North American VA Update - Spring 2011 (Part 1)

Hi there, readers! Here are some updates about the English language voice actors before I head off to Sakura Con later this week.

Liza Balkan will be directing "Dustings" (which she also created) at the Canadian Stage Festival of Ideas & Creation. The festival runs from May 9-21 with most events being free and open to the public. Fans can catch "Dustings" on Saturday, May 21st at 6:30 p.m. at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto. It is described as "The dust we collect. The dust we let go of. The dust we hold on to. These are excerpts of a larger project in development by creator/director Liza Balkan and Composer Glenn James. The entry point for this particular excerpt is familial flotsam and jetsam and the rest is… history." (from CanadianStage.com)

Spyburbia is a new TV series about a team of spies posing as an ordinary family. The animated series is currently in pre-production. It features Susan Roman (Sailor Jupiter) as the voice of Mom and Vince Corazza (Alan/ Tuxedo Mask #3) as the voice of Jay-R.

Tony Daniels (Jedite/Wiseman) plays Fred in the animated series Stella and Sam, which premiered in January. The series is about "Stella, the irrepressible redhead, and her slightly apprehensive little brother [who] take on the wonders of the world and explore the endearing, intimate scenes of young childhood."(description from IMDb)

Stephanie Beard (Rini #2) has been busy! She appeared in an episode of Darla, a satirical web show, as a "Stacey" (the type of woman that Darla considers unusually cruel and self-centred). The series is about a nerd named Darla who is a serial killer that takes out annoying females in her neighbourhood (description from IMDb). Fans can catch the episode featuring Stephanie here.

50/50 now has a release date of September 30th, 2011. Stephanie plays a character named Susan in this film that we previously reported was titled Live With It. 50/50 is "a comedic account of a 27-year-old guy's cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease." (description from IMDb)

Stag, a film is set to release on September 25th, 2011 is about a man named Ken Andrews who has been responsible for elaborate hazing pranks at all of his buddies' stags. Now the time has come for Ken's stag and he nervously awaits the payback. Stephanie Beard (Rini #2) will be appearing as Mary and Tracey Hoyt (Rini #1) will be appearing as Biker Chris.

Sabrina Grdevich (Anne/Lizzy/Sailor Pluto #1) appeared in an episode of The Listener as Sarah Mirtschin. The season premiere episode, titled "Lady in the Lake" aired on February 8th. She also appeared in two episodes of the new teen series Skins as Renée: "Tony," the premiere episode, and "Eura/Everyone," which was episode 10. The series is about a group of teenagers in Baltimore.

Julie Lemieux (Sammy) joins some of her former castmates in The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That. She appeared in recent episodes as Ziggy, Clarabelle, Grayson's Mom, and other characters.

Dennis Akiyama (Malachite) appears in She's the Mayor as Mr. Lee, a Korean former spy who guards the mayor, Iris, with his life. The series is about Iris, a 64 year old former principal, who runs for office and surprisingly wins. More details about the show are on the official website.

You can also see a short clip of Dennis as Mr. Lee below:

We now have more details for a couple of David Huband's (Serena's Dad) upcoming films. We previously reported that he will be appearing in Running Mates, as Father McDonough and in Dream House, as officer Nelson. Running Mates is set to release this year (no confirmed date yet) and is about two best friends who run against each other for mayor of their home town. Dream House is about "a family who learns of a brutal crime committed against former residents of their new, seemingly idyllic home" (description from IMDb) and is set to premiere on September 30th. David has also made some recent television appearances. He played The Ghost/Joshua Crane in episode 10 of InSecurity, a Canadian comedy about a group of spies. He also played a judge in an episode of Republic of Doyle, called "Don't Gamble with City Hall," which was episode 11 of season 2. The Canadian series is about Jake Doyle and his father, who run a P. I. agency in St. John's, Newfoundland.

David Fraser (Grandpa Hino) appears in the comedic series Papillion as Cal, who seems to be a primary character. No description or premiere date available for this series yet, but we will provide more details when possible.

Moon Chase Presents: An Interview With Susan Roman! Part 2

Here comes Part Two of our exciting interview with Susan Roman! Read on Moonies for more on Sailor Jupiter and many shows before and after Sailor Moon! Many of our older Moonies may also gain a greater appreciation for some older cartoons from the 80s and 90s which Susan was a part of after reading this!

MC: At this event in Japan, the results of a poll asking fans of their 5 favorite episodes were revealed – and the 5th favorite episode just happened to be the first one that your character showed up in! What do you think made this episode so special and so loved?

