About The Wingfeather Saga

Series Synopsis:

The Wingfeather Saga chronicles the adventures and transformations of the Igiby family as they discover secrets of their family history, flee the evil Fangs of Dang, seek their place in the world, and make a stand against the mysterious ruler, Gnag the Nameless. They will need their special gifts and all the love of their noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather to survive the venomous Fangs, sea dragons, flabbits, and (gulp) toothy cows!

Fast Facts:

  • Producers J. Chris Wall and Andrew Peterson met while Chris was working with VeggieTales and Andrew was contracted to write Silly Songs!

  • Andrew Peterson, the author of the books, is also a well-known Christian singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee

  • The Wingfeather Saga books have sold over 1 million copies

  • Jodi Benson, the voice of Nia Wingfeather, is the original Ariel in The Little Mermaid

  • Kevin McNally, the voice of the ex-pirate Podo Helmer, also played the pirate Gibbs in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies

  • The Wingfeather Saga is the largest crowdfunded animated family series of all time with over $7M raised from fans

  • The Wingfeather Saga's animation studio has developed a complete production pipeline with proprietary tools allowing this animated series to be created with cutting edge game-engine technology from Unreal Engine, while still delivering a rich and authentic “paint-motion” experience.

About the Cast

Jodi Benson

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Jodi Benson

Nia

Jodi Benson was born on October 10, 1961 in Rockford, Illinois as Jodi Marie Marzorati. She has received worldwide recognition & critical acclaim as the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid (1989), Tour Guide Barbie in Toy Story 2 (1999), Weebo in Flubber (1997) as well as Thumbelina in Thumbelina (1994). Other projects include The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008), The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000), Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001), 101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure (2002), Joseph: King of Dreams (2000), Balto: Wolf Quest (2001), Balto III: Wings of Change (2004) & Enchanted (2007).

She starred in Crazy For You as Polly Baker, receiving a Tony & Helen Hayes award nomination for best actress in a musical. Other Broadway credits include Smile, Welcome to the Club & Marilyn. Internationally, she has had the honor of sharing the stage w/ her husband Ray Benson at the European premiere of Ira Gershwin's My One & Only, starring as Miss Edythe Herbert. In Los Angeles, she starred in the critically-acclaimed Reprise/UCLA production of Babes in Arms, South Pacific, Flora the Red Menace, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady & Chess, for which she won the Best Actress Drama League Award.

She can be heard in over a dozen recordings & has a 6-part DVD series titled Baby Faith. Her animated works include Camp Lazlo! (2005), The Little Mermaid (1992), Batman Beyond (1999), The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (2001), The Wild Thornberrys (1998), Hercules: Zero to Hero (1999), P.J. Sparkles (1992) as well as many others. On the concert stage, she has performed as a concert soloist w/ symphonies all over the world such as the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The National Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic, Dallas Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic to name a few. She has starred in the Kennedy Center Honors for Ginger Rogers, The 25th Anniversary of Walt Disney, Central Park Disney Spectacular & Disney's 100 Years of Magic. She's honored to be the resident guest soloist for the Walt Disney Company/Disney Cruise Line & ambassador for feature animation. She gives thanks & praise to the Lord for her family, friends, her loving husband Ray as well as her precious children: son McKinley Benson & daughter Delaney.

Kevin McNally

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Kevin McNally

Podo

Kevin McNally is an internationally renowned star of Stage and Screen, his theatre credits include King Lear (The Globe) The Missing Hancocks (Assembly Rooms), The Dance of Death (Donmar at Trafalgar Studios); Hay Fever (Noel Coward Theatre); Hamlet, Ivanov (Donmar at Wyndhams); Boeing Boeing (Comedy Theatre); World Music (Donmar Warehouse); The Lady in the Van (Queens Theatre); Naked, Scenes from an Execution (Almeida Theatre); Dead Funny, Plunder (Savoy Theatre); Hidden Laughter (Vaudeville Theatre); Andromache, The Tutor (Old Vic); Glengarry Glen Ross (Mermaid Theatre); Extremities (Duchess Theatre); Dispatches, The Mysteries Larkrise, The Iceman Cometh (National Theatre); Daughters of Men, Loose Ends, Four Door Saloon (Hampstead Theatre); Prayer For My Daughter, Three More Sleepless Nights and Not Quite Jerusalem (Royal Court Theatre).

