# John DiMaggio
**John DiMaggio** (full name John William DiMaggio) is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, and producer from North Plainfield, New Jersey, born in 1968. He is best known for voicing Bender in *Futurama*, [Jake the Dog](https://www.edgepedia.org/jake-the-dog) in *Adventure Time*, and Marcus Fenix in the *Gears of War* video game series.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266) • [3](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/john-dimaggio-interview-vroom-vroom-audible-adventure-time-disen/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968, North Plainfield, New Jersey, United States[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266) |
| Signature roles | Bender in *Futurama* (1999–2026, 165 episodes), Jake the Dog in *Adventure Time*, Marcus Fenix in *Gears of War*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/fullcredits) • [3](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/john-dimaggio-interview-vroom-vroom-audible-adventure-time-disen/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266) |
| Major award | Annie Award, 2001, Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Male Performer in an Animated Television Production, for Bender in the *Futurama* episode "Bendless Love"[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/) |
| Video game work | 208 credits on 123 games per MobyGames, including Destiny 2's Banshee-44 and Final Fantasy X's Wakka and Kimahri Ronso[6](https://www.mobygames.com/person/55680/john-dimaggio/credits/) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) |
| Awards total | 18 wins and 21 nominations listed by IMDb[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/) |
## Early career
DiMaggio's first job in show business was as part of a comic duo known as "Red Jonny and the Round Guy," and he later performed his stand-up comedy routine at Harlem's Apollo Theater.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266) His early screen work mixed live action and voice roles: he played Dr. Sean Underhill in a recurring role on *Chicago Hope* (CBS, 1996–97), voiced characters in HBO's *Spawn* animated series (1997–99), and appeared in episodes of *Law & Order*, *NYPD Blue*, and *ER*.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968)
## Bender and Futurama
DiMaggio began voicing the robot Bender Bending Rodriguez when *Futurama* premiered on Fox in 1999, and continued in the role through the show's later revivals; IMDb credits him as Bender, Sal, Elzar, and other characters across 165 episodes from 1999 to 2026.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/fullcredits) He has described Bender's voice as based on the actor [Slim Pickens](https://www.edgepedia.org/slim-pickens) in *Blazing Saddles* combined with a college friend who did impressions of an old man who liked sausage.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266) An analysis in the International Journal of Research and [Innovation](https://www.edgepedia.org/innovation) in Applied Science notes that he uses a gravelly pitch and varied pacing to enhance the robot's rebellious and chaotic nature.[7](https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/DigitalLibrary/volume-10-issue-8/1866-1875.pdf) The role won him the 2001 Annie Award for voice acting as Bender in the episode "Bendless Love."[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/)
## Animation roles
Beyond *Futurama*, DiMaggio has voiced a long list of characters across animated television. Encyclopedia.com credits him as Hak Foo in *Jackie Chan Adventures* (2001–05), Dr. Drakken in Disney's *Kim Possible* (2002 onward), [General Grievous](https://www.edgepedia.org/general-grievous) in *Star Wars: Clone Wars* (from 2003), and Fu Dog in *American Dragon: Jake Long* (2005 onward), along with the Scotsman in *Samurai Jack* and [Brother Blood](https://www.edgepedia.org/brother-blood) in *Teen Titans*.[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) As Jake the Dog, the shape-shifting companion of Finn in [Cartoon Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/cartoon-network)'s *Adventure Time* (2010–2018), he voiced one of the series' two lead characters; *The Week* describes Jake as able to bend and twist his body into anything from a brick house to a "Gut Grinder."[3](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/john-dimaggio-interview-vroom-vroom-audible-adventure-time-disen/) • [8](https://theweek.com/culture-life/tv-radio/best-animated-series-for-adults) He also voices Rico in the Madagascar films and their spin-off *The Penguins of Madagascar*, a performance that earned a 2009 Kids' Choice Blimp Award for Best Burp.[9](https://www.apgicl.com/public/files/assets/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/6599a349-5cb9-4d7c-9076-47a5de692030.pdf) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/) More recent television credits include *Teen Titans Go!* (Brother Blood and other characters, 2013–2026), *Krapopolis*, *Disenchantment*, *The Loud House*, *Rick and Morty*, and *The Simpsons*, where he appeared as Bender in the 2005 episode "Future-Drama" and in later guest roles.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/fullcredits) • [1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) • [10](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/credits/3060123266/)
