava is also an accomplished Voice Over Actor, portraying young Erik in the film Happy Feet Two, recurring as Young Marceline in Primetime Emmy Award winning Cartoon Network's Adventure Time, performed as Sayaka in the Academy Award Nominated film by Studio Ghibli "When Marnie Was There", portrayed multiple roles in the Primetime Emmy Award winning hit show Family Guy, as well as voicing over 50 ADR roles in all genres of film and television.
Ava and her older sister, Isabella, were both discovered while performing at a children's community theater in Hollywood, CA. Ava quickly booked her first commercial at age 3, her first Series Regular Role in FOX's Outnumbered by age 6, and her career continues to grow. When not acting in front of the camera, Ava writes, produces, and directs her own short films.Now Disney projects appeared in- Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
- Frozen (2013)
- Actress
- Writer
- Sound Department
Isabella Acres is an accomplished young actress who has shared the screen with some of Hollywood's finest. She played Sally Field's friend/matchmaker as Vivian in the feature film 'Hello My Name Is Doris', and flexed her comedic chops with Tim Robbins as young Cynthia Morehouse in 'Spoils of Babylon' on IFC. Her recent credits include Hulu's 'Into The Dark', 'Station 19', and an upcoming horror short 'Lisa'. She portrays the role of a tough chola teen in the feature 'Girl Flu'. Isabella portrayed Mirabelle in Amazon's 'The Kicks' as a series regular. Previously, Isabella played Rose (Series Regular) on the ABC comedy 'Better Off Ted', recurred on Fox's 'Touch' starring Keifer Sutherland, and recurred as Jenny Hunter-McDermott on ABC's 'Desperate Housewives'. Other film roles include the lead in 'Kaylien' (Zoe Saldana, dir.), and supporting roles in 'Sister' (David Lascher,dir.), 'The Future' (Miranda July, dir.), and Hallmark's 'Beyond The Blackboard'.
Not only has Isabella portrayed leading roles in television and film, she has received glowing reviews for her performance on stage as the lead Shirley Abramowitz in 'Coney Island Christmas', a world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse written by Donald Margolies.
Isabella is also an accomplished voice actor, portraying multiple recurring roles such as Jade in Disney's 'Sofia The First', Katie in 'Phineas and Ferb', and Cartoon Network's 'Adventure Time' as Young Princess Bubblegum. Isabella voiced the lead villain Maryanne Gleardon in 'Scooby Doo Mystery Inc.', and the lead character Lilly in the animated film, 'An Abominable Christmas'.
Bella's ethnic background is Hispanic, Irish and English. When she was a young child her family relocated to Los Angeles, CA where she and her sister Ava Acres were discovered performing in a children's community theater. In her free time, Bella enjoys writing scripts, singing, songwriting, guitar, dance (contemporary, hip hop, jazz), and Muay Thai martial arts.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Sofia the First (2012)
- Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
- Frozen II (2019)
- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
Amy Lou Adams was born in Vicenza, Veneto, Italy, to American parents, Kathryn (Hicken) and Richard Kent Adams, a U.S. serviceman who was stationed at Caserma Ederle in Italy at the time. She was raised in a Mormon family of seven children in Castle Rock, Colorado, and has English, as well as smaller amounts of Danish, Swiss-German, and Norwegian, ancestry.
Adams sang in the school choir at Douglas County High School and was an apprentice dancer at a local dance company, with the ambition of becoming a ballerina. However, she worked as a greeter at The Gap and as a Hooters hostess to support herself before finding work as a dancer at Boulder's Dinner Theatre and Country Dinner Playhouse in such productions as "Brigadoon" and "A Chorus Line". It was there that she was spotted by a Minneapolis dinner-theater director who asked her to move to Chanhassen, Minnesota for more regional dinner theatre work.
Nursing a pulled muscle that kept her from dancing, she was free to audition for a part in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), which was filming nearby in Minnesota. During the filming, Kirstie Alley encouraged her to move to Los Angeles, where she soon won a part in the Fox television version of the film, Cruel Intentions (1999), in the part played in the film by Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Kathryn Merteuil". Although three episodes were filmed, the troubled series never aired. Instead, parts of the episodes were cobbled together and released as the direct-to-video Cruel Intentions 2 (2000). After more failed television spots, she landed a major role in Catch Me If You Can (2002), playing opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. But this did not provide the break-through she might have hoped for, with no work being offered for about a year. She eventually returned to television, and joined the short-lived series, Dr. Vegas (2004).
Her role in the low-budget independent film Junebug (2005) (which was shot in 21 days) got her real attention, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress as well as other awards. The following year, her ability to look like a wide-eyed Disney animated heroine helped her to be chosen from about 300 actresses auditioning for the role of "Giselle" in the animated/live-action feature film, Enchanted (2007), which would prove to be her major break-through role. Her vivacious yet innocent portrayal allowed her to use her singing and dancing talents. Her performance garnered a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
Adams next appeared in the major production, Charlie Wilson's War (2007), and went on to act in the independent film, Sunshine Cleaning (2008), which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Her role as "Sister James" in Doubt (2008) brought her a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, as well as nominations for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild award, and a British Academy Film award. She appeared as Amelia Earhart in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) and as a post-9/11 hot line counselor, aspiring writer, amateur cook and blogger in Julie & Julia (2009). In the early 2010s, she starred with Jason Segel in The Muppets (2011), with Philip Seymour Hoffman in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master (2012), and alongside Clint Eastwood and Justin Timberlake in Trouble with the Curve (2012). She played reporter Lois Lane in Man of Steel (2013) and con artist Sydney Prosser in American Hustle (2013), before portraying real-life artist Margaret Keane in Tim Burton's biopic Big Eyes (2014).
In 2016, she reprised her role as Lane in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and headlined Denis Villeneuve's science fiction drama Arrival (2016) and Tom Ford's dark thriller Nocturnal Animals (2016). In 2018, she received another Oscar nomination, her sixth, for starring as Lynne Cheney in the biographical drama Vice (2018), opposite Christian Bale as Dick Cheney.Now Disney projects appeared in- Enchanted (2007)
- The Muppets (2011)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
"This fall, Jonathan Adams stars opposite Lacey Chabert in the Hallmark Channel film "The Sweetest Christmas".
Audiences will recognize Jonathan as "Chuck Larabee", the neighbor/cohort of Tim Allen, on "Last Man Standing", the ABC Series on which he appeared for the past four seasons.
Prior to that he was cast as a regular in "American Embassy" for FBC. He then moved on to play "Henry Walker", for three seasons, on NBC's "American Dreams". The next season, Jonathan was cast as "Dr. Daniel Goodman" for the first year of FBC's 'Bones".
Over the past several years, Jonathan has made notable recurring appearances on such series as "Women's Murder Club", "Revenge", "Castle", "Dallas", "24", and "Hellcats".
In addition to his on-camera experience, Jonathan continues to have a flourishing voice-over career which includes narration, animation, radio and television commercials.
A native of Pittsburgh, PA, he studied theater at Carnegie-Mellon University. After college, Jonathan appeared in numerous regional theaters across the country, most notably playing several seasons at the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Jonathan is married with two beautiful daughters."Now Disney projects appeared in- Sofia the First (2012)
- Sheriff Callie's Wild West (2013)
- Thom Adcox-Hernandez was born on 17 February 1960 in Michigan, USA. He is an actor, known for Gargoyles (1994), Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995) and Young Justice (2010).Now Disney projects appeared in
- Sofia the First (2012)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Born in York, on leaving school he started work as a stage hand at York's Theatre Royal and later attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art .from 1982 to 1984 after which he joined such companies as Hull Truck Theatre and The Royal National Theatre. He achieved international fame in his film debut in ''The Full Monty' in 1997 and went on to play Fred Flintstone in the 2000 film 'The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas' In 2019 he was honoured by York University who awarded an honorary doctorate. He's married to Kelly Briggs and they have three childrenNow Disney projects appeared in- Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Casting Director
Charles is an Emmy Award winning Dialogue Director, Annie Award Acting Nominee, Dramalogue Winning Actor, Helen Hayes Award Acting Nominee and Casting Director. Successfully going from genre to genre, he has lent his Dialogue Direction talents to the remake of "The Nutty Professor" starring legend Jerry Lewis, the 2010 Emmy Nominated Prime Time series "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" (Cartoon Network), the Direct to Videos dark and dramatic "Dante's Inferno" (Casting and Voice Directing), the horror success "Dead Zone" (Casting and Voice Directing), the family film "The Blue Elephant" with Carl Reiner and Martin Short and several more titles for the Weinstein Co.. He directed the performances in the long form action adventure Fire Breather for Cartoon Network which broke all records for it's time slot as well as Cast and Voice Directed Van Partiple's comedy "Johnny Bravo goes to Bollywood" starring Jeff Bennett and Brenda Vacarro. In the Adult Comedy genre Adler Voice Directed and or cast new prime time adult comedy pilots for Fox, MTV and Adult Swim Television. In the Pre-School genre Adler has Voice Directed 3 seasons of hit show Bubble Guppies for NICK Jr.. Charlie Directed Della Reese in an Alicia Keyes production of "Mamma Mae and the Blue Moon" (2012) and has also Directed and voiced(2012) 14 characters in the Children's book classic "Sweet Pickles"(Amazon Books). Adler Voice Directed all the Klasky/ Csupo franchised series and feature films, "Rugrats" (Emmy Award)", The Wild Thorn berry's" (Tim Curry), "Rocket Power", "Pre School Daze", "All Grown Up" and all of their pilots. Adler has also directed "Stripperella" (Pamela Anderson SPIKE TV), "The Replacements", "The Emperor's New School"(directing legend Eartha Kitt), "The Buzz on Maggie" all for Disney Television. Charlie also cast and Voice Directed "Eloise at the Plaza" w/Lynn Redgrave (Starz), "Holly Hobbie" with Jane Lynch (American Greeting Cards) and Spawn (Film Roman). As a Voice Actor, Adler can be heard as series regulars in well over 100 animated series often playing opposite himself. He was nominated for an Annie Award for his multiple roles as Cow, Chicken and the Red Guy in the Emmy Nominated series "Cow and Chicken", was Baboon in "I.M. Weasel" (opposite Michael Dorn) and can be heard playing 5 roles (including Cobra Commander) in the "GI Joe Resolute" Internet series as well as reprising Cobra Commander in Hasbro's "GI Joe Origins" (2010) on the HUB. Somwhere in the world daily Adler can be heard as the manic Mr. Whiskers in Disney's"Brandy & Mr. Whiskers" (opposite Kaley Cuoco), The Evil Eric Raymond and Techrat in "Jem", 3 roles in "Pet Aliens", 3 roles in "Shuriken School ", 3 roles in "Space Goofs", 2 roles in "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks" for PBS and Dr. Doom and his mother Coco Von Doom in "Marvel Super Hero Squad". He has has also Voice Directed two Marvel Super Hero Squad video games for THQ. He is the voice of Starscream in the Michael Bay mega blockbuster Transformers Movie Trilogy and has reprised his role of Starscream for the 2012 Universal Theme Park "Transformers Ride". Some other notable characters of Adler's are Buster Bunny in Steven Spielberg's "Tiny Toon Adventures," Ickis in "AAAHH!!! Real Monsters" and Ed and Bev Bighead in "Rocko's Modern Life." He has also been an original "Smurf", was an original "G.I. Joe", an original "Transformer", a "Glow Friend" ,was 3 roles in original "My Little Pony " series(Spike the Baby Dragon, Moochick, Trundle King)and was in Ralph Bakshi's cult classic "Cool World" playing opposite Kim Bassinger and Brad Pitt as Nails Pitt's neurotic sidekick. Named one of the "Top 13 All Time Voice-Over Artists" by Animation Magazine and "Voice of The Decade" by Animation World News(2000), Adler is at the undisputed top of the animation world. Adler is also the Director, co-writer and star of the independent live action movie "No Prom for Cindy," appearing in over 45 prestigious film festivals worldwide and winning numerous awards in Acting/and Directing categories. The movie was adopted by San Francisco State University's Film Department as part of their curriculum. As a stage actor, Charlie starred on Broadway in "Torch Song Trilogy"(1984) as a successor to Harvey Feinstein and toured in the First National Company which earned him a "Helen Hayes Award Best Actor" nomination (1985). Off-Broadway, Adler co-starred in the hit "Family Business" at the Astor Place Theater for a year as well as appearing in Alan Albert's acclaimed Improv. Company, "The Proposition". Adler co-starred and played opposite comedy legend Imogene Coca in "Once Upon a Mattress," with Professor Irwin Corey in Neil Simon's "God's Favorite" and toured as Edward Albee's complex anti hero in "Zoo Story." In addition, he has played Israel Horowitz's Hero in "Dr. Hero" ( another disturbed soul), as well as the Emcee in "Cabaret." On television Charlie appeared on "The Redd Foxx Show (with Pam Adlon)(Lorimar ABC)" assumed the roles of three generations of sons for PBS in "Then and Now,"and guest starred On "Hot in Cleveland" opposite Susan Lucci and Wendie Malick in the two part "I Love Lucci" as Lucci's Director. In his youth, (when he had brown hair and eyelids), Adler was a familiar face in dozens television commercials for Coca-Cola, McDonalds, IBM, G.E. Big Red Gum and Safeguard Soap. As a writer, Adler has co-written "Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures" episodes and his critically acclaimed One Man Show (playing eleven characters), "There Used to Be Fireflies," which won him a Dramalogue Award for "Best Actor "(1996), (a performance he reprised in 2006 Directed by Asaad Kelada) and a Dramalogue Award for Set Design (1996) as well. He also paints and sells his work to calm down and remember just who in the hell he is.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Aladdin (1992)
- The Lion Guard (2015)
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Pamela Adlon comes from an acting family and began her career in television in 1983. She has appeared in many popular TV shows, including as a voice actress in a number of animated TV series including, most famously, King of the Hill (1997) for which she won an Emmy for her role as Bobby Hill.Now Disney projects appeared in- Sofia the First (2012)
- Israel Oyelumade is known for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Exorcist: The Beginning (2004).Now Disney projects appeared in
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Shohreh Aghdashloo was born Shohreh Vaziri-Tabar on May 11, 1952 in Tehran, Iran. In the 1970s at age 20, she achieved nationwide stardom in her homeland of Iran, starring in some prominent pictures such as The Report (1977) directed by the renowned Abbas Kiarostami, which won critics awards at the Moscow Film Festival. In 1978, she won wider acclaim and established herself as one of Iran's leading ladies with Desiderium (1978) directed by the late Ali Hatami. During the 1978 Islamic revolution, Aghdashloo left Iran for England, to complete her education. Her interest in politics and her concern for social injustice in the world would lead her to receive a Bachelor's degree in International Relations.
She continued to pursue her acting career, which eventually brought her to Los Angeles, California in 1987. She went on to marry actor/playwright Houshang Touzie, performing in a number of his plays, successfully taking them to national and international stages. However, this was not easy getting work in Hollywood as a Middle Eastern actress with an accent; she had roles in some decent, though not great, films, including Twenty Bucks (1993), Surviving Paradise (2000) and Maryam (2002). She received good reviews for her 12 episodes on the fourth season of the Fox television series 24 (2001) as Dina Araz, a terrorist undercover as a well-to-do housewife and mother in Los Angeles. She had to wait quite some time to receive her break in Hollywood.
