John Lithgowhas opened up about how his new animated movie triggered feelings of anxiety after previously being recast in two major voice roles. In animation, the final product that audiences see does not necessarily reflect the extensive and complex creative process that brought it to the screen. This includes the fact that the voice-casting process is relatively fluid. Characters take shape over several years, and as a project progresses, studios can sometimes make significant changes to the cast, since re-recording lines is much easier than reshooting live-action scenes.
While this has affected Lithgow more than once,the two-time Oscar nominee has voiced his fair share of animated characters. Although he is likely best known for his live-action roles in projects like the six-seasonsitcomThird Rock from the Sunand the iconic 1984 dance movieFootloose, he has voiced a wide range of roles including Jean-Claude in 2000’sRugrats in Paris, Lord Farquaad in 2001’sShrek, and Maurice in the English-language dub of 2014’sThe Jungle Bunch 2: The Great Treasure Quest. On television, he has also voiced roles inThe SimpsonsandTimms Valley.
John Lithgow Reveals He Was Replaced in Two Major Animated Films
Lithgow has shed some light on this process byopening up about his experiences in animation as his new Skydance movieSpellbounddebuts on Netflix.Directed byShrek’s Vicky Jenson, the movie follows the story of Princess Ellian, (Zegler), who embarks on a quest to break a powerful spell threatening to divide her kingdom. Lithgow voices the comedic supporting character Minister Bolinar. TheSpellboundcastalso includes Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess, Nathan Lane, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman.
In an interview withScreen Rantabout his work onSpellbound,Lithgow sharedcandid details about both the triumphs and disappointments he has faced in his voice-acting career. A seasoned actor in both live-action and animation, he praised the creative process behind the Skydance film, emphasizing how much his character has evolved over the years. Yet, despite his excitement, the actor admitted that long gaps in production led to doubts about whether his voice would remain in the final cut, because “that’s happened to me a couple of times.” Here’s what he had to say:
Little did I know that in the course of those two or three years that I worked on [Spellbound], bit by bit they responded to what I brought to the project, virtually doubled the role, and invented this wonderful plot twist… [I] get to sing my own song. The experience got better and better as it went along.
It was so damn exciting and flattering, and I have to tell you, it had been so long since they had called me in at all that I thought they had probably replaced my character with somebody else’s voice. That’s happened to me a couple of times.
Lithgow’s fear stemmed from past experience, as the actor had been replaced after recording full performances for two major animated movies. While he refrained from naming the movies, he hinted that “the actors were James Woods and Jeffrey Wright.” The actor reflected on the uncertainty that often accompanies voice work in animated projects. Read his full quote on the subject below:
It happens all the time because voices are fungible. They can change them anytime they want. Famously, Shrek originally was not Mike Myers. Actually, it was Chris Farley who, God rest his soul, passed away [and] couldn’t complete the project. Mike Myers voiced his entire role, and then they decided that Shrek should have a faint Scottish accent, and so he voiced it all again. That’s what they do.
I could, but I won’t, tell you two major animated films in which I recorded the entire role and only then found out they decided it wasn’t quite right and replaced me with two other actors. I’ll give you a hint. The actors were James Woods and Jeffrey Wright. I fully accept they thought the change was necessary, so I sucked it up and walked off with my tail between my legs, and I’ve never confessed it to anybody in public.
What This John Lithgow Quote Means
The Star’s Recast Roles Are Already Well-Known
Though he declines to name them,the films that Lithgow is referencing are not too hard to identify. Lithgow was originally set to voiceHades in Disney’sHercules, the god of Death who was ultimately played by James Woods. Despite his comments, this isn’t the first time he has mentioned this experience – he previously acknowledged the casting change while promoting Shrek in an interview withWFAA. An animation demo featuring some of his recordings has even surfaced online, and can be seen below:
Lithgow was also among the original cast announced for2015’sThe Good Dinosaur, but when the Pixar film debuted,the role of Poppa was voiced by Jeffrey Wright instead. His was one of several roles recast as part of a significant story overhaul, which changed the age of the central character. This is not necessarily unusual. Pixar sometimes changes movies significantly even if they are well into production, as is the case with their upcoming 2025 movieElio, which has recently changed directors, recast a supporting role, and changed the title character to have nearly the opposite personality.
Eliowas previously helmed byCoco’s Adrian Molina and is now directed byTurning Red’s Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian, though Molina still has a co-director credit.
Lithgow’s candid revelations shed light on howanimation’s lengthy development cycles impact even the most accomplished actors. While it is clear that his experiences onHerculesandThe Good Dinosaurwere disappointing, his ability to “suck it up” reflects a deep appreciation for the animation industry. Fortunately,Spellboundseems to have been a more fulfilling experience. Working in animation is clearly unpredictable, but Lithgow’s story demonstrates the rewards of sticking with a project through its ups and downs.
Formore insight into John Lithgow’s new animated movie, readScreen Rant’s officialSpellboundreview.
Readers can also learn more about theSpellboundsoundtrack, which featuresnew music fromThe Little MermaidandLittle Shop of Horrorscomposer Alan Menken.
For those who have already seen the movie,Screen Rantalso has aSpellboundending explainerthatbreaks down every key moment of the story’s finale.
Spellbound
Cast
Spellbound, directed by Vicky Jenson, follows Princess Ellian on her adventurous quest to rescue her family and kingdom. As a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters, Ellian must navigate this perilous journey to restore the King and Queen of Lumbria.
