John DiMaggio

John DiMaggio’s Rise Through Animation and Gaming

A baritone built for animation and games turned childhood theater roles in North Plainfield, New Jersey into one of the most recognizable voices in American pop culture. He studied theater at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts before leaving without a degree, then spent the late 1980s and early 1990s on stand-up stages as half of the comedy duo Red Johnny and the Round Guy. A friendship with actor Zak Orth pointed him toward voice work, and by the mid-1990s his focus had shifted entirely to character performance.

Futurama and the Voice of Bender

Bender Bending Rodriguez became his signature role starting in 1999, carrying through the show’s original run, two cancellations, and multiple revivals across Comedy Central and Hulu. The character’s return for a 2022-2025 Hulu season followed a public pay dispute DiMaggio dubbed BenderGate, when he held out for better compensation on behalf of the voice cast before ultimately returning to the role without a raise.

Gears of War and Marcus Fenix

Marcus Fenix, the gravel-voiced soldier at the center of Epic Games’ Gears of War series, gave DiMaggio one of his defining game roles starting in 2006. He continued voicing the character across the original trilogy and later entries as the franchise grew into a flagship Xbox property.

Adventure Time, Kim Possible, and Animated Television

Jake the Dog on Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time and Dr. Drakken on Disney’s Kim Possible expanded his reach into children’s programming through the 2000s and 2010s. Earlier credits included the Scotsman on Samurai Jack, Brother Blood on Teen Titans, Fu Dog on American Dragon: Jake Long, and Shnitzel on Chowder, alongside King Zøg on Netflix’s Disenchantment.

Final Fantasy and Crash Bandicoot in Games

Beyond Gears of War, his game credits include Wakka and Kimahri Ronso in Final Fantasy X and X-2, Tiny Tiger and Uka Uka across the Crash Bandicoot series, and Heidegger in the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth. He also narrated and executive produced I Know That Voice, a 2013 documentary examining the voice acting profession.