Of the countless characters in the Disney lexicon, no one holds a larger place in my heart quite like Willie the Giant. And I do mean that literally. Since his original appearance in the animated anthology film Fun & Fancy Free in 1947 (or “Mickey and the Beanstalk” as my 90’s vhs kids may know it) Willie arrived on the scene, equal parts bombastic and at-times childlike, his moods able to swing from menacing to innocent and playful all with a turn of his signature catchphrase, chuckle and sneeze.
His delightful vocal cadence and turn of a phrase (complete with a connecting D’uh) make him a blast to mimic. I know this firsthand, as of 2021, I have had the immense privilege of voicing Willie the Giant in his current iteration for several Disney TV and Disney Jr. projects. Prior to my stepping in, the voice of Willie the Giant was entrusted to the longtime voice performer, Will Ryan. Will was a giant in his own right in our community, with credits ranging from the Oscar-winning The Little Mermaid to the highly lauded Get A Horse. However, every holiday season, it is Will Ryan’s yuletide performance as Willie the Giant/Ghost of Christmas Present in Mickey’s Christmas Carol that seems to delight Disney fans most of all (…myself being one of them!)
As I think on it now, Will, as the second official performer to voice Willie, had a great challenge in front of him. Prior to Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Willie was gruff, gravelly, and occasionally menacing.
In comparing the performance of the original Willie from F&FF (Billy Gilbert) to Will’s take, Will achieved something monumental. In his initial appearance, Willie could have been classified as a true Disney baddie, complete with an iconic villain song.
Yet here he reappears years later, out of semi-obscurity as a much more jovial version of the original beanstalk-climbing giant. This Willie the giant that emerges in Christmas Carol is imbued with a whimsy, light-hearted nature, and dare I say it, a spirited take that was entirely and uniquely Will’s.
Will’s version was so iconic, it may have opened the door for Willie’s return in the original 2003 Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, the follow-up series Mickey Mouse Funhouse, and as a Mouska-pal on the all-new Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ (Season 1 now airing on Disney Jr)
For my initial performance as Willie the Giant, each drive to the recording session began with a review of both the original Billy Gilbert and Will Ryan’s performances, but the final clip in my ear was always (and continues to be) Will Ryan’s flustered fumble of “pis-nash-eeos…with yogurt.”
While it will always be an honor to be one small part of this giant’s legacy, every holiday season, you’ll catch me re-watching and enjoying Willie the Giant in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. This year, I hope you join me in enjoying and admiring the work of Will Ryan and his joyous take on this beloved character.
Brock Powell is a multi-talented actor, voice actor, and producer who is known for Mickey Mouse Funhouse (2021), Hamster & Gretel (2022), and Baymax Dreams (2018). He has a wide range of characters he lends his voice to, including Willie the Giant, Fistpuncher, and even the Kool-Aid Man. Thank you to Brock for sharing his unique perspective and thoughts about this iconic Disney character!
