MOVIESTOPPICKS
HAVOC
Release Date: April 25th 2025
Starring: Tom Hardy, Timothy Olyphant, Another Simple Favor
Release Date: May 1, 2025
Starring: Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick, Allison
UNTIL DAWN
Release Date: April 25, 2025
Starring: Ella Rubin, Odessa A’Zion, Michael Cimino
THE SURFER
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Julian McMahon
Minecraft is a popular video game. Now live-action film is in development. Although plot elements are being kept under wraps, the world-building, survival-mode video game has never been about story, so film possibilities are infinite. The film will star Jason Momoa and Jennifer Coolidge, Steve (Jack Black), Dawn (Danielle Brooks), and Henry.
FRIENDSHIP
Release Date: May 9, 2025
Starring: Paul Rudd, Tim Robinson
Thunderbolts
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Starring: David Harbour, Hannah John-Karmen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Florence Pugh, Harrison Ford
FREAKY TALES
Freaky Tales, set in 1987 Oakland, California, explores four interrelated narratives that celebrate the city’s diversity and culture. After its January 2024 Sundance picture Festival premiere, the picture gained popularity and excited spectators for its theatrical release.
SELECTIONS MOVIE TOP
This adaptation of Edward Ashton’s science fiction novel Mickey7 is the second feature film by South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, following his Academy Award–winning picture Parasite. Join Robert Pattinson as he embarks on a journey to settle a faraway world in this film about a disposable employee. His body gets rebuilt with his previous memories intact every time he dies.
SNOW WHITE
Even though they’ve gotten mixed reviews from critics, Disney’s live-action adaptations of their iconic animated features have been commercial successes, which may explain why Snow White is getting the same treatment 87 years after the original 1937 cartoon came out. Starring Rachel Zegler of West Side Story and Gal Gadot of Wonder Woman, the film is directed by Marc Webb of The Amazing Spider-Man and co-written by Gerta Gerwig. Gal plays the role of the Evil Queen.
THE
In this Barry Levinson picture, Robert De Niro plays Vito Genovese and Frank Castello, two legendary Italian American mob bosses. As mid-20th-century New York mafia bosses vie for power, the pair’s two crime families collide.
An forthcoming spy thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh, who won an Oscar, will combine suspense with mystery. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett play an intelligence officer couple whose marital bliss is disrupted when Cate is accused of betraying her nation.
ASH
The sci-fi horror film Ash follows Eiza González’s character as she uncovers the murder of her entire space crew. The film is reminiscent of Alien with director, Neil Blomkamp having previously worked on the science fiction film, District 9 and González’s experience in 3 Body Problems and Aaron Paul’s role in Westworld. Ash strives for detailed visuals to bring its plot to life.
A WORKING MAN
A Working Man, based on Chuck Dixon’s Levon’s Trade, depicts an ex-marine who returns from retirement to rescue his boss’s daughter after her kidnapping. Jason Statham, Michael Pena, David Harbour, and Jason Flemyng should star alongside Statham.
MICKEY 17
BLACK BAG
ALTO KNIGHTS
Mrs. GREEN APPLE
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti
Twenty One Pilots
IS ON THE RISE FOR THEIR SOLD OUT TOUR
The seven-member girl group—consisting of Ruka, Pharita, Asa, Ahyeon, Rami, Rora, and Chiquita.
Held at the world-famous Kia forum in Los Angeles, the show took off as fans cheered as they eagerly anticipated the Hello Monsters World Tour. The concert kicked off with fans waving their red and white glow sticks, cheering for BABYMONSTER arriving onstage in regal outfits. YG Entertainment spared no expense for their fast-rising performers, investing heavily in the concert production. YG Entertainment treated MONSTIEZ to a Hollywood-worthy performance, complete with pyrotechnics, high-budget visuals, and four individually designed outfits.
As they performed their first few songs to get the crowd hyped and excited for the night, there was an in-between pause as BABYMONSTER did a little quick introduction of themselves to make sure that for the guests that came along for the ride to enjoy their music, they got a more personal experience to get to know. During BABYMONSTER’s brief introduction, you can hear fans enthusiastically applauding their favorite member as they present themselves. As members of BABYMONSTER continue to exclaim, “wow, this is a dream come true,” the realization that they are truly performing in the City of Angels was simply too much for them.
With a full set list, the group had a lot in store for the night. Many of the songs they performed were their top hits: SHEESH, FOREVER, DRIP, CLICK CLAK, and WOKE UP IN TOKYO, to name a few.
YG entertainment has done a fantastic production when it comes to introducing new talents to overseas fans.
Additionally, fans watched and shouted as an introductory movie showcased the immense effort and sacrifices made by the members of BABYMONSTER to achieve their success. For these members, joining BABYMONSTER was a lifelong dream. BABYMONSTER wants to show how far they’ve come despite the chal-
lenges. The production value is high because YG entertainment, known for creating high-energy shows, put a lot of effort into all their live performances, as they have done with all other artists on the YGE roster.
All things considered, more is on the way for those who enjoy BABYMONSTER-style music. Both YG Entertainment and K-pop are just at the beginning of their meteoric rise to fame.
BABYMONSTER AT KIA FORUM
More activities and more artists are now coming to Los Angeles to offer more performances and to do fan service to all the fans that yearn and to see them in live concerts and that’s not all BABYMONTER is still on a world tour which is being held throughout August and September so if you’re debating whether or not you should check them out we highly recommend BABYMONSTER if you’re a fan of K pop this is a must see.
Every year, more and more artists and events are popping up in Los Angeles, so fans can enjoy more performances, meet their favorite performers, and attend live concerts. However, it is not all. If you are still on the fence about seeing BABYMONSTER live, you can still see them on tour during their August and September globe tour dates. Anyone who enjoys K-pop should definitely check out BABYMONSTER.
ANNMARIE VOICE OVER ACTRESS TEREZA
STORY BYJERRY CORIA // PHOTOS JERRY
Please introduce yourself and give us a little background on how you got started.
This incredible story beautifully showcases the intertwining nature of fate and the unexpected twists that life brings our way. It all started with a chance meeting on a plane, which unexpectedly ignited my passion for voice acting. During her travels, my mother engaged in a conversation with a fellow passenger who turned out to be the talented Mimi Maynard, an experienced voice actor. Little did we know that this fortuitous encounter would lead to a transformative journey for me.
A year later, Mimi reached out to my mother to share some exciting news — she had opened a voice acting school called Voice Masters! While my mother graciously declined the initial invitation, she couldn’t help but mention my unique talent for impersonating family members with Croatian accents. That simple comment unknowingly opened the door to my adventure into the world of voice acting.
I decided to enroll in the animation class, choosing to embark on this journey under my own name while keeping the story of my
I’ve been diving heart and soul into my voice-over training, and I’m thrilled to share that I recently created some exciting demo reels that really highlight my passion for animation and commercials.
With the incredible support of my mentors and a fantastic community of fellow artists, I’m enthusiastic about auditioning for new projects and discovering fresh opportuni-
discovery a delightful secret. With enthusiasm, I immersed myself in the craft and actively sought constructive feedback from both my mentors and peers. It was during the third week of the four-week course that a highly respected voice actor, Chris Gannon, recognized my potential and delivered words that would inspire me: “Kid, I don’t know what kind of nurse you are, but you definitely have the chops for this.” His encouragement was a turning point, igniting my confidence and fueling my determination to pursue voice acting with all my heart.