And finally, years after having read the acclaimed novel "House of Sand and Fog", DreamWorks were in the process of bringing the story to the silver screen. After having cast Ben Kingsley (as Massoud Amir Behrani) and Jennifer Connelly in the lead roles, they were looking for a relatively unknown Iranian actress to play Kingsley's wife, Nadi. Shohreh Aghdashloo was duly cast. She stole the limelight and earned herself an Academy Award nomination as best supporting actress amongst many other prestigious awards, including the Independent Spirit Sward as best supporting actress in a feature film, the New York and Los Angeles film critics award and others.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lion Guard (2015)
- Saikat is a writer and actor based in the UK
He has played the regular parts of Vince Arya in Monday Monday, Mr Chadley in Pennyworth and Naseem in Apple Tree House.
He performs regularly on stage and his work includes The National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Hampstead Theatre (all UK) and The Kennedy Centre and Spoleto Festival (both USA).Now Disney projects appeared in- Aladdin (2019)
- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Composer
Aurora Aksnes (born 15 June 1996), known mononymously as Aurora (stylised as Aurora), is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and producer. Her debut EP Running with the Wolves was released through Decca Records in May 2015, receiving widespread approval from online music blogs and national press. Later the same year she provided the backing track for the John Lewis Christmas advert, singing a cover of the Oasis song "Half the World Away". This cover appears as a bonus track on the deluxe version of her debut studio album, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, which was released worldwide on 11 March 2016.
Her music is characterized by a dreamy, emotional and sophisticated pop, but still very catchy and direct; in the instrumental sections there are electronic, orchestral and folk elements. She has sometimes been compared to Susanne Sundfør, Emilíana Torrini, Florence and the Machine, Eivør, Kate Bush, Lana Del Rey, Lorde and Björk.
Aurora Aksnes was born on 15 June 1996 in Stavanger, Norway. She has two older sisters, Miranda, a make-up artist, and Viktoria, a fashion designer. She grew up in Os, a municipality in Hordaland close to Bergen. She began creating melodies at the age of 6, and began writing lyrics at the age of 9. Songs such as "Running With the Wolves", "I Went Too Far" and "Runaway" were written in this early stage of her life, "Runaway" being written when she was 12.
Aurora's first track "Puppet" was released in December 2012, followed by her second, "Awakening" in May 2013. Her first single signed to her labels Glassnote Records and Decca Records, "Under Stars" was released in November 2014, and "Runaway" followed in February 2015. "Runaway" achieved success in the UK on streaming service Spotify, reaching 1 million streams after just 6 weeks. The track was also received positively by various online music blogs and national press such as the NME.
On the day of releasing her debut All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend, she said that it was "the first album of many" that she has planned. As of 12 May 2016, after coming back from her European tour, Aurora announced that she was ready to begin writing and producing more material, which will eventually form her second studio album. She has said in a Facebook event that she has 15 demo songs and has written 1,000 songs/poems. Since the announcement, Aurora has released "I Went Too Far" as a single, and a music video for the track was released on 4 July 2016. According to Aurora, her second album was expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Between April and August 2018, the singer released two singles, "Queendom" and "Forgotten Love", which were going to be included on her second studio album. Aksnes recorded the album during her stay in France in January of that year, and the production included the producers Askjell Solstrand, Roy Kerr and Tim Bran, with Aksnes herself also involved in this aspect. Some of that new material was anticipated in live performances, including festivals like Lollapalooza and Coachella.
On September 28, 2018, Aurora surprisingly released her second album, Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1), and "step 2" is supposed to follow either 2019 or 2020. The album features eight songs, and the title itself comes from the eighth track included on it, which Aurora declared as "the most important song I've ever written". Shortly after the release, the singer and her band went on a musical tour that started in Manchester, UK, headlined by Cub Sport.Now Disney projects appeared in- Frozen II (2019)
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Lori Alan, actor/writer/producer, started talking as soon as she fell out of the womb, and hasn't stopped since. A native of the Washington, DC area, her passion for entertaining led the five-year-old actress to make her television debut as the star of a Shakey's Pizza commercial. She went on to graduate with honors from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and set off cutting her teeth on the comedy circuit, as a longtime member of New York's Gotham City Improv (Groundlings East).
Lori is perhaps best known for her award-winning voice-over work. Recently honored by her peers at the First Annual Voice Arts Awards (the Academy Awards for Voice-Overs) Lori took first-place prizes for Outstanding Body Of Work and Outstanding National Television Commercial. She starred as Diane Simmons on Family Guy, Pearl the Whale on SpongeBob: Squarepants, Sue Richards, The Invisible Woman, on Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four, and The Boss in the Metal Gear Solid video game trilogy. She's proud to be a part of the Pixar Family. Voicing characters in Wall-e, Monster's University, Bonnie's Mom in Pixar's Toy Story 3, Despicable Me, Minions, and Mother's Sadness in Inside Out.
Lori has firm roots in theatre, where she's thrived for over three decades. She mounted a smash solo show, Lori Alan: The Musical, She had the honor of working with Paul Reubens in The Pee-wee Herman Show at Club Nokia. She originated the role of Mae in the award-winning musical Reefer Madness, the cult musical which just celebrated its 17 year reunion concert at 54 Below. Backstage West proclaimed, "Lori Alan might give Carol Burnett pause!" Luckily, that talent brought Lori right to the small screen. From roles on the gripping Showtime drama Ray Donovan, to the hilarious Comedy Central gem Workaholics, to the deliciously naughty Desperate Housewives. She delves deeply into her material, emerging with the power to make the audience laugh and cry in the same moment. Her television career has flourished with appearances on Bones, Southland, CSI, 90210, Grey's Anatomy, Law and Order (both LA and the original.)
She now has a thriving voice over/on camera coaching practice to give back, as so many mentors did for her. Lori lives in Los Angeles with the love of her life, Sir Philip Bumble, her 4-legged, "soulmate" Bichon-Lhasas Apso mix, who was covered in gasoline when she rescued him at a mobile station. In the true spirit of activism, one of Lori's sole purposes is to fight for the end of the dog meat trade in the U.S. and Asia by raising awareness of the brutal and illegal trafficking of dogs. Lori also sits on the board of Pickle Pants Dog Rescue in Los Angeles, which focuses on rescuing, rehabbing, and re-homing animals otherwise set for death row from high kill shelters. Lori is a celebrity supporter of the Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) a national nonprofit organization working to end the use of animals for food through public education and grassroots activism. Her other hobbies include singing in the shower- or anywhere for that matter-, discovering new gluten-free cookies, and trying to switch to decaf.Now Disney projects appeared in- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Inside Out (2015)
- Toy Story 4 (2019)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Carlos Alazraqui is an American actor and comedian known for his roles as Rocko from Rocko's Modern Life, Spyro the Dragon in the 1998 video game of the same name, Lazlo and Clam from Camp Lazlo, Denzel Crocker from The Fairly OddParents, James Garcia in Reno 911, the Taco Bell chihuahua, and Puma Luco from El Tigre.Now Disney projects appeared in- Finding Nemo (2003)
- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Sofia the First (2012)
- Sheriff Callie's Wild West (2013)
- Inside Out (2015)
- Elena of Avalor (2016)
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
- Puppy Dog Pals (2017)
- Vampirina (2017)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Camera and Electrical Department
Buzz Aldrin (born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.; January 20, 1930) is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot. He made three spacewalks as pilot of the 1966 Gemini 12 mission, and, as Lunar Module Eagle pilot on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, he and mission commander Neil Armstrong were the first two people to land on the Moon.Now Disney projects appeared in- Miles from Tomorrowland (2015)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jay Scott Greenspan, known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, film director, and television presenter. An Emmy and Tony winner, he is best known for his role as George Costanza in the television series Seinfeld (1989), for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. His other well-known roles include Phillip Stuckey in the film Pretty Woman (1990), comic relief gargoyle Hugo in the Disney animated feature The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), and the title character in the animated series Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (1994). He has also made guest appearances on shows such as Dream On (1994), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001, 2009), and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019). For his role in Dream On, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song in 2020 for "The Bad Guys?" on Brainwashed By Toons.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Return of Jafar (1994)
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Timothy Allen Dick was born on June 13, 1953, in Denver, Colorado, to Martha Katherine (Fox) and Gerald M. Dick. His father, a real estate salesman, was killed in a collision with a drunk driver while driving his family home from a University of Colorado football game, when Tim was eleven years old. His mother, a community service worker, remarried her high school sweetheart, an Episcopalian deacon, two years after Tim's father's death. He was raised with his many siblings and step-siblings. When Tim was young, his family moved to Birmingham, Michigan.
In high school, his favorite subject was shop, of course, and after high school, he attended Western Michigan University and graduated with a degree in Television Production in 1975. In 1978, he was arrested on drug charges and spent two years in jail. Upon his release, he had a new outlook on life and on a dare from a friend, started his comedy career at the Comedy Castle in Detroit. Later, he went on to do several cable specials, including, Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen (1988) and Tim Allen: Men Are Pigs (1990). In 1991, he became the star of his own hit television series on ABC called Home Improvement (1991). While continuing to film his television series throughout most of the 1990s, he starred in a string of blockbuster movies, including The Santa Clause (1994), Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999) and Galaxy Quest (1999). In August 1996, he developed and unveiled his own signature line of power tools, manufactured by Ryobi. On top of all that, he has his own racing team, Tim Allen/Saleen RRRRacing. In May 1999, he ended his series Home Improvement (1991) after eight seasons and in 2001, he filmed such movies as Big Trouble (2002) and Joe Somebody (2001).Now Disney projects appeared in- Toy Story (1995)
- Toy Story 2 (1999)
- Cars (2006)
- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Toy Story 4 (2019)
– Year inducted: 1999- Actress
- Soundtrack
Jade Alleyne was born on 17 March 2001 in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. She is an actress, known for White Lines (2020) and Years and Years (2019).Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lodge (2016)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Anthony Anderson is an American actor, comedian and game show host who is known for playing Louis Booker from Kangaroo Jack, Glen Whitmann from Transformers, Ray Ray from The Proud Family and Antwon Mitchell from The Shield. He also acted in Blackish, Hoodwinked, The Departed, Agent Cody Banks 2 and Scream 4.Now Disney projects appeared in- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Filipino-American actress Nicole Gale Anderson who is popular for her role in Beauty and the Beast (2012) was born in Rochester, Indiana, U.S. on August 29, 1990. Her father is an American born Commander in the United States Navy while her mother is from the Philippines. She was a national gymnast when she was a child but left this due to an injury. She studied in Georgia's Barbizon Modeling and Acting School with a scholarship. She studied acting in Georgia's Barbizon Modeling and Acting School and side by side she started auditioning. She was cast in various print ads and television commercial like Mary-Kate & Ashley Online Clothing, Every Girl, Stand Up, and Bratz Pretty 'n' Punk & Treasures. She was Cheerleader #3 in the episode The Grey Area (2006) of Unfabulous (2004) in 2005. In 2007, she had worked in four television series Nobody (2007), Zoey 101 (2005), Hannah Montana (2006) and iCarly (2007). She was Dana on Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! (2008) and was Jitterbug/Princess Calliope in telefilm Princess (2008) in 2008. She appeared in 29 episodes of Jonas (2009) as Macy Misa and 17 episodes of Make It or Break It (2009) as Kelly Parker in between 2009 to 2012. She acts as Cinderella in A Fairy Tale Ending (2009) episode of Imagination Movers (2007). In telefilm Accused at 17 (2009), her character was Bianca Miller, also appeared in television film Mean Girls 2 (2011) as Hope Plotkin. In the episode Baby Steps (2011) of Happy Endings (2011), she was Madison 1. In episode Oh Gawd, There's Two of Them? (2011) of Ringer (2011), she was Monica Reynolds. She was Heather Chandler in Beauty and the Beast (2012) in its 2 seasons from 2012 to 2016.She acts as Miranda Collins in Pretty Little Liars (2010) and Ravenswood (2013) from 2013 to 2014. In 2018 in The Wedding Do Over (2018) appeared as Abby Anderson.
She had also worked in films like Mulawin: "The Movie" as Langay in 2005. In 2012, she was seen in Lukewarm (2012) as Jessie. Her character was of Tori in 2013 in Red Line (2013). In 2014, she worked in Red Line (2013) as Meghan.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Animation Department
- Director
- Additional Crew
Stephen J. Anderson was born on 5 June 1970 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is a director, known for Meet the Robinsons (2007), Winnie the Pooh (2011) and The Emperor's New Groove (2000). He has been married to Heather Anderson since 27 March 1993. They have one child.Now Disney projects appeared in- Bolt (2008)
- Frozen (2013)
- Frozen II (2019)
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Dino Andrade was born on 16 September 1963 in San Bernardino, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for World of Warcraft: Legion (2016), Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) and Prey (2017). He was previously married to Mary Kay Bergman.Now Disney projects appeared in- Sofia the First (2012)
- Vampirina (2017)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Eric Samuel André is an American stand-up comedian, actor, producer, television host and writer. He is best known as the creator, host, and co-writer of the Adult Swim comedy series The Eric Andre Show (2012-present). He also played Mike on the FXX series Man Seeking Woman (2015-2017) and voiced Azizi in the remake of The Lion King (2019). He performs music under the name Blarf.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lion King (2019)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
One of America's greatest racing drivers, Mario Andretti has virtually won it all, the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, the International Race of Champions (IROC) series, CART, and Formula 1 World titles. Andretti was born in Montona, Italy (now Motvun, Croatia) and with his family, including twin brother Aldo, moved to the United States in 1955. Ever since he was a little boy, his goal was to win the world championship and he accomplished this in 1978 as America's second and last world champion (he was naturalized when he was in his teens). He later won the CART title (America's top open-wheel series) and retired from racing in 1995. His son Michael is also a CART champion and went on to become a successful team owner. Andretti is still enormously popular with race fans and is one of the most recognized personalities in the sport.Now Disney projects appeared in- Cars (2006)
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Julia Elizabeth Wells was born on October 1, 1935, in England. Her mother, Barbara Ward (Morris), and stepfather, both vaudeville performers, discovered her freakish but undeniably lovely four-octave singing voice and immediately got her a singing career. She performed in music halls throughout her childhood and teens, and at age 20, she launched her stage career in a London Palladium production of "Cinderella".
Andrews came to Broadway in 1954 with "The Boy Friend", and became a bona fide star two years later in 1956, in the role of Eliza Doolittle in the unprecedented hit "My Fair Lady". Her star status continued in 1957, when she starred in the TV-production of Cinderella (1957) and through 1960, when she played "Guenevere" in "Camelot".
In 1963, Walt Disney asked Andrews if she would like to star in his upcoming production, a lavish musical fantasy that combined live-action and animation. She agreed on the condition if she didn't get the role of Doolittle in the pending film production of My Fair Lady (1964). After Audrey Hepburn was cast in My Fair Lady, Andrews made an auspicious film debut in Walt Disney's Mary Poppins (1964), which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Andrews continued to work on Broadway, until the release of The Sound of Music (1965), the highest-grossing movie of its day and one of the highest-grossing of all time. She soon found that audiences identified her only with singing, sugary-sweet nannies and governesses, and were reluctant to accept her in dramatic roles in The Americanization of Emily (1964) and Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Torn Curtain (1966). In addition, the box-office showings of the musicals Julie subsequently made increasingly reflected the negative effects of the musical-film boom that she helped to create. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) was for a time the most successful film Universal had released, but it still couldn't compete with Mary Poppins or The Sound of Music for worldwide acclaim and recognition. Star! (1968) and Darling Lili (1970) also bombed at the box office.