SR: I think it has to do with the unexpected. It's the surprise of seeing such a FEISTY girl, rocketing onto the screen, no holds barred, ready to just be herself and do some serious business. And I think it's also a bit of a surprise to see a teenage female character with such obvious anger-management issues. That's kind of unusual. And, in the end of all, she did try to keep her temper under control – which is something a lot of people could identify with.

MC (and everyone else): Would you reprise your role as Sailor Jupiter if the last season were to be dubbed or the entire series were to be re-dubbed?
Jigglypuff2cute: if the fifth season of sailor moon comes to the US will you still do her voice? and do you think they should just put the last season as pg 13 cause of the certain things in it? i mean if they try to keep the last season ( if they decide to air in it US) rated for kids, it just wont be the same and there will be A LOT of confusion from all the cutting out parts. i know i was kinda confused when i saw the sailor scouts first die. i didnt even know they were dead untill i saw the ghosts giving princess serinity power. same as with sailor moon and tuxedo mask but tha wasnt untill i decided to watch it in japanese.

SR: I would definitely do Sailor Jupiter again – I really miss her! I'm not familiar with what happened in the story line after we did our very last session – actually, it all ended kind of abruptly. We were told that there would be more episodes coming down the line, but nothing ever happened. That was absolutely baffling to us – how could something SO popular not continue on to the very end? I never understood what happened there. I don't know that anyone understands what happened there!

MC: Some places are reporting that you played some additional voices in the Super Mario Brothers 3 cartoon. One of our staff members has seen you in the credits but we can’t figure out who you played – who did you play in the show and had you played any of the Mario games or found ways to familiarize yourself with the characters before you started recording?

SR:You know – that’s completely not ringing a bell with me...

MC: You were one of the few (possibly only) actress to be involved with both the 1980s Care Bears series as well as the CGI movies Journey to Joke-a-Lot and Big Wish Movie. To you, how do you think the Bears have changed since the 80s, and how did it feel to come back to “Care-a-Lot” after a long time?

SR:I got a HUGE kick out of that. I don’t know if there were quite so many care bears in the actual series as there were in the films – they seemed to multiply by the minute – but I absolutely loved the diversity they provided. Each bear had his or her own special characteristics and of course, the more characteristics that were explored, the more kids would be able to identify with them.

MC: While we’re talking about the 80s, remember Strawberry Shortcake? All the Berrykins were looked up to by many girls of that time (including a very young me!), and this show has also experienced another revival in recent years. What do you think made Strawberry Shortcake special to girls of that time and do you think that a new generation can appreciate the show?

SR:I’m so glad you brought up Strawberry Shortcake – I’m pretty sure that it was one of the first cartoons I ever did, so it has a soft spot in my heart. It has to be one of the kindest, gentlest cartoons on the planet and I thought it was brilliant. I actually had no idea that it was so popular – I’m so glad to hear that! Maybe it struck a chord with so many people because, in a way, it was like Care Bears. You got to choose the Berrykin (or care bear) you liked the most or who you related to the most (or maybe who you thought was the most like you) and you felt a sense of kinship, of friendship. Being able to identify and cherish some of your own special qualities is unbelievably important when you’re growing up.

There was another sweet and gentle cartoon that I did during that time period called Herself the Elf. (Isn’t that the greatest title?) One of the episodes had the most beautiful opening song, written and sung by Judy Collins. If you ever get a chance to track it down, you should, just so you can listen to that song. It was really special...

Editor's Note: Finding images of these old 80's characters are bringing back memories! Yes, I remember this, and for our Moonies wanting to watch this, here's Judy Collins' theme song. Sadly, can't find any episodes!


MC: With all those sweet names of the characters you played in Strawberry Shortcake (Blueberry Muffin and Crepe Suzette), was it difficult to not eat the baking that they were named after during your time working on it?

SR: Oh, that’s funny! I honestly don’t think I’d know a Crepe Suzette if I fell over one, but I’ve sure eaten my share of blueberry muffins – THE best muffin flavor in the world...

MC: Also in 1983, Nelvana produced their first full-length animated feature, Rock and Rule. You had a lead role in this movie playing Angel, and your character’s singing voice was Debbie Harry of Blondie fame! What was this experience like for you? Did you get to meet Debbie Harry at all during production?

SR: Now that was exciting! To be involved in a project that went into completely uncharted territory – a full-length animated film! Wow. And I don’t know if you’ve ever listened to Rock & Rule’s music track, but it’s got to be one of the best out there – and so far ahead of its time. It’s funny – I remember that I wasn’t included in the first round of auditions for Rock & Rule because all I’d done by that point was little girl voices, and they didn’t think for one minute that someone who sounded like Blueberry Muffin could sound like Debbie Harry. Which made total sense.

