Brian Stokes Mitchell says fans still constantly remind him about The Prince of Egypt nearly 30 years after the animated classic first premiered.
The award-winning Broadway actor, now 68, provided the singing voice for Jethro in DreamWorks’ 1998 adaptation of the biblical story of Moses. His performance of the song “Through Heaven’s Eyes” has remained one of the film’s most beloved musical moments — something Mitchell says audiences still bring up “all the time.”
Speaking exclusively while attending the opening night of Broadway’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone in April, Mitchell revealed that the song was already standing out during early test screenings of the movie.
“They said that song was the one everybody responded to the most,” he shared, adding that he’s grateful the track continues to resonate with audiences decades later.
The Prince of Egypt featured an all-star voice cast led by Val Kilmer as Moses, alongside Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin and Martin Short.
Mitchell specifically provided the singing voice for Danny Glover’s character, Jethro, while the film itself went on to earn an Academy Award for Best Original Song thanks to “When You Believe,” written by Stephen Schwartz and famously recorded by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey for the movie’s end credits.
Outside of animation, Mitchell has built one of Broadway’s most respected careers, starring in productions including Ragtime, Man of La Mancha, and Kiss Me, Kate, which earned him a Tony Award.
The actor also shared that he hopes to return to the world of playwright August Wilson in a future project. Having previously appeared in King Hedley II, Mitchell described Wilson as “the American Shakespeare,” praising the rhythm, music and poetic quality of his writing.
Mitchell is currently serving as co-producer for the latest Broadway revival of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, directed by Debbie Allen and starring Taraji P. Henson alongside Cedric The Entertainer. The production is scheduled to run through July at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
