When you’ve grown up watching Nathan Kress on iCarly, the idea of him voicing Chuck E. Cheese — the literal mouse who ruled all our childhood birthday parties — feels both hilarious and strangely perfect. And according to Nathan, the role might’ve been destiny all along.
“My prep started on my fifth birthday when I went to Chuck E. Cheese,” he laughs, remembering the day he may have booped the mouse himself on the nose. Today, that full-circle moment has turned into one of the actor’s most joyful gigs yet — and one his own kids absolutely adore. “My kids have never been happier or more proud of anything that I’ve ever done than this Christmas special,” he tells Celeb Secrets in a virtual interview.
Streaming Thanksgiving Day on Prime Video and YouTube, A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas is a vibrant, music-filled, 45-minute holiday adventure. In it, Chuck E. and his friends team up to throw Santa a surprise party after the big guy hits major holiday burnout, making it a storyline packed with warmth, laughs, and a surprisingly heartfelt message.
For Nathan, the chance to voice Chuck E. Cheese wasn’t just exciting, it was intimidating. This character is iconic, and he knew fans both young and old would have expectations.
“It was an honor… and kind of intimidating,” he admits. “When I auditioned, it was for two parts: Chuck E. and Jasper. I really liked my version of Jasper… but when I did Chuck E., I was like, ‘I don’t know. I’m not sure if this feels right.’”
In fact, Nathan was so unconvinced he emailed his agent telling them they didn’t have to submit his Chuck E. read if it didn’t feel strong. To his surprise, the directors loved it.
“It turns out that was exactly what they wanted,” he says. “I’m kind of just playing some version of myself. It taught me a very valuable lesson that I have no idea what the people behind a project are really looking for.”
Stepping into the role was no easy task, but the 33-year-old approached it with one goal in mind: don’t imitate, but innovate.
“I almost tried not to prepare too much,” he explains. “The only way to prepare would’ve been to go back and listen to everybody else, and it would be too easy to slip into an impression. They did not want a voice match.”
Instead, he embraced the original energy of the character — something that’s been in his head since childhood— but built a modern, heartfelt version that fits today’s kids and families.
“This is a completely new thing,” he says. “There’s energy and fun and excitement, but there’s also a ton of heart. You don’t get that opportunity in the birthday-party version of Chuck E. Cheese. Here, we get to slow down. We get connections between characters. There’s more range.”
At its core, A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas is about something every family can relate to: holiday burnout.
“The special centers around sort of holiday burnout,” Nathan says. “People going through the motions and being like ‘Okay, it’s Christmas, let’s do the thing.’ You lose sight of what it’s about.”
That’s where Chuck E. steps in. “It’s up to Chuck E. Cheese to remind Santa what Christmas is all about,” he explains. “The human, person-to-person connection. Giving of your time and your talent. Christmas has become so transactional… so I love that this reminds kids that Christmas is about people and our relationships.”
It’s also a message that Nathan believes families really need, especially now. “I think it’s a really poignant message for these days,” he says.
With new original songs from legendary songwriter Jeff Barry and a cast stacked with iconic voice actors —including Grey DeLisle, Nolan North, Fred Tatasciore, Kari Wahlgren, and Michael Gough — this holiday special isn’t just nostalgic… it’s magical. And for Nathan Kress, it’s more than a role. It’s a full-circle moment he gets to share with the next generation.
“It’s been a challenge to bring something so iconic to so many kids’ childhoods to life,” he says, “but it’s just wonderful and delightful to be talking about something like this.”
For more on Nathan Kress and A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas, make sure to watch our full interview below, and don’t forget to let us know if you’re excited to catch the movie by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
