Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher And William Antie
Hi Christopher and William, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
In May 1999, Christopher LeePrince Antie and William Antie’s paths crossed at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Our connection deepened quickly, becoming a bond that was unbreakable. Together, we faced the challenges of identity and acceptance head-on. With an embrace of life’s uncertainties, we allowed our shared journey to unfold. We stood united against life’s antagonists, including unsupportive family members and those unwilling to accept our true selves: two gay men in love.
We eventually discovered strength and strategies to overcome life’s hurdles. The lessons learned from our youth through to adulthood were priceless, enabling us to transcend poverty and homelessness and achieve a notable reputation. After more than twenty-five years together, we finally realized our dream. We are affectionately known as “The Real Prince Charmings,” a testament to our steadfast belief in our dreams and our creation of a fairy tale life. Our story is a powerful homage to the strength of belief. We solemnized our partnership in marriage in November of 2020.
Together, we have woven tales of memories and moments, enchanted by the magic of the Walt Disney Company. With over 17 years dedicated to diverse roles spanning theme parks, studios, and the broader company, we have launched new theme parks, realms, and attractions, and made significant contributions to the film and television divisions. Our storytelling journey extended beyond Disney, embracing the enchantment of a young wizard’s world. We furthered our expertise in hospitality with NBCUniversal, inaugurating new lands and attractions, and engaging in various departments including events, operations, food & beverage, and a multitude of film and television endeavors. We are true storytellers and visionaries; we drive for everyone to have respect and to find respect within themselves. Our best advice is to love yourself and the world will love you in return.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Yes and No. We’ve dealt with bullying, restricted laws being made, global judgements, self-identity, acceptance from family and some friends, and in some ways being able to maintain success in an ever-changing society. However, we never stopped creating awareness for the mental health industry. We would use our downfalls as a way to help others overcome the adversities in their own life. We created a foundation that would help anyone needing the assistance, we would help them pay for their help and find them help no matter where they came from in the world. We would speak publicly about laws and of ways to live life, we used our platform to moderate our topics. Our success in this proved to be strengthful and trailblazing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Christopher, a certified Le Cordon Bleu chef and Broadway-style performer with roles in “Clean House,” “CSI: NY,” and “Dirty Sexy Money,” and William, an accomplished musician and actor featured in “Hannah Montana,” “Ghost Whisperer,” and “Miss Guided,” have been dubbed the Prince Charmings of Podcasting by Podcast Magazine in 2020. Our foray into podcasting began in 2019 when, during a visit to an iHeartRadio station in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the station director proposed we tell our extraordinary life story via a podcast. Despite being new to the medium, we rose to the occasion. Within a month, we had crafted a format that expanded our fan base significantly. Our podcast, “What About Our Life?”, gained traction by hosting celebrities for deep, personal conversations, creating an immersive experience for our audience. Our efforts culminated in a global fan base of 850,000, marking our venture a resounding success.
In 2022, We expanded our reach into media events, pride celebrations, and tourist attractions. Our 25th anniversary in 2024 was a significant milestone, featuring expansions into sporting events, red carpet events, the production of a documentary, concert coverage, new entertainment releases, and recognition in the ‘Mirror, Mirror Reflections of America’ exhibit at Disney Parks within the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. We have achieved numerous milestones, especially as the first gay couple to positively represent the LGBTQ+ community, broadcasting from locations not fully accepting of our identity. We are trailblazers in promoting tourism for the LGBTQ+ community in Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and others; and were the first gay couple to broadcast for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Now celebrated as the Prince Charmings of Podcasting, we are renowned Podcast Journalists with a broad coverage spectrum. Our portfolio includes The Oscars©, The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, IAAPA, Dollywood, New Orleans Tourism, Graceland, the Civil Rights Museum, Knoxville Tourism, Sevierville Tourism, Gatlinburg Tourism, Memphis Tourism, Hershey Park, Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World, the Audubon Institute, Kennedy Space Center, Myrtles Plantation, Holiday Matsuri, Atlanta Comic Con, Louisiana Comic Con, House of Mouse Expo, One Magical Weekend, Come Out With Pride, LA Pride, RuPaul’s DragCon LA, Baton Rouge Pride, Johnny Chisholm Presents Pensacola Memorial Day Weekend, among others. We continue to broaden our coverage through our podcast and other media channels. As the Prince Charmings’ influence expands, we remain dedicated to conveying stories that resonate with the wider audience, upholding family values of unconditional love and acceptance for all.
We are strong storytellers and live life like a powerful attorney working hard to create a better life for all. Holding people accountable for their actions is key and expressing the real side of life other than the presumed way of life is how we use our power. We are artists that transcend and create movements out of just doing it, not thinking of other(s) thoughts of how we are or how we should be. We respect life, therefore life in most cases respects us. We believe everyone deserves respect and not judgements, so we push that every day of our life.
What matters most to you? Why?
Happiness. Without happiness it is impossible to live healthy. A diet can help you to lose weight but being unhappy will help you gain it all back. Getting rid of toxic people and environments lead you into happiness, as well as observing all of our options in life. Don’t stay with something because you have to or what someone else thinks is best for you, go with what you think is best for you. Don’t believe everything you hear, verify with a source and then live based off of what you know. Analyzing the signs that faith gives to you. Faith wants us to be happy and to give happiness, so that is our purpose. We tell stories that can move a person or create an emotion that will help a person identify what is wrong in their life. Setting the example of moving on from judgement or opinions is how we showcase ourselves, because sometimes it’s not all of what it seems. We strive to help people respect themselves and find their own purpose in life that will lead them to happiness. Faith has a goal for everyone, we will never know what it is, when it will come, or how we will feel about it, but faith has our back. We will never tell you how to live life, we will only show you how we live life. Ultimately your life decisions are yours and only yours, so take the opportunity for your own personal growth. Everything happens for a reason, and we need to accept that, make people happy and you will find yourself finding the happiness that you knew you needed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chrisandwill.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris.and.will/
- Other: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-what-about-our-life-47038970/
