By Paul Salfen AMFM Magazine Exclusive
When Kevin McNally raises his hand in a recording booth, it’s not just an actor answering the call—it’s a pirate reporting for duty. The Bristol-born star, best known as Joshamee Gibbs in Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, has spent five films swashbuckling alongside Johnny Depp. But these days, McNally is trading the Black Pearl for the Ice Prairies, voicing the grizzled ex-pirate grandfather Podo Helmer in the animated epic The Wingfeather Saga.
In an exclusive chat with AMFM’s Paul Salfen, the 69-year-old RADA graduate (and 1975 Bancroft Gold Medal winner) opens up about lockdown voice booths, turning down “boring” blockbuster series, and why a loving pirate grandpa might be his most rewarding role yet.
From Lockdown to Legend
McNally’s voiceover journey began, like so many pandemic pivots, with a credit-card splurge on recording gear. “I was so busy for the first 47 years of my career, I didn’t do a lot of voiceover,” he laughs. “Then Covid hit, I bought the equipment, and two weeks later everyone was asking, ‘Who can record from home?’ My smug little hand went up.”
What started as a survival hack became a passion. “Voice acting is a pretty great gig if you can get it right,” he says. “You can do it from home—and they pay a bit better in London studios.”
Enter The Wingfeather Saga, the largest crowdfunded animated family series ever, with fans raising over $7 million to bring Andrew Peterson’s beloved books (1.8 million copies sold) to the screen. McNally voices Podo Helmer, the ex-pirate turned fiercely protective grandfather to the Igiby kids.
“I’m known for playing pirates, but I saw a different pirate,” McNally says. “Not only a pirate, but a loving and protecting father and grandfather. The familial aspect was very, very enjoyable.”
Season 3: Ice, Betrayal, and Toothy Cows
Season 3 plunges the Wingfeather family into their darkest chapter yet. Separated and scattered, Janner braves the Stony Mountains and Ice Prairies with friend Maraly, dodging Snickbuzzards, wolves, and the monstrous Bomnubble. Kalmar, betrayed and imprisoned in the Phoob Islands, faces torture in the Fangs’ dungeons. A legendary under-ice city, Kimera, dangles hope—but a new evil stirs in the tundra.
McNally teases Podo’s expanding arc: “As time has gone on—and you’ll see in Season 3 and what we’re recording for Season 4—it gets more active. We learn more about Podo’s past. He was a bit of a mystery at the beginning.”
No spoilers, but the actor hints at a “wonderful journey” into who Podo was before the eyepatch and peg leg. “A journey is always something I want,” he says.
Pirates Are Just Spoiled Kids (Says the Expert)
McNally’s pirate credentials are unimpeachable—five Pirates films, countless conventions, and a Gibbs action figure or two. So what’s the secret to playing a believable buccaneer?
“Pirates are like really spoiled, selfish children,” he deadpans. “And I’ve always been a really spoiled, selfish child myself. So I’m made for the role.”
Advice for the Next Generation
After 53 years in the business—from I, Claudius to Downton Abbey to Designated Survivor—McNally now teaches masterclasses. His advice to aspiring actors?
“Prepare. Be flexible. And for the first 25 years of your career, always say yes. Later on, you can be picky.”
He’s practiced what he preaches, turning down two major franchise series because “the role was so boring.” Financial security? Convention appearances? Doesn’t matter. “I literally couldn’t sit and do something that bores me.”
A Perfect Storm of Family + Fantasy
What sealed the deal on Wingfeather?
“It’s a wonderful mix of the two things I love most: FAMILY and LOYALTY, but FANTASY as well,” McNally says. “I’ve never been offered that mix before.”
Produced by J. Chris Wall (ex-VeggieTales) and author Andrew Peterson, the series boasts a dream voice cast: Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid’s Ariel) as matriarch Nia, and cutting-edge “paint-motion” animation powered by Unreal Engine.
McNally hopes viewers take away one thing above all: “I just want it to be entertaining.”
What’s Next for McNally?
Between Wingfeather Seasons 3 and 4, the actor’s plate is full—and eclectic. He’s mentoring young filmmakers on short films, dodging “cozy crime” TV overload (“I’ve done about six in the last year”), and developing two feature films and a television series to direct.
Final Thought
As our chat wraps, McNally jokes about craving “a few moments to myself” between projects. Fat chance. With a pirate’s heart, a grandfather’s warmth, and a career spanning half a century, Kevin McNally is exactly where he belongs—steering the ship, one epic tale at a time.
STREAM IT: The Wingfeather Saga Season 3 is now available on Angel Studios. FUN FACT: The series’ animation studio built a custom Unreal Engine pipeline for that hand-painted, storybook look.
Interview conducted by Paul Salfen for AMFM Magazine. All quotes from Kevin McNally.