His film work includes All five Pirates of the Caribbean films, The Man Who Knew Infinity, Legend, The Raven, In the Interests of the Nations (Hamilton Trilogy), Valkyrie, The Phantom of the Opera, De-Lovely, Johnny English, Entrapment, Sliding Doors, Spice World, Enigma, The Long Good Friday, Cry Freedom and The Spy Who Loved Me.

Kevin recently filmed Stonehouse, a three-part series by John Preston for ITV. TV work includes Ten Percent, Deadringers, Doctor Who, The Crown, Das Boot, Dad's Army: The Lost Episodes, Catherine the Great, The ABC Murders, The Outpost, Unforgotten, Turn: Washington's Spies, Designated Survivor, Maigret, Hancock, Fleabag, Power Monkeys, Count Arthur Strong, 24: Live Another Day, Burn Notice, Downton Abbey, Supernatural, Poe, CSI, Life On Mars, Dunkirk, Spooks, Shackleton, Conspiracy, Dad, Underworld, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Minder, Bottom, Jekyll and Hyde, Dr Who, The Devil's Crown, Poldark and I, Claudius.

Henry Ian Cusick

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Henry Ian Cusick

Peet The Sock Man

Henry Ian Cusick is a multi-faceted artist working across all genres in entertainment. Ian will next be seen playing one of the leads in Justin Chon’s follow up to his hit film BLUE BAYOU, titled JAMOJAYA. Prior to that, Ian was a series lead in the CBS series MACGYVER and a series lead in the FOX series THE PASSAGE. A dramatically trained actor from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Cusick is best known for his Emmy Award-nominated role on “Lost” and from the CW sci-fi/drama “The 100.” Other notable television credits include “Scandal,” “24,” “Fringe,” “The Mentalist,” “Body of Proof” and “Inhumans.” Cusick’s film credits include “Hitman” and a host of independent films, such as “Rememory,” as well as leading roles in “Chimera,” “Pali Road,” “Just Let Go,” “Not Another Happy Ending,” “Frank vs. God” and “The Girl on the Train.” His U.K. theater career spans nearly 20 years and includes the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Almeida Theatre as well as receiving a special commendation for the title role in “Torquato Tasso” at the Edinburgh International Festival. Directing credits include “The Other Side” and “The Warriors Will” episodes of “The 100.” Cusick also wrote, directed and starred in “Dress,” which won the best short film award at the Hawaii International Film Festival, the Peace on Earth Film Festival and was a finalist at the USA Film Festival. He currently resides in Hawaii.

Alkaio Thiele

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Alkaio Thiele

Janner

Alkaio (Al-KAY-oh) Thiele is a 13 year-old performer from the San Francisco Bay Area who decided to professionally pursue acting at the age of twelve. Within three months, he had booked back-to-back roles in his film debut, "A Christmas Mystery," and festival film "I'll Be There." He also became the lead voice of Janner Igiby in the animated series "The Wingfeather Saga," an adaptation of author Andrew Peterson's fantasy-adventure book series. His excitement for voice acting only continued to grow as he booked subsequent roles in an animated feature film and one of the longest-running radio programs, "Adventures in Odyssey." He credits audiobook narrators (most notably, Jim Dale), who he continues to listen to nightly, for his love of, and skill in, voiceover work. Alkaio's TV debut came as Max Jr., alongside Mayim Bialik (Big Bang Theory) and Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) on FOX's "Call Me Kat."

Alkaio's most notable theatre credit was his role as Michael Hobbs in Ogunquit Playhouse's regional performance of "Elf The Musical." He shared the stage with Steven Booth (Broadway's Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) and award-winning actress Diana Huey (Nat'l Tour: Disney's Little Mermaid), under director and choreographer Connor Ghallagher (Broadway's Beetlejuice).

Alkaio is spending much of 2023 recording lead voiceover roles in series for Disney and Cartoon Network, both of which are scheduled to be released in 2024. Be on the lookout for Season 2 of The Wingfeather Saga in late 2023!

Griffin Robert Faulkner

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Griffin Robert Faulkner

Tink

Griffin Robert Faulkner has been acting since before he can remember. He can be seen on Netflix's Raising Dion as the superpowered Brayden Mills, heard on Apple+ TV as the voice of Otis the Tractor in the animated series Get Rolling With Otis, and appeared in the feature films It Comes at Night and Daniel Isn't Real. He loves animals, particularly puppies and horses, spending time with his friends, and is absolutely thrilled to be the voice of Tink, as he really, really loves fantasy, especially anything to do with dragons.

