Call Me Walt: Intimate Portrait of Disney’s Founder Extended at the Apollo Theatre

Forget fireworks and parades: from October 15, 2025, to March 25, 2026, the Apollo Theatre (Paris 11th arrondissement) will take you behind the scenes of the legendary Walt Disney with Call Me Walt, a play written and directed by Julien Baptist. Here, Mickey’s ears are set aside as the focus shifts to the man behind the legend—in all his facets: son, brother, husband, father… the man who built an empire, yet whose private life remains largely unknown.

Synopsis: You know his name? You know his work? But who was Walt Disney? Who was the genius creator of that universe where our childhood would be forever protected. Enter into the intimacy of the Disney family, for whom Walt was a son, a brother, a husband and a father, confronted with those he inspired and sometimes also upset. Between heritage and creation, memory and illusion, it's time to take stock. To realize your dreams, what do you have to give up? Embark on this all-new show that reveals the invisible side of the man we called Walt!

Behind the scenes, Julien Baptist knows the Disney universe like the back of his hand: former artistic director of events and commercial products at Disneyland Paris, he orchestrated the park's Halloween parties. He also directed L'Éveil du Printemps (2011), Les Triplettes de Belleville : Go Ouest (2014), De Dieux et de Monstres (2016) and Kinky Boots (2018). For this project, he is joined by Christopher Lopez(Kinky Boots, Trophées de la Comédie Musicale), with casting by Patrick Mazet.

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The cast includes Julien Baptist as Walt Disney, Emmanuelle Boidron as Lilian Disney, Walt's wife, Sébastien Chartier as Ub Iwerks, Walt's favorite designer, Bruno Hausler and Aubert Fenoy as Roy Disney, Walt's brother, Léana Montana as Diane Disney, Walt's daughter, and Richard Darbois as the iconic French voice of Harrison Ford and Richard Gere in a mysterious role.

Appelez-Moi Walt promises to focus more on the man than on his successes. A 1h30 Divertee production to lift the veil on the man behind the magic.

Our review:

Finally! After years of waiting and some twists and turns, Julien Baptist and his talented cast take on the daring challenge of bringing back Walt Disney, the man behind the myth—who built an empire on swamps… and crazy ideas! The result? Hilarious, touching, enlightening, and deeply human.

The set design, minimal yet evocative, puts the spotlight entirely on the actors. And what actors! Each embodies their role with stunning authenticity, driven by a generous energy that blurs the line between reality and fiction. Watching them, we almost become voyeurs into this family’s world—witnessing marital and professional disputes, moments of doubt, tenderness, and triumphs… everything feels undeniably real.

Julien Baptist delivers a masterful portrayal of Walt, revealing all the facets of this complex figure: visionary, charming, sometimes authoritarian—yet always fueled by a burning passion. Around him, a close-knit, loving family makes every scene resonate, especially with his daughter Diane’s heartfelt moments. The play also knows how to make us smile, from the delightfully biting satire of Snow White to the legendary flashback to Mickey’s creation, a moment that elicits smiles from the entire audience.

We savor the generosity and sincerity in the acting and staging. And behind the magic, a lingering question remains: to achieve his dreams, does one have to pay a price?

As we leave, that sweet flavor of dreams mixed with truth stays with us—Call me Walt takes us behind the scenes of creation, where fairy dust meets the sweat of genius. An ode to passion, dreams, and self-belief.