Fortunately, Andrews did not let this keep her down. She worked in nightclubs and hosted a TV variety series in the 1970s. In 1979, Andrews returned to the big screen, appearing in films directed by her husband Blake Edwards, with roles that were entirely different from anything she had been seen in before. Andrews starred in 10 (1979), S.O.B. (1981) and Victor/Victoria (1982), which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
She continued acting throughout the 1980s and 1990s in movies and TV, hosting several specials and starring in a short-lived sitcom. In 2001, she starred in The Princess Diaries (2001), alongside then-newcomer Anne Hathaway. The family film was one of the most successful G-Rated films of that year, and Andrews reprised her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). In recent years, Andrews appeared in Tooth Fairy (2010), as well as a number of voice roles in Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), Enchanted (2007), Shrek Forever After (2010), and Despicable Me (2010).Now Disney projects appeared in- Mary Poppins (1964)
- Enchanted (2007)
– Year inducted: 1991- Actor
- Soundtrack
- Producer
Asher Angel was born on 6 September 2002 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Shazam! (2019), Andi Mack (2017) and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023).Now Disney projects appeared in- High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Jack Angel was born on 24 October 1930 in Modesto, California, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Balto (1995) and The Iron Giant (1999). He was married to Arlene Thornton and Barbara Champion. He died on 18 October 2021 in Malibu, California, USA.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Aladdin (1992)
- Toy Story (1995)
- Hercules (1997)
- Tarzan (1999)
- Toy Story 2 (1999)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- Lilo & Stitch (2002)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- Cars (2006)
- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
June Angela received Broadway's Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations as Best Leading Actress for "Shogun" and starred opposite Danny Glover in the 2 person play "Yohen." Part of TV history, she starred with Pat Morita on the first Asian American Primetime TV Comedy series "Mr T and Tina." An Emmy and Grammy for her work on TV's "The Electric Company" series, she was a regular working with Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno from the pilot till the final show - episode seven hundred twenty. Performing since age 5, her extensive theater credits include Tuptim in the Broadway and London Palladium revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "The King and I" with Yul Brynner and starring in works at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and the NY Public Theater among others. A Theatre Guild Award winner as Best Lead Actress, she was also honored for her work by Off-Broadway's Pan-Asian Repertory Theater. She was a regular on three TV series and recurred as the family psychic Madame Xing on "Fresh Off the Boat." On the comedy series "Mr. T and Tina" she played Pat Morita's daughter and years later played his daughter again, this time in a drama, the TV movie "Blind Alleys" in which Cloris Leachman played her mother. It was written by multi Award Winning writer David Henry Hwang.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Odette Annable was born Odette Juliette Yustman on 10 May, 1985, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Lydia (Nodarse), is Cuban. Odette's father, Victor Oscar Yustman, was born in Bogotá, Colombia, of Italian and Polish Jewish descent. Odette started her career with a minor role in the movie Kindergarten Cop (1990) as "Rosa."
After graduating from Woodcrest Christian High School in Riverside, California, where she was the homecoming queen, she turned to modeling with a few roles through the years. Some of her credits include Danielle Steel's Remembrance (1996) and Dear God (1996) with a few guest appearances in Quintuplets (2004). In 2006, Odette was cast in Jennifer Lopez's South Beach (2006) where she played "Arielle Casta". She was then cast in the drama October Road (2007) as "Aubrey," which has received its second season. She has since been seen in the action monster movie Cloverfield (2008) as "Beth McIntyre".Now Disney projects appeared in- Elena of Avalor (2016)
- Actor
- Assistant
Emjay Anthony was born to Trisha and Michael Salazar on June 1, 2003 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. After living a rather normal active family life, he began modeling and was selected for a Werther's Candy national commercial at the age of 4. When Emjay was 5 years old, his family relocated to California where his parents were originally from. His sister Sage is his only sibling who is ten years older. Within the first year of arriving back in California, in 2008, an open audition for It's Complicated (2009) starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, landed Emjay the role of Alec Baldwin's stepson. After making his screen debut in "It's Complicated", Emjay took a year and a half years off to catch up on his schooling. By the end of 2010, Emjay wanted to act again, so with the help of his agency, Coast to Coast, the auditions started again. Since that time, Emjay has booked several national commercials, two pilots, Applebaum (2012) for CBS, starring Rachelle Lefevre, from the Twilight series and Rhys Coiro from Entourage (2004) and Rake (2014) for Fox, which was scheduled to premier mid fall. Emjay played the eldest of three children and stars Greg Kinnear. During 2012, Emjay could also be seen in an episode of Grey's Anatomy (2005) and The Mentalist (2008). Emjay began working on the comedy-drama Chef (2014) where he plays the son of Sofía Vergara and Jon Favreau. Emjay enjoys playing air soft, riding his dirt bike and his BMX bike with his father when he is not working or schooling.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Jungle Book (2016)
- Actor
- Sound Department
- Soundtrack
Philip Anthony-Rodriguez was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is known for The Company You Keep (2023), Good Trouble (2019) and SEAL Team (2017).Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Alfonso Arau has had a long and fruitful career both in front of and behind the camera and is one of the most prominent Latino film-makers in Hollywood. He was a drama disciple of Seki Sano--a Japanese teacher, classmate of Lee Strasberg with Konstantin Stanislavski in Russia--and traveled the world from 1964 to 1968 with his one-man show, "Pantomime Happy Madness", after studying with Etienne Decroux and Jacques Lecoq in Paris.
A renowned writer-producer-director-actor in theater and film for more than twenty years, in 1969 he directed his first feature film, El águila descalza (1971), in which he also starred. He has directed many films in Mexico, among them Inspector Calzonzin (1974) and Mojado Power (1981). He has received six Arieles--the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar--and numerous international film awards.
Arau has acted in a number of Mexican and Hollywood films, including The Wild Bunch (1969), El Topo (1970), Mojado Power (1981), Used Cars (1980), Romancing the Stone (1984), Three Amigos! (1986) and Committed (2000). In addition to Like Water for Chocolate (1992), his directing credits include A Walk in the Clouds (1995) with Keanu Reeves and Picking Up the Pieces (2000) with Woody Allen. For television he has done The Magnificent Ambersons (2002), based on the script of Orson Welles' film version (The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)) and the novel by Booth Tarkington.Now Disney projects appeared in- Coco (2017)
- Actress
- Writer
The funny, talented, and beautiful Lisa Kushell is best-known for her role(s) in the third season of the FOX sketch-comedy show Mad TV (1995). Lisa has also appeared in films such as Billboard Dad (1998), "National Lampoon's Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 Women (1994) and Legally Blonde (2001). She can also be seen on Oxygen's Pajama Party (2000), the animated sitcom Mission Hill (1999), The X-Files (1993), the puppet prank-phone-call show, and Crank Yankers (2002). She is a host in the TBS Superstation's Dinner & a Movie (1996).
Lisa, who was born November 23, 1971, is also a regular writer/performer at the ACME Comedy Theater in Los Angeles, and has appeared on former Beat the Geeks (2001) host J. Keith van Straaten's show.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Actor
- Composer
- Editor
In 2008, more than 30 million television viewers fell in love with David Archuleta; with his angelic voice, bashful sweetness, and megawatt smile, over 44 million votes made him the first runner-up in Season 7 of American Idol - and a star at age 16.
Shortly after "Idol," David's first single, "Crush," debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track sold more than 2 million digital copies to become double platinum. Three months later, his self-titled album, David Archuleta, sold more than 900,000 copies worldwide.
With a faithful social media following (3.5 million Facebook followers, 1.1 million on Twitter, and almost 1 million followers on TikTok), David has toured all over the U.S., Canada, Asia, and even in the Middle East. In 2017, he relocated to Nashville and released his seventh album Postcards in the Sky featuring all original songs that he had a hand in writing.
The game-changer though was David's 2020 album, Therapy Sessions, which featured an inside look into his internal struggle with himself - a battle he has experienced for most of his life. He carried a heavy burden by trying to be something he was not while knowing that who he really was would put him at odds with the church he grew up in. "I was going through therapy, and trying to apply the steps it took to escape the barriers I had created for myself," he explains. "Music has always been healing for me and I hoped that what I created on that album would help people who were also struggling with who they were."
In 2021, David came out as queer to the LGBTQ community and continues to navigate his identity. During this time, he also had vocal cord surgery, which left him unable to speak much for 3 months, resulting in a period of self-reflection.
In the summer of 2022, David shared his powerful coming-out journey at the Love Loud Festival, which left both the audience and David in tears. David then made his professional musical theater debut as "Joseph" in the acclaimed Andrew Lloyd Weber/Tim Rice musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. "Performing in Joseph really helped me connect with audiences in a way I hadn't before. I was more reserved and unsure as a performer, and doing the show was part of the process of unlocking things within me."
In the fall of 2022, David revealed to Good Morning America that he was experiencing a faith crisis and stepping away from the Church of Latter-Day Saints, having been a Mormon his whole life. He then rounded out 2022 with the release of "Faith in Me," his first song since having vocal cord surgery and, by far, one of his more personal songs. "It's about being OK with who you are and moving forward. Not caring about what anyone thinks, just letting go of baggage, forging your own path and finding joy." says David. "We actually re-wrote the song to accommodate where I was personally at the time of the recording."
2023 is shaping up to be the Year of Archuleta, not the least of which is because of his return to television. The Masked Singer saw David spread his wings (and end up a finalist) as the Macaw, a bird known for its exuberant personality. An audience favorite, David rose to the top against other heavyweight vocalists such as Pentatonix, Michael Bolton and Sara Evans. "Being the Macaw was exciting because it was like becoming a new person. Even though people couldn't see me in the costume, it allowed me to show a lot more of myself. I could be a lot louder with my personality and really let loose and spread my wings. I was able to show the colors I was too afraid to show and tap deeper emotionally in my performances." said David
David's also gone 'home' to American Idol, where he's a mentor to up-and-comers like he once was. "It has been a beautiful experience. I have watched the show from the first season and then competed in the 7th season of the show, which was already full circle for me. It was an honor to be asked back as a 'seasoned professional' to work with the contestants. It was fun, and it felt good be able to help others develop their talent, and have people say I was an inspiration," he says. "Looking back to when I first watched, I can't believe I would be there for people like Kelly Clarkson and Tamyra Gray were for me."
David's latest single is "Up," and while not a continuation of "Faith in Me," it's similar in its optimism. "Faith in Me" was about me learning to have fun, and not take everything so seriously. "Up" is more of a reflective song. It's looking at my journey and seeing how far I've come," he says. "I hit rock bottom. I thought I wouldn't get through it, but here I am. I thought I was hopeless and that I'd failed, but here I am. Even when you're at your lowest, you need to realize you can only go UP. You need to hold on to that glimmer of hope and say, I am going to turn any type of hate and negativity into positivity and love. It's a song about finding the strength you didn't know you had in you. And replacing any fear and hate with love. Especially self-love."
"Up" will be part of a bigger project David's working on, with a plan to record more music later this year for an album. "I am ready to share this new chapter and be comfortable with who I am as a performer. I'd like to go on tour when I figure myself out a little more, you know? My music was always formed around my beliefs, so I want to work out what I should put my faith in now. I can say that for the first time, I felt like I've taken my power back after having given it away for so long. That's a huge step."Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Lee Arenberg has the remarkable ability to morph himself into frightening aliens, twisted psychotherapists, lascivious entertainment executives and everything in between. Most frequently referred to as a character actor, Arenberg maintains a flourishing acting career--almost 20 years spanning television, stage and film. Arenberg has appeared in more than 30 movies, including Cradle Will Rock (1999), RoboCop 3 (1993), Waterworld (1995), Bob Roberts (1992), The Apocalypse (1997), Cross My Heart (1987) and the fantasy adventure feature Dungeons & Dragons (2000). Bitten by the acting bug at age eight when he portrayed David in his Hebrew school play, "Killing Goliath", Arenberg notes that the parable "could be the title of any actor's chances in this game." A native Angeleno, Lee attended Santa Monica high school with "brat packers" Sean Penn, Robert Downey Jr. and Emilio Estevez, and co-wrote a play with Estevez which was directed by Penn. Lee's first professional job was in 1986 at the Mark Taper Forum in "Ghetto", a play directed by Gordon Davidson. Within weeks he was cast in three films, including the role of Norton in the feature Tapeheads (1988)opposite Tim Robbins and John Cusack. Guest appearances on television began in 1987 with the hit sitcom Perfect Strangers (1986), and have continued with memorable roles such as the parking space-stealing New Yorker on Seinfeld (1989) and as the murderous rock promoter opposite Katey Sagal and Sam Kinison in Tales from the Crypt (1989), as well as roles on Arli$$ (1996), Friends (1994), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and Star Trek: Voyager (1995). Arenberg can also be seen in the role of the notoriously huge studio head, Bobby G., on the controversial syndicated comedy Action (1999) opposite series star Jay Mohr. Arenberg names his family and friends as his inspirations, and states that having grown up on Los Angeles' Westside, he was able to see actors as the parents of friends and classmates, not as just as movie stars. "It also gave me an honest assessment of the industry and what I was getting myself into," he laughs. He credits "fear of failure" as his main motivation, and admires the talents and creativity of such legendary actors Paul Muni, Lon Chaney and Boris Karloff. Lee also credits much of his development as an actor to his participation in the Actors' Gang, one of Los Angeles' oldest theater companies. The Actors' Gang was founded by Lee in 1981 with Tim Robbins and other friends from UCLA. After 20 years as an actor in the group, Lee recently made his writing and directing debut with Foursome, a play about golf, sex and witchcraft. In his leisure time, Arenberg enjoys golf, cooking, blues harmonica, video games and pitching for his softball team Bubblin' Crude, which is made up of other actors, many of whom are friends from high school. He is involved with St. Jude's Children's Hospital and other children's health causes, and animal rights organizations, participating regularly in fund raising efforts on behalf of those charitable causes.Now Disney projects appeared in
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Moises Arias was born on 18 April 1994 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Ender's Game (2013), The Kings of Summer (2013) and Nacho Libre (2006).Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
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Alan Arkin was an Academy Award-winning American actor who was also an acclaimed director, producer, author, singer and composer.
He was born Alan Wolf Arkin on March 26, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York. His family were Jewish emigrants from Russia and Germany. In 1946, the Arkins moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, California. His father, David I. Arkin, was an artist and writer, who worked as a teacher, and lost his job for merely refusing to answer questions about his political affiliation during the 1950s Red Scare. His father challenged the politically biased dismissal and eventually prevailed, but unfortunately it was after his death. His mother, Beatrice (Wortis) Arkin, a teacher, shared his father's views. Young Arkin was fond of music and acting, he was taking various acting classes from the age of 10. He attended Franklin High School, in Los Angeles, then Los Angeles City College from 1951 - 1953, and Bennington College in Vermont from 1953 - 1954. He sang in a college folk-band, and was involved in a drama class. He dropped out of college to form the folk music group The Tarriers, in which Arkin was the lead singer and played guitar. He co-wrote the 1956 hit "The Banana Boat Song" - a Jamaican calypso folk song, which became better known as Harry Belafonte's popular version, and reached #4 on the Billboard chart. At that time Arkin was a struggling young actor who played bit parts on television and on stage, and made a living as a delivery boy, repairman, pot washer and baby sitter. From 1958 - 1968 he performed and recorded with the children's folk group, The Babysitters. He has also recorded an entire album for the Elektra label titled "Folksongs - Once Over Lightly."