Romy Fay

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Romy Fay

Leeli

Romy Fay is an American actress and singer/songwriter. She made her Broadway debut in 2022 as Young Sally/Mimi in the Original Broadway Cast of Tom Stoppard's play, "Leopoldstadt," which won four Tony Awards, including Best Play.

She currently stars as series regular, Leeli, in the hit streaming animated series, "The Wingfeather Saga" (Angel Studios) based on the book series of the same name. Romy also recurs as Keira in the animated series "Eva the Owlet" (AppleTV+), and can also been seen as major recurring, Luisa Dubin, in the award-winning TV show "Best Foot Forward" (AppleTV+). Romy has made appearances on the critically acclaimed "Home Economics" (ABC) and "Face's Music Party" (Nick Jr.). She also stars in the short film, "Yes, Chef", winner of the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum (2021) and has done many commercials, including four national spots. Romy plays ukulele and piano and has two very exciting upcoming projects, including an album release of original songs in September 2023.

In addition to her passion for performing, Romy is an avid reader, an enthusiastic story teller and a lover of animals and creatures of all sizes. She is a figure skater and a rising equestrian in English hunter/jumper. In her free time, Romy enjoys painting, swimming, aerial arts and volunteering in her local community.

Kellen Goff

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Kellen Goff

Slarb

Kellen Goff is a Los Angeles-based, American voice actor known for a variety of roles spanning video games, animation and commercials. His most notable roles include Glamrock Freddy, Funtime Freddy, Sun, Moon, and Fredbear from Five Nights at Freddy’s, Overhaul from My Hero Academia, Fiddlesticks from League of Legends, Diavolo in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Porco Galliard the Jaw Titan in Attack on Titan, and Shuumei Sasaki in Sasaki and Miyano.

Goff has provided the voice for a list of characters in video games and anime ever since he expressed a devout interest in voice acting at age 13. 12 years later, his credits include Cookie Run Kingdom (Wind Archer Cookie), Black Clover (Kotodama Devil), Konosuba (Hans), Akudama Drive (Hoodlum), Fire Force (Rekka Hoshimiya), Saiki K (Reita Toritsuka), Demon Slayer (Father Spider Demon), SMITE (Jormungandr), The Last of Us: Part II (Bloater), Evil Dead: The Game (Eligos), Fire Emblem Heroes (Volke), Genshin Impact (Abyss Herald), Shin Megami Tensei V (Lahmu), Monster Hunter Rise (Player Character), One Piece (Shishillian, Blue Gilly), BEASTARS (Free), Pokémon (Arctozolt, Zarude), and many more.

Outside of voiceover, Goff has done audio editing work for multiple projects such as Persona 5: Dancing Star Light, Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight, and Blade Runner: Revelations. He has also cast voices for numerous projects, like Helluva Boss, Traces, and Shangri-La: Near Extinction.

Billy Boyd

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Billy Boyd

Overseer

Billy Boyd was born in 1968 in Glasgow, Scotland, to Mary and William Boyd. The talented young boy, inspired by Star Wars to try acting, got his first taste of it in his school's production of Oliver Twist when he was 10. Boyd's parents were extremely supportive, driving over two hours to get him to the performances, but sadly they passed away when he was 12. He was thereafter raised by his grandmother. He realized that he enjoyed acting very much and told his school counselor that was what he wanted to be, but the counselor discouraged this choice and told him to "keep it secret". When he was 17 he left school and went to work in a book-binding workshop. He worked there 4 years as an apprentice and 2 years as a workman. Ironically, during the years he worked at the book-binders, the Lord of the Rings trilogy was printed and bound there, many copies bound by his hands. After the 6 years as a book-binder, he was thoroughly sick of it. Billy planned on going to America for a year, but before he went he called the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and asked about applying for when he got back. But it so happened that they still had space for that year and they asked him if he wanted to apply and he did. He was at the drama school in a 3-year course for his bachelor of arts degree, meanwhile studying everything from Shakespeare to puppet-making. During this time Billy had a few small roles in TV series such as "Down Amongst The Boys" and "Taggart". After graduating he performed in many plays like 'The Slab Boys', 'The Diary of Adrian Mole' etc. at The St. Andrews theatre which were his first paying roles. He then received a call from his agent about the Lord of the Rings movies and if he would like to audition for them. He went along not expecting much, but within a few months Peter Jackson came out to Scotland to meet him and to audition him personally. While rehearsing for a show he received a call from his agent who said that the part of Pippin had been offered to him - if he wanted it. The rest is history.

