Pinocchio is getting the live-action treatment. The new live-action and CGI retelling of the beloved tale will premiere September 8 on Disney+ Day. After Geppetto builds and treats Pinocchio as if he were his real son, Pinocchio sets out on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy.
The character of Pinocchio comes to life in an incredible way in the new Disney live-action film. As you watch the movie, you might be asking: who is voicing Pinocchio? HollywoodLife has everything you need to know.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is the voice of Pinocchio in Disney’s live-action film. In the 1940 animated movie, the character was voiced by Dick Jones. Despite the character being created by a computer, Benjamin was on the set every day saying his lines and acting with the other cast members.
“Ben Ainsworth couldn’t be better as Pinocchio. Ben walked on set, and he was a pro. He was ready. He knew what he had to do. He came in and was always there to deliver. He’s a spectacular actor,” director Robert Zemeckis said in a statement.
The director also discussed the importance of finding the right voice actors for roles. “They have to understand this wall of invisibility in this situation. They have to be acting. When they’re off camera, they can’t just be standing there reading lines. They have to be doing the line, acting the lines. Whether it’s live-action or visual effects, you’re always looking for the right actor for the part. All my voice actors are fantastic.”
The new Pinocchio is inspired by the character’s look in the 1940 animated original movie. The live-action version is three-dimensional, and because the character is made of wood, he has a wood grain, which, like skin, needed to move with precision when he becomes a live puppet. “You always have to change things when you ‘dimensionalize’ an animated character,” Robert explained.
Benjamin joins an amazing ensemble cast. Pinocchio also stars Tom Hanks as Geppetto, Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket, Luke Evans as The Coachman, Keegan-Michael Key as Honest John, and Lorraine Bracco as Sofia.
Benjamin is just 13 years old, but he’s already got quite the resume. Prior to voicing the role of Pinocchio, Benjamin notably starred in the 2020 Netflix limited series The Haunting of Bly Manor. He played Miles Wingrave.
The young actor recently wrapped the lead role in the film All Fun & Games, which was produced by Joe and Anthony Russo. He also appeared in the first season of Netflix’s The Sandman. His first film credit was in Disney+’s Flora & Ulysses in 2021.
When he’s not acting, Benjamin enjoys playing rugby and hockey. He is a huge Liverpool FC fan. He also loves singing, songwriting, music producing, and playing the drums.
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