In 1957 Arkin made his first big screen appearance as a lead singer with The Tarriers in Calypso Heat Wave (1957). Then he made his Off-Broadway debut as a singer in "Heloise" (1958). Next year he joined the Compass Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri. There he caught the eye of stage director Bob Sills and became the original member of the "Second City" troupe in Chicago. In 1961 Arkin made his Broadway debut in musical "From the Second City", for which he wrote lyrics and sketches, then starred as David Kolowitz in the Broadway comedy "Enter Laughing" (1963), for which he won a Tony Award. He starred in a Broadway musical "From the Second City production, then returned to Broadway as Harry Berlin in "Luv" (1964). Arkin made his directorial debut with an Off-Broadway hit called "Eh?" (1966), which introduced the young actor, named Dustin Hoffman. He won a Drama Desk Award for his direction of the Off-Broadway production of "Little Murders" (1969), and another Drama Desk Award for "The White House Murder Case" (1970). He also directed the original version of Neil Simon's hilarious smash, "The Sunshine Boys" (1972), which ran over 500 performances.
Arkin earned his first Academy Award nomination as Best Actor for his feature acting debut in a comedy The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966), by director Norman Jewison, co-starring as Lt. Rozanov, a Soviet submariner who is mistaken for a spy after his boat accidentally wrecks aground in New England. Arkin demonstrated his dramatic range as the psychopathic killer Roat in suspense film Wait Until Dark (1967), opposite Audrey Hepburn. He reinvented himself as the sensitive deaf-mute in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), for which he received his second Academy Award Nomination as Best Actor in the Leading role. He followed with what remained his best known role as Captain Yossarian in Catch-22 (1970), directed by Mike Nichols and based on the eponymous anti-war novel by Joseph Heller. In it Arkin arguably gave his strongest performance, however, his career suffered because the film initially did not live up to expectations. After a few years of directorial work on television, Arkin made a comeback with an impressive portrayal of doctor Sigmund Freud in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976). In the early 1980s he acted in three movies that were family affairs, written by his wife, Barbara Dana, and co-starring his son, Adam Arkin.
During the 1990s he turned out several notable performances, such as a bitter former baseball player in TNT's Cooperstown (1993), and as a hilarious psychiatrist opposite John Cusack in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997). He won raves for his portrayal of a divorced father who struggles to keep his kids enrolled in the Beverly Hills school system in Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). Arkin gave a brilliant performance opposite Robin Williams in Jakob the Liar (1999), a film about the Nazi occupation of Poland. He also returned to the New York stage co-starring with his son, Tony Arkin and Elaine May in "Power Plays", which he also co-authored. His most recent comeback as a heroin-snorting, sex-crazed, foul-mouthed grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), earned him his third Academy Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, and his first Academy Award.
Alan Arkin had been a modern Renaissance man. In addition to his achievements as an actor, director, and producer, he made his mark as a singer-songwriter with his popular-song compositions "Banana Boat Song", "Cuddle Bug," "That's Me," and "Best Time of the Year." Arkin also authored several books, including science-fiction and some children's stories, such as "The Clearing", "The Lemming Condition" and "Cassie Loves Beethoven" among his other publications. He was a father of three sons, Adam Arkin, Matthew Arkin, and Anthony Arkin, and a grandfather of Molly Arkin.
Alan Arkin was a strong supporter of an organic way of living and also a proponent for preservation of the environment and natural habitat. He avoided the show-biz-milieu and was known as an actor who does not really care about prestigious awards, but values having a good job and being acknowledged by his peers. In Arkin's own words he wanted to "Stay home for three months. Living as quietly as humanly possible." Arkin was given an Indian name, Grey Wolf, by his Native American friends in New Mexico.
Alan Arkin died in California on June 29, 2023 at the age of 89. He is survived by his three sons - Adam, Matthew, and Anthony Dana Arkin, and with Dana, Alan Arkin is survived by third wife, Suzanne Newlander Arkin, whom he married in 1999.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Muppets (2011)
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Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Allisyn Snyder is a dynamic actress and comedian, launching her career in the entertainment industry at only 4 years old (as Allisyn Arm). Allisyn worked steadily in her early years, with some of her TV appearances including Friends, Strong Medicine, Judging Amy, and Still Standing. At the age of 11, she landed a series regular position in a new Disney Channel sitcom, Sonny With A Chance. Following the show, Allisyn went on to star in its spin off, So Random!, a children's live audience sketch comedy show that utilized her catalog of many character voices and physical comedy skills. Allisyn has become iconic as the mousy oddball Heather Wilmore in all four seasons of NBC's A.P. Bio opposite Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt. At 15, her steady childhood acting career morphed into a passion for working behind the camera, setting her foundation with cinematography studies at Glendale CC after graduating early from high school. At 17, Allisyn began writing sketches for AwesomenessTV, with several airing on Nickelodeon. At 18, Allisyn created YouTube personality Astrid Clover, assisted by Joey Luthman and Allisyn's now-husband Dylan Snyder, together releasing a new episode every Friday for 7 years while gaining a loyal following over 350 original episodes. In 2016, Allisyn began writing and producing films alongside Dylan Snyder, forming Watch The Footage Productions. Growing up with an active lifestyle, Allisyn has been trained in trapeze, aerial silks, kickboxing, and played roller derby competitively as a teenager. She is a certified Advanced Open Water (AOW) scuba diver and Nitrox diver with a lifetime of swimming lessons and ocean experience. She is also a prolific artist, with her dark and whimsical characters invited to gallery showings since she was only 15 years old.Now Disney projects appeared in- Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011)
- Music Department
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Fereydun Robert Armisen is an American actor, comedian, and writer. After having begun his career as a musician for groups such as Trenchmouth and the Blue Man Group, he would get his big break as a comedy actor when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 2002, having remained with the show until 2013. This lead to Armisen collaborating with fellow SNL alum Bill Hader and Seth Meyers on the television series Documentary Now! (2015) for IFC, and would also collaborate with Carrie Brownstein on Portlandia (2011) for the same network. He is also known for his roles in various films and shows such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006), and Easy A (2010), alongside voice roles in The Looney Tunes Show (2011), The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021), The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017), and Final Space (2018), among others.Now Disney projects appeared in- Elena of Avalor (2016)
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Curtis Armstrong was born on 27 November 1953 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Better Off Dead (1985), Risky Business (1983) and Revenge of the Nerds (1984). He has been married to Elaine Aronson since 2 January 1994. They have one child. He was previously married to Cynthia Carle.Now Disney projects appeared in- Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014)
- Producer
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The youngest of five, David Arquette was born in Winchester, Virginia and is part of the illustrious Arquette family, whose work has spread over several generations. His parents, Lewis Arquette, an actor, and Brenda Denaut (née Nowak), an acting teacher and therapist, had 4 other children: Rosanna Arquette, Richmond Arquette, Patricia Arquette, and Alexis Arquette, all actors. His paternal grandfather, Cliff Arquette, was also an entertainer. David's mother was from an Ashkenazi Jewish family (from Poland and Russia), while David's father had French-Canadian, Swiss-German, and English ancestry.
Like his siblings, Arquette started working at an early age, and his first major role came as Luke Perry's character's best friend in the hit film Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). But his major break both personally and professionally didn't come until 1996 when he was cast in the slasher flick Scream (1996) starring opposite close friend Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell and more importantly Friends (1994), with Courteney Cox who he married in San Francisco in the summer of 1999. Scream (1996) earned worldwide success and acclaim as did Arquette for his role as lovable simple cop "Dewey". His role proved to be so popular that in the original script his character was meant to die, but due to test audiences response to Dewey the script was changed and he returned for both Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000). Usually known for his goofiness in more mainstream roles, his greatest performances and reviews have come for his indie films such as Johns (1996), Dream with the Fishes (1997) and The Grey Zone (2001). David and wife Courteney Cox reside in LA and produce their own DIY show Mix It Up (2003) because of their love for home improvement.Now Disney projects appeared in- Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011)
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With her expressive blue eyes, soft, Southern-tinged voice and an acting range that can carry her from hysterically funny to terrifying in seconds, Patricia Arquette is one of the most underrated and talented actresses of her generation. Though she has been working for years, she's always stayed just under the radar of true stardom, despite a 1995 marriage to Nicolas Cage.
Patricia was born in Chicago, though the family soon moved to a commune near Arlington, Virginia. Her parents, Lewis Arquette, an actor, and Brenda Denaut (née Nowak), an acting teacher and therapist, had 4 other children: Rosanna Arquette, Richmond Arquette, Alexis Arquette, and David Arquette, all actors. Her paternal grandfather, Cliff Arquette, was also an entertainer. Patricia's mother was from an Ashkenazi Jewish family (from Poland and Russia), while Patricia's father had French-Canadian, Swiss-German, and English ancestry.
At 15, Patricia ran away from home to live with her sister Rosanna and, after initial insecurity, got her start in Pretty Smart (1987). A year later, she gained attention for her starring role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), considered by many to be the best film of the Nightmare series. In 1989, Patricia's son, Enzo (father is Paul Rossi), was born. Soon after, her career took off, and she has since appeared in such critically acclaimed movies as True Romance (1993), Beyond Rangoon (1995), Ethan Frome (1992), Lost Highway (1997) and Flirting with Disaster (1996). She won a CableACE award in 1991 for her portrayal of a deaf epileptic in Wildflower (1991). In 1997, after her mother died of breast cancer, Patricia took the lead in the fight against the disease. She has run in the annual Race for the Cure and in 1999 was the Lee National Denim Day spokesperson.Now Disney projects appeared in- Toy Story 4 (2019)
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Dual Canadian/British nationalities. Read Music at Lancaster University (1975-78) before joining English National Opera as singer (1979-81). Theatre credits subsequently include Gloucester (King Lear) at Colchester, Judge Turpin (Sweeney Todd) at Liverpool and Watford, Algol (Space Queen Maladjusta) at Southampton, Angelo (Archangels Don't Play Pinball) at Bristol. Married BBC studio manager Sharmini Thillaimuthu. Two children. Lives in London and Suffolk.Now Disney projects appeared in- Christopher Robin (2018)
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Edward Asner was born of Russian Jewish parentage in Kansas City, to Morris David Asner (founder and owner of the Kansas City-based Asner Iron & Metal Company) and his wife Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Seliger). After attending college, Ed worked various jobs, including in a steel mill, as a door-to-door salesman and on an assembly line for General Motors. Between 1947 and 1949, he attended the University of Chicago. The onset of the Korean War saw him drafted into the U.S. Army Signals Corps and posted to France where he was primarily assigned clerical tasks. Upon demobilization, Asner joined the Playwrights Theatre Company in Chicago but soon progressed to New York. In 1955, he appeared off-Broadway in the leading role of the beggar king Jonathan Peachum in Brecht's Threepenny Opera. Five years later, he made his debut on the Great White Way in the courtroom drama Face of a Hero, co-starring alongside Jack Lemmon. He also began regular TV work in anthology drama.
From the early '60s, Asner, now based in California, earned his living as a busy supporting actor. His many noted guest appearances included turns in Route 66 (1960), The Untouchables (1959), The Fugitive (1963), Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964) (sinister dictator-in-exile Brynov), The Invaders (1967) (twice -- as aliens) and How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (1998) (one of a couple of ghostly residents in a haunted mansion). Heavy-set and distinctively gravelly-voiced, Asner established his reputation as tough, robust and uncompromising (though, on occasion, good-hearted) authority figures. Excellent at conveying menace, he was memorably cast as the brutish patriarch Axel Jordache in Rich Man, Poor Man (1976) and as the slave ship's morally conflicted master, Captain Thomas Davies, in Roots (1977), which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 1977. The immensely prolific Asner (417 IMDB screen credits!) would receive seven Emmys in total (from 21 nominations), all Primetime, and become the only actor to win in both the comedy and drama category for the same role. That was also the part which made Asner a household name: the gruff, snarky newspaper editor Lou Grant (1977). Grant began as a mainstay on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970), a 30-minute sitcom.
When the character was promoted to West Coast editor of The Los Angeles Tribune, Asner went on to star in his own much acclaimed drama series. Despite consistently high ratings, the show was axed after five seasons amid rumours of disharmony between the star and producers, possibly due to the former's outspoken political views. Indeed, Asner has been a controversial figure as an activist and campaigner, engaged in a variety of humanitarian and political issues. A self-proclaimed liberal Democrat, he published a book in 2017, amusingly titled "The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs."
Between 1981 and 1985, Asner served twice as President of the Screen Actors Guild, during which time he was critical of former SAG President Ronald Reagan -- then the president of a greater concern -- for his Central American policy. In 1996, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and in 2002 received the Screen Actors Guild's Life Achievement Award. In addition to appearing on screen and stage, he performed extensive work for radio, video games and animated TV series. He voiced the lead character Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's Oscar-winning production of Up (2009), starred as Santa in Elf (2003), and played Nicholas Drago in The Games Maker (2014). Ed passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 91 on August 29, 2021.Now Disney projects appeared in- Up (2009)
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Sean Patrick Astin (né Duke; February 25, 1971) is an American actor, voice actor, screenwriter, director, producer, family man, author, marathon runner, political activist and philanthropist who is well known for his film debut portraying Mikey in Steven Spielberg's The Goonies (1985), for playing the title role in the critically acclaimed Rudy (1993), and for his role as the beloved Sam Gamgee in the Academy Award winning trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
Astin was born Sean Patrick Duke on February 25, 1971 in Santa Monica, California. His mother was actress Patty Duke. At the time of his birth, his biological father was believed to be entertainer Desi Arnaz Jr., but Astin discovered through a DNA test in the 1990s that his biological father is music promoter Michael Tell, who was married to Patty Duke in 1970. Sean was raised by his stepfather, actor John Astin, who married Patty Duke in 1972 and whose surname Sean took. Sean's mother was of Irish and more distant German ancestry, and Sean's biological father is of Austrian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent.
At age nine, Sean starred with his mother in the after-school special Please Don't Hit Me, Mom (1981). Followed by Sean's feature debut The Goonies (1985) and since then, he has had a steady stream of roles. Starring in Toy Soldiers (1991), Where the Day Takes You (1992), Rudy (1993) and Harrison Bergeron (1995). He directed and co-produced the short film Kangaroo Court (1994), which was nominated in the best short film category at The 67th Annual Academy Awards (1995). Sean's adoptive father John Astin was nominated for the same award in 1969.
Sean experienced another career breakthrough with his role as the epitome of loyal sidekicks, Samwise Gamgee, in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, released in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Along with the many awards bestowed upon the trilogy (particularly its final installment The Return of the King), Sean received nominations for his own performance. He took home the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor, and awards from the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, the Seattle Film Critics, the Utah Film Critics Association, and the Phoenix Film Critics Society. As an ensemble, the Return of the King cast received awards from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures and the Screen Actors Guild. In 2004, Sean authored the NY Times best seller "There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale," chronicling his acting career with emphasis on his experiences filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Sean has been a long-distance runner since his teens. His marathons include the 2014 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC, where he had the honor of officially starting the race, the 2015 Boston Marathon as a member of charity fund-raising team MR8, and the New York City Marathon in 2016. He has done numerous half marathons and countless 5Ks, 10Ks, and races of other distances. He successfully completed the Ironman World Championship Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, in October 2015; the grueling event consisted of a 2.4 mile open ocean swim, a 112 mile bike race and a 26.2 mile marathon.