After completing three rounds of classes, I felt an irresistible urge to share my unconventional journey with my fellow voice actors. The response from Mimi and my classmates was incredibly heartwarming, strengthening our collective bond as a community of passionate individuals committed to the art of voice acting. Voice acting is no longer just a career for me; it has blossomed into my true calling, filling my life with purpose and joy every time I step behind the microphone. I’m genuinely excited about the journey ahead and can’t wait to explore where this passion will lead next!
What got you into a career in voice-overs?
ties. Every step of this journey has been a wonderful learning experience, helping me uncover new aspects of myself and grow as a committed voice-over artist.
Talk about the challenges you face in the voiceover industry and how you overcome them.
Building confidence and self-esteem is a
journey that I embrace wholeheartedly. Setting SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—has become my preferred way to make consistent progress in every area of my life.
Each new goal is like an exciting milestone that I look forward to reaching, and this anticipation truly fuels my confidence.
A big part of my daily routine is practicing positive self-talk. When negativity tries to sneak in, I make it a point to shift my focus to the bright side and find that silver lining, even when things get tough. I’m also intentional about surrounding myself with wonderful, uplifting people who cheer me on and share in my dreams. Sometimes, a simple “You’ve got this” from a friend is just the encouragement I need to remind me that I absolutely deserve success. This supportive environment genuinely makes a huge difference in boosting my confidence and self-esteem.
What in your life experience was most helpful to you in becoming a voice actor?
I’ve always been passionate about living authentically and embracing my true self in every part of my life. I feel incredibly grateful to have a strong sense of self-awareness that helps me navigate different situations while recognizing the unique value every individual brings to the table.
Growing up as part of an ethnic community has gifted me with a wonderful perspective. It has allowed me to connect deeply with my cultural roots, understand my place in the world, and dream about the person I want to become. This solid foundation in my identity has greatly influenced how I see things and guides my actions every day.
I’m also very in tune with my emotions, and I actively reshape my feelings to steer my internal dialogue. I make it a point to replace any negative thoughts with affirming, constructive ones. This habit keeps me positive and empowered, even when faced with challenges.
Being involved in both the Croatian and Voice Over communities has truly enriched my life. I’ve had the honor of receiving mentorship from inspiring individuals who offered invaluable support. Their guidance has helped me feel a strong sense of belonging and reinforced my belief that I truly deserve to succeed.
Any classes, books or programs you recommend?
I have come across some incredible resources that have truly shaped my journey as a voiceover artist. One of the most significant stepping stones for me has been attending classes with Voice Masters (voice-masters. com).
Not only did I learn a lot, but I also formed lasting friendships that have enriched my career and inspired my growth in this vibrant field.
Another fantastic highlight has been participating in the VO Atlanta Voiceover Conference (voatlanta. me). Each year, I look forward to this amazing event where voiceover artists from around the world gather for a long weekend packed with valuable sessions, panels, and exciting networking opportunities. It’s the largest and longest-running voiceover conference, and the insights I’ve gained there have been absolutely priceless for my development.
Additionally, I’ve delved into some remarkable books that have deepened my understanding of the industry.
A few of my favorites include “The Art of Voice Acting” by James R. Alburger, “The Art and Business of Acting for Video Games” by Julia Bianco Schoeffling, and “The Voice Over Startup Guide” by Chris Agos, among others. These books, all available on Amazon, provide fantastic guidance for anyone looking to start or accelerate their voiceover career.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIALTY IN VOICE WORK, OR DO YOU DO SEVERAL TYPES?
I’ve had the pleasure of diving into a range of projects, from dubbing and lip syncing to narrating audiobooks. Each experience has helped me sharpen my vocal skills and adjust my delivery for different styles and audiences. Looking ahead, I’m excited about exploring new opportunities in the voiceover world—like creating eye-catching commercials, breathing life into vibrant animations, enhancing storytelling in immersive video games, and delivering essential information in medical narration with clarity and compassion.
What does this industry mean to you?
Can you give an example of a project you have worked on as a voice-over artist?
I recently had the incredible opportunity to work on Netflix’s fascinating documentary series, “I Am Ilary”. This engaging Italian series offers a heartwarming glimpse into the life of TV host Ilary Blasi as she navigates her exciting journey after divorce, focusing on her personal growth, new career adventures, and a blossoming romance.
I’m thrilled to share that I voiced Giorgia Lillo Lori, Ilary’s loyal best friend, who provides unwavering love and support during this transformative time. It’s truly inspiring to be part of a project that showcases resilience and friendship in such a beautiful way.
How do you approach a voice-over script?
I approach my scripts with the same dedication and enthusiasm as any seasoned actor. First, I dive into the entire script, immersing myself in the vibrant world it creates. I enjoy exploring the context, storyline, and the rich tapestry of emotions that are woven into the narrative.
Once I have a clear understanding of the central themes, I focus on my character’s unique desires and motivations in each scene. This thoughtful analysis helps me fully embody my role. When it’s time to record, I’m excited and ready to deliver the scene with authenticity and depth.
Whether collaborating with a director or selfdirecting, this method is my guiding light, helping me bring my character to life in vivid detail. I find it helpful to step outside my own experiences, which allows me to genuinely express the emotions my character is navigating. It’s in this transformative journey that the character truly shines, enabling me to connect with the audience in a meaningful way.
I believe the voice-over industry is a colorful and lively community of talented actors who use their voices to truly bring characters to life and share amazing stories. It’s not just about entertainment; it’s a powerful way to connect with people everywhere. This beautiful artistry strengthens our connections, tapping into a range of emotions that touch our everyday lives. These gifted artists create shared experiences that bridge boundaries and cultures, allowing us to feel, reflect, and bond in wonderful ways. Their vocal skills invite us all to join in on this meaningful journey, and I find that incredibly inspiring.
What are the feelings when you hear and see your peers on shows on the big screen?
Whenever my friends show their talents, I feel a surge of pride and joy. Watching their achievements lifts my spirits and fills me with happiness. I love to celebrate their successes, feeling like they are my own victories. Each time they succeed, it inspires me to follow my dreams with more energy. Their hard work motivates me to pursue my goals with determination and a positive attitude. It’s exciting to see how our growth together can help us all move forward, and I am happy to be part of this shared experience.
How competitive is this industry?
One of the greatest aspects of the voice-over industry is its wonderful spirit of collaboration. Instead of seeing talent as competitors, the focus is on finding the ideal match for each role. It’s all about authentically expressing the emotions and intentions behind the script, making sure the message truly connects with the audience. In this dynamic field, your unique voice and artistry can really shine, emphasizing the beauty of personal expression and creative storytelling.
What are some of your favorite voice acting roles that you’ve played?
I absolutely loved dubbing and lip-syncing for the vibrant Giorgia Lillo Lori in Netflix’s “I am Ilary”. It was such an exhilarating experience to breathe life into her character with my unique voice and emotions. Each role I’ve taken on holds a special significance for me, but my work on audiobooks truly excites me. Every story opens up a fascinating new world, filled with diverse characters and intricate plots. These projects challenge my creativity and let me explore a broad spectrum of personalities and perspectives.
What do you wish you like to see change in the voice over industry?
The change I envision for the voice-over industry is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). NAVA has been a pioneering force in advocating for essential legislation that safeguards voice actors from unauthorized AI exploitation. In this vibrant industry, every voice possesses its own distinct character and nuance; each actor infuses their performances with depth, emotional resonance, and rich characterization that AI simply cannot replicate.
AI strips away the soul and artistry from these performances, resulting in a lifeless, monotone output that ultimately forces talented actors to compete against their own artistry. Unlike a seasoned voice artist, whose skills have been meticulously honed over years, AI lacks the ability to convey the intricate emotions and diverse ranges that define compelling storytelling. It is critical to preserve the unique essence and artistry that human voice actors bring to every project.
