Summary
Actor Jim Cummings details how Steven Spielberg managed to get him cast in the movieBalto.Baltois a hand-drawn, 2D animated animal adventure film about a Husky whose life is put in peril when he is tasked with preventing a deadly epidemic from spreading.Baltowas directed by Simon Wells and features aleading voice cast including Kevin Bacon, Bob Hoskins, Bridget Fonda, Cummings, Phil Collins, Jack Angel, Danny Mann, and Robbie Rist. The film was produced bySpielberg’s Amblin Entertainment.
Speaking onInside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Cummings recounts how Spielberg assisted his casting inBalto.
Cummings explained that theBaltoteam hadoriginally been looking at “a couple of name-brand actors"who were known for their on-camera work before he was cast in the role. Then, Spielberg decided to pivot, suggesting “let’s get this Cummings guy.” This was related to Spielberg’s desire for efficiency, as he “want[ed] to get all of it done in one day.” This ultimately led to Cummings' casting in the role of Steele. Check out the full quote from Cummings below:
There was a movie Balto that came out, and Kevin Bacon was Balto, Bridget Fonda was the girlfriend, and I ended up being the bad guy, Steele. And they had gone through a couple of name brand actors, you know, on camera actors. You know, one of the — this happened to me on Princes and the Frog too, this happened to me a couple times — they tried this guy and that guy, and I won’t even get their names out there. But finally, I guess, let’s get this Cummings guy, what’s the matter with him? Because he wanted to get all of it done in one day. He was making Schindler’s list at the same time.
The Balto Casting Change Explained
Brendan Fraser Was Originally Selected For Steele
Though Cummings does not mention him by name here, it was previously known that the enemy role of Steele was originally supposed to be portrayed byactor Brendan Fraser. At the time,Fraser was a rising starknown for films such asSchool Ties,With Honors, andThe Scout. This would have given the actor name recognition as he had some traction for his on-camera roles, but Fraser was not experienced with voice acting prior toBalto.
Cummings, on the other hand, was already aprolific voice actorby the timeBalto’s casting began. He had beenworking in the industry since the late ’70s, providing his voice acting talents to projects such asWinnie-the-Pooh,Scooby-Doo, andThe TransformersTV series. As Cummings describes, it is this deep catalog that aided his casting inBalto. If Spielberg wanted to get the project all recorded in one day, he would need a team of actors who could provide experience beyond name recognition.
Spielberg’s casting choice shows a reverence for voice actors that is sometimes lacking today. There are certainlysome on-camera actors who have honed their voice-acting skills, such as Mark Hamill. But as in the case ofChris Pratt’s controversial casting in bothThe Garfield MovieandThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, current films too often select big-name actors over those with legitimate experience in voice acting.Baltoset a precedent for how animated films should ideally be cast, though said standard is not always followed today.
Balto
Cast
“Balto” is an animated adventure film loosely based on the true story of a sled dog who helped to save the children of Nome, Alaska, from a diphtheria outbreak in 1925. The film blends fact and fiction, focusing on Balto, a half-wolf, half-dog outcast who embarks on a perilous journey to deliver medicine during a severe winter storm. It’s a heartwarming tale of bravery, determination, and finding one’s place in the world.