In 2012, while training for the LA Marathon, he began a Twitter campaign using #Run3rd, a way to dedicate his runs to causes and ideas that mattered not just to him, but to others. The principle of #Run3rd is that Sean runs first for himself, since running is ultimately a solitary act, second for his ever-patient and supportive family, and third for others. #Run3rd has grown to include a team of runners, walkers, and others who dedicate their activities to the causes of others. A $25,000 grant from the Ironman Foundation will allow the charity to fund after school running programs for children in under-served school districts. More information on #Run3rd, including sponsored 5Ks, is available at run3rd.com.
Sean has served as a philanthropist on the board of several non-profit organizations, including the Creative Coalition, National Center for Family Literacy, and Los Angeles Valley College's Patrons Association and Arts Council. He is a vocal advocate on many issues including literacy, mental health awareness and civic engagement. After the passing of his mother in late March 2016, Sean began fund-raising to create a foundation to carry on her life's work as an advocate for mental health
Politically, Sean has been very active having served in two non-partisan Presidential appointments. Sean also hosts a live weekly 2 hour in-studio bi-partisan political radio talk show, 'Vox Populi Radio' which was made possible by a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2013. In 2004, Sean broke into the publishing world and authored the NY Times Best Selling release of There and Back Again a memoir of his film career (co-written with Joe Layden).
In addition to acting in live action films and television, Sean is also an accomplished voice actor. He has voiced several different characters in animated series, cartoons, animated movies, anime dubs and video games. His voice is also familiar to many. He narrated the Animal Planet series "Meerkat Manor" (2006-2007), and voiced the title characters in the animated Disney Channel series "Special Agent Oso" (2009-2012) and the animated feature film "Ribbit" (2014). He was the voice of Raphael in Nickelodeon's popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (2012-2017) as well as it's video games. He voiced the paranoid Siamese cat Chester in "Bunnicula" (2016-2018), a Warner Brothers produced series based on children's books by James Howe and narrates "The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants" (2018-2019) a series on Netflix, based on the Dav Pilkey's children's books. He can be heard in a plethora of other animated shows, anime dubs, video games, audio dramas and narrations. More recently, Sean was the Narrator of the Documentary called Remember the Sultana, which released on March 1st, 2018.
After four decades in front of camera or microphone, Sean has ventured in front of a theater audience, first as Joseph Stalin in a multimedia stage production of "Shostakovich and the Black Monk: A Fantasy," (2018-2019) and then as Dr. Moricet in "Bang Bang!" (2018), John Cleese's adaptation of a 19th century French farce.
Sean is also comfortable behind the camera, directing episodic TV and serving as producer on several films. He directed and co-produced with his wife Christine the short film "Kangaroo Court," nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1995. While working on "The Lord of the Rings," Sean made "The Long and Short of It." The film premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and appears on the DVD for "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," along with a making-of video. He is currently working to bring "Number the Stars," based on Lois Lowry's Newbery Award winning children's classic, to the big screen.
While maintaining a career as a professional actor (in live action films and television) and a voice actor for characters in animated series, cartoons, animated movies, anime dubs and video games, Sean is also a political activist. Sean has been actively engaged in the political world since early in his life. He served in two non-partisan Presidential appointments. In 1995, under President Bill Clinton, he became a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, serving for 10 years under six secretaries in two administrations. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to his Council on Service and Civic Participation, whose mission was to promote a culture of volunteerism and civic engagement. He campaigned for presidential candidates John Kerry in 2004, and Hillary Clinton in 2008 and 2016. He also served as campaign manager for his friend, Dan Adler, in a special election for California's 36th congressional district race in 2011.
Sean attended Crossroads High School for the Arts and studied with the famous Stella Adler. He graduated with honors from UCLA; B.A. in History & B.A. in English American Literature and Culture. Sean is married to Christine Astin, his co-producer on Kangaroo Court (1994). He resides in Los Angeles, CA with his wife Christine Louise and daughters Alexandra (Ali) Louise, Elizabeth Louise, and Isabella (Bella) Louise. All of his daughters attend Harvard University.Now Disney projects appeared in- Sofia the First (2012)
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Skylar Astin was born Skylar Astin Lipstein in New York and grew up in Rockland County, part of the NY Metropolitan Area. He is the son of Meryl and Barry Lipstein, a garment industry executive. Astin has two brothers, Jace and Milan, and a sister, Brielle. He attended Clarkstown High School North. After graduation he attended New York University, as a student in the Tisch School of the Arts. He took a leave of absence to join the original cast of Spring Awakening as Georg on Broadway. He was in the show for close to a year before moving to LA and starting his acting career in movies and TV shows.Now Disney projects appeared in- Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
- Vampirina (2017)
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Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on 6 January, 1955, in Consett, Co. Durham, UK, to Ella May (Bainbridge) and Eric Atkinson. His father owned a farm, where Rowan grew up with his two older brothers, Rupert and Rodney. He attended Newcastle University and Oxford University where he earned degrees in electrical engineering. During that time, he met screenwriter Richard Curtis, with whom he wrote and performed comedy revues.
Later, he co-wrote and appeared in Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979), which was a huge success and spawned several best-selling books. It won an International Emmy Award and the British Academy Award for "Best Light Entertainment Programme of 1980." He won the "British Academy Award" and was named "BBC Personality of the Year" for his performance in Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979).
Atkinson also appeared in several movies, including Dead on Time (1983), Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976) (aka "Monty Python Meets Beyond the Fringe"), Never Say Never Again (1983), and The Tall Guy (1989). He played "Mr. Bean" in the TV series, Mr. Bean (1990) but, apart from that and Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979), he also appeared in several other series like Blackadder (1982) and Funny Business (1992), etc.
Atkinson enjoys nothing more than fast cars. He has two children, named Benjamin and Lily, with ex-wife Sunetra Sastry.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lion King (1994)
- Actress
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Born in London, England, Hayley Elizabeth Atwell has dual citizenship of the United Kingdom and the United States. An only child, Hayley was named after actress Hayley Mills. Her parents, Alison (Cain) and Grant Atwell, both motivational speakers, met at a London workshop of Dale Carnegie's self-help bible "How to Win Friends and Influence People". Her mother is English (with Irish ancestry) and her father is American; he was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and is partly of Native-American descent (his Native American name is Star Touches Earth). Her parents divorced when she was age two. Her father returned to America and Hayley remained with her mother in London, but she spent her summers in Missouri with her father. Hayley's mother saw theater as an important communal experience, so she was introduced to theater from a young age. At age 11, she had memorable trip to see Ralph Fiennes playing Hamlet. She would later work with him on The Duchess (2008).
She went to Sion-Manning Roman Catholic Girl's School in West London where she excelled academically. She took her A-levels at the London Oratory School. She took two years out of her education, traveling with her father and working for a casting director. In 2005, she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with a degree in Acting. Hayley began her career with parts on a few BBC television productions. Her first big break came in the television miniseries, The Line of Beauty (2006). The following year, she got her first film role in How About You (2007). She followed this with Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream (2007). Her breakthrough role came four years later as British agent Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).Now Disney projects appeared in- Christopher Robin (2018)
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René Murat Auberjonois was born on June 1, 1940 in New York City, to Princess Laure Louise Napoléone Eugénie Caroline (Murat), who was born in Paris, and Fernand Auberjonois, who was Swiss-born. René was born into an already artistic family, which included his grandfather, a well-known Swiss painter, and his father, a Pulitzer-nominated writer and Cold War-era foreign correspondent. The Auberjonois family moved to Paris shortly after World War II, and it was there that René made an important career decision at the age of six. When his school put on a musical performance for the parents, little René was given the honor of conducting his classmates in a rendition of "Do You Know the Muffin Man?". When the performance was over, René took a bow, and, knowing that he was not the real conductor, imagined that he had been acting. He decided then and there that he wanted to be an actor. After leaving Paris, the Auberjonois family moved into an Artist's Colony in upstate New York.
At an early age, René was surrounded by musicians, composers and actors. Among his neighbors were Helen Hayes, Burgess Meredith and John Houseman, who would later become an important mentor. Houseman gave René his first theater job at the age of 16, as an apprentice at a theater in Stratford, Connecticut. René would later teach at Juilliard under Houseman. René attended Carnegie-Mellon University and studied theater completely, not only learning about acting but about the entire process of producing a play. After graduating from CMU, René acted with various theater companies, including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater and Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum. In 1969, he won a role in his first Broadway musical, "Coco" (with Katharine Hepburn), for which he won a Tony Award.
Throughout his life, René acted in a variety of theater productions, films and television presentations, including a rather famous stint as Clayton Endicott III on the comedy series Benson (1979), not to mention seven years on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) as Odo. René also performed dramatic readings of a variety of books on tape, and appeared in projects like The Patriot (2000), starring Mel Gibson, Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (2000), and NBC's Frasier (1993) and ABC's The Practice (1997).Now Disney projects appeared in- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)
- Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014)
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Avantika is a multi-hyphenate artist with a passion for storytelling and expressive thinking. She is the youngest South-Asian to Star and Executive produce a 'Crown of Wishes' series which she optioned the rights and sold to Disney+ as its first Indian Hindu Mythology based series. This young adult (YA) fantasy series centers on Princess Gauri as a lead and played by Avantika. Avantika plays Karen Smith of 'Mean Girls - the Musical' a remake of the iconic movie Mean Girls (2004). She just wrapped the Bollywood Series for Amazon Prime, India's first YA High School Fiction story with all girls cast, directed by national award-winner Sudanshu Saria and Nitya Mehra. This series is very much in line with her attempt to project more of female empowered stories. Avantika is the breakout star of Disney's Original Emmy-Nominated Movie 'Spin' streaming on Disney+. This moment garnered her a spot on Variety's 2021 Power of Young Hollywood "Up Next" list. Avantika's performance in 'Spin' received a huge response and a lot of love in the Indian diaspora. She also appears as a recurring star on Disney +'s groundbreaking Diary of a Future President (produced by Gina Rodriguez) and voices 'Kamala' on Disney Channel's Mira, the Royal Detective. Prior to her experiences in Hollywood, Avantika worked in the Indian entertainment market for three years. Also Avantika is a dancer - ballet, contemporary and Indian classical dances (Kuchipudi and Kathak). The Los Angeles based actor-dancer-producer aims to portray and produce stories that highlight marginalized communities - and bring them to mainstream media. Avantika is focusing her efforts on highlighting causes that are important to her - helping teens with cancer being one.Now Disney project appeared in- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
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- Producer
- Soundtrack
Diedrich Bader was born in Alexandria, Virginia, but moved to Paris, France, with his family at age two. While in the "City of Light" he developed an appreciation for movie legends like Fred Astaire and Charles Chaplin. So, when a fragile "Chaplin" movie reel burned in the theater's projector, four-year-old Bader hopped on stage and entertained the crowd with an imitation of the "Little Tramp." The standing ovation he received set the course for the rest of his life--he knew he wanted to perform.
He returned to the United States for high school and attended North Carolina School of the Arts. During spring break he was discovered by a casting director in Santa Fe, New Mexico. That meeting led to an audition for a small role in a TV pilot. Bader landed a starring role instead. Although the pilot wasn't picked up, Bader moved to Los Angeles and began auditioning for other roles. He landed guest spots on several series, including Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), Cheers (1982) and Quantum Leap (1989). Filmmaker Penelope Spheeris liked his tongue-in-cheek delivery when he read for her action-adventure spoof series, Danger Theatre (1993). She hired him in that role and for the feature film The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), which she directed. Bader played the dual roles of twins Jethro and Jethrine Beaudine. He also filmed the political thriller The Assassination File (1996) for the Encore Entertainment Group. Bader was excited to work on the project, as it allowed him to be shot in the head -- a first for the actor. Bader's father, William, was Chief of Staff for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is president of the Eurasia Foundation on Capitol Hill. His mother, Gretta, is a sculptor whose portrait of the late Sen. J. William Fulbright sits in the National Gallery in Washington, DC. Bader's wife is actress Dulcy Rogers; they reside in Los Angeles, CA.Now Disney projects appeared in- Bolt (2008)
- Sheriff Callie's Wild West (2013)
- Miles from Tomorrowland (2015)
- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Iris Bahr was born in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. Iris is an actor and writer, known for Hacks (2021), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) and Svetlana (2010).Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lion Guard (2015)
- David Bailie was born in 1937 in South Africa, going to boarding school in Swaziland and immigrating to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) with his family in 1952. His first acting experience soon after school in 1955, was an amateur production of 'Doctor in the House' which persuaded him he wanted to be an actor. After leaving school he worked in a bank and then for Central African Airlines. In 1958, he made his first trip from Rhodesia to England to get a lie of the land.
In 1960 he moved to England and landed his first small role in the film Flame in the Streets (1960) and then played on of the bells boys in Arthur Koppits "Oh Dad Poor Dad Mama's hung you in the Closet and I'm Feeling so Sad" (1961) with Stella Adler playing Madame Rosepettle. He then bluffed his way into Weekly Repertory in Barrow-in-Furness as Juvenile lead - terrified the while that he would be exposed as totally inexperienced.
Recognising the need for training he auditioned three times for a bursary to RADA - each time only being accepted as a fee paying student which he couldn't afford - he finally sent for the last of his standby money (£200) he had left in Rhodesia and paid for the first term (1963) - at the end of term he approached John Fernald who relented and he was given free tuition from the next two years.
Terry Hands was also a student at the same time but had left a little earlier than Bailie and formed the Everyman Theatre with Peter James In Liverpool - On leaving RADA Bailie was invited to join the Everyman (1964). Amongst other roles he played Tolen in The Knack, Becket in Murder in the Cathedral, Dion in The Great God Brown, MacDuff in Macbeth and Lucky in Waiting for Godot. After a year there, he came back to London and auditioned for and was accepted by Laurence Olivier joining the National Theatre. He played minor roles and also understudied Sir Laurence Olivier in Love for Love.
Terry Hands, who had by now joined the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at Stratford-upon-Avon (and later became its artistic director), invited Bailie to join them as an associate artist (1965). There he portrayed i.a. Florizel opposite Dame Judi Dench's Perdita in 'A Winter's Tale' along with Valentine in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Kozanka in The Plebeians Rehearse the Uprising and Leslie in The Madness of Lady Bright.
During the early 1970s he worked with Stomu Yamashta at his Red Buddha Theatre. He was cast as the lead in a show called 'Raindog', requiring him to do everything from singing (writing his own songs) and dancing, to performing Martial Arts and gymnastics - which he frankly admits was a demand too far and when Yamashta offered him a paltry sum for performing the opportunity was there to depart which he did.
He was now cast by director Michael E. Briant for the part of the villain Dask in The Robots of Death: Part One (1977), which has remained a particularly popular serial of the long-running cult TV series of the 1960/70/80s. He also played in a number of other series prominent at the time.