But then they had a second and third round of auditions, and a production coordinator named Arlene suggested my name - because she’d heard me talking in my normal voice, between takes, when I was doing an episode of Strawberry Shortcake. Isn’t that unbelievable? So, I think I was the very last person in the city to read for that part.

And I never once got to meet Debbie Harry – sigh.

MC: The Raccoons was also a big hit back then and is probably still being watched by many children who have grown up now on Teletoon Retro! The show had a lot of messages about environmental conservation and how big business works sometimes against nature. What do you think made this show such a big hit back then and now that we are living in times that are not so different than they were back then, do you think that the show can appeal to a new generation?

SR: I think that The Raccoons is timeless, and the messages it conveyed were right on the money, weren’t they? On the other hand, maybe it was so successful because they didn’t bang you over the head with environmental issues – those issues were slipped in with a velvet hammer. The point was made in a gentle way, in a way that was accessible – no matter how old you were when you were watching.

MC: Do you have any favorite memories of Melissa Raccoon?

SR: Well, because I replaced another actress (who’d moved to LA, I believe) it was a bit stressful at first. I was concentrating way more on sounding like her than just about anything else. (In those days, it was a BIG No-No to change the way an established character sounded in the middle of a series. I guess it doesn’t seem to bother people as much as it did back then...)

But after a while, I started to feel more comfortable with what I was doing and just had fun with it. I really liked Melissa Raccoon, and I tried to make her as honest and down-to-earth as possible. The Raccoons was a WONDERFUL project to work on. Everyone involved was so supportive and kind.

MC: When playing Snowy in the much-loved TinTin series, how did you try to add personality to his barks?

SR: Oh, that was such a fun cartoon! It seemed that Snowy was ALWAYS tumbling over waterfalls or falling out of boats or basically drowning in some way or another, so I used to bring a big glass of water in the booth with me and gargle it at the back of my throat – at the same time that I was trying to bark for help. Of course, I nearly choked myself to death, but I think it made everything sound a lot more real.

Did you know that, in the very beginning of the project, Snowy was supposed to actually talk? When I auditioned for the part, there was tons of dialogue for him, and it was only when I was leaving the booth that they asked if I could lay down “a few barks.”

Uh oh. Note to self: I guess I should have practiced BARKING before I got there.

So I turned away from the mic and did a tiny little practice bark, and it didn’t sound too bad – so I just went for it. Barked up a storm, feeling like an idiot – but you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do...

And doing that show turned out to be one of my absolute FAVOURITE experiences of all.

MC: In 2011, a 3-D motion capture TinTin film is set to be released starring Jamie Bell, Simon Pegg, and Daniel Craig (better known as the current James Bond). What we have been noticing at a lot of the licensing conventions that Sailor Moon has been showcased at, is that the trend among many media companies is to revive old tried, tested, and true properties. We think this might be the case here – what do you think of the idea of bringing TinTin in 3-D?

SR: It’s always good when a great idea, a great concept, is resurrected and made more current. I wish them all the luck in the world. And I love the idea that these projects can live on and on, in whatever format.

MC: Do you think you will go see TinTin when it comes out?

SR: Well, I’d love to hear what Snowy sounds like!

MC: Sailor Jupiter is a popular character that first lived in manga (Japanese comics), but you have also played Callisto and the Scarlet Witch from X-Men. What was it like playing these characters from the page to the screen? Did you read any of the X-Men comics at all?

SR: You know – this is why you can’t trust everything you read on the internet. I absolutely did not do the voices of either Callisto or the Scarlet Witch, and I sure wish I could say that I did. I just listened back to a clip from each episode, and both women’s voices are so very different from mine that it’s hard to believe that no one’s picked up on it. I did do Moonstone in The Avengers.

Editor's Note: Watch this episode of the Avengers (Part 1 & Part 2)!

MC: When coming up with the voice of James in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, how much did the old series on PBS influence how you portrayed the voice? Or did you come up with something completely different?

SR: I’d never seen the old series on PBS so there wasn’t any influence there at all. It was all visual. I just looked at his facial expressions (and listened to what the director had to say, of course) and took it from there. That was a very nice project, by the way – very easy-going and a lot of fun.

MC: Bakugan and Beyblade are really huge hits with the younger kids right now with all the additional toy and video games that accompany the series. Does the rising phenomenon of these two shows compare to Sailor Moon?

