Jonathan Freeman

Actor Jonathan Freeman has built his career around his voice: both on stage and in animation. He cut his acting teeth in the theater during the 1970s, gradually working his way to roles in film and television by the late '80s. While his feature film work remains scant, he has been quite a presence on Broadway and the small screen and as a voice actor for the past 20 years. He appeared in small roles in the underground misfire "Forever, Lulu," the Mickey Rourke boxing picture "Homeboy," and briefly as a decorator in the Michael Caine sleeper "A Shock to the System." It was in 1992 that Freeman's star arrived when he landed the voice part of the villain Jafar in Disney's animated adventure blockbuster "Aladdin." The character allowed him eight more opportunities to reprise the role over the next 10 years in such fare as the animated series "Hercules," the sequel "Return of Jafar," and several versions of the "Kingdom Hearts" video game. Freeman continued to expand his range with recurring roles as a callous businessman in the TV comedy "Remember WENN," a swinging suburbanite in Ang Lee's drama "The Ice Storm," and on stage in revivals of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and "She Loves Me." He was cast in the original Disney stage productions of "Beauty and the Beast," "Mary Poppins," and "The Little Mermaid." Freeman was also a puppeteer for the PBS children's show "Shining Time Station."