How do you stay competitive?
I maintain my competitive edge by actively nurturing my personal talent and passionately engaging in the art of acting. I immerse myself in a variety of acting classes, where I delve into the intricacies of performance and consistently strive to enhance my skills. The techniques I diligently cultivate include emotional
What is next for you what can we expect for you to do this year?
This year, I’m focused on exploring new opportunities within the different voiceover avenues. I want to continue to stretch my creative boundaries and continue to develop new skills and discovering new facets in commercials, medical narration, corporate narration, and in animation.
What do you love most about the world of entertainment?
What truly excites me about the world of entertainment is its incredible ability to evoke a kaleidoscope of emotions, whisking us away from the everyday grind. It fosters a welcoming environment where connections and communities flourish among those who cherish storytelling and art. Entertainment sparks limitless creativity, lighting a fire in both artists and audiences, igniting imaginations everywhere. Plus, it opens the door to enlightening conversations about vital societal issues, prompting thoughtful reflection and discussion. Most importantly, it fills our lives with joy, enriching our experiences with vibrant expressions of artistry that make every moment extraordinary.
What do you think is the most important skill for a voice actor to have?
authenticity, allowing me to connect deeply with my characters; character depth, which enriches the narratives I portray; emotional flexibility, enabling me to adapt to a range of scenarios; and the powerful presence I project during my performances.
Although my natural talent has provided a solid foundation for my acting journey, training under the guidance of experienced mentors has opened up new horizons for my artistic growth. Their invaluable insights have catalyzed my development, propelling me toward excellence. Through this dedicated and immersive approach, I continue to transform into the best version of myself, particularly in the realm of voice acting, where emotion and nuance are paramount.
In my view, authenticity and versatility are absolutely vital skills in performance. The ability to adapt your voice and style opens the door to portraying a wide range of characters and emotions, from intense drama to joyful comedy and everything in between. This skillful adjustment of tone, pitch, and inflection doesn’t just help you embody each role; it truly captivates the audience. By honing these elements, you can craft unforgettable performances that deeply resonate with people and leave a lasting impact.
for more of this story visit fusiontvmedia.com
and to reach AnnMarie Visit her website: annmarieterezavo.com
WHAT IS THE STORY OF THE UNBREAKABLE BOY, AND WHO DO YOU PLAY IN THE FILM?
ZACK: I play Scott Laurette, and the story of the unbreakable boy is a true story about Scott and Teresa Laurette and their two sons, Austin and Logan. Scott and Theresa meet and know they start falling in love on their third date. they get pregnant with Austin, which is definitely a curveball, but they’re like hey let’s do this let’s figure this out as we go. Austin is, as they come to find out, born with osteogenesis imperfecta, which is brittle bone disease, which is yet another curveball, but they keep, you know, journeying and walking with that, and then they have their second son, Logan, who is born seemingly healthy, and then a few years go by, and Austin is behaving in some atypical ways, and then they have him tested, and they find out that he is on the autistic spectrum, so the movie is really about a family kind of navigating those waters while, you know, Scott and Teresa are still navigating figuring out their own internal conflict in themselves, figuring out their relationship, and figuring out how best to love their children.
Can you talk about meeting your real-life counterparts?
Zack: I met the real Austin the first time I met him, about a week into filming, he sent me a message on Instagram and said hey I hear you’re portraying me in the movie. I’m really excited to meet you. Our family thinks that you’re going to do great, and so I messaged him back, and very quickly we got on the call together, and I was really excited to meet him he was incredible, and then a month later he and his family came down to the set actually it wasn’t a month later, but around 2 weeks later, he and his family came down to the set, and we were able to meet them in person, and it was incredible they’re lovely people.
Zack: I think initially I had a phone call with them, so I got to kind of pick his brain about their story you know Scott was very
brave, and Theresa was both in Scott writing their story in the book the unbreakable boy that the film was based on, and so I was able to kind of glean, you know, a little bit from those conversations, and then ultimately when they came to visit us on set, we got to, you know, spend more time with them and learn more about their dynamic and their energy.
obviously you know when you’re making a film, there are some artistic liberties that are taken, and you know how to piece all that together, but the script that
John Gunn wrote was really such a beautiful script and a great blueprint for us to follow ultimately in making sure that we were, you know, honoring them, honoring their story, but yeah, we got to spend some really good quality time with them while we were making the film.
What was it like working with your incredible costars and your director, Jon Gunn?
Zack: yeah I mean, it was a beautiful family that was really God-breathed. I mean, you know, the movie came
together quite fast and in the height of the pandemic, so we weren’t really sure how it was all going to come together, if it was going to come together, and yet all of the right and perfect souls, you know, collected in our cast and our crew, we spent really quality time off camera together having meals, breaking bread, having fun, just leaning into the characters when we were actually on camera. I think really doing right by the script that we were given, yeah, it was really a magical experience.
Can you describe the film in 3 words?
Zack: Love, acceptance, and redemption.
why do you think this is a film for audiences to need now?
Zack: yeah you know, the world is a hard place, and there’s a lot of pain there’s a lot of suffering in the world all the time, and we all have these ideas of the way that our life is supposed to go you know we have these idealized versions of ourselves that we see of the life that we think we’re supposed to be living.
when those things aren’t adding up when our expectations are not being met, that can lead to a lot of suffering, internal turmoil, anxiety, fear, anger, and things like that, and I think that this film is a really beautiful example of radically accepting the life that you’re given and, in doing so, finding so much beauty on the other side of that, figuring out more how to love yourself better, and therefore having those around you even more.
ZACHARY LEVI
W&W
THE BEST OF EDM MUSIC IS HERE!
OUR EXPLORATION OF W&W MUSIC IS EXTENSIVE. DURING OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE DUO, WE DISCUSSED THEIR RECENT BEGINNINGS, EVERYTHING THAT THEY ARE DOING AT THE MOMENT, AS WELL AS THEIR NEW MUSIC AND THE CAT THAT BROUGHT THEM TO THE PATH OF GLOBAL RENOWN, WHICH HAS NOW LEAD TO ARENAS THAT ARE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT.
AUTHOR JERRY CORIA
For all our readers, please introduce yourselves and share a bit about your background.
Hey! We’re W&W, comprised of Ward van der Harst and Willem van Hanegem. We’re electronic music DJs and producers, born in the Netherlands.
How did this journey begin for you? What were your initial steps in the music industry?
When we were younger, we were really inspired by the rich Dutch electronic dance culture. This shaped our passion and started our journey into producing and DJing.
Our journey began in 2007 when we decided to make music together after already
DJing and producing separately.
After a while, we figured out that all the music we made together was better received than our solo projects.
Once we realized that, we decided to focus fully on our project together, W&W.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC BACKGROUND
DO YOU HAVE, AND WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DID YOU GROW UP LISTENING TO?
We both have diverse backgrounds; we grew up listening to a range of genres. Willem’s dad listened to blues rock, and his mom listened to Nirvana.
Ward’s dad makes Selmer acoustic guitars and his grandparents were both full-time musicians, so growing up, music was all around us. However, neither of us has had any classical music training, we are both self-taught.
The first CD Willem bought for himself was Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Be Dee). After that, he was totally hooked on
everything dance music related. For Ward, that CD was Trance The Ultimate Collection 2001, and before that he enjoyed Mauro Picotto - Komodo which was always on the radio.
What are your main inspirations, and what keeps you going?
Our main inspirations would be being able to move people with our music and seeing the joy it brings them, both on social media platforms and at our shows in person.
There’s nothing more rewarding than being able to give people a unforgettable experience. What keeps us going is the fact that we truly enjoy what
we do, every week we try to get better and evolve our craft.
