(Hercules) flexes his mighty vocal talents as the awesome Greek demi-god whose daring deeds and innate goodness help him to save Mount Olympus and win the heart of the beautiful Meg.
Filled with excitement and energy for the role, Donovan recalls getting the news that he was selected for the part of Hercules. "It was like a dream come true," recalls the actor. "I wanted the part so bad and I just kept working and working at it. When my agent called, I started jumping up and down and laughing and crying. I realized that I was going to be part of something that I could really be proud of. And that's an amazing feeling.
"Hercules is an incredibly eager young guy," Donovan continues. "I remembered what I was like when I was his age and just starting out and it was easy to get into that frame of mind. Initially, Herc wants to be a hero for the glamour of it all and has a shallow sense of ambition. But when he falls in love with Meg, he discovers what it means to sacrifice and put others ahead of himself.
"To do an animated voice," Donovan notes, "you have to really use your imagination and let your voice do all the work. As an actor, I use my hands, my body and my face to create a performance. In front of a microphone that's completely
meaningless. It was a real challenge to get my voice to be really high and low because when you're doing an animated voice it has to be expressive and huge. It takes a lot of energy."
Currently starring opposite Wesley Snipes in "Murder at 1600," Donovan's film credits also include "Memphis Belle," "Ethan Frome," "Love Potion #9" and "Inside Monkey Zetterland."
On television, he starred in the acclaimed Fox series "Partners," "The Long Black Song" for HBO, "Vietnam War Stories" for which he was nominated for a CableAce Award as Best Actor in a Dramatic Series, and the miniseries "Nutcracker." Additionally, he's appeared in stage productions of "Picnic," "The American Plan" and "The Thrill."