SR: Well, they’re following in the footsteps, but I don’t know that anything out there can compare to the Sailor Moon phenomenon, which seemed to strike a chord on a more emotional level. Beyblade and Bakugan are way more action/competition-oriented, which suits their audience to a tee.

MC: Some of our readers are big Mega Man fans! How was recording a character’s voice for a video game different from recording a character’s voice for a cartoon? Did you ever play any of the games?

SR: No, I never did because I knew I’d end up being far too critical of myself to really enjoy the game. Sometimes, when you listen to things back, you say to yourself, “Oh man, I should have read that line differently – what was I thinking?” And recording it was exactly the same as recording for a cartoon, except that you had to do the same scene over and over again - with different outcomes – all dependent on how well the player was navigating the game.

MC (and Zozonae): Of all of your roles in cartoons, which character has been your favorite to play and why?

SR: Well, Sailor Jupiter would have to be right up there at the top. And I’m glad that you mentioned Strawberry Shortcake – in one episode, I played the Berry Princess and I just LOVED doing that. I mean, who doesn’t want to be a princess every once in a while? I also loved playing Eddie Storkowitz in Birdz, and it was so disappointing that the series never really got off the ground. It was such a funny little cartoon, with an absolutely brilliant cast. And the same thing goes for another funny little cartoon called Weird Years, where I got to play the wizened old grandmother, Zozo – which was a HUGE stretch for me and probably the most fun I’ve had in years. (By the way, on another website it incorrectly states that I played Nadia. I wonder how all these mistakes can be fixed?)

But my absolute favourite would have to be Snowy in Tin Tin.

MC: We have a mystery to solve – there was a recent animated movie that was released to DVD late last year called Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. You were rumored to be in it – so I rented it, and even though the movie was very good you were nowhere to be spotted! For the official record, did you really play the Silver Banshee in this one? If yes, how did you record the wails and how did you think you sounded digitized?

SR: Nope. That wasn’t me. Unless I was sleepwalking or something...

MC: And also on the rumor patrol, do you have a role in Rudolph and his New Friend Frosty? It was rumored that Linda Ballantyne (the third actress to play Sailor Moon) was to be a part of this, but we learned from an earlier interview with her that she was not in it. If you are, are you excited to be working with Ringo Starr?

SR: I think it would be TERRIFIC to work with Ringo Starr – but I don’t have anything to do with that project.

Editor's Note: Since the project never aired on TV over the Christmas season, we believe that this project doesn't even exist.

MC: A really long time ago you used to teach through Voiceworx – what was this experience like and do you have any inspiring stories from the classroom?

SR: It’s always fun to get together with actors (and there were a few regular citizens in the classes, too) who want to try their hand at becoming voice actors. My job was to try and impart whatever knowledge I had and, hopefully, to boost people’s confidence levels. Animation can be a bit intimidating at first and sometimes, people have to learn to come out of their shells. I really enjoy teaching – and I especially enjoy helping people connect to all the characters that are hiding away inside, just waiting to find the light.

The thing that’s the most difficult is being consistent. It’s easy to come up with a great voice for two or three lines of dialogue, but when you have to contend with an entire script, when you’ve got a hundred or more lines to say, you’ve really got to keep your wits about you.

MC: Any upcoming productions that fans will be able to catch you in soon?

SR: Actually, I have a big audition this afternoon and I’ve been working on it for the last couple of days – so wish me luck!

MC: Once again, thanks again Susan for this opportunity and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

SR: Well, there’s my lucky wish right there!! You’re so welcome – and I hope that your website continues to attract fans from all over the world. You’ve really done a FANTASTIC job with it!

Sail on......

Susan

Thanks again to Susan for this amazing opportunity, and we will continue to strive for our best to bring everything we can to the fans around the Sailor Moon world!

Moon Chase Presents: An Interview With Susan Roman! Part 1

Hey Moonies! Here comes our exclusive interview with Susan Roman (Sailor Jupiter). This interview was so long that we have decided to post it in two parts! We think that you will all enjoy what she has to say about her roles in Sailor Moon and beyond! Once again, thanks to Susan Roman for allowing us to interview her, and also for permission to use this new official photo!

MC: Hi Susan! Thanks for allowing us to interview you – how is your summer going?

SR: First of all, I'm SO sorry that it's taken me this long to get back to you. I worked on the questions for about three or four hours when I first received them and, for some reason (ARRGGGHHHH!) – nothing got saved. The next day, everything I'd written had vanished into thin air and it kind of took the wind out of my sails…

Biggest storm of the winter coming in today – and how I wish it WERE summer!

MC: So let's get started where you started – how did you get into acting?

