BWW Blog: Bea's NYCC Speed Interviews - James C. Mulligan, Disney Artist

Welcome to Bea's NYCC Speed Interview Series! As I attended New York Comic Con 2021 (October 7-10, 2021), I did a series of short interviews with influential creators. For issue #8, here's a speed interview with James C. Mulligan, an artist for The Walt Disney Company. His paintings are collected by impressive names, including (but not limited to!) Johnny Depp, Roger Daltrey, Neil Patrick Harris, (the late) Hugh Hefner, Chuck Liddel and the Presley family. Before his current work with Disney, he performed in national Broadway tours.

BM: Tell me a little bit about your background in the arts.

JCM: I started out as a musical theatre major. If the show didn't have a chandelier, or a barricade or helicopter, I typically didn't do it because I was born deficient of the dancing gene [laughs]! Then, I went from that into scenic design for theater, and from there I went to the pictorial over at Disney. I've been there for twenty-five years!

JCM: My favorite show is probably Ragtime. I also love Big River! I did Huck in Big River many moons ago, which was just a really special show for me. For something currently on Broadway, I really love Moulin Rouge!! Danny Burstein is a revelation in that show and the set is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen! I love it. Go see it.

BM: So, you were just telling me that you've done some national tours! I'd love to hear about them.

JCM: Yes! Beauty and the Beast, Les Mis, Miss Saigon, Guys and Dolls, Jekyll and Hyde... I've done Les Mis more times than I can remember at this point!

BM: How did you transition from theatre to doing art for Disney?

JCM: I always loved the storytelling involved in scenic design, and it was such a natural thing for Disney to make that movement from scenic design and the storytelling aspects of that into Disney, because Disney is still very theatrical. So, it was a really easy transition for me.

BM: Favorite Disney film?

JCM: My favorite Disney film, and one of the greatest films of all time, is Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

BM: What does art mean to you?

JCM: Art is the means of expression for oneself but also the means to a much broader communication with our outside world, and the humans that we connect with. I think that art is such a neat bridge from the inner self to the outer self, and it's a beautiful way to connect via humor and finding commonality in so many things, which we are really lacking today. When you have communities that create great art, you have a great grace, great peace, and great joy.

BM: What is your goal when you share your art with others?

JCM: Knowing that it brings them joy in the three minutes that they see it; that I help them forget about some really difficult part of their life for those moments. Also, that we have something super in common, because I love what I do and I hope that they do too! I'm always incredibly flattered to find out that people love my work.

BM: Last question: do you have a motto that you live by?

JCM: I really love the idea of living free, and living my life as I as I choose, and allowing others to live their life as they so choose. The idea of personal liberty is something I'm incredibly passionate about.

Find James on Instagram (@mulliganjimmy), Facebook (here), and purchase originals, art prints and commissions at jamescmulligan.com.