Ari Elizabeth Johnson

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Ari Elizabeth Johnson

Sara Cobbler

Ari Elizabeth Johnson ecstatically joins the Wingfeather family in her first venture into the voiceover realm. She spent six years doing productions in professional theatres in the Midwest. She began her film career at age nine appearing in, Robert Redford’s final onscreen film, The Old Man and the Gun. Having been raised in Ohio, she now happily calls Southern California home. She spends her free time creating art, training in both boxing and aerial arts, and enjoying time with friends and family. She is repped by The Osbrink Agency.

Andrew Peterson

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Andrew Peterson

Executive Producer and Author

Andrew is a recording artist, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, and award-winning author of The Wingfeather Saga. He believes in the power of story in the human experience, a view that inspires his music and his writing. His music has garnered three separate Dove Award nominations. In 2008, driven by a desire to cultivate a strong Christian arts community, Andrew founded a non-profit arts organization called The Rabbit Room. The Rabbit Room hosts concerts and conferences and has published over 30 books to date.

Between the books, albums, and tours, Andrew has spoken regularly at conferences, universities, and seminaries around the country and in the U.K. on art, faith, and writing. He was writer-in-residence at Covenant College in 2015, and at John Brown University in 2014. He received the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) Delta Epsilon Chi Honor Society award, presented to an alumnus who has distinguished himself/herself by intellectual achievement, Christian character, and leadership ability. Most recently he was a keynote speaker in Cambridge, England for the C. S. Lewis Foundation’s Oxbridge Summer Conference.

He’s been married for 24 years to his wife Jamie, with whom they have three children. His eldest is an animation graduate from Lipscomb University, his second son is a drummer and studio engineer, and his daughter is a singer-songwriter and has released her first album. In his spare time Andrew keeps bees, builds dry stack stone walls, gardens, draws, and sleeps.

J. Chris Wall

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J. Chris Wall

Executive Producer and Showrunner

Chris is a respected creator of family and faith-infused entertainment. His work has been enjoyed by millions of families after spending over 10 years working with Big Idea and Dreamworks Animation to produce the venerated animated series, VeggieTales. He led a multi-national team for 3-2-1 Penguins, airing on NBC/Qubo.

His career in animation has spanned over 20 years, beginning with Max Lucado’s You Are Special direct-to-video special, where he served as editor and voiced the lead character. He also created the acclaimed The Slugs & Bugs Show with Brentwood Studios and RightNow Media. Chris is passionate about creating content that will serve families with stories of truth and beauty.

He lives in Franklin, TN with his wife and six children and is very active in Scouts BSA as a scoutmaster helping train youth to be prepared for life.

Brock Starnes

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Brock Starnes

Executive Producer and COO

Brock began his career by leading VeggieTales live events and tours. Brock has advised and produced content for leading children’s educational brands, has launched businesses, and holds a master's degree from Victoria University in Wellington New Zealand where he researched the roles of strategic relationships amongst technology startups. For the past 10+ years, he has served as Partner at Brentwood Studios where he has advised clients in the areas of strategy, partnerships, and product development and serves as Co-creator and Executive Producer of new media properties including Michael W Smith's children's brand Nurturing Steps and The Slugs & Bugs Show. In 2022 he joined Shining Isle Productions as COO and EP.

Keith Lango

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Keith Lango

Executive Producer, Animation Director, and CG Supervisor

Keith is both a student and instructor in the art of animation and its technology. His passion for developing engaging experiences in animation has given him a wide and varying experience in the field and was fundamental to the creation of The Wingfeather Saga's distinct animation style. He has worked on 3-2-1 Penguins, VeggieTales, and at Valve Corporation on video games like Portal 2. He brings a strength of animation technology experience as well as a deep knowledge of pipeline challenges that can stunt a production and stifle artist creativity and how to avoid them.

Garrett Taylor

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Garrett Taylor

Art Director

Garrett is both an artist and an observer of the natural world. Coming from over 10 years at Pixar Animation Studio, his passion for building worlds has given him a deep understanding of creating beautiful and intriguing art. His career started as an intern for Pixar. Working his way to art director, he designed on many acclaimed films. His most recent works are on display in the movies Luca and Lightyear. Outside of painting and design, Garrett devotes his time to his family and his carpentry skills. Bringing strength and expertise to the team, Garrett is a perfect addition to The Wingfeather Saga team. The beauty and awe that the books demand are well served by Garrett's strong eye and artistry.

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Jason Melton

Executive Producer