## Video games
DiMaggio's game work is extensive: MobyGames lists 208 credits on 123 games.[6](https://www.mobygames.com/person/55680/john-dimaggio/credits/) He has voiced Marcus Fenix throughout the *Gears of War* series, including *Gears of War: Reloaded* (2025) and the upcoming *Gears of War: E-Day* (2026).[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266) • [6](https://www.mobygames.com/person/55680/john-dimaggio/credits/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/fullcredits) Other roles include Wakka and Kimahri Ronso in the English version of *Final Fantasy X* and *Final Fantasy X-2*, Smiling Jack in *Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines* (2004), [Juggernaut](https://www.edgepedia.org/juggernaut) in the *X-Men Legends* games, and Banshee-44 in *Destiny 2* expansions from *The Witch Queen* (2022) through *The Edge of Fate* (2025).[1](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968) • [6](https://www.mobygames.com/person/55680/john-dimaggio/credits/) He won a 2019 NAVGTR Award for Performance in a Comedy, Lead, for *Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion*.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/)
## I Know That Voice and advocacy
In 2013 DiMaggio served as executive producer and narrator of *I Know That Voice*, a documentary on voice acting made with producer Tommy Reid and director [Lawrence Shapiro](https://www.edgepedia.org/lawrence-shapiro); the documentary was later developed into a television series with installments focusing on individual voice actors.[11](https://www.avclub.com/adventure-time-s-john-dimaggio-on-how-he-got-his-start-1798674470) He is described in fan and industry discussion as an advocate for the voice acting industry, and he is a skilled beatboxer who sometimes showcases the talent in his voice work.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266)
## Recognition
IMDb lists 18 wins and 21 nominations for DiMaggio, including the 2001 Annie Award, multiple Behind the Voice Actors ensemble awards shared with the casts of *Futurama* and *Samurai Jack*, and the 2009 Blimp Award.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/) A career retrospective published in an academic-adjacent review describes him as an iconic voice in animated entertainment with a career spanning more than two decades.[9](https://www.apgicl.com/public/files/assets/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/6599a349-5cb9-4d7c-9076-47a5de692030.pdf)
## References
1. [Di Maggio, John 1968– , Encyclopedia.com (Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television)](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/di-maggio-john-1968)
2. [John DiMaggio Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/bio/3060123266)
3. [John DiMaggio Talks New Audible Series Vroom, Vroom, Adventure Time, Disenchantment, and Futurama, ComicBook.com](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/john-dimaggio-interview-vroom-vroom-audible-adventure-time-disen/)
4. [John DiMaggio, IMDb full credits](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/fullcredits)
5. [John DiMaggio, IMDb Awards](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0224007/awards/)
6. [John DiMaggio, Video Game Credits, MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/person/55680/john-dimaggio/credits/)
7. [International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science, Vol. 10, Issue 8](https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/DigitalLibrary/volume-10-issue-8/1866-1875.pdf)
8. [The 9 best animated series for adults, The Week](https://theweek.com/culture-life/tv-radio/best-animated-series-for-adults)
9. [Academic journal review example, APGICL PDF](https://www.apgicl.com/public/files/assets/ckeditor/kcfinder/upload/files/6599a349-5cb9-4d7c-9076-47a5de692030.pdf)
10. [John DiMaggio List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/john-dimaggio/credits/3060123266/)
11. [Adventure Time's John DiMaggio on how he got his start in voice acting, The A.V. Club](https://www.avclub.com/adventure-time-s-john-dimaggio-on-how-he-got-his-start-1798674470)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Voice performers › American voice performers › Animation and cartoon voice actors › Contemporary animation voice actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license