You'll Never Guess Which “From Justin to Kelly ”Star Justin Guarini Is Reuniting with on His Next Show

The actor is lending his voice to the Disney Junior favorite 'Superkitties'

Justin Guarini is going from Broadway to burglary.

The American Idol season 1 alumnus is flexing his vocal chops as the voice of Cat Burglar on the Disney cartoon Superkitties, playing the four-legged villain on the run from a fuzzy band of good guys. (The series returns April 5 on Disney Junior and will air on Disney+ this summer.)

"I've loved cartoons all my life," Guarini, 45, tells PEOPLE. "I remember being a young kid and trying to impersonate different characters and sound effects and really loving it. And when the opportunity for a Disney show came along, I jumped at it. It's fun to step into the mindset of this villain who's doing all the wrong things for the right reasons. And I get to sing on top of that."

Singing is what he's best known for, to some: Guarini famously came in second on American Idol season 1 in 2002 behind Kelly Clarkson (they're still in touch).

"There's only so many of us who have gotten to that certain point in the show, and as one of the finalists, all of the weight is on these two people. It's a really unique experience — like a club — and the fact that American Idol continues to turn out some of the most notable people in the entertainment industry is no accident," he says.

Related: Justin Guarini Sings 'Circus' in First Footage from Britney Spears' Broadway Musical (Exclusive)

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"I will forever be grateful to Idol for, not even a foot in the door, but a whole body smashing through the door to get into the entertainment industry," Guarini continues. "In my 23-year career, the foundation of that is based on the opportunity that I was given to stand on that stage and to sing week after week in front of 30 million people. I reflect on it all the time and the feeling is just gratitude."

That feeling carries him through all aspects of his career; Guarini says "what's really interesting is when people come up to me, they either do it because they remember me from Idol, or have seen me on Broadway, or have seen me in television commercials for soft drinks, or come up to me because their kids watch Superkitties. And it's such a wild thing to be known for so many different things to so many people."

Related: The Most Memorable Contestants of 'American Idol': Where Are They Now?

To his kids, it's one part in particular.

"My 12-year-old was telling me the other day how a friend of his always introduces him as, 'Hey, this guy's dad is [Dr. Pepper's] Lil' Sweet,' " he says with a laugh.

Broadway is a community the actor finds "loving and accepting." And it's helped him reunite with longtime friends like Anika Noni Rose, who also voices a Superkitties character (Cousin Sassy) this season and starred with Guarini and Clarkson in their post-Idol film, From Justin to Kelly. 

"I'm excited to work with her," Guarini shares. "And I love the fact that Cat Burglar really exemplifies the fact that it's okay to make mistakes. But my character learns his lesson in the end and always makes sure to apologize. And I hope the kids who are watching recognize that they have that option, too."

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