SR: For as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be an actress. When I was seventeen, after I'd graduated from high school, I enrolled in the pre-university theatre arts program at Dawson College in Montreal. Soon after that, Dawson started an actual theatre school at The Dome Theatre in St Henri, and I was part of the first graduating class.

When I was in my second year at The Dome, I auditioned for the National Theatre School because to be accepted at NTS had always been such a HUGE dream of mine. I was accepted, but later found out that I wouldn't be allowed to work professionally while I was a student there. It was the hardest decision of my life – but I decided not to go. And I've never regretted it. I did quite a lot of television work when I was in my third year at The Dome and it was really nice to be able to pay some bills!

MC: One of your first productions were an older Canadian TV series called the Newcomers that featured legendary Canadian Alice Munro at the helm. What was it like to work with such a huge figure in Canada at the start of your career?

SR: By the time we shot the episode I was in, Ms Munro had done her work and was long gone from the scene. In fact, I'd completely forgotten that she was involved in the project – so thanks for reminding me!

MC: What was it like voicing your first ever cartoon character after some experience doing on-camera acting?

SR: It was exactly the same as working in front of a camera – except that there was nobody watching you, which I kind of liked. I've always found cartoon work easier than, say, reading commercial copy. Doing animation allows your imagination to run free. It's all about colour and character and nuance, and trying to create a three-dimensional, believable persona. I love the old Oxford dictionary definition of "to animate" –

To breathe life into; to enliven, to inspire, to inspirit.

That says it all.


Esahc: For someone who been voice acting for so long, what is it about voice acting that makes you stay as a voice actor?

SR: The freedom to be creative, to be part of a team, to really let your imagination fly. It's also very rewarding. I remember when I went to the launch party for Tin Tin. I met a 12 year-old boy who said that he'd been reading the comic books all his life and that he knew exactly how Snowy would sound when he barked – he could hear it in his head. And when I told him that I'd played Snowy, he smiled and gave me a HUGE high five. And you know, his opinion was way more important to me than whatever any of the critics said.

MC: Now it's time to talk Sailor Moon! This year marks the 15th anniversary of the show – what was the casting call and audition like for you back then?

SR: It was a typical casting call, with about eight million actors in the room waiting to go in. I have this theory about auditions: you go in, you do your best, and then you go home and FORGET about it. If you keep thinking about whether or not you got the part or whether or not you did the right read, you'll make yourself crazy. I seriously don't remember 99% of my auditions – which is probably why I'm still vaguely sane.

Corey: Was Sailor Jupiter the only role you auditioned for or played in the series?

SR: Well of course, we ALL wanted to be Sailor Moon! I probably read for every single female part, but I remember thinking that, of all of them, the one I liked the most and the one I gravitated to the most was Sailor Jupiter. In the breakdown, it said that her favourite colour was green and that she loved horses – and I thought, "That's my girl!!"

MC: Lita's voice in the English version is a lot more tomboyish than her original Japanese voice. Your take on her voice really fit her personality well! How did you come up with the right voice for her?
Sparkling Blue: How did you create the voice for Jupiter?
Taylor: Sailor Jupiter is so complex. How did you approach a character who is such a tomboy but who also loves girly things?

SR: When I first heard the original Japanese voices, I found it a little hard to tell them apart. Of course, that could have been more of a language barrier than anything else. Sailor Jupiter's voice is pretty close to my own voice – just a bit raspier - and I think that's why I was cast to play her. All the Sailor Scouts have such distinct voices – if you close your eyes, you can tell right away who's speaking. And you know, I never really thought of her as a tomboy - I thought of her as someone who loved to just get out there and do whatever made her happy. She's punchy and spunky and not afraid to tackle things head on, and maybe you could call that a tomboy characteristic - I don't know.

And thanks for the compliment, MC!

Editor's Note: She speaks of Emi Shinohara, pictured right!

Cody: Did you enjoy recording Lita's/Sailor Jupiter's voice? Saying things like "Supreme Thunder Crash!" and "Jupiter! Thunder Clap, Zap!"

SR: "Jupiter! Thunder Clap! ZAP!!" was my absolute favourite! How can you not feel great after belting out words like that?

Josh2Darien: What is your favorite thing about Lita/Sailor Jupiter?

SR: That she has so many different sides to her personality, the way we all do. She isn't a one-dimensional cardboard character, she isn't a stereotype, and she certainly isn't predictable. I just loved being able to go to so many different places with her.

Cody: What was it like for the first few recordings? Were you nervous around the other cast?