All the feedback and love from the people that our music reaches is a huge motivation to keep going.
What are the challenges you face as W&W, and how do you overcome them?
One challenge that we think is prominent in entertainment in general, is staying relevant without losing your identity and what you stand for in a rapidly changing industry. With the
constant rise of new social media apps, marketing techniques, and ways to reach people, you need to evolve quickly.
We try to overcome this by continuously evolving our sound and exploring new technologies in music production. This journey can be difficult because you may lose people along the way, and it can be very scary to shed what’s normally expected of you. But sometimes we feel we don’t have a choice because we’ve personally evolved and lost connection with certain things of the past.
Could you share how W&W was conceived and explain the significance behind the name?
W&W was born from our first name initials, Willem and Ward. When we made our first track and sent it to Armin van Buuren, we didn’t have a project name or anything. It was so last minute that we just used our initials and named the track, ‘W&W - Mustang.’
What comes to mind when you think of performing for a massive crowd at an EDM festival? Do you have any memorable experiences?
Nothing compares to the experience of playing in front of a super energetic crowd. We are lucky enough to have plenty of memories of those moments, and are still making new ones! The adrenaline we get is unmatched when you’re in sync with such a big mass of people it can create a special connection. There’s no better feeling than hearing a crowd singing along and reacting to a track that you’ve spent months creating.
What is the best live EDM event you have ever experienced?
In 2010, we experienced our first Tomorrowland together when we played on one of the smallest stages the festival has to offer. After our set, we walked to the Main Stage and were overwhelmed by the full valley of people with this insane stage and production, fully in sync. We were looking at each other and said, “Imagine if we could ever play there?” obviously thinking that it could never happen, it was just a silly thought. Fast forward four years later, we played that MainStage for the very first time in 2014. With name-dropping some events we don’t do all of them justice, each event has its unique audience. The global big brands like Tomorrowland, Ultra, and EDC, are always an honor to play for, but almost every single country has its own festivals that shine and capture the unity that dance music brings to people.
We weren’t expecting anything from this project or song, and we were not seriously considering continuing the project together, it was sort of a placeholder name. It started from being friends, going to different electronic music events together, talking, and
MOST COMMOM MISTAKES & MORE
What is one mistake you see many up-and-coming DJs making? What advice would you give to aspiring DJs?
A common mistake made by upand-coming DJs is doing something identical to
someone who is already successful in the same field. Being inspired can kickstart your musical journey and exploration of your own musical taste and self, but try to create your own musical identity after that. Once that’s been reached, perseverance is everything, and working hard for your own vision can be key.
We are cat lovers! How did the cat become part of your marketing and promotion strategy?
Willem and his girlfriend Sarina, both being big cat lovers, have been sharing the OIIA meme back and forth with each other since July 2024. While it was funny, they thought it was a small niche meme. Once we saw how popular the cat was getting, we had the idea to remix the sound and put Ethel (the official cat from the meme), on the LED screen for our next set. We played it for the first time at Countdown NYE in Los Angeles, and as soon as the green screen with Ethel popped up, the crowd went crazy. We created it just as a fun moment to share with fans, but once the initial video was uploaded, it skyrocketed to over 90 million views across platforms in less than 48 hours.
The reception surprised us so much, and when we saw that Ethel and her owner never received any royalties for her usage all over the internet, we decided to release it as an official track. Proceeds from the song go directly to Ethel, the blind Ohio cat behind the trend, as well as a portion donated to the Cat Welfare Association, the non-profit shelter that gave her a second chance. Since the release, the trend has exploded further and Ethel even made it to massive billboards in NYC, LA, China, and beyond.
sharing a passion for trance music at the time. After Armin actually played the song on his radio show, A State Of Trance, and his label Armada wanted to sign it, we thought “Oh, this is serious!”
NEQUE PORRO
NEQUE PORRO
QUISQUAM EST,
QUI DOLOREM
Your big commercial breakthrough came with the release of Bigfoot. Can you talk about that day and the expectations that followed?
The process of creating ‘Bigfoot’ took us almost half a year! We tried to fuse our signature MainStage bigroom sound with elements from the emerging trap scene at the time. There was a lot of back and forth to get the mix and blend sorted out in a way that worked for us. We were really surprised the day it came out that it had actually charted commercially since we were not expecting that at all! Having a commercial breakthrough
track is amazing, but it also brings in a lot of pressure for your next projects. You always want every track to be as successful or more successful than the one before. But throughout the years we figured out that that is close to impossible, and that’s why a lot of artists get stuck and don’t want to share the music they’re making because they’re afraid of not living up to the success and expectations of their previous work.
What is one track that never gets old for you, no matter how many times you hear it?
If you mean a track of our own, Rave After Rave is a song that we don’t get bored of.
The live reception when we play it over the years has been increasing, which is insane since it’s turning 10 years old in 2025. A song not by us would probably be Tiësto - Flight 643, it’s been almost 25 years since that song came out and you can still play it today.
Or Tiësto’s remix of Delirium - Silence, hence why we remix that song every few years to be able to play it in our sets again!
What do you think is cool about Japan? What do you like most about it?
For us, Japan is an amazing blend of tradition and futuristic technology. The culture, food, and the warm reception we receive from fans there is incomparable! We really ap -
preciate how respectful the people and culture of Japan are, which makes us feel extremely comfortable and welcome. Another thing we like about Japanese people is that whatever their craft is, they’re very dedicated and truly work until they are a master which is very inspiring for us to always go the extra mile. Also, both of us are huge Sushi lovers, and Japan has, in our opinion, by far the best in the world! Every year, we’re looking forward to our next trip to Japan.
We are based in Japan—do you have any plans to relocate here in the future?
We’re coming back to Japan for a special Back to Back set with R3hab at World DJ Festival on the 28th of June this year! It’s the first time we play B2B with R3hab in Japan, and both of us are really excited, we’re going to make it a very special show! About living there—we could definitely see ourselves living in Japan! But we have no plans to do that yet, haha.
How do you choose the tracks you play during a set?
We try to read the crowd’s energy and mood and take it from there. We also learned over the years which tracks usually work well in certain countries or cities. We actually have a database of every tracklist we’ve ever played. When we return to a specific place or event, we try to do our homework and play favorites from our last show there but also bring 50-70% of new material to keep things interesting and fresh for the crowd. For every set, we fully prepare what we think would be the best track selection, but we often find ourselves having to change it on the fly because we cannot fully predict the crowd’s vibe beforehand.
Can you describe your creative process when mixing tracks?
When it comes to mixing tracks while live DJ’ing, we try to keep the energy constantly flowing. We call our mixing technique a ‘power mix’, because we try to blend in the most important parts of tracks in a very dynamic mix, which consists of quick and short transitions without losing the crowd’s attention. When it comes to mixing our productions in the studio, we prefer a loud dynamic, and powerful mixdown. A producer’s mixdown is like a signature, a lot of times, you can hear who a song is produced by purely off of that.
What do you think is the most challenging aspect of mixing live?
Reading the crowd and maintaining the right energy can be challenging. You have to adapt quickly to their reactions while staying true to your style. Sometimes you feel like a song has to be played at a certain time even though you know it doesn’t fit where you currently are in
the set because of its tempo or key. Trying to find a creative way to make it work can be challenging!
How do you read and respond to a crowd during a performance?
