Jamie Lee Curtis and Bryan Cranston will voice Mom and Dad in the new Carousel of Progress
Disney revealed at D23 that Bryan Cranston and Jamie Lee Curtis will voice the father and mother in Magic Kingdom's updated Carousel of Progress. Both actors shared personal ties to the show, with Cranston recalling seeing it as a child at the 1964 New York World's Fair.
The family at the center of Walt Disney World's Carousel of Progress is getting two very recognizable voices. At the D23 Experiences showcase, Disney announced that Bryan Cranston will voice the father and Jamie Lee Curtis the mother in the updated version of the classic Magic Kingdom rotating theater show.
Key details
- Casting: Bryan Cranston as the father, Jamie Lee Curtis as the mother
- Where: Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, Tomorrowland, Magic Kingdom
- Announced: Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase at D23
- Context: Part of the previously announced update to the Carousel of Progress show
- Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I58ZMe1_yg
The actors on their roles
Disney Parks announced the casting with a video featuring both actors. "I am playing the role of father in Carousel of Progress," Cranston says, while Curtis adds, "I get to voice the mother in the new Carousel of Progress."
A legacy role for Cranston
Cranston's connection to the attraction goes back to its debut. "When this came across my desk, I thought, 'Oh, I have to do this. It's a legacy for me.' The Carousel of Progress came into my life when I was eight at the New York World's Fair," he says in the video, recalling the show's original 1964 run, where audiences "thought this was amazing that we're actually seeing this before our eyes." He adds that the show was later his favorite at Disneyland, where it played from 1967 until its move to Walt Disney World: "There's a nostalgia to it. There's a sense of wonder about the future. I'm interested in technology. I'm interested in progress. I'm very excited that I get to do this. Very proud."
Curtis on joining the show
Curtis framed the role around the attraction's longevity: "A real gift for me to be able to know that my voice will be on this ride for millions of people to watch and enjoy." The Carousel of Progress has run more performances than any other stage show in American theater history, making the voice cast one of the most heard in entertainment.
What this means for Magic Kingdom visitors
This casting news builds on Disney's previously announced update to the Carousel of Progress, and it is distinct news from the show revisions themselves: it tells us who the new family sounds like. Disney has not yet announced the full voice cast or when the refreshed show debuts, so watch the official D23 recap coverage for additional names and a timeline. Fans of the current show should catch it in Tomorrowland before the update arrives.