Donald Duck turns 90 and continues to attract generations of fans

Donald Duck, Disney’s grumpiest character who turns 90 on June 9, continues to attract generations of fans because people identify with him, actor Tony Anselmo, who has given him his voice since 1985, told Luca.

“People ask why he is so popular. And I think it’s because everyone has a little Donald Duck inside them,” he said. “We’re going to do something and we want to have fun, and when something gets in our way, we get angry.”

The actor sees himself in a character that contrasts with the affability of Mickey, Minnie, Daisy or Goofy: “I’m a bit of a scoundrel,” he joked. “I like to have fun, but I’m impatient.”

Anselmo, who studied under Clarence Nash, the voice actor of Donald Duck, believes it’s the integrity of the duck’s personality that makes him relevant. “He’s a compelling character and what he does is fun and entertaining.”

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the cartoon, which first appeared on June 9, 1934, in Smart Chicken, Disney will premiere three short films on Sunday: Crazy About Daisy, On the Edge and Do It Yourself. Duck”.

New merchandise and news are also in the works for Disney’s D23 fan convention in Anaheim, California, August 9-11.

“I probably work more now than I did when I was 30. [anos]”Because there is so much content on the Disney Channel and Disney+,” said Tony Anselmo. “The company has gotten a lot bigger, now we do programs for cruises and for all the parks,” he said. “It used to be just Disneyland and toys.”

To achieve the signature Donald Duck tone, Tony Anselmo has to put in a lot of physical effort because he doesn’t use his vocal cords. “It’s more like a magic trick. It requires a lot of muscle control and a lot of pressure, and I can only do voiceovers for two hours at a time.”

There’s not a lot of dialogue with Donald, it’s almost like recording tantrums,” Tony Anselmo described. The recording rhythm is once a day, because the mouth begins to swell and the voice disappears. “Yes, it’s difficult,” he admitted.

But it’s a job the actor loves and hopes to continue doing, remembering that Clarence Nash, his predecessor, was the voice of the duck for 50 years. “I would like to invite Donald to his 100th birthday,” he shared.

Although this is a relatively solitary endeavor since the voices of various characters are no longer recorded simultaneously, Anselmo has a great connection with his fans, who regularly send him letters and items asking for autographs. “It’s important to continue this,” he said. “I sign autographs and send them back.”

The actor believes there is a certain nostalgia that carries the legacy of Donald Duck across generations, especially at a time when so much is changing.

“Parents share this happiness with their children because it has brought them a lot of joy and they want them to feel this happiness from generation to generation,” Anselmo said. “That’s why it’s important not to change these characters, but to keep them the same.”

The actor always strived to be true to what Clarence Nash created and endeared himself to audiences. “Because it’s something we can count on, something we grew up with, and it’s still here. It hasn’t changed, unlike a lot of other things that have changed and seem upside down,” he continued. “Donald, Mickey and the band are still the same.”