We look at people and if they’re singing along, if they dance or smile, then we know we’re on the right track. If not, then we have to try something else! Ward looks more at the individual people and selects them to see if they’re enjoying themselves. Willem looks more at the overall energy of the crowd to see if the connection to the music is staying strong. It’s another example of how we work together during our live performance to keep the energy flowing. We’ve seen a big change in the way people react to our performance in recent years! Even though people are jumping, dancing, and smiling, there are a lot more moments when phones come out. But we remind ourselves that these are moments that people want to re-live over and over, and if they’re filming it means it’s a moment they want to keep.
How do you handle difficult situations, like technical issues during a set?
We stay calm and remember that unforeseen issues happen. Anything can go wrong, especially with larger productions, and we are lucky enough to work with professional people and teams that are usually quick to identify the problem and help sort it out. Often, engaging with the crowd and keeping the energy up can override technical difficulties.
What do you think have been the biggest changes in the DJ industry over the past few years?
Technology has transformed how we produce music and perform shows, all these inventions in software and hardware is making it easier for new artists to enter the scene, which creates more competition and can also cause over-saturation.
But this can also be a good thing, forcing people to innovate and push things to new limits, since it’s harder to stand out. The rise of social media makes it easier than ever before to reach new people, making it an extremely powerful tool to showcase your art.
How do you think you can shape and influence the EDM world? What impact do you hope to make with your music?
We aim to make dance music fun for people, to make our shows a time to really live in the moment and enjoy. We hope to spread positivity and unity, we understand that people come to our shows to let go and escape their normal lives. Our purpose is to make them feel that in every moment that they are there, they are having the best time they possibly can.
WHO ARE SOME PRODUCERS OR DJS YOU WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH?
To be honest, any DJ or producer that we have a creative click with is inspirational to us. We really don’t look at the name or profile too much, if the music is fun and the vibes are great that’s what’s most important to us.
What’s next for W&W, and what can fans expect from you in the near future?
After the success of OIIA and our last several releases, we’ll be looking out for a fun followup to that one. We have a lot of new music ready to be released, some of it we have been slowly testing out in our sets. We’re also looking at how to enhance our live performance to be more visually stimulating and how to make it more interactive. Currently, we’re also spending a lot of time on our label Rave Culture and our side project NWYR, which we have exciting things in store for this year.
Are you currently working on any new music that you can share with us?
Absolutely! Whenever we are not touring we are producing new tracks, experimenting with different genres and sounds. In the studio, we’re focusing on some solo W&W singles as we’ve had a few years of big collaborations, but those will continue as well. While we can’t give away too much just yet, we can confirm that there will be new releases in the following months with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Steve Aoki, and KSHMR, just to name a few. There will be some new original tracks and remixes coming out very soon.
You are the main feature for Fusion magazine, and you’re on the front cover. What message do you want to share with your fans?
First of all, it’s an honor to be the main feature and be on the cover of Fusion! Thanks a lot for all the love and support! Let’s keep spreading positivity and good vibes through music. Remember to chase your dreams, and never forget that music unites us all.
Any final words or a special message?
Thank you so much for all the love and support over the years, and for making our dreams come true every day! We’re incredibly excited about what’s coming next and can’t wait to share it with you. Stay tuned, keep dancing, and let’s make more unforgettable memories together!
,
DEMI MOORE LISA SELENA GOMEZ
Demi Moore’s statuesque silver and gold beaded dress had a plunging neckline, spaghetti straps, a dramatic train, and ruching along the hips to highlight her waist. The actress continued the multi-watt look with a silver cuff bracelet and crystal chandelier earrings. Moore maintained her usual glam for her Oscars presentation, styling her raven black hair in long loose waves and highlighting her features with a delicate smokey eye and a mauve lip.
2025 OSCARS FASHION
The singer wore a Markgong dress with tuxedo-inspired details, including a black coat with satin lapels, a carnation brooch, and a collared white shirtdress. Lisa accessorized with stylish patent leather boots, delicate gold hoop earrings, and a diamond-encrusted ring.
Selena Gomez wore one of the most unforgettable costumes to the 2025 Academy Awards. The pink-hued, bedazzled Ralph Lauren gown, which had over 16,000 drops of glass, was created as a tribute to Italian actress Sofia Loren. Perhaps surprisingly, such an extravagant appearance was difficult to carry off.
MILEY CYRUS DOJA CAT ARIANA GRANDE
Miley Cyrus wore McQueen’s beaded highneck gown with a drop waist that led to a sheer skirt and matching beaded sheer gloves. She completed the look with diamond fringe earrings and a bracelet from Boucheron Fine Jewelry. She finished her look with bleached brows and smokey eyeliner.
Doja Cat is wearing a plunging leopard-print corset dress embellished with hand-sewn sequins.
The singer’s mermaid gown was custom-made by Olivier Rousteing and was inspired by a nearly identical Pierre Balmain design from 1953.
Arina donned a baby pink dress that coordinated with the pastel looks. It had architectural embellishment that juts out from the waistline and airy, sparkly layers of tulle that drift to the ground. The molded bodice feels like a second skin, while corset detailing on the back adds texture and visual intrigue.
ADRIAN BRODY
A little fashion question. I’m just wondering about the brooch. if there’s any significance you want to share.
Adrien Brody: Of course, well, it’s just beautiful. You know there was a lot of significance tonight. it’s Elsa Jin, who’s a friend of mine and a wonderful artist, and I’m very grateful to get to wear something so beautiful.
Your speech was so moving, so powerful. Can you tell us why you felt that it was such an important time to mention anti-Semitism and hate and racism? Why did you want to highlight that in your speech today specifically?
Adrien Brody: I think we all know that it’s an important time to recognize that there’s no place for
intolerance, and as I had mentioned in my speech, I’m, oddly, receiving recognition for representing a time in history. That we witness unchecked antiSemitism. and that hatred and oppression have no place in this world and that we must learn from the past.
I want to ask you a bit about what you were asking before. Do you feel that the issues that you show in the film are something that people are forgetting? Is that another reason you feel that this film is important? And secondly, you seem to talk about your journey. your journey that maybe was a bit of a roller coaster, and almost like, you maybe never thought you would get back to this point again. Can you talk about that as well?
Adrien Brody: No, you are not mistaken; it has been a long and beautiful journey, and an artistic path, and I’ve. As you try to navigate creative choices, There are many variables, and there are wonderful ones; there’s an enormous number of talented individuals all vying for very few great opportunities, and that’s the bottom line. I have been working very hard for the past 22 years, but nothing quite connects. I’m aware of this, and I’m grateful for the good fortune I’ve had of being selected by Brady and Mona to be a part of a very meaningful story, one that speaks to injustice and not just along the lines of what we had discussed, it’s also important to consider the lives of others, people who hope and dream of being free from oppression and very difficult circumstances abroad, like my grandparents’ struggles, loss, and resilience. paved the way for my own positive fortune, and I had an opportunity to honor them in this film, and the truths and the insight that I’ve gained from these hardships of so many people of many different backgrounds and ethnicities have made me aware of We need to be empathetic.
What it was like for you to work with Mona Fastvold and what you would like to say about her script.
Adrien Brody: Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet co-wrote a remarkable script and one of vast storytelling and tremendous intimacy and nuance and frailty, so I’m truly grateful for their contribution to cinema and their own bravery. and for believing in me and for giving me an opportunity to be a part of something of such importance and against all odds.
This is a, this has been a seven-year journey for them. and I’m truly grateful to have helped them tell a story. of great meaning and to be included as part of this very special project.
MIKEY MADISON
What does it mean to you to not only win this best actress in a leading role Oscar but also for Sean to win four Oscars in one night for the same movie?