SR: The first few sessions were a bit chaotic because we were all trying to figure out how to work the Rythmo Band. We'd all done dubbing before, but this was a completely new and different technology, and I guess we were a little nervous that we wouldn't be able to get it. And no, I wasn't nervous around the other cast members at all – we all liked each other and we were so happy to be working on such a great project.

MC: Was it difficult to sustain the low tones for a long period of time? Was it also hard to try to maintain some sort of femininity with such a tomboyish voice with the character?

SR: It wasn't hard to sustain Lita's voice because, as I said, her voice is fairly close to my own voice. And that's where theatrical training comes in. You figure out where to position your vocal cords to get the sound that you want and, once that's set in your mind, you can always find it again, no matter what. What was hard were the episodes where we were all screaming a lot. Screaming at full tilt, hour after hour, can be pretty hard on your throat...

I think that femininity isn't about whether your voice happens to be low or high – I think there's more to it than that. To me, Lita is totally feminine. She changes her mind all the time, she talks WAY too much when she meets a cute guy, she loves her friends with all her heart, but she isn't afraid to call them on something when she has to. I think that those are qualities that everyone can relate to as being perfectly female.

MC: What was the most interesting experience you had recording? Did you have to do anything strange in the booth to capture Sailor Jupiter's mood or a state of her voice?
Cody: Do you have any funny recording stories during work on Sailor Moon?

SR: You know, our recording schedule was so tight – there wasn't any time to get in the mood for anything. You just had to jump right in and do what you had to do, which is probably why it all sounded so spontaneous and fresh. But whenever any dramatic scenes came up, we'd take more time to figure out what was really going on and to play all those emotions.

Taylor: From Lita arguing with Mina over boys or talking about how certain guys reminded her of her "old boyfriend", was it fun playing up those comedic moments in contrast to the battle scenes?

SR: Oh yes – I always loved those scenes the best, the comedic ones. The battle scenes kind of melted out your vocal cords and you had to pray that you got everything right the first time!

MC, Anne, and Salvatore: What was your favorite episode or moment in the series?

SR: Without a doubt: Jupiter Comes Thundering In. That was so much fun to do because there were so many wonderful moments, so much action, so much real character to Lita. One minute she was soft and mushy, the next minute she was HIGHLY pissed off when she wasn't winning at the arcade – she was all over the place. I just loved that episode.

Tpirandsailormoon: Have any of you read the manga or saw the original Japanese anime of the series?

SR: No, I haven't read the manga. We did see certain parts of the original Japanese episodes before we started, but it was kind of difficult to get a handle on what was going on because of all the music and the sound effects, and because it was so incredibly fast-paced. And of course, there were no sub-titles, so we couldn't understand a word of what anyone was saying.

Josh2Darien: Have you ever seen the final season (Sailor Stars) of the show? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

SR: No, I haven't seen the final season...

MC: Did you ever imagine from the first day you started to record that Sailor Moon would have become such a huge phenomenon?

SR: That's the easiest question of all: no, no and NO!! Not for one single second did any of us predict that it would become so popular. That was such a hugely fabulous surprise. We all thought it was a great show, but great shows often fizzle out and don't go anywhere, and no one has any idea why.

Esahc: Any particular reason you decided to stay on for Lita's character?

SR: There really wasn't any decision to be made. They phoned my agent and asked to book me, and it fit into my schedule. I really loved doing that series and I was always glad to go back to it.

MC: Last December in Japan, the 5 actresses who played the 5 Sailor Scouts all got together for a reunion to celebrate the launch of the half-season boxsets in Japan. A lot of them spoke about how they felt for their characters during the worst battles they had to fight – did you ever feel like this was the case for you sometimes during the recording sessions?

SR: Those sailor scouts got banged around a LOT! I was always wincing during the battle scenes, and that was before any of the sound effects were added – which made it all sound even more painful.

ChibiGinger: Do you ever run into the other voice actress/actors of Sailor Moon? And what is it like?

SR: Well, Karen Bernstein and I keep in touch – I think she's such a talent, with that wonderful crystal-clear voice that always sounds so sweet and genuine. (She and I did Little People together, too.) And I run into Katie Griffin at auditions all the time (and ditto for Katie, by the way: a hugely talented actress - and she's a fantastic singer, too). I haven't seen Stephanie in a couple of years (I think she's been pretty busy writing and producing her TV series) but the same kudos apply to her – she's another top-notch voiceover artist. Come to think of it, what a great cast they put together for Sailor Moon! And the best part is that every sailor scout sounds uniquely true to who she is.