For personal reasons Bailie now had a long recess in his acting career. Between 1980 and 1989 he ran a furniture-making business. In 1990 he closed that down and returned to acting, having in fact to virtually restart his career. It didn't help that at exactly this point he had to have a cancer removed from his lip which required learning to speak again.
Whilst awaiting work in the acting field he busied himself with Cad design, self-training and writing computer programs and also doing Health and Safety work in the building industry - in fact busking for a living.
In the mid 1990s after playing alongside Brian Glover in Canterbury Tales he made a comeback in the movie business as 'Skewer' in Cutthroat Island (1995), then played an English Judge in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999), and also the engineer in Gladiator (2000).
Bailie's best known work in film is the role of Cotton, a speechless pirate who has his tongue cut out, so he miraculously trained his parrot, also named Cotton, to read his mind and speak on his behalf. Bailie first appears as Cotton in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) as one of the pirates Jack Sparrow chooses in Tortuga. He is one of the Black Pearl crew-members to survive the Kracken attack in the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006). Bailie is also plays Cotton in the third installment of 'Pirates' Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007).
David Bailie also emerged as a radio actor. He played the mad scientist Taren Capel, a re-incarnation of his earlier work from the 60s cult series 'Doctor Who'. He was involved in two audio DVDs playing the memorable character of the 'Celestial Toymaker' from Dr Who. He also worked as a Professional Photographer! Portraiture and Landscapes being his speciality. He travels nowhere unless his destination offers good Photo opportunities.
In addition he developed his skills as a video maker using his Canon 5d Mk2 to shoot a number of short HD videos.
David had two children from his first marriage. He lived in London England and married Egidija in 2002
He listed amongst his skills Acting, Furniture Making, Furniture & Interior Design, CAD Design, Computer Programming, Photography, Health and Safety Executive, Video Making, Property Developing, Restauranteur - virtually all of which afforded him a living at one or the same time or another - but principally acting is where he still felt the ambition.Now Disney projects appeared in- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Richard Bakalyan was born on 29 January 1931 in Watertown, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Chinatown (1974), The Fox and the Hound (1981) and Von Ryan's Express (1965). He was married to Elizabeth Lena (Betty Lee) Baumann. He died on 27 February 2015 in Elmira, New York, USA.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Fox and the Hound (1981)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Dee Bradley Baker is an American voice actor from Indiana. He first became known for voicing Olmec in Legends of the Hidden Temple before voicing Daffy Duck in Space Jam. He is well-known for voicing Klaus in American Dad, the Clone Troopers in several Star Wars media, Ra's al Ghul in Batman: Arkham City, Momo and Appa in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Perry the Platypus in Phineas & Ferb, Sunny Jim in Lobo, Kevin the Sea Cucumber in SpongeBob SquarePants, Numbuh Four in Codename: Kids Next Door and Gravemind in Halo 2.Now Disney projects appeared in- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006)
- Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011)
- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Sofia the First (2012)
- Sheriff Callie's Wild West (2013)
- The Lion Guard (2015)
- Miles from Tomorrowland (2015)
- Elena of Avalor (2016)
- The Jungle Book (2016)
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
- Puppy Dog Pals (2017)
- Vampirina (2017)
- Actor
- Editor
Greg Baker was born on 16 April 1968 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He is an actor and editor, known for I'm in the Band (2009), Sports Night (1998) and He Was a Quiet Man (2007).Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Leigh-Allyn Baker is an American actress from Kentucky. Her better known roles include the supporting character Ellen in the sitcom "Will & Grace" (1998-2006, 2017-2020), the recurring antagonist Hannah Webster in the first season of the fantasy series "Charmed" (1998-1999), and co-protagonist Amy Duncan in the sitcom "Good Luck Charlie" (2010-2014).
Baker made her film debut in the comedy horror film "Shrunken Heads" (1994). The film's plot involved the murder of three adolescent boys by local hoodlums. A voodoo priest resurrected the trio, and allowed them to seek revenge. Baker's first significant voice role was that of recurring character Alisa Silver/Alisa Silvermane in "Spider-Man: The Animated Series". She voiced the character from 1995 to 1997. Alisa was both a love interest and a foe for Spider-Man. She was depicted as the college-aged daughter of the aged crime lord Silvermane. Alisa took over her father's criminal empire after he was incapacitated. Silvermane was one of Spider-Man's recurring foes in Marvel's comic books, but Alisa was an original character created for this series.
In 1996, Baker was cast in the regular role of bar co-owner Joy Garfield in the short-lived sitcom "The Last Frontier". The series only lasted for 6 episodes. In 1998, Baker gained a more important role as Ellen in "Will & Grace". Her character was a close friend of protagonist Grace Adler (played by Debra Messing) since their college years, and they regularly played party games together in their adult years. Grace and Ellen had a history of arguments. Grace always managed to reconcile with her friend, through cooking for Ellen and convincing her to discuss their differences. Ellen had provided Grace with emotional support during some difficult times. Baker appeared in 20 episodes of the series, appearing in nearly every season of the long-running sitcom.
Also in 1998, Baker was cast in the role of antagonist Hannah Webster in "Charmed". Hannah was initially introduced as a new co-worker for the young witch Prue Halliwell (played by Shannen Doherty). They both worked at an auction house, but Hannah was always hostile to Prue. Hannah was soon revealed to be a magic user in her own right. Her main powers were thermokinesis (the ability to create heat) and shape-shifting into a black panther. Hannah was working for the Underworld, and aimed to kill Prue and her sisters. She was eventually defeated by the sisters, manipulated into killing her own lover, and then killed by an unseen foe. Hannah was the first female enemy introduced in the series, and among the earliest recurring villains which the protagonists faced.
In the video game "Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force" (2000), Baker voiced the Betazoid field medic Juliet Jurot. The character was a member of Voyager's hazard team, an elite force used for high-risk missions. Juliet was also depicted as a love interest to the human hybrid Austin Chang. Juliet proved able to suppress mental attacks by the Vohrsoth, a powerful telepath. Baker returned to the role of Juliet in the sequel "Star Trek: Elite Force II" (2003). In this game, Juliet served in the USS Enterprise-E under Jean-Luc Picard. Juliet was depicted as having reactivated her Starfleet commission, after completing further studies at the Vulcan Science Academy.
In the video game "Command & Conquer: Renegade" (2002), Baker voiced Dr. Sydney Mobius. She was one of three skilled scientists captured by the terrorist organization Brotherhood of Nod, and forced to work on a human augmentation project. When rescued by the protagonist Nick "Havoc" Parker, Sydney started accompanying him in missions. She wore a combat armor exoskeleton, which she had co-designed with her father.
In 2003, Baker guest-starred in an episode of the sitcom "That '70s Show" as Officer Debbie. Debbie was depicted as a police officer who looked young and attractive when in uniform, while looking old and plain in her civilian clothing. Regular character Michael Kelso (played by Ashton Kutcher) figured than a police uniform would enhance his own fading looks, and started aspiring to a career as a police officer. This became a major subplot for the character throughout the series.
Baker voiced the vengeful ghost of Miyako Sudo in the English dub of the video game "Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly" (2003). Miyako was depicted as a young woman who bravely searched for her missing boyfriend, only to be strangulated by his ghost. In death, she became a hostile ghost in her own right. But she had not fully figured out what happened to her, and questioned the reasons for her fate. Miyako's notebooks represented another subplot in the game, offering clues about the past.
Baker voiced the mutant superheroine Jean Grey in the video game "X-Men Legends" (2004). Jean had to rescue fellow mutant Magik/Illyana Rasputina from the psychic influence of the Shadow King. Baker also voiced Jean in the sequel game "X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse" (2005). In the game, the rival teams X-Men and Brotherhood of Mutants have to join forces against a common foe, Apocalypse.
In the video game "Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express" (2006), Baker voiced two of the murder suspects. She voiced both the young aristocrat Countess Andrenyi and the experienced governess Mary Debenham. The game depicted Mary as a 32-year-old woman, while she was in her mid-20s in the source novel. The game was loosely based on the mystery novel "Murder on the Orient Express" (1934) by Agatha Christie. It featured a number of additional characters, and introduced a further plot twist concerning the fate of the supposedly long dead Daisy Armstrong.
In the video game "God of War II" (2007), Baker voiced Lakhesis, one of the three goddesses of Fate. Lakhesis and her sisters , Atropos (voiced by voiced by Debi Mae West) and Clotho (voiced by Susan Silo), attempted to prevent the protagonist Kratos from traveling back in time and altering events according to his wishes. They were killed for their efforts. The game was loosely based on Greek mythology, and all three sisters were based on the three goddesses of Fate in the Greek legends.
Baker was cast as the main character Abby in the animated series "Back at the Barnyard" (2007-2011). Abby was an anthropomorphic cow, with a tough and rebellious attitude. She and her friend Otis (voiced by Chris Hardwick) were attracted to each other, but were never able to act on their feelings. Abby was still jealous when other females expressed an interest in Otis. The series lasted for 2 seasons and 52 episodes.
In the video game "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" (2009), Baker voiced the heroine Scarlett/Shana M. O'Hara. Scarlett is one of the main members of the G.I. Joe team in most of its incarnations. She is typically depicted as a young redhead from Atlanta, Georgia. Her code-name is based on her perceived resemblance to Scarlett O'Hara from "Gone with the Wind".
Baker was cast in the main role of Amy Duncan in the popular sitcom "Good Luck Charlie" (2010-2014). Her character was depicted as a married mother of four, and a professional nurse. But Amy also had ambitions to start a career in show business, and took advantage of any opportunity to act or sing in front of an audience. Amy had a particularly close relationship with her eldest daughter Teddy Duncan (played by Bridgit Mendler)), in part because Teddy was a fellow overachiever with both an interest and actual skills in singing. The series lasted for 4 seasons and 97 episodes.
Baker voiced the recurring character of Queen Coralie in the animated series "Captain Jake and the Never Land Pirates", a spin-off of Peter Pan. She voiced the character from 2013 to 2016. Coralie was depicted as the queen of the mermaids of Neverland. She was a snobbish and self-centered ruler, but not villainous. She was a recurring foe for Captain Hook, but also a close friend of his mother, the veteran pirate Mama Hook. The female pirate was depicted as Coralie's former teacher, but they became friends when Coralie became an adult.
Baker had two supporting roles in the animated series "The 7D" (2014-2016), which featured the adventures of the Seven Dwarfs. She voiced the regular character Queen Delightful, who typically assigned missions to the Dwarves. The Queen was depicted as a naive and goofy ruler, but had an aggressive side and above-average survival skills. The Queen was also a love interest for the dwarf Bashful, though he had problems in expressing his affection for her. Baker also voiced the recurring character of Snazzy Shazam, a young witch who served as a rival to Hildy Gloom (the main villain of the series). Snazzy and Hildy were both skilled witches, but Snazzy's main goal in life was to outperform Hildy at any opportunity. The series lasted for 2 seasons and 44 episodes.
Baker co-starred in the television film "Bad Hair Day" (2015). It featured a developing friendship between the suspended police officer Liz (played by Baker) and the adolescent tech whiz Monica Reeves (played by Laura Marano). They allied themselves in search of a stolen diamond, whose whereabouts were unknown even to the thief who had originally taken it from a museum. Baker was also the film's executive producer. The film delivered 4.0 million viewers for its television premiere.
Baker has not had any major voice roles in several years. She voiced relatively minor recurring characters in both "Star vs. the Forces of Evil" (2015-2019) and "Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures" (2017-2021). As of 2022, Baker was 50-years-old. She has gained a fan following for several of her past roles. She has no known plans to retire, but it is unclear whether she will return to the spotlight.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Jake and the Never Land Pirates (2011)
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Leslie David Baker is an African-American actor from Chicago, Illinois who is widely known for playing the pretzel and crossword puzzle loving worker Stanley Hudson from The Office. He also acted in Raven's Home, Vivo, The Happytime Murders, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Key & Peele, The Guardian, Scrubs and Puppy Dog Pals.Now Disney projects appeared in- Puppy Dog Pals (2017)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sarah Baker was born in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. Sarah is an actor, known for The Kominsky Method (2018), The Campaign (2012) and Big Little Lies (2017).Now Disney projects appeared in- Sofia the First (2012)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Dan Bakkedahl was born on 18 November 1969 in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. He is an actor, known for Veep (2012), The Heat (2013) and Life in Pieces (2015). He is married to Irene. They have two children.Now Disney projects appeared in- Puppy Dog Pals (2017)
- Actor
- Producer
- Editorial Department
Christian Charles Philip Bale was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK on January 30, 1974, to English parents Jennifer "Jenny" (James) and David Bale. His mother was a circus performer and his father, who was born in South Africa, was a commercial pilot. The family lived in different countries throughout Bale's childhood, including England, Portugal, and the United States. Bale acknowledges the constant change was one of the influences on his career choice.
His first acting job was a cereal commercial in 1983; amazingly, the next year, he debuted on the West End stage in "The Nerd". A role in the 1986 NBC mini-series Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986) caught Steven Spielberg's eye, leading to Bale's well-documented role in Empire of the Sun (1987). For the range of emotions he displayed as the star of the war epic, he earned a special award by the National Board of Review for Best Performance by a Juvenile Actor.
Adjusting to fame and his difficulties with attention (he thought about quitting acting early on), Bale appeared in Kenneth Branagh's 1989 adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry V (1989) and starred as Jim Hawkins in a TV movie version of Treasure Island (1990). Bale worked consistently through the 1990s, acting and singing in Newsies (1992), Swing Kids (1993), Little Women (1994), The Portrait of a Lady (1996), The Secret Agent (1996), Metroland (1997), Velvet Goldmine (1998), All the Little Animals (1998), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999). Toward the end of the decade, with the rise of the Internet, Bale found himself becoming one of the most popular online celebrities around, though he, with a couple notable exceptions, maintained a private, tabloid-free mystique.
Bale roared into the next decade with a lead role in American Psycho (2000), director Mary Harron's adaptation of the controversial Bret Easton Ellis novel. In the film, Bale played a murderous Wall Street executive obsessed with his own physicality - a trait for which Bale would become a specialist. Subsequently, the 10th Anniversary issue for "Entertainment Weekly" crowned Bale one of the "Top 8 Most Powerful Cult Figures" of the past decade, citing his cult status on the Internet. EW also called Bale one of the "Most Creative People in Entertainment", and "Premiere" lauded him as one of the "Hottest Leading Men Under 30".
Bale was truly on the Hollywood radar at this time, and he turned in a range of performances in the remake Shaft (2000), Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001), the balmy Laurel Canyon (2002), and Reign of Fire (2002), a dragons-and-magic commercial misfire that has its share of defenders.
Two more cult films followed: Equilibrium (2002) and The Machinist (2004), the latter of which gained attention mainly due to Bale's physical transformation - he dropped a reported 60+ pounds for the role of a lathe operator with a secret that causes him to suffer from insomnia for over a year.
Bale's abilities to transform his body and to disappear into a character influenced the decision to cast him in Batman Begins (2005), the first chapter in Christopher Nolan's definitive trilogy that proved a dark-themed narrative could resonate with audiences worldwide. The film also resurrected a character that had been shelved by Warner Bros. after a series of demising returns, capped off by the commercial and critical failure of Batman & Robin (1997). A quiet, personal victory for Bale: he accepted the role after the passing of his father in late 2003, an event that caused him to question whether he would continue performing.