Mikey Madison: Oh my gosh, it’s an I, for lack of a better word, just incredibly surreal. I never thought anything like this would happen in my life. I just—I love making movies, and I’ve dreamed of being an actress that would be able to be in a film like Anora my entire career as an actress.
it’s a huge honor, one that I think will soak again later down the line hopefully um I really did not expect it at all, and I mean, Sean is such a wonderful, incredible filmmaker he is an incredible writer and amazing editor he is a true lover of cinema, a kind person he has dedi-
cated so much of his career to telling really important stories.
I’m so happy for him because he’s been, you know, he’s just a true indie filmmaker like we went off and just made this weird, crazy movie and had fun and poured our hearts into it, and you know, all of this started at Cannes, which was just a dream come true for me, a career-long dream, to even just go to a Film Festival specifically Cannes, and so everything that has followed has been wonderful.
I’m just so happy for him. I adore him, and I adore Sammy Quan and Alex Coco and the entire team, and so I could keep talking about them forever, but I’m so, so happy for them.
You’ve starred in less than 10 feature films so far in your career how do you hope this win will influence your career going forward?
Mikey Madison: yeah it’s interesting. I’ve been thinking about the future a lot and also the past, and I’ve been really trying to remind myself to stay as present as possible throughout all of this, so I don’t know. I really don’t know what will happen in the future. I just want to keep making movies and, you know, continue to work with people who inspire me and play interesting characters, tell stories that are compelling, and so that’s just what I hope to do, and I really don’t know what will happen. I just know that tonight I’m going to go home to my new puppies and probably, you know, clean up their mess, and it’s going to bring me right down to earth, yeah.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE WINNER FOR
You’ve previously stated that Anora helped you come out of your shell and gain confidence, so now that you’ve received this honor, what would you tell Anora?
Mikey Madiso: Oh gosh, I don’t know you know I think that making this film gave me confidence as an actor and as a creative. I think that it really inspired me, reinvigorated my love of cinema, and reminded me of the kind of work that I want to do, so I don’t know what I would say to the character.
I still have so much love for her, and it was really one of the first characters that I don’t know. was sorry I’ve my mind is all over the place, and my heart’s about to explode right now, but I don’t know. I don’t know what I would say.
I would just say that I’m grateful that I was able to portray you for a short period of time, and there will always be a small part of me that carries around the experience of making the film and the character because it has changed my life in so many ways, you know, not just because of all of this that’s happening right now, but just the experience of being able to work with Sean Baker. the experience of learning and meeting incredible people from the sex work community has been such a wonderful part of this, and I’ve met and made so many incredible friends, so I would just say thank you.
Congratulations.
Kieran Culkin: Thank you.
You went from almost saying no to being a first time Oscar winner. So knowing all this hard work that you put in, how does this win feel?
Kieran Culkin: I don’t know. I’ve already been asked that about three or four times in whatever span of minutes it’s been. I’m not fully inside my body right now. I’m trying my best to be present. I don’t know. But like I, the thing is
with almost saying no to the movie was, it wasn’t for any creative reason. It was just the way the schedule changed right before we started, it was taking me away from my kids for almost a month, and I was like, well, I don’t want to do that. And then I got talked into it, which, obviously I’m very glad that I was. I have no idea how I’m feeling is the answer to that question.
when you were filming this role, did it feel any different to any other role you’ve done or like did it feel a bit more special?
Kieran Culkin: It definitely, it felt different, in the, like the, the script was incredibly tight that I didn’t want to rehearse it or talk about it or anything.
It just felt like it was the first time I ever read something and went, I fully understand this guy.I don’t even want to read it again. I wanna show up on the day and go, what scene are we doing?
Oh yes, this one. And the words got in here really quickly because they were so well written. So that was, that was a fun new approach.
And it felt like I knew who this guy was, but I couldn’t identify it and I didn’t want to analyze it because right away upon reading it, I went, I know who this guy is. I’m just gonna leave it and just do it. It wasn’t until almost a year later when I watched it that I was like, oh my God, I know someone exactly like this, and I didn’t realize I was doing that.
And the moment I realized it my wife leaned over—it was at like a theater—
she leaned over and said his name in my ear. And I was like, you’re right, I’m totally doing him and I didn’t even know. Oh, that kind of unusual experience, I’ve never had that before.
What did this role and movie teach you about yourself?
that’s too heavy a question. I don’t know. I feel like whenever I’ve worked on something important I end up taking things with me. Like sometimes people will say like, oh you’re a lot like that character. I’m like I wasn’t until I did it, and now
I feel like I took something with me. But I’d like to think that I’m a little more together than that guy. I’d like to think that I’ve figured some stuff out, but I don’t, I got, that’s too, that’s my terrible answer to your otherwise excellent question. Sorry.
ZOE SALDANA ZOE SALDANA
Now you’re standing here with your first Oscar if you could go back to any moment of your life and let that version of Zoe know this is only going to make you stronger and prepare you for this moment, when would it be?
Zoe Saldaya: I think it’s every time that I went after a part and I didn’t get it, and I cared so much, and I was so heartbroken for sometimes a day, sometimes a week, but I got up again so at the end of the day, if I don’t act, if I don’t do my art, then what am I who am I and realizing that it’s not about the win when you learn to let that go, and it is about the work day in and day out, the day that you do when you just have a deeper appreciation for it, and you feel that you have appreciated every experience and every moment that has led you here.
There’s a musical song in the movie Emilia Perez that says let the people talk. How would you sing this song to someone, and how would you react to the politics in South America when the movie Emilia Perez was released?
Zoe Saldaya: You know that the art that is created doesn’t have a manual with instructions; it was created with love, hope, and prosperity, and art is a form. It creates topics that sometimes people wouldn’t understand right away, and to create these movies, it’s to bring more voices to the table for discussion, and that’s precisely what the director intended in doing by making this film.
This movie is not inspired by a true story. If I had to make this film again, I would do it 1000 times. This film holds immense importance, is visually stunning, and was created with a great deal of love and sacrifice.
I can only talk about it in this light because that was my personal experience; of course, all the politics that happened with the film really hurt a lot because you, as an actor, create
a film with a lot of love and with your heart wide open. When the film doesn’t receive positive reviews, you begin to question why, what transpired, and what went wrong.
But after you take a deep dive, explore, and process the film, you have to come to an ultimatum decision. and with that i always follow my heart, and i stay true to myself because I know during this film I did it with a noble conscience, and I know that this film that I created as an actress was in noble art, so therefore i don’t regret being a part of this film.
What would you say was the largest obstacle you’ve had to overcome to get here tonight?
Zoe Saldaya: I think it was myself, you know; there’s so many external factors that can impede you moving forward if you stop moving forward, you know, I had a hard time sometimes getting out of my own way and, you know, self-sabotaging and thinking that, oh, trying to believe what others wanted me to believe or trying to believe what others saw in me and not listening to my voice.
we have an instinct, and that instinct that keeps us from falling or helps us put our hands, you know, in front of our face to protect us when we fall, that’s the same instinct that when you’re reading a script or you’re meeting someone and you just know that you’re right for that part and you know that you being a part of that will be something exceptional, and you just have to listen to that, so I can spend so much thinking about all the things that I don’t have that I should acquire, but I can also think about Fuck it let me just, like my husband says, throw myself into the unknown and see what comes of it, and I’m having a lot more fun when i do that.
IT’S NOT ABOUT THE WIN WHEN YOU LEARN TO LET THAT GO, AND IT’S ABOUT THE WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT THAT YOU DO WHEN YOU JUST HAVE A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR IT, THAT EVERY MOMENT HAS LET YOU HERE.