I haven't seen Terri Hawkes in a long time, but I thought she was just dynamite as Sailor Moon – very creative, very intuitive. And FUNNY. Lynda Ballantyne lives just around the corner from me, and I often run into her when I'm walking my dog. Linda's also exceptionally talented, and I thought she did a bang-up job replacing an already-established character – which, believe me, is NOT an easy thing to do.

MC: Do you yourself have any Sailor Moon merchandise as mementos of Sailor Jupiter?

SR: I have quite a few things that fans have given to me at Anime conventions. And they're all very cherished...

EcoReck: If fans ever see you in real life, do they ask for voice impressions of characters such as Lita?

SR: Oh yes, all the time. Especially the Jupiter! Thunder! Crash! bits – which are kind of hard to do in a crowded convention hall without feeling like a bit of a nutcase...

ChibiGinger: Did (Or you do) you know that there is a live action show and musicals?

SR: I didn't know that, no.

MC: What do you think made Sailor Moon a special cartoon when it first broke out onto the scene?

SR: I think it had to do with the fact that, finally, girls were being portrayed as gutsy and determined and empowered – and as real teenagers, with real problems and real issues. And they were allowed to truly express themselves, without holding back, without pretending to be sweet and polite all the time. If they were pissed off, they let it rip. If they were ecstatic, they let that rip, too. They brought home all the ups and downs, all the moods, all the trials and tribulations of being teenagers in North America.

MC: What do you think is Sailor Moon's legacy, 15 years later?

SR: Well, I hope it's shown teenage girls that they have the right to go for whatever they truly want to achieve – and that they should never EVER be held back by some antiquated definition of what girls can and cannot do. About twenty years ago, I heard about this interview they conducted with a bunch of six-year old girls in grade one. They were all asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. One little girl said, "I want to be a nurse or a teacher." The interviewer said, "Okay, what would you want to be if you were a boy?" The little girl said, "Well, if I was a boy… I could be anything in the WORLD!"

That was just so sad to me. So sad. And I have to hope that something as simple as a show like Sailor Moon has taught everyone that we can't go around putting limitations on people just because they happen to belong to a certain demographic.

Keep an eye out on Monday for Part II, where Susan talks more Sailor Moon, TinTin, Strawberry Shortcake, that beloved Canadian classic, The Raccoons, and much, much more! And a reminder to our other Moonie Bloggers: if you choose to use any part of this interview on your site, please credit Moon Chase and Susan Roman, and link back to this post!

Upcoming Interviews - End of June 2010

Hey Moonies! We won't stop celebrating the 15th Anniversary of Sailor Moon in North America, and what better way to do this than to share stories of the series from the people involved with it themselves? We've got 3 more to share with you today! At this time we wish to thank their agent for this opportunity!

Katie Griffin played Sailor Mars throughout the series and movies (except for the last 17 episodes of Sailor Moon R due to illness). Katie has also played many different beloved cartoon characters in shows such as Undergrads, Totally Spies, Team Galaxy, the computer animated Care Bears movies, and Beyblade! She is also a singer - I had the opportunity to see her in concert in 2006 and she is very talented!




Susan Roman played Sailor Jupiter since the beginning and many children have grown up hearing her voices in cartoons from the old Strawberry Shortcake, to the Canadian staple The Raccoons, and was even the voice of the dog Snowy in TinTin. She has been a voice actress for a very long time and continues to be heard today!



And finally, we have one third of your favorite felines! Ron Rubin is best known for playing Artemis since the series began! Ron has also played many roles over the years in cartoons such as Erky Perky (which earned him an ACTRA Award Nomination in 2007), Kratt's Creatures, and X-Men. Ron has also worked as a writer for TV shows over the years.



Fans have until midnight of June 25th to get their questions in. Also, each fan will be allowed to ask a maximum of two questions per actor (so please come up with relevant ones). Please do not ask questions that aren't relevant or can be easily answered with a quick online search. One of the hot topics of the last round of interviews were the cast changes in the last two seasons, and we'll point you to this official statement that Optimum Productions sent Save Our Sailors several years ago. And as always, don't feel that you are absolutely limited to ask only about their work on Sailor Moon! As always you can submit your questions to us via e-mail at Moonchasers@NOSPAMPLZKTHXWITHACHERRYONTOPANDEXTRASPRINKLESgmail.com, our forums, and by commenting on this post. Please sign some sort of username we can credit your question to when you submit them.

