Given all the love Frozen has received since the first film dropped in 2013, it’s hard to imagine Josh Gad having anything to feel sorry about where portraying the kindly Olaf is concerned. However, Gad does have one regret when it comes to embodying the Disney character: The actor would not have used his regular voice to bring the lovable snowman to life on-screen. Yes, if the 43-year-old could have another crack at it, Gad would have played around until he found another voice for Olaf. Gad elaborated in an interview while appearing at Fan Expo Canada:
“If I could do it all over again, I would not have lent that snowman my voice. I would’ve created a different voice. It’s very weird being in a supermarket and having a little child go like this [tilts and turns his head, emulating a kid’s astonishment]. That was my first big mistake. But, you know, people tell me I have a very unique voice. People seem to like my voice, so I try to give it to them when I can.”
But hindsight is 20/20, and as Olaf would say, “I just thought of one thing that’s permanent: love.” Now, just imagine the love children experience when they hear Olaf’s voice coming out of Gad’s mouth when fans bump into him out in public — supermarket or otherwise.
So, while Gad might live with that one regret, don’t forget all of the magic his vocal cords provide when evoking kids to laugh and smile in his presence. And don’t forget, Gad won multiple Behind the Voice Actor Awards (BTVA) for his work as the adorable snowman. Plus, there’s more Olaf to hear in the two upcoming Frozen sequels.
Josh Gad Was Surprised to Learn About New Frozen Sequels
The frosty fandom is well aware that two more Frozen sequels are in the works. However, Disney might have dropped the ball on the reveal when it came to letting Josh Gad and his co-stars know that 2027 would mark the return of Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna (Kristen Bell) and Olaf on the Silver Screen. Yes, Gad explained on television that he had no clue Frozen III and Frozen IV were even happening until this year’s D23. Gad said during an interview on LIVE with Kelly and Mark:
“So, I’m in Greece and all of a sudden my phone’s blowing up. And people are like, ‘Oh my god, I’m so excited about Frozen 3 and Frozen 4. And I responded, ‘So am I?’ [Laughter] I had no idea. Nobody thought to call us [the cast] up and be like, ‘By the way, we’re doing two sequels to your movie. But I have since heard some things about it, and it is going to be unbelievable. I’m so excited about what they’re dreaming up right now. It’s pretty incredible.”
Both the original 2013 film and its first sequel in 2019 were billion-dollar box office boffo for Disney. Frozen made a worldwide total of $1.27 billion (per The Numbers), while Frozen II fared even better six years later with a global take of $1.45 billion. And when Frozen III opens in theaters on November 24, 2027, it’ll mark the long-awaited return to Arendelle.