Chris Diamantopoulos got candid on being one of only five people that have voiced Disney icon Mickey Mouse.
From 2013 to 2019, the actor who currently stars as a mobster in The Sticky and is best known for his roles on The Office and Silicon Valley, lent his voice to Mickey in the animated Mickey Mouse series, continuing the role in its follow-up, The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, from 2020 to 2023.
The actor is one of just five individuals in Disney’s 101-year history to voice the iconic character.
“It’s so strange,” Diamantopoulos shared. “Honestly, there are a lot of things in my career that, if you had told me when I was a kid that I would be doing them, I might sort of think, ‘wow, I could see that.’ But playing Mickey Mouse was a massive left turn.”
He describes the honour as both surreal and humbling.
“I barely finished high school, and for me to be the fifth voice in history after Walt [Disney], to voice Mickey Mouse, I wear that like a badge of honour,” he said, acknowledging past Mickey voices like Disney himself, Wayne Allwine, Bret Iwan, and Les Perkins.
Diamantopoulos also praised the creative team behind the animated series, calling animator Paul Rudish and Disney’s writers and animators “brilliant.”
He credits their work for bringing Mickey’s character to life in a way that continues to resonate with audiences.
“The voice is Mickey, but the expressions that you see that Mickey gets to do…that’s all by virtue of the brilliant talent of these hardworking and not-often-advertised writers and animators.”
He believes this version of Mickey Mouse stands out for its liveliness.
“There’s something about this incarnation of Mickey that I think is the freest Mickey,” he said.
In addition to TV, Diamantopoulos voices Mickey for the Disneyland ride Mickey’s Magic Railway, the first ride dedicated to the character.
Reflecting on the experience, he said, “It was just so much fun. I get to take my kids to this ride where they hear my voice and they see me, and I’m guiding them through. Can you even imagine what a dream that is?”
For Diamantopoulos, voicing Mickey remains a reminder of why he pursued a career in entertainment.
“Every time I get to voice Mickey, it reminds me of why I got into this business: because of the magic, that intangible, beautiful feeling that we have when we fall into the fantasy world.”