Charlie Cox: At the beginning of born again is something has happened in his life, something significant, something that changes everything for him and changes who he is, and, um, what he’s trying to do is refine an identity, rediscover who he is, um, make amends where possible for past mistakes, um, and also deny an element of himself um however that becomes impossible for a number of reasons, and one of those reasons is Wilson Fisk.
Vincent D’Onofrio: there’s a couple of different ways to look at that, I think, like, as if you—I’ll just step out of my role in this whole thing for a moment—you know, the idea is that it’s two men that sort of need each other to exist in a way, and that’s how it’s been so far they motivate each other in the most dark ways. I think that that’s a big deal the easiest example is when you bring the two characters together we do it as little as possible because it’s so intense when we do it. it means something, saying earlier that it has to be the beginning of something we need to have a scene with the two of them together it has to be the beginning of something we are going to use throughout or some of the way, or it’s the end of some -
thing, and sometimes it’s both and so their planned well, and this season especially, Dario did a wonderful job when he put them in. I think Charlie and I have a little bit to do with that, but it’s mostly Dario’s way. His writing structure is really good, and I think that they, um, you know, there’s immediate tension; there’s immediate interest when the two of them are facing each other. I think they kind of wish each other didn’t exist but sort of know that they need each other.
Charlie Cox: it’s such an honor to work with some of the actors in this show, Deborah Ann Woll and John, particularly. Um, you know, I don’t think that the show daredevil would have had the emotional impact that it has had without Deborah and Elden, who have played the characters foggy and Karen they are the heartbeat of this world that we exist in; they remind us of the audience. I mean, they remind us of what it is to be human in a world of superheroes, and they’re just phenomenal actors and people, you know, so it’s such an honor that they’re back, that they do
such a beautiful job with those characters. John’s frank castle is the best there has ever been, in my opinion he’s an extraordinary actor with the most infectious charisma, and I love working with him he’s always bringing something unexpected to a scene, and I think that, you know frank castle and daredevil kind of push each other in a direction, which is always fun and always unexpected.
Vincent D’Onofrio: Unfortunately, my character disappeared without giving Vanessa a reason. This occurred in the timeline while I was dealing with the Echo character. After this disappearance, demonstrating Ayelet’s incredible acting skills.
I say that as a her peer but also as a good friend of hers so I know the way she works I know how much she puts into it and you can just see it when you’re working with her there were times when we were working together that there was no acting needed I was reacting completely just receiving everything that she was doing and saying and just reacting off of it I think
this is similar to similar to Charlie and I like we get to know each other so well and Ayelet and I know each other so well for so long now it’s an incredible thing it’s a very intense relationship she is trying to understand her husband the best she can because she loves him very much and Ayelet you know has feelings for me because we’re like really close buddies and have been for a while and I feel the same about her and it’s it’s just you know I can’t not include that when it comes to me talking about her performance because we are really taking each other in and receiving each other and reacting to receiving each other and it’s it makes for a really fun scenes to do even though we’re going through pain or emotion sometimes during the scenes it’s a lot of fun so I think that you know she’s comes the idea that Dario had and we loved and we all know that Ayelet is the stronger one of the two at this moment and she’s really kept things together but he has a plan and he needs and he has he asks her to forgive him and come along with the plan
she is trying to understand her husband the best she can because she loves him very much, and Ayelet, you know, has feelings for me because we’re like really close buddies and have been for a while, and I feel the same about her, and it’s just, you know, I wanted to include that when it comes to me talking about her performance because we are really taking each other in and receiving each other and reacting to receiving each other.
it’s it makes for a really fun scene to do even though we’re going through pain or emotion sometimes during the scenes it’s a lot of fun, so I think that, you know, she comes up with the idea that Dario had, and we loved it, and we all know that Ayelet is the stronger one of the two at this moment, and she’s really kept things together, but he has a plan, and he needs it, and he asks her to forgive him and come along with the plan.
in this new life that matters, building and constructing for himself, he meets someone new who doesn’t know him; he’s not from his past. Heather Glenn is played by the amazing Margarita, and he attempts to have a relationship with someone where he is vulnerable and open and honest to an extent, but what he doesn’t tell her is probably the biggest secret, which is that he has had an alter ego, and a byproduct of that is that he doesn’t let her know.
In this new life that matters, building and constructing for himself, he meets someone new who doesn’t know him; he’s not from his past. Heather Glenn is played by the
THE IDEA OF SHOOTING HERE IN NEW YORK WAS A MUST. WE MADE SURE THAT IS WHERE WE WANTED TO SHOOT.
amazing Margarita, and he attempts to have a relationship with someone where he is vulnerable and open and honest to an extent, but what he doesn’t tell her is probably the biggest secret, which is that he has had an alter ego, and a byproduct of that is that he doesn’t let her know.
He doesn’t explain to her that he has heightened senses and, despite being visually impaired, he is able to function without the need for a cane. This is a significant aspect of his withholding, and it’s fascinating to observe how difficult it is to understand why someone would choose to conceal this from the world, especially when they struggle to maintain an honest and open relationship.
it’s probably doomed from the start, but it’s very tender at times it’s very supportive he moves in with someone for the first time we’ve never seen Matt live with someone, cohabitate, and Margarita brings such a—she’s so—there’s such a humanity to it and such a kind of sexiness and a vulnerability to her performance she’s I think she’s a bit of a big breakout from Season.
I mean, she’s an amazing character actress like she’s good; she could do leading parts, obviously, because she’s so beautiful, but her style is
PHOTO BY JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES
Daredevil: Born Again was created by Dario Scardapane and Matt Corman & Chris Ord for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Daredevil. It is the 13th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, via its Marvel Television label, sharing continuity with the films and television series of the franchise. Born Again is a revival and continuation of Daredevil (2015–2018), an earlier series produced by the previous Marvel Television production company and originally released on Netflix. Scardapane serves as showrunner with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead as lead directors.
very much, I think, a very specific kind of characteristic she builds these characters, and if you see in her other work, what she does is nothing like what she’s doing in our show.
it’s amazing. I was just thinking, if I may add, I don’t know if this matters or anything, but it’s amazing how we have these
three actresses how lucky are we? I think about it when I work with them individually, but if you group them all together, this is the first time I’ve ever said out loud grouping those three people together and the talent and the gutsy way that they’re so different yeah it’s amazing.
I mean it’s very imposing I have to say those three are incredible actors yeah it’s it’s a good way to ask the question in New York City is a character in our show it’s it more in this show more than even the Netflix show I mean we’ve go even further that the film makers go even further with the way they use New York and I think that this way that Daria has written this show and is just New York he’s made New York a big part of it the I think that for Charlie right but if I may say that the idea of shooting here in New York was a must you know we kind of made sure that it was where we wanted it to shoot I think as a team we both wanted very much so it’s New York is very important to us I think if when you watch this series you’ll see how exactly it is important to our story
ART BY DAREDEVILSHOTS
ART BY DAREDEVILSHOTS
PHOTO BY SONIA BROMAN
What is it about the franchise and these characters that make them so popular?
Dario Scardapane: I think it’s vulnerability. I think that Matt Murdock is a hero he deals with the disability; he deals with the world that is hard, and he has a really deep kind of spiritual and internal code, and that makes him vulnerable so you write to the parts of him that are in conflict with himself, the parts of him that are insecure, the parts of him that are, for lack of a better word, a challenge to be a better person than his nature may allow him to be, and that makes it super interesting and not easy, but there are places to go writing-wise with a character like that.
Sana Amanat: you know the elements from the old show that we felt like were really important to include were really about the characters themselves and what the core principles of them are, and you know Matt constantly being a tortured and complicated individual and Fisk being someone who constantly wants more and his affection and love for Vanessa being really a guiding force for him.
