|
|
| +
CONTENT/UPDATES |
|
Kent
Williams is the FUNimation voice actor for the 'Supreme Kai' In DragonballZ.
Aswell as sharing his vocal talents as the 'Supreme Kai' he also narrates for
Yu Yu Hakusho.
Id like to thank him for partaking in this interview. Interview conducted by
Darkman. please
do not use.
= Kent Williams
= Darkman
How did you get involved with voice acting?
I've been an actor since I graduated college in 1987
with a BFA from SMU. I've lived and worked in Dallas, Texas since then. I got
started in voiceover work by first signing with a local talent agent who
hooked me up with a firm that dubbed Japanese textbooks and travel guides...so
I got my voiceover start recording the English versions of Japanese middle
school textbooks called NEW HORIZONS. I got connected with FUNi through a
friend of mine who was writing an article on FUNi for a Dallas newspaper. I
was invited to audition, did, and have now signed for another 2 years!
How did you manage to get work on DragonballZ?
When I auditioned, I was auditioning for DBZ characters.
What seems to be the case, is that once you've been signed...you tend to get
yourself cast on other properties or for other characters.
Whats been the highlight of your career?
Hands down...getting to dub for FUNi. My favorite to do
is the part of the narrator on YU YU HAKUSHO. It's the hardest for me to do;
it's very challenging. A close second is having won a 2001 Telly Award for my
puppetry and voice characterization for a children's educational program for
PBS called Jack Houston's Camp AOK. Telly Awards are like the Oscars of Cable,
Video, and non-broadcast works. I beat Sesame Street people!
Whats the most memorable incident thats happened to
you while recording DBZ?
Watching my FIRST fan mail arrive...I was recording in
the booth for YYH, saw someone walking in with a letter, thought, "I wish
I got fan mail", discovered it WAS for me! That was almost 4 weeks
ago...I've learned about Kaoishin's fandom since then. It's a blast!
What do you enjoy most about it?
Well...besides getting to go to the bank...I really love
the challenge. Matching voice flaps is HARD! Producing new and unusual
character voices that directors, fellow actors, and fans like is GREAT! I also
very much enjoy the interaction with the FUNi production staff...there's a lot
of terrific and talente folks up there...I feel priveleged to work with/for
them.
What are your interests outside of voice acting?
I work in the arts full time. I teach Shakespeare,
Japanese kabuki theatre, puppetry, improvisation, stunt fighting, and
playwriting for the Dallas Chapter of a national non-profit called Young
Audiences. I've worked as a stage actor for 14 years here in Dallas and have
served as an arts administrator for a few non-profit theatres. Honestly...most
of my time is taken up with teaching some kind of theatre! I also have a
10-year-old daughter. We do a lot of nature related things together. She's
kind of over the fact that her dad's a voice actor for a national anime
feature...oh, well.
Whats the one show you would most love to do voice
acting on?
Actually...I'd LOVE to do voices for an ORIGINAL
cartoon. Dubbing is fun...but it's no cash cow. The folks voice original
cartoons like Spongebob, Butt Ugly, and PowerPuff are the one's making a
living at it...not us! High profile...but much less pay than what most folks
think. But don't get me wrong...I'm not bitter...I'm VERY pleased to have the
work!
What person/s has been the biggest inspiration in
your life?
Hard to say...I'd actually have to make something up to
answer that one properly! Whomever I cited would not be within the
arts/entertainment industry, though...probably someone in my family. I'm very
respectful of my brother. He is a Captain with the Texas Air National
Guard...a flight navigator. I'm really proud of him. Especially with the world
climate as it is now...and will undoubtedly continue to be...I have a great
deal of respect for his civil service! Yeah...my brother, Keith.
What is a day in the life like of you?
Weird for most everyone else who has routines...normal
for me. I might be teaching kindergarteners puppetry in the morning, teaching
kabuki to middle schoolers in the afternoon, and working with incarcerated
teenagers going through detox in the latter part of the day. Throw in some
fathering and some trips to the FUNi sound booth and there you have it.
Yu Yu Hakusho has yet to be screened in the UK. When
and if it eventually does air here, what can UK anime fans expect from it?
I honestly don't know! It's still so new to those of us
at FUNi...I've only been with it since last summer, and I'm still learning
about the show and falling in love with it. I think if you like animation and
the supernatural... and the X-Files...I'm certain you'll get a blast out of Yu
Yu! As well, FUNi doesn't have overseas rights to my knowledge...I believe
that's handled by the Oceans Group out of Vancouver, BC.
A member of the pop group S Club 7 was once asked by
a fan if he could have one of her eyelashes. Has anything weird like that
happened to you?
Thankfully, no...
Whats your favourite anime?
Speed Racer
Whos your favourite DBZ character and why?
I'm partial to Tien...he's so underrated. Wouldn't you
like to have 3 eyes?!
A few female DBZ fans ive spoken to think the the
Supreme kai has a sexy voice, do you ever get asked by girls to recite lines
of his while walking down the street?
I'm truly baffled by this phenomenon...! I don't look at
that infantile guy and think sexy...no matter WHAT voice is coming out of it!
And honestly...no one knows a voice actor by sight. I have to beat no-one
away...(sniff). I get asked to send personal audio messages...but I'm
forbidden, contractually.
|
|
|
|
|
