The secret behind Donald Duck's voice is not what you think

Technology · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Most people assume Donald Duck’s iconic squawk comes from squeezing air through his cheeks. Tony Anselmo, the man who has voiced the character since 1985, says that is a myth. To maintain Disney's strict standards of character integrity, he guards the actual technique as a professional secret.

Tony Anselmo’s journey to becoming Donald Duck’s successor began with a childhood screening of Mary Poppins. This sparked a lifelong obsession that led him to build his own light table and experiment with Super 8 cameras in Sunnyvale, California. By the time he reached adulthood, he was studying under Disney veterans and received a full scholarship from the Disney family to attend the Character Animation Department at the California Institute of the Arts in 1978.

Anselmo began his professional career as an animator in 1980, contributing to 20 animated features including The Little Mermaid and The Lion King. His path to voicing Donald Duck was paved by a direct mentorship from the original voice actor, Clarence Nash. Following Nash's death in 1985, Anselmo inherited the role—a transition sanctioned by Disney's strict rules on character consistency. In 1988, Michael Eisner and Roy E. Disney even established a dedicated department to ensure these vocal signatures remained unchanged over decades.

While many believe Donald’s voice is produced via cheek-squeezing (a technique used for other characters like Yakky Doodle), Anselmo clarifies that it is a different method he refuses to disclose publicly. His unique dual status as both an animator and the official voice of Donald Duck in several films makes him a rare figure in the industry. For his decades of contribution, he was officially inducted as a Disney Legend in 2009.

Beyond his vocal work, Anselmo is a noted historian of the studio's visual legacy. His personal collection of posters was significant enough to be featured in exhibits at The Walt Disney Family Museum and inspired a published art book in 2002.

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