Hynden Walch is know best for her voice work including Princess Bubblegum in “Adventure Time” & Starfire/Blackfire in “Teen Titans”. She also voiced Penny Sanchez on the Nickelodeon show “ChalkZone” and Elsie on the Disney Channel show “Stanley”. Hynden took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about the fandom craze behind “Adventure Time” and her return of Starfire in “Teen Titans Go!”.
Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with doing voice work?
Hynden Walch: I always knew I was going to be an actress my whole life. I have been doing professional theater since I was 11. So the natural progression to that was to go on and do film and television, which I did. But I always loved the idea of doing voice over for animation, a lot! But I was never in the right city for it. I lived in Chicago and there is no animation work there at all. Then I lived in New York, there was a tiny bit of work but I think I got my first animation job in that city the day I was moving to Los Angeles. So I didn’t end up doing. So finally, I ended up in LA and I had built up my resume and told my agent and manager out here that I wanted to do animation voice over. They said I would be perfect for it but it would be very hard to get into. They were not kidding about that. I got an voice over agent quickly but then came the very slow process of auditioning for roles. Literally it took years. It is such a tight knit group of people that do every voice. After a while, I felt like my auditions were going into a black hole. So I went out for the weirdest role I could and I ended up getting it. This was Penny for “ChalkZone”. The craziest voice ever came out of me when I went to the call back at Nickelodeon. I also started getting cast at the same time for the animated movies at MGM like “The Secret of NIMH 2” and “Tom Sawyer”. So that was how it all started.
MG: What do you enjoy most about voicing Princess Bubblegum in “Adventure Time”?
HW: This came about the same way. It is nice when you get offered roles but almost always for new series they want to have you audition. So I went to Cartoon Network for a call-back and I really wanted this role. I knew “Adventure Time” from the YoutTube shorts and though it was BRILLANT! I loved the whole idea of the show. It was dangerous since I went it really wanting to get the role. I tried to give them the most put together yet out there princess that would fit into their world. So I am very happy that I got the role and I love playing her.
MG: Can you reflect on the popularity of your character and the show with fans?
HW: I am not surprised honestly. When we first started recorded, I knew it was going to be HUGE! As it was! So I am not surprised at all. I think “Adventure Time” is written in such a new, visionary and incredible way. Not to mention that the artwork is just gorgeous. The colors and the design are amazing. Pen (Ward) is such a creative guy. I am so excited to be able to work with him on his vision. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. It is rare that you get a project when you just feel so damn proud to be apart of it. If I wasn’t I would be a huge fan of it anyway. So to get to get add my own imprint to it is really fun. With animation the characters do become us.
MG: How does “Adventure Time” compare to your other roles like Starfire/Blackfire in “Teen Titans”?
HW: “Teen Titans” that was a show of love. It was a real joining of people that really loved each other. It was such a great show. So with “Teen Titans” and “Adventure Time”, I feel that the key for their success is that the appeal crosses every age. You don’t have to be a 9 year old boy to love this. You can be a 37 year old woman [laughs].
MG: Or a 30 year old man, hint hint.
HW: Totally! Both shows have really massive appeal. “Teen Titans” was very dramatic. I got to really feel like an actor. All of the other Titans are such great actors and we got to play off each other. There is also “Teen Titans Go!” that is coming out.
MG: I was going to ask you, what can we expect for the new reboot “Teen Titans Go!”?
HW: It is broad comedy. It is hilarious I worry a little bit about the hardcore fan base from the first show. But here is the think, they are going to be very angry for one week and then they are going to love it beyond all reason. That is what happened to me. The shows are so well-written and hilarious They also give us a lot of room for improvisation So we, who know the characters like our ownself are really contribution to the content of the show. It will be the same characters that everyone knows and loves from the first series but being very funny and on their day off. We are not fighting villains, we are fighting about laundry or stuff like that. Some of the episodes have been so outrageous, so I can’t wait.
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