Jim Cummings, the voice of Winnie the Pooh and several other iconic animated Disney characters, wasn’t happy about getting passed over for a spot in Disney’s Hall of Legends at D23 this year.
Disney’s Hall of Legends recognizes the best and brightest of the studio’s actors, animators, executives, and other talent that have made significant contributions to its many projects over the years.
Every two years, a number of notable names are inducted into the Hall of Legends in an elaborate ceremony that takes place at D23, Disney’s massive fan convention in Anaheim, California.
Eleven people made the cut this year. The list includes stars like Anne Hathaway, The Rock, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the Jonas Brothers, as well as former Disney CEO Bob Iger and veteran animator Eric Goldberg.
One name not on this list is Jim Cummings, a prominent voice actor and singer with over 1,545 recorded roles across movies, television series, and even environmental content. You probably know him best as the official voice of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and Pete, roles he has played since the late 80s and early 90s.
Over on Instagram, Cummings reposted remarks from fans to his stories, which specifically called out Disney for not adding him to their Hall of Legends in favor of newer faces who haven’t been with the brand for nearly as long as he has.
“The fact that The Rock, Bob Iger, Jonas Brothers, and Lin-Manuel Miranda get this before Jim Cummings is still baffling to me… Come on, Disney,” one fan wrote.
“Are you kidding? They still have not put one of the greatest Disney legends of all time, that is the Jim Cummings, who is the iconic [sic] Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Pete, Darkwing Duck, Ray the Firefly, and so many more. This is unbelievable,” another said in a second post shared by Cummings.
He also posted a video of himself walking around the Anaheim Convention Center grounds to The Beatles’ The Sound of Silence, which notably features lyrics like, “Hello darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk to you again.”
“Jim Cummings at D23. 40+ years. 1500+ characters. The voice of generations. No comment,” he wrote in the post’s caption.
It’s clear that Cummings isn’t exactly thrilled about getting passed up for a spot in this year’s Hall of Legends, and his fans seem to feel the same.
“Disney messed up big here. We all know you are a Disney legend. Please know we love you and you’re the best,” one wrote on Instagram.
“The fact that Jim Cummings isn't an official Disney Legend makes the whole thing feel a bit like a farce, to be honest,” another remarked.
Despite this unfortunate turn of events for Cummings, this year’s D23 did have a lot for fans to get hyped about, with first looks at Kingdom Hearts IV, Frozen 3, and the cast of Marvel’s X-Men getting shown at its Friday night showcase, among many other exciting reveals.
Image Credits: The Walt Disney Company via Getty Images
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.
Continue reading...
