Patrick Warburton Admits He 'Never Got into Acting to Do Cartoons,' Now Hopes to ‘Do More Interesting Things’ (Exclusive)

Meredith WilshereSat, March 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC

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Patrick WarburtonCredit: Amanda Edwards/Getty -

Patrick Warburton is always surprised when people talk to him about the impact his projects have had on them

Warburton tells PEOPLE that he now prioritizes meaningful projects and enjoys a slower pace, focusing on family

Warburton’s celebrity golf tournament has raised over $40 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Whether you realize it or not, you likely know Patrick Warburton's voice.

The actor, 61, is best known for his voice acting roles in Family Guy, The Emperor’s New Groove, Bee Movie and The Venture Bros., along with his on-screen acting roles in Seinfeld, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Rules of Engagement.

Even after nearly three decades in the industry, Warburton still finds fan interactions to be “the sweetest thing.”

“Sometimes when you're speaking at a Con and you go sign, people want to take pictures with you, and they're in tears, they're shaking when you’re talking with them. I understand that feeling," he tells PEOPLE. "I don't understand it with somebody who maybe does cartoon voices and acting, but I sure do appreciate it."

“That means so very much to me, because then again, these certain cartoons that they watched a thousand times or grew up with or Disney or this or that have that impact on their lives," he adds. "It's lovely to be on the other end of that. I truly love and adore the responses that you can get from fans as simply a voiceover artist or an actor.”

Patrick WarburtonCredit: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Warburton shares that, most often, people approach him about his work on Family Guy, Seinfeld or The Emperor's New Groove.

“I'm just glad that there are things that I've done that have made an impact. I'm not a movie star. I'm an actor," he says. "I've been fortunate to work for a long time on different things and I'm gonna always feel like I've had a pretty good perspective on that. I'm an actor, I managed to put four kids through college, I've had some nice opportunities."

“I'm glad that a lot of things that I've been on end up being, in some ways, more a part of pop culture, or have this lasting effect, like The Emperor's New Groove," he continues. "Not a big hit when it came out in theaters, but grew throughout the years, probably mostly on DVD, and that's what kids watched."

Warburton notes that he has a particularly strong "relationship and bond with millennials," who "always tell me, ‘I grew up with your voice!' "

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'The Emperor's New Groove'Credit: Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection

“That’s fun, but it’s like a different career because I never got into acting to do cartoons and now I'm probably more known for my voice than anything else,” Warburton says.

Now, he shares, later in his career, he only chooses projects that he really wants to do and doesn’t feel like he’s “running a race" to get ahead. He no longer feels like he has to work to support his family by "doing things I'm not really sure about.”

“I realized the last couple of years, ‘Hey, whatever you're doing, you really don't have to do anymore. You can coast a little bit, play golf, hang out at the beach in Ventura and [be with] your kids and your grandchild,'" he shares. "Then, when a cool, fun project comes around, do it."

“I'd like to do some more interesting stuff, different from what they do with you in the biz. They put you in a category," he says. "They say ‘He's just a big wacky guy from Seinfeld or a curmudgeon on Rules [of Engagement].’ My focus today is to do more interesting things."

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Warburton has expanded beyond acting by hosting The Warburton, a celebrity golf tournament, which takes place from March 12 to March 15 in California. Now in its 16th year, the tournament has raised more than $40 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including $6.4 million last year alone, bringing together Hollywood talent, athletes and business leaders for a multi-day experience that blends entertainment with life-saving impact.

The fundraising, he says, “is all a testament to the love and support of the Coachella Valley.”

“And obviously, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital garnered so much love and support because of everything that they do from every single angle. It's been a fantastic experience for the family," he tells PEOPLE. "Clark Rainey, who's our chairman, works tirelessly. It's wonderful to be a little part of it, a little part of something that supports the greatest hospital in the world.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”