Sneaks Star Keith David on Teaching "Timeless" Lessons to a New Generation Through Animation

Sneaks star Keith David spoke with The Direct's Russ Milheim about his new animated movie, where he plays a Converse sneaker named O.G.

The movie follows a world where shoes come to life, move around, and socialize when people aren't watching—like toys in Toy Story. The story follows a misguided designer sneaker in NYC who is forcefully taught about life outside of his velvet-lined shoe box after being separated from his pair in an exchange gone wrong.

Sneaks Star Keith Davis on Teaching Timeless Lessons

Davis is a Big Fan of Connecting With New Generations In Fresh Ways

• The Direct: "Conceptually speaking, this movie is kind of like a modern day Toy Story. How do you feel about that comparison, and how did it feel to be able to bring this story and those messages to a whole new audience, and really just a generation of kids?"

Keith David: I mean, how wonderful is that you get to approach another generation with a set of values that are timeless? That's kind of great. I mean, comparisons are always going to be made. You compare it to 'Toy Story.' Someone else compared it to 'Cars.' Soon it will have its own identity to which you will make other comparisons by. But I think it stands on its own.

• The Direct: "I want to talk about your character, O.G. Can you help describe what he has been through as a shoe and what is his perspective on life that's different compared to all the other sneakers around him?"

Keith David: Well, be being an O.G. and actually being one of the originals, because back in those days, Converse was the shoe. I mean, there was also another one called Spalding. You know my father, who was a basketball player, he was a big fan of Spaldings.

But Converse was the shoe. I remember very distinctly getting my first pair of Converses with my mother and the store that we went to on 100 and 3rd Street, and I think they must have cost about 12 bucks. So you come a long way, baby. Nowadays you can't even go into the store for $12

• The Direct: "When it comes to [Sneaks], what would you say is the most surprising challenge you faced at any point during the process, whether that be before the movie started, voice recording afterward?"

Keith David: Anticipating what the final product would be, I guess, I mean, because you know these, especially animation, is always done piecemeal, you do a little here, you do a little there, you hear a little bit here, you hear a little bit there. So I was very anxious to see what it finally all came together by. It's always a wonderful combination. It's always a joy to see everything all put together. It's like, oh, but, and also, in this film, the music is really quite wonderful.

Keith David's Experience With Collecting

The Actor Has a Collection of Lion-Themed Items

• The Direct: "A big part of this film is about collecting, and as someone who's had, you know, a lot of roles you're very popular, you're known by many and so my question to you is, what is your wildest interaction you've ever had with a collector?"

Keith David: As I can think of late, I was just approached by a guy who did a collage of characters that I've played, and he gifted me that poster. And it's really remarkable. So, it became a collector's item for me. But he also, it was a copy, so he kept one for himself. That's a, you know, it was a wonderful gift. It's a wonderful representation of things that I've done. I was like, wow... I'm having it framed at the moment, but I will have it [hanged].

• The Direct: "Is there anything you personally collect yourself?"

Keith David: I have many, many forms [of lions]. [I have them] in the form of rings. I have a lion pendant.

The full interview can be seen here:

Sneaks hits theaters on April 18, 2025.