Bale segued into two indie features in the wake of Batman's phenomenal success: The New World (2005) and Harsh Times (2005). He continued working with respected independent directors in 2006's Rescue Dawn (2006), Werner Herzog's feature version of his earlier, Emmy-nominated documentary, Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997). Leading up to the second Batman film, Bale starred in The Prestige (2006), the remake of 3:10 to Yuma (2007), and a reunion with director Todd Haynes in the experimental Bob Dylan biography, I'm Not There (2007).
Anticipation for The Dark Knight (2008) was spun into unexpected heights with the tragic passing of Heath Ledger, whose performance as The Joker became the highlight of the sequel. Bale's graceful statements to the press reminded us of the days of the refined Hollywood star as the second installment exceeded the box-office performance of its predecessor.
Bale's next role was the eyebrow-raising decision to take over the role of John Connor in the Schwarzenegger-less Terminator Salvation (2009), followed by a turn as federal agent Melvin Purvis in Michael Mann's Public Enemies (2009). Both films were hits but not the blockbusters they were expected to be.
For all his acclaim and box-office triumphs, Bale would earn his first Oscar in 2011 in the wake of The Fighter (2010)'s critical and commercial success. Bale earned the Best Supporting Actor award for his portrayal of Dicky Eklund, brother to and trainer of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg. Bale again showed his ability to reshape his body with another gaunt, skeletal transformation.
Bale then turned to another auteur, Yimou Zhang, for the epic The Flowers of War (2011), in which Bale portrayed a priest trapped in the midst of the Rape of Nanking. Bale earned headlines for his attempt to visit with Chinese civil-rights activist Chen Guangcheng, which was blocked by the Chinese government.
Bale capped his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Dark Knight Rises (2012); in the wake of the Aurora, Colorado tragedy, Bale made a quiet pilgrimage to the state to visit with survivors of the attack that left theatergoers dead and injured. He also starred in the thriller Out of the Furnace (2013) with Crazy Heart (2009) writer/director Scott Cooper, and the drama-comedy American Hustle (2013), reuniting with David O. Russell.
Bale will re-team with The New World (2005) director Terrence Malick for two upcoming projects: Knight of Cups (2015) and an as-yet-untitled drama.
In his personal life, he devotes time to charities including Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Foundation. He lives with his wife, Sibi Blazic, and their two children.Now Disney projects appeared in- Pocahontas (1995)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Eric Bana was born Eric Banadinovic on August 9, 1968, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is the younger of two brothers. His father, named Ivan Banadinovic, came from Zagreb, Croatia, and worked as a manager for Caterpillar Inc. His mother, named Eleanor Banadinovic, came from a German family and was a hairdresser.
Young Bana grew up in suburban Melbourne. He was popular among his schoolmates for his talent of making comic impressions of his teachers. At that time, he was fond of Mel Gibson in Mad Max (1979) and also decided to become an actor. He moved to Sydney and worked odd jobs to support himself. In 1991, he began a career as a stand-up comedian, while working as a barman at Melbourne's Castle Hotel. In 1993, Bana made his television debut on Steve Vizard's Tonight Live with Steve Vizard (1990) talk show, then joined the Full Frontal (1993) TV-series. He gained popularity for making impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruse and "Columbo". In 1996, he started his own show titled Eric (1997), then launched a comedy series titled The Eric Bana Show Live (1997). The show was canceled for the lack of substantial audience. However, in 1997, Bana received the Logie Award for "Most Popular Comedian" for his work on The Eric Bana Show Live (1997).
He made his film debut in The Castle (1997), in a supporting comic role. That same year, he was cast to portray Mark "Chopper" Read, the notorious Australian underworld figure. For the role, Bana gained 30 pounds, by eating junk food; he also spent a few days with Read in prison, in order to perfect his mimicry. Bana completely transformed himself into a bald, plump, disturbed criminal. He would arrive on the film set at four in the morning, spending several hours in makeup, being tattooed exactly like Read. Chopper (2000) became an international success and won three Australian Film Institute Awards. Bana won the Best Actor at the 2000 Stockholm Film Festival and also the AFI 2000 Best Actor Award. Then he co-starred in Black Hawk Down (2001), then starred in Hulk (2003). In 2002, he was cast as the Trojan Prince Hector in the historical epic Troy (2004), after being recommended by Brad Pitt, who admired Bana for his work in Chopper (2000). In 2005, Bana co-starred with Daniel Craig and Geoffrey Rush in the political drama Munich (2005) directed by Steven Spielberg.
In 1995, he began dating Rebecca Gleeson, a publicist and daughter of Australian High Court Chief Justice Murray Gleeson. The following year, he was named "Bachelor of the Year" by Cleo magazine, and won a trip for two to the United States. He invited Gleeson, and proposed to her during that romantic trip. In 1997, the two were married; their son, Klaus, was born in 1999, their daughter, Sophia, was born in 2002. He currently resides in Melbourne with his wife and their two children. Bana is a passionate supporter of Australian football. He was appointed Member of the Order of Australia at the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the performing arts and to charitable organisations.Now Disney projects appeared in- Finding Nemo (2003)
- Actor
- Sound Department
- Additional Crew
Who owns that incredible voice behind some of the world's greatest characters? It's likely it's Ogie Banks III. As the verbal embodiment of many beloved superheroes and foes, Banks breathes life into some of the worlds most iconic characters on television, anime, film and video games. With over 25 years of experience, he makes every syllable stand out with uniqueness and clarity that keeps fans coming back for more.
You can't hold talent back, as Banks has proved time and again. He is a natural entertainer -- he may be best known as a master of dynamic voice acting but has also proven himself a skilled actor, dancer, singer and writer. Ogie Banks is best known for his roles as Clawd Wolf in Monster High and Luke Cage and Miles Morales in Ultimate Spiderman. While his true passion lies in voicing well-known characters (he thrives on the interaction with his co-stars), he has also enthusiastically taken on projects in many well-known franchises such as Naruto, Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures, Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters, Red Dead Redemption II game and more.
Banks is always striving to become an even more accomplished voice actor, propelled by the incredible roles he secures. His own interest as a fan of characters such as Spiderman, Naruto, Luke Cage and Stretch Armstrong brings everything he does to a personal level. Expect to see many more great things from this iconic man behind the voice.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Lion Guard (2015)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Christopher Daniel Barnes was born on November 7, 1972 in Portland, Maine, USA. He is an actor, known for The Little Mermaid (1989), Spider-Man (1994), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) and A Very Brady Sequel (1996). Barnes moved to New York when he was eight years old, where he began his acting career. He moved to Los Angeles for the television series Starman (1986) and followed that show with the sitcom Day by Day (1987). His credits span diverse genres of film and television over the course of more than three decades. Barnes earned his BA in 2004, and his MA in 2009. He enjoys reading, writing short stories, playing the guitar, and practicing Yoga.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Joanna Barnes was an American actress and novelist and journalist. Barnes was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She moved to Los Angeles, California soon after finishing her education, and took up a contract with Columbia Pictures. She had roles in more than twenty films and made guest appearances on many television shows, including the ABC/Warner Brothers programs, 77 Sunset Strip (1958) and Maverick (1957), CBS's Have Gun - Will Travel (1957), and the David Janssen crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1956). Her books included "The Deceivers" (1970), "Pastora" (1980) and "Silverwood" (1985), and were published in Italy, France, England, Sweden, Portugal and Brazil. Her syndicated column, "Touching Home," was for many years carried by The Chicago Tribune and New York News Syndicate.Now Disney projects appeared in
- The Parent Trap (1961)
- Born in Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, 1963, Angus Barnett joined the Theatre of Cooperative Arts in Nottingham whilst a teenager and went on to train as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, as well as performing with the National Youth Theatre in London. He has performed widely on stage, including in the play 'The Red Daemon' for the Japanese Noda Map Company, in which he toured Japan and Thailand. In the twenty-first century he became well-known to cinema audiences with his appearances in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies and is a familiar face in supporting roles on British television, being a member of the huge ensemble cast of the 2008 adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'Little Dorrit'.Now Disney projects appeared in
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Bill Barretta was born on 19 June 1964 in Yardley, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Muppets (2011), Muppet Treasure Island (1996) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014). He is married to Cristina Campbell. They have one child.Now Disney projects appeared in- The Muppets (2011)
- Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
After endless stage and television work, Barrie received a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her performance in the ground-breaking racial drama One Potato, Two Potato (1964), as Julie, a young, white mother who marries a black man after she and her daughter are abandoned by her husband. The following decade, Barrie portrayed Evelyn in Breaking Away (1979), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and later, an Emmy nomination, when she reprised the role in the television series based on the film. Later in her career, Barrie also was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance as Sue Berlin, mother to the title character, Judy Berlin (1999).Now Disney projects appeared in- Hercules (1997)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
- Music Department
Chantelle Barry was born on 18 March 1980 in Perth, Australia. She is an actress, known for Love, Death & Robots (2019), Doom Patrol (2019) and The Chosen (2017). She has been married to Scott Whyte since September 2018.Now Disney projects appeared in- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Roger Bart was born on 29 September 1962 in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA. He is an actor, known for The Producers (2005) and American Gangster (2007).Now Disney projects appeared in- Hercules (1997)
- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Peter Bartlett was born on 28 August 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for The Princess and the Frog (2009), The Producers (2005) and Meet the Parents (2000).Now Disney projects appeared in- The Princess and the Frog (2009)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Malachi Barton was born on 10 March 2007 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. He is an actor, known for Stuck in the Middle (2016), Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) and Super Power Beat Down (2012).Now Disney projects appeared in- Elena of Avalor (2016)
- Actor
- Composer
- Director
Joshua Bassett, born in Oceanside, California, to Taylor and Laura Bassett, is a singer, dancer, and actor. Starting at the age of seven, Joshua has performed in over thirty musical theatre productions, and acted in numerous commercials/ short films. He has five sisters who are involved in theatre as well. Not only does he enjoy being on camera, but behind the camera whenever possible.Now Disney projects appeared in- High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
- Director
Born West Africa. Lived in Ireland aged 3-9. Convent school. Lied in First Confession aged 6. Sent to satisfactorily brutal boarding school in County Meath. Aged 9 moved to England. Monastery school till 18. Still dodgy in Confession. Aged 13 decided he wanted to be an actor. Didn't own up to this until he was 25. University at Cambridge. Footlights. Law School in London. Toured Australia in a Footlights Revue Botham The Musical. A year in Noises Off at the Savoy Theatre. Big advertising contract to sell Guinness. Thought this acting game was easy. Finally came out to his parents about chosen profession and wrote to the Passport Office. Held a spear and said one line at the National Theatre in Frances de La Tour's St Joan. Thought this acting game was not what it was a year ago. Married Victoria Threlfall, a painter. Honeymoon in Central America. Salmonella. Left two stone in Guatemala. Assorted theatre work including The Swap, a cross-dressing comedy, and Judgement a two hour monologue on cannibalism. Four grim months in Dry Rot, a West End revival of a farce that should have been strangled at Bath. TV series: Malcolm Bradbury's Anything More Would Be Greedy. First daughter. More theatre: Lady Audley's Secret. Second daughter. The Choice by Claire Luckham. Made courtly love to Dorothy Tutin in Chichester and on tour every night for several months in Getting Married by George Bernard Shaw. Third daughter. TV series: Joking Apart by Steven Moffat. Bronze Rose of Montreux. Two series of Joking Apart in a five year period. Despair. Learned to be patient. Joking Apart still fondly remembered by drunks on public transport who tell him in detail the plot of their favourite episode. Gave up appearing in TV commercials having sold chocolate, coffee beer, spaghetti, DIY tools, insurance, banking, newspapers, cigarettes, trains and many others long forgotten. Now does voice-overs with No Shame Attached. Third daughter. Theatre: The Rover by Aphra Behn. Film: The Wind In The Willows directed by Terry Jones. 1997 Pilot of Cold Feet. Winner of the Golden Rose of Montreux. Fourth daughter. Get Well Soon, BBC sitcom by Ray Galton and John Antrobus, crazily there was only one series but it could've & should've...etc. Cold Feet series 1. Michael Frayn's Alarms & Excursions (Gielgud Theatre)). Cold Feet 2. Tesman in Hedda Gabler (ACT). Cold Feet 3. Goodbye Mr Steadman (ITV). The Safe House (ITV). Cold Feet 4, BAFTA Best Drama Series. The Secret (BBC). White Teeth (Channel 4). Cold Feet 5. My Dad's The Prime Minister by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman (BBC). Chekhov's Three Sisters with Kristin Scott-Thomas, adapted by Christopher Hampton (Playhouse). Members Only with Nicholas Tennant (Trafalgar Studios). A pinch of film: Heidi, Scoop (Woody Allen), The Thief Lord, Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie, playing a barrister with Tourette's . Theatre, Steve Thompson's Whipping It Up (Bush Theatre transferring to The New Ambassadors) with Richard Wilson. Tours of Present Laughter and Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange. Months playing a vet in South Africa in Wild At Heart, after which the series was humanely put down. Co devised the staging of Alex, Charles Peattie and Russell Taylor's cartoon banker, directed by Phelim McDermott. Alex played London, Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Eastbourne and others. Blithe Spirit in the West End, with Alison Steadman. Chased Lady Edith in Downton Abbey. Three series of Toast Of London, by Matt Berry and Arthur Matthews. series 1 watched by nobody, series 2 won awards. Produced & performed Love, Loss & Chianti a double bill of poems by Christopher Reid, with settings of music and cartoon animation (Chichester). NHS - Who Cares? by Michael Wynne (Royal Court). more Mrs Brown, playing her love interest (BBC1). Gap Year (Ch4/TNT). Cold Feet 6. Played the title role in King Charles 111 by Mike Bartlett at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Cold Feet 7&8 Robert has been killed in the first episodes of: Hornblower and Red Dwarf. Bits of his body played by other people include: his private parts, by Kerry Shale in Joking Apart. and his nose by Phelim McDermott in Gogol's The Nose adapted by Alastair Beaton, Nottingham Playhouse and Bucharest.Now Disney projects appeared in- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Animation Department
Eric Adrian Bauza is a Canadian-American voice actor from Scarborough, Toronto who is known for being one of Mel Blanc's successors for Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. He also voiced Stimpy Cat in Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon, White Pantera in El Tigre, Foop from The Fairly OddParents, Fozzie Bear from Muppet Babies and the Beagle Boys from DuckTales. He has one child.Now Disney projects appeared in- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- The Lion Guard (2015)
- Cute, tiny, and prolific little old lady character actress Frances Bay worked constantly in both films and TV shows alike after making her debut at the age of 59 in life with a small part in the comedy Foul Play (1978) in 1978.
She frequently portrayed eccentric elderly women and good-hearted grandmothers in all kinds of pictures and television programs. Frances acted several times for David Lynch: she's Kyle MacLachlan's sweet doddery aunt in Blue Velvet (1986), a gruff, profane whorehouse madam in Wild at Heart (1990), and the spooky Mrs. Tremond in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990) and its spin-off feature Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Frances popped up in two movies for director Stuart Gordon: she's a kind witch in The Pit and the Pendulum (1991) and a fortune teller in Edmond (2005).