Quick VA (and related) Update

Hey everyone, in the next couple days we will be uploading a lot of commercials and a new edition of when American Bands Appear on Japanese Television, and you will not be disappointed with the latter! I think this is our best find yet! Hopefully it will get you over a lot of sorrows over the sad news with Geneon. A lot of fans are wondering what is going to happen to the anime classics Geneon has rights over such as Serial Experiments Lain, Akira, Tenchi, Trigun, and other hot hits. We're still going to keep an eye on the situation in the hopes that we hear of a distributor soon.

In the meantime, there are a few quick sightings that we need to let you all know about!


We mourn with all you Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Mars #2, Sailor Venus #2) fans! Her character, Courtney, was voted off the island in the animated reality cartoon, Total Drama Island. Fans can check out a couple of clips of Courtney and Duncan here and here. We thought she would have lasted a bit longer. Now we are rooting for Gwen!

The recent Barbie movies have a connection to anime. The voice actors recorded for the film in Canada, and have featured actors such as Kelly Sheridan (Hitomi from Escaflowne) as Barbie, and others like Kirby Morrow (Van from Escaflowne, Miroku from InuYasha), and Cathy Weseluck (Kagome's Mother from InuYasha, and who could forget the elusive Cybersix?). Well, now these terrible movies have a connection to Sailor Moon. Currently on a store shelf almost everywhere is Barbie as the Island Princess. Unfortunately I had to sit through this movie last weekend watching it with a few young'uns. I'm going to spare you all from any plot details, it's pretty much a cross between Cinderella and childhood amnesia. But unless you are okay with listening to someone break into a song every few minutes, believing that a person can understand every language of each animal, or watching some profusely lifeless and plastic computer animation, avoid this film at all costs. Susan Roman (Sailor Jupiter) plays the elephant Tika, and though her acting in this is commendable, this movie is not. If you still don't believe us, here's a trailer.

And, here comes an article from our VA Vault from Setpember of 2000, all about Stephanie Morgenstern (Sailor Venus #1)! You'll get to find out where she got her start, and at the end makes mention of her hit short film from sometime later, Remembrance.

Actor of many languages, maker of many films

Stephanie Morgenstern, a former Montrealer now living in Toronto, says she was thrilled to land a substantial supporting role as a French-speaking Norwegian in Maelstrom, Denis Villeneuve's parable of love, death, guilt and atonement that takes its cue from a talking fish.

"French filmmakers seem to be much less dominated by the American model," she said, "in style and subject matter and in the way that they direct. I think they're much more expressive of themselves."

And they're not afraid to take risks. Villeneuve "has fabulated this huge Norwegian presence in Montreal," Morgenstern said. This includes, among other things, a sauna scene in which two women are overheard speaking Norwegian. "I think he wanted to soak the whole film in this mythic, Norwegian, Viking, operatic grandeur."

Morgenstern's character is the comic-relief foil and trusty friend who tries to raise the hapless heroine out of a severe depression. Her performance is seamless, as usual. "I think my ambiguous accent is beginning to pay off."

As further proof of her versatility, she also appeared in an English-language film at Montreal's World Film Festival that ended Monday night -- a 15-minute short called Passengers, directed by Francine Zuckerman. It's a poignant piece about a lesbian (Morgenstern) who attends her father's funeral, full of regret that she never came out to him.

In Maelstrom, playing a grad student worried about a thesis wasn't that difficult, Morgenstern said. She's been there, done that.

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, she was raised in Montreal and studied at McGill University. She moved to Toronto 10 years ago to study social and political thought at York University. Her master's thesis was on "Epistemic autonomy of mass-media audiences."

She got her start in theatre with Clare Shapiro's Creations Etc., doing original bilingual shows with other teenagers. This led to a stint in French television on a children's program. At McGill, she appeared in theatre productions. At Montreal's Centaur Theatre, she was seen in Quiet in the Land, Vassa, and, in 1993, Look Back in Anger.

By then she was already commuting from Toronto, where she now lives with her husband, actor Mark Ellis.

Although she's been active in Toronto theatre, in both English and French, and made her Stratford debut as Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1993, she's currently seeking her challenges elsewhere. "I made a choice about four years ago," she says, "to take a break from theatre."

In addition to acting in films such as The Sweet Hereafter (1997) and Oh! Revoir Julie (1998), she has taken to making them herself, with a little help from brother Mark Morgenstern. They began with a short titled Curtain or Rideau, a backstage theatre romp shot at the National Theatre School a few years ago. After being shown at Montreal's World Film Festival, it was picked up by 25 other festivals worldwide and was nominated for a 1996 Genie Award.

Their next was Shooter, about the paparazzi. It won an award at a festival in Houston. She and her husband are now working on a film about Second World War espionage and the role of Canadian spies.