James Jonah Cummings, simply known as Jim Cummings, is a phenomenal actor and the voice of many great animated characters like Winnie the Pooh, Tigger.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the performer about his experience in the live-action adventure CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, now being release in home formats.

(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)

You have being part of many Disney properties. How does it feel to be part of that family?

It feels like home. It feels like family to me. I was a member of “The Mickey Mouse Club.” I have a picture of me with my Mickey Mouse t-shirt on, I must have been four-years-old. I still have my Davy Crockett hat! My very first job that I had in animation was for Disney Channel, in 1985. And here we are, still going strong.

So, as perks go, at least you have a free pass at Disneyland. Right?

You would think! [Laughs]

What were your first questions when you heard that they were working on a live-action adaptation?

I thought “This is going to be something new and fresh.” It is one of those “What if?” stories: What if the character of Christopher Robin was a real boy that grew up in London, went to the war, came back and now has a family? Now he is losing touch with himself and his family. It’s interesting because Christopher has saved Pooh, and Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, and Rabbit so many times… and one of Pooh’s lines in the film is “It is time for us to save Christopher.”

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

How do you define Pooh’s philosophy?

He sees the world through honey-colored glasses: “The honey pot is not half empty, it is half full. And can I have some more?” He is an optimist that doesn’t allow any negativity to ruin his day. One of my favorite lines of his is “People say that nothing is impossible, but I do nothing all the the time.”

Did you get a chance to work, or even interact with Ewan McGregor and the cast?

Yes, and no. I met everybody, obviously, but I wasn’t on set like I was in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” where I was actually standing outside of the camera frame talking to Bob Hoskins. We did it separately: I recorded all of my lines first, own my own, like a year ago. Then they played the audio on the set, for the actors to have something to listen to. During the animation process, we went back in, refine and even change some of the lines. It was a very creative process, and Marc Forster is amazing. His vision was crystal clear, and a thing of elegant beauty.

Can you talk about your relationship, and your degree of identification with Pooh and Tigger, through the years?

They are emotionally driven characters that represent different personalities: Tigger is “Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!!!” while Pooh has a more serene, Zen approach to life. When people ask me “Are you more like Pooh or Tigger?” my answer is “Yes!”

The film, directed by Marc Forster (All I See Is You, Finding Neverland), stars Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Adrian Scarborough, and the voice talents of Toby Jones, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi, Brad Garrett, and Sophie Okonedo.

CHRISTOPHER ROBIN is now available for Digital Download, Blu-ray & DVD.

An adult Christopher Robin, who is now focused on his new life, work, and family, suddenly meets his old friend Winnie the Pooh, who returns to his unforgotten childhood past to help him return to the Hundred Acre Wood and help find Pooh’s lost friends