Other notable film roles include a snippy librarian in The Attic (1980), a mysterious blind nun in the offbeat Nomads (1986), another librarian in In the Mouth of Madness (1994), and Adam Sandler's loving grandmother in the hit comedy Happy Gilmore (1996). Frances had the unique distinction of guesting on the final episodes of the TV shows Happy Days (1974), Who's the Boss? (1984), and Seinfeld (1989).
Among the many TV series Bay had guest spots on are Charmed (1998), ER (1994), Matlock (1986), The X-Files (1993), Murder, She Wrote (1984), The Commish (1991), L.A. Law (1986), Hill Street Blues (1981), Touched by an Angel (1994), The Golden Girls (1985), and Amazing Stories (1985).
She won a Gemini Award for her performance in the Disney TV program Avonlea (1990). Frances was also in the music video for Jimmy Fallon's "Idiot Boyfriend." In addition to her substantial movie and TV credits, Bay also acted in both Off-Broadway stage productions and regional theater; these plays include "Finnegan's Wake," "Grease," "Genuis," "The Caucasion Chalk Circle," "Number Our Days," "Uncommon Women," "Sarcophagus," and "The Pleasure of His Company." Frances won two DramaLogue Awards and was nominated for a Los Angeles Dramatic Critics' Award.
In 2002 Bay was the unfortunate victim of an automobile accident which resulted in having part of her right leg amputated. Her husband Charles sadly died in 2002 as well.
In real life Frances Bay was a very practical and unassuming woman with an avid love for jazz music.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Bia Figueiredo is known for Mickey and the Roadster Racers (2017), Auto Esporte (2002) and Itaipava São Paulo Indy 300 (2013).Now Disney projects appeared in
- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)
- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Stephanie Beatriz was born on 10 February 1981 in Neuquén, Argentina. She is an actress and director, known for Encanto (2021), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013) and Short Term 12 (2013). She has been married to Brad Hoss since 6 October 2018. They have one child.Now Disney projects appeared in- Elena of Avalor (2016)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Stocky, genial-looking supporting actor Ned Beatty was once hailed by Daily Variety as the "busiest actor in Hollywood."
Ned Thomas Beatty was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Margaret (Fortney) and Charles William Beatty. He grew up fishing and working on farms. His hometown of St. Matthews, Kentucky, is hardly the environment to encourage a career in the entertainment industry, though, so when asked, "How did you get into show business?" Beatty responded, "By hanging out with the wrong crowd." That "crowd" includes some of the industry's most prominent names, such as John Huston, Steven Spielberg, Robert Altman, Paul Newman, Richard Burton, Charlton Heston, Marlon Brando and Robert Redford.
Beatty garnered praise from both critics and peers as a dedicated actor's actor. He started as a professional performer at age ten, when he earned pocket money singing in gospel quartets and a barber shop. The big city and bright lights did not come easy, though. The first ten years of Beatty's career were spent at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia. He then moved on to the Erie Playhouse in Pennsylvania, the Playhouse Theater in Houston, Texas, and the prestigious Arena Stage Company in Washington, D.C. He was also a member of Shakespeare in Central Park, Louisville, Kentucky. Later, he appeared in the Broadway production of "The Great White Hope". At the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, he won rave reviews when he starred in "The Accidental Death of an Anarchist."
In 1971, Beatty was chosen by director John Boorman for the role of Bobby Trippe in the hit film/backwoods nightmare Deliverance (1972). Co-star Burt Reynolds and Beatty struck up a friendship, and Ned was then cast by Burt in several other films together, including White Lightning (1973), W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975), and the abysmal Stroker Ace (1983). Ned's talents were also noticed by others in Hollywood and he was cast in many key productions of the 1970s turning in stellar performance, including an Academy Award nomination of Best Supporting Actor for his role in Network (1976). Beatty was also marvelous in Nashville (1975), under fire from a crazed sniper in The Deadly Tower (1975), an undercover FBI man in the action comedy Silver Streak (1976), as Lex Luthor's bumbling assistant, Otis, in the blockbuster Superman (1978) ... and he returned again with Gene Hackman to play Otis and Lex Luthor again in Superman II (1980).
Beatty continued to remain busy throughout the 1980s with appearances in several big budget television productions including The Last Days of Pompeii (1984). However, the overall caliber of the productions in general did not match up to those he had appeared in during the 1970s. Nonetheless, Beatty still shone in films including The Big Easy (1986) and The Fourth Protocol (1987). Into the 1990s, Beatty's work output swung between a mixture of roles in family orientated productions (Gulliver's Travels (1996), Back to Hannibal: The Return of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn (1990), etc.) taking advantage of his "fatherly" type looks, but he could still accentuate a hard edge, and additionally was cast in Radioland Murders (1994) and Just Cause (1995). His many other films include The Toy (1982), All the President's Men (1976), Wise Blood (1979), Rudy (1993), Spring Forward (1999), Hear My Song (1991) -- for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor -- Prelude to a Kiss (1992), He Got Game (1998) and Cookie's Fortune (1999). Beatty's numerous television credits include three years on the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993), Streets of Laredo (1995) and The Boys (1993).
Beatty received an Emmy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in Friendly Fire (1979) opposite Carol Burnett, and a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Family Channel's Magic Hour: Tom Alone (1989). Other notable credits include The Wool Cap (2004), The Execution of Private Slovik (1974), A Woman Called Golda (1982), Pray TV (1982), the miniseries Robert Kennedy and His Times (1985), Lockerbie: A Night Remembered (1998) and T Bone N Weasel (1992). He also had a recurring role on Roseanne (1988) and performed musically on television specials for Dolly Parton and The Smothers Brothers.
In 2001, Beatty returned to his theatrical roots starring in London's West End revival production of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with Brendan Fraser. He also appeared in the production on Broadway in 2003/2004 with Jason Patric and Ashley Judd. In 2006, Beatty completed three features to be released next year: The Walker (2007); Paul Schrader's film also starring Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily Tomlin; Paramount Pictures' Shooter (2007) starring Mark Wahlberg; and Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Mike Nichols's film with Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julia Roberts. Also in the 21st century, Beatty turned out a terrific performance in the popular Where the Red Fern Grows (2003). Blessed with eight children, Ned Beatty enjoyed golf and playing the bass guitar. He gave himself until the age of 70 to become proficient at both. He died at age 83 of natural causes on June 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.Now Disney projects appeared in- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Kathryn Beaumont was just ten years old when she was chosen for the voice of Alice, in Disney's animated version of the classic children's tale, Alice in Wonderland (1951). Walt Disney was so impressed with Kathryn's long curly blonde hair, sparkling eyes and acting ability, that he chose her as the model for Alice.Now Disney projects appeared in- Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- Peter Pan (1953)
– Year inducted: 1998- Actress
- Producer
- Art Department
Roxanne Beckford was born on 17 November 1969 in Kingston, Jamaica. She is an actress and producer, known for A Different World (1987), Father of the Bride Part II (1995) and Something's Gotta Give (2003). She has been married to Bob Hoge since 6 July 1996. They have four children.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Actress
- Producer
Irene Bedard (born July 22, 1967) is an Alaska Native actress enrolled in the Native Village of Koyuk who has played many American Indian characters in a variety of television shows and films. She is best known for her voice role as the title character in the Disney animated film "Pocahontas," and the cult-classic "Smoke Signals" as Suzy Song. She is known for bringing a powerful emotional presence to her characters.
Bedard was born in Anchorage, Alaska, raised primarily in Alaska, but also spent a few years as a child in Washington state. Her father was Bruce Bedard, and mother was Carol Bedard, and she is their oldest of four - Leslie Bedard, Joseph Bedard, and David Bedard are her younger siblings. She is Inupiaq and Yup'ik on her mother's side, and Cree on her father's side. She graduated from Anchorage's Dimond High School in 1985, and then earned a Musical Theatre degree from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bedard's son Quinn Wilson was born in 2003.
Her first role was as Mary Crow Dog in the television production, "Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee," which depicted the 1970s standoff between police and Native Americans, many of the Pine Ridge Reservation, at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. She received a Golden Globe nomination for the role. Besides the first Disney Pocahontas movie, she also voiced direct-to-video sequel "Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World." Bedard was the physical model for the character. She appeared in a different take of the Pocahontas story in Terence Malick's 2005 film "The New World," as Pocahontas's mother, Nonoma Winanuske Matatiske. In 2005, she was cast in the television mini-series Into the West, portraying the half-Lakota, half-white adult Margaret "Light Shines" Wheeler. In 2011 Bedard portrayed the Messenger in the Academy Award-nominated film, "Tree of Life." In 2018, Bedard reprised her voiced role of Pocahontas for Disney's "Ralph Breaks the Internet."
Her television roles span from 1995, including Stephen Spielberg's "Into the West," "The Spectacular Spider-Man," "Longmire," "Westworld," and "FBI: Most Wanted." She has performed in two Stephen King series, 2017's "The Mist" as Kimi Lucero, and 2020's "The Stand" as Ray Rentner. In the 2017 she portrayed the future Co-President of the United States for the Jay-Z music video "Family Feud," directed by Ava Duverney.
Bedard's decades of creative work includes singing, theatre, spoken word, producing television and movies, speaking, and teaching. She fosters a passion of many creative disciplines, and is a great lover, and adopter, of animals. Bedard was chosen in 1995 as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People." She's served on the American Indian Enterprise and Business Council to the United Nations, and is involved in frequent activist work around the environmental and Indigenous issues.Now Disney projects appeared in- Pocahontas (1995)
- Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Ed Begley Jr. was born on 16 September 1949 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for A Mighty Wind (2003), Pineapple Express (2008) and Whatever Works (2009). He has been married to Rachelle Carson-Begley since 23 August 2000. They have one child. He was previously married to Ingrid Taylor.Now Disney projects appeared in- Hannah Montana (2006)
- Actress
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Producer
Shari Belafonte was born on 22 September 1954 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Hotel (1983), Plastic Daydream (2018) and Primrose Lane (2015). She has been married to Sam Behrens since 31 December 1989. She was previously married to Robert Harper.Now Disney projects appeared in- Sofia the First (2012)
- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Kristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. She was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lorelei (Frygier), a nurse, and Tom Bell, a television news director. Her ancestry is Polish (mother) and German, English, Irish, and Scottish (father). Kristen found her talent in entertainment at an early age. In 1992, she went to her first audition and won a role in Raggedy Ann and Andy. Bell's mother established her with an agent before she was 13, and she was cast in newspaper advertisements and television commercials. At this time, she also began private acting lessons. Bell had an uncredited role in the film Polish Wedding (1998) in 1998.
Bell attended Shrine Catholic High School, where she took part in drama and music club. She won the starring role of Dorothy in her high school's production of The Wizard of Oz. After graduation Bell moved to New York City to attend prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied musical theater. In 2001, Bell left university to play the role of Becky in Tom Sawyer. That same year, she made her first credited debut in Pootie Tang (2001), but her scene was cut and her appearance exists only in the credit sequence. In 2002, Bell appeared in the Broadway revival of The Crucible with Liam Neeson and Angela Bettis. She then moved to Los Angeles, California, and appeared in a handful television shows as a special guest, finding trouble gaining a recurring role in a television series.
In 2004, Bell appeared in the Lifetime's television film, Gracie's Choice, which received high ratings. At the age 24, Bell won the title role in Veronica Mars (2004), which started broadcasting in the fall of 2004, created by Rob Thomas. Bell starred as a seventeen-year-old detective, which put her alongside actors Enrico Colantoni who played her father, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring and Ryan Hansen. This series received very positive reviews, and Bell received much attention for her performance. Bell and the cast of Veronica Mars were nominated for two Teen Choice Awards.
In 2005, Bell starred in Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005) in the role of Mary Lane. Reefer Madness debuted on the Showtime network on April 16, 2005. The following year, Bell won the Saturn Award for 'Best Actress on Television' for her performance in Veronica Mars.
In 2013, Bell voiced the main character, Princess Anna of Arendelle, in the Walt Disney Pictures animated movie, Frozen (2013), which received the 'best animated feature' award at the 86th Academy Awards. She performed the songs: 'For the First Time in Forever', 'Love is an Open Door', 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman', and 'For the First Time in Forever (Reprise)'. Frozen (2013), which was released on November 22, 2013, was hugely successful worldwide.
On March 13, 2013, it was confirmed that a Veronica Mars (2014) movie would finally be coming to fruition. Bell and creator, Rob Thomas, launched a fund raising campaign to produce the film through Kickstarter and attained the $2 million goal in few hours. The movie was released on March 14, 2014.
Bell married Dax Shepard in October, 2013.Now Disney projects appeared in- Frozen (2013)
- Frozen II (2019)
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Michael Bell is an American voice actor who is known for voicing Gleeman Vox from Ratchet: Deadlocked, Raziel from The Legacy of Kain video game series, Chas Finster and Dru Pickles from Rugrats and several Smurfs from The Smurfs cartoon. He also voiced in The Transformers: The Movie, Challenge of the Super Friends, and did live-action acting for several episodes of Star Trek and Dallas.Now Disney projects appeared in- Cars (2006)
- Tangled (2010)
- Now Disney proejcts appeared in
- Doc McStuffins (2012)
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Eva Bella started dancing when she was 18 months old and her love of performing was born. At the age of six, Eva decided she wanted to pursue an acting career and, along with her family, moved to Los Angeles, to follow her dream.
Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles, Eva booked her first professional gig in a Disney Jr. commercial. This was followed by a recurring role on NBC's Parenthood. Since then, this talented and charismatic actress has appeared in several other television shows, including Sam and Cat, as well as various regional and national commercials.
Her voice has also led to roles in numerous animated feature films. Eva recently voiced 'Young Elsa' in the Disney animated feature film FROZEN; 'Young Kayo' in The Wind Rises; 'Young Sue' in Almost Heroes 3D; 'Wendy" in Snowflake the White Gorilla and 'Additional Voices' in Despicable Me 2 and Mr. Peabody and Sherman.
Despite her busy schedule, Eva is also dedicated to her education. She is a straight 'A" student. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, fashion and designing as well as art and drawing.Now Disney projects appeared in- Frozen (2013)
- Frozen II (2019)
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Belle was born as Camilla Belle Routh in Los Angeles, California, to Deborah, a fashion designer, and Jack Wesley Routh, who composed country music and owns a construction company. Her mother is Brazilian and her father, who is from Kingman, Kansas, has English, German, and French ancestry. Camilla is an only child. She was named after a character played by Renata Sorrah in her mother's favorite Brazilian soap opera Cavalo de Aço (1973). However, most people call her by her middle name Belle.
She went to St Paul's Catholic Elementary School in West Los Angeles and, afterwards, attended the elite all-girls Marlborough School in Los Angeles. At school, she studied classical piano and was fond of languages. She can speak fluent Portuguese.
Camilla appeared in a national print commercial before the age of 1. At age 5, she appeared in two TV movies Trouble Shooters: Trapped Beneath the Earth (1993) and Empty Cradle (1993). Because of her work, she had never completed a full year of school. So, at age 13, she took time off to focus on her studies. She returned to work when she was age 16, with a main role in the film The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005). The role that provided her first major exposure was Roland Emmerich's 10,000 BC (2008).
From 2006 to 2008, she got a taste of her mother's world with some fashion jobs - she modeled for Vera Wang's Princess fragrance.
Camilla is also involved in various charities and is an international spokesperson for "Kids With A Cause".Now Disney projects appeared in- Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (2017)