ComingSoon spoke with Sneaks star Keith David about the new animated movie featuring Anthony Mackie and Martin Lawrence. David spoke about his varied voice acting career, his love of shoes, and more. Directed by Rob Edwards and Chris Jenkins, the film is out in theaters nationwide on April 18. 2025.
“Sneaks follows the adventures of Ty, a misguided designer sneaker who doesn’t know life outside the comforts of his velvet-lined shoe box. After his sister is stolen by a shady collector, Ty must venture into NYC to find and rescue her. In his adventure, Ty meets a rag-tag group of footwear friends from all walks of life who help him find the courage to step outside of his shoe box and find his ‘sole-mate,’” says the synopsis.
Tyler Treese: You’re a legendary actor, and I feel like your voice acting is just as legendary as your live-action work at this point. Gargoyles was my favorite show growing up. I’ve loved you in the Saints Row games and Mass Effect. You’ve just been a constant presence in so much entertainment that I love. What’s been most rewarding about having the second lane where you’ve gotten to really reach different audiences with these vocal performances and play everything from aliens to now shoes?
Keith David: As an actor, I think what I want most is to play a variety of people, characters, and to continue doing it. That’s what we wanna do, is work. Every opportunity I have to go to work is an opportunity to bring a little joy into somebody’s life. It doesn’t matter what the genre is because it doesn’t matter if I’m doing a horror movie or a game or a Shakespearean tragedy, somebody’s gonna get some joy out of it because of getting involved in the story. That’s a great gift to my life. That’s what I get to do.
You’re a true entertainer. In Sneaks, you play the OG Shoe. You get a great introduction with the Converse line. You’re the most respected sneaker in the movie. That has to be a pretty cool role to be approached for because they know you bring that gravitas, and the audience really respects you. So what does it mean for you to get sought out to voice OG for this film?
Again, you know, you know, part of the process many times is auditioning for a part. How wonderful it is when somebody knows your work and invites you to the party. So I was pleased and privileged to be invited to the party and all too happy to participate,
You were in The Princess and The Frog, which is a great movie, and that was co-written by Rob Edwards, who co-directed Sneaks. How special was it getting to reunite with Rob on this film?
Very. It was wonderful. When you get to work with your old friends, it’s a great fit. It’s not work anymore. We get to really play, and that’s what we are here for: to play.
Speaking of fits, I always see you dressed really snazzy in a suit and looking fresh all the time. So, I was curious, are you into the sneaker culture much or how familiar were you with that?
Oh, you know, I mean, we all have our sneakers that we keep up with. I was a great Converse guy. That was my first pair. Then, I remember when the Nike Airs came out, I had me a nice pair of Jordans, and I keep up.
I love that you got to play the Converse shoe then. That all worked out.
Exactly. That was a wonderful thing. Again, a gift.
You previously said it wasn’t likely, but fans are dying to know if there’s any of you appearing in the Community movie?
I don’t know where I was quoted as saying that it’s unlikely because that is a lie. I’ve been told when the movie finally does get picked up to go, that I’ll be invited to the party. It hasn’t yet. I understand it’s going to be, when that happens, then we’ll see. But I have not said that I would not do it.
Thanks to Keith David for taking the time to talk about Sneaks.