Of course having, the character interactions with Karen and foggy but also understanding that there are a lot of dynamics that Matt and
Fisk have had with other characters that they constantly influence in the same way that they influence them and having them in the show, having new characters in the show was, I think, a really good sort of testament to that fact, so we have some new players that I think are going to challenge our characters in some fun and exciting ways.
who is Matt Murdock how did he become Darrell daredevil?
Dario Scardapane: well who is Matt Murdock? it’s the big question. I mean, isn’t that the question that we’ve all been wrestling with since the moment he came onto the page in 1964 and since he came onto the screen with the earlier show in this iteration in this version?
DAREDEVIL HAS A DEEP SPIRITUAL AND INTERNAL CODE
COURTESY BY DISNEY
Matt Murdock is the person we saw at the end of the Netflix show 7-8 years later he he’s whole and happy and in a place of, kind of, for lack of a better word, as close as he gets to peace, and then rapidly that’s torn apart, and he has to once again kind of rise from the wreckage, and that’s the joy of daredevil for me he is that character who takes the punch and gets back up to use all the boxing metaphors, but yeah, you hate to see him get hit, but you love to watch him come back.
what is Wilson Fisk taking on in the new series?
Sana Amanat: well I think this is a whole new adventure for him um adventure is such a software for Wilson, actually. I think pondering the question, and I know Vincent has a very specific take on this, but as an audience, as someone watching him, I always wonder, has he changed he is in a new position and a position of a different kind of power, and he’s in the public eye now in a way that he hadn’t been before.
He was hiding in the shadows and making moves, and now he has to do it publicly, so for me, I don’t know; sometimes I want to believe that he’s changed, and maybe ultimately he hasn’t, but I think that’s an intriguing question, and seeing his relationship to New York and how that, um, and what events transpire based on that is going to be the intriguing question, but I just can’t help but, like, I kind of want him sometimes to win, which is crazy.
Dario Scardapane: I always write his stuff as sincere, yeah, like as if he’s and that’s the cool thing about Vincent: you write it straight; he’s not a liar no he’s telling you what he wants and who he is, yeah, well.
Sana Amana: I think Charlie and Vincent have been doing this for a very long time, and they know these characters better than anyone, and the smart thing for us is to listen to them and kind of let them roll they embody them both in terms of their physical manifestations and their overall presence it’s really transformative when they walk on set.
I love seeing you know there was one moment where Charlie, when we do action sequences, we have our stunt doubles, and when Charlie comes on, I just always know it’s Charlie in the mask it’s hard to tell,
but I know when it is because he just has a Polish and a swagger to the way that he does his court, his fight choreography, and there’s like one move he did in the opening it was just so cool he like just stopped his legs and screamed, and it was just so, so awesome but I feel for me as a fan, it’s just really awesome to see these characters come alive through these amazing actors.
Dario Scardapane: yes Matt has a new love interest in Heather Glenn, played by Margarita Levieva, and it’s a new place for Matt. I think that this is, like, for lack of a better word, a grown-up relationship, and he’s trying to be—it’s that same struggle he’s trying to be the best man he can and be the best person he can in this relationship, and part of the fun is watching that fall apart, for lack of a better word.
PHOTO BY SONIA BROMAN
It’s like watching the struggles he has to maintain a normal relationship, and it’s just going 8 different kinds of sideways, so credit to Margarita Levieva for kind of creating this really interesting character that is carried along by events that she’s really trying hard to wrap her head around until she gets to a moment where it’s like no more shell; she draws a line in the sand, I think.
Sana Amana: you know what I love about marvel in general is that New York is a major character, especially in the comics, and for daredevil fans people know that New York and Hell’s Kitchen are a big part of his story it was so awesome to shoot here in the streets of New York.
we got to shoot in Hell’s Kitchen we actually shot across the street from my old apartment building, which was a crazy and weird feeling, just like the places I used to go to were right there, and then you see Matt, Karen, and foggy walking around it
was very surreal, so it was nice to have that backdrop and to make people know that this is a grounded and gritty New York, a New York that you recognize, and the people were real
there’s a thing that we did to kind of bring the streets of New York into our story where two friends of our directors, Justin and Shawn, who are documentary filmmakers, did these interstitials that are as far away from establishing shots as you could ever get.
it’s people and places that just feel like real New York they don’t feel like moving New York, and we threaded that, for lack of a better word, vibe throughout the entire season so you
feel that this is not a New York that was shot on a back lot or not a New York that was kind of crafted in Toronto this is New York, and the people in it are New Yorkers, yeah, and that’s important.
Daredevil: Born Again is now streaming on Disneyplus
catch the latest episodes now.
What i love about Marvel
is that New York is a major character, especially in the comics, and for daredevil fans
PHOTO BY JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES
FOR ALL THE VIEWERS READING PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF?
I go by my first and middle names; Angela Naomi. I started doing that because when I searched for myself by first and last name, a lot of women with more degrees and accomplishments than me popped up. The dropping of my last name was for SEO not fame. I’m an Army Brat so home is everywhere yet nowhere. I consider myself an artistic intellectual because I blend the arts with academics. Whether I’m acting, singing, dancing, or writing, the arts are a part of me. I’m a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where I earned a BA in Sociology. I competed in a few pageants and had the pleasure of coordinating pageants, being a judge, coach, and choreographer. I’m also a trained dancer. I’m a former dance and acting instructor for kids and adults. I served in the Navy reserves and active duty. Even while in the Navy I made time for the arts. I performed in theater shows and started voice acting while I was serving. I’m also a proud alum of the WGA Veterans Writing Project. I love being an aunt to my niece and nephew.
PLEASE TALK ABOUT HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY?
I always wanted to get into voice acting but didn’t know how. I did what anyone would do, I Googled it. I found a lot of resources, however, I wasn’t in the area to participate. This was before many things became available online. Fast forward to 2019 and I’m living in Los Angeles working as a recruiter for the Navy. I found classes and instantly knew I couldn’t sign up for any. We recruiters work long unpredictable hours. I was angry that once again, I was close to my dream and it was snatched away. Well, enter the year we’d all like to forget, 2020. We’re now working remotely and remote voice acting classes have become available. I signed up for classes with Voice Masters and I won’t lie, I swiped my credit card a lot! My dad let me swipe lhis card a few times too. I took classes with Paulette Lifton, MiMi Maynard, Ashley Bornancin, Susan Edwards-Martin, Mark Sweeney, and others. This was my springboard into freelancing and finding my own voice-over jobs as well as the Voice Masters instructors having me audition and booking me for jobs. 2020 was a year that I don’t reflect on often, but my glimmer of sunlight in the midst of the storm was being able to take voice over classes.
PLEASE SHARE A MOMENT IN WHERE YOU FELT YOU GOT INSPIRED TO BE A PART OF THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY?
I was that kid who mimicked anyone. Whether I was copying the way my grandfather answered the phone, my school teachers, the preachers and deacons at church, the various characters on In Living Color, or cartoon characters on TV, I was making voices. My parents would let me sit in the movie theater long enough to see a few of the credits; just enough to see “who did the voices”. When I saw Mrs. Doubtfire and Daniel (Robin Williams) is asked what he does for a living and says, “I do voices” then acts out the various characters I knew then that’s what I wanted to do. Robin Williams was and is an inspiration to me. In fact, if you hang around me long enough, you’ll probably hear me say, “I’m crazy to make a deal with you” or singing “Friend Like Me”.
IS THERE ANY PROJECT OR PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH OR COLLABORATE?
I’d also like to get more involved with animation and independent tv and filmmakers. I believe in dreaming big even if it sounds delusional! I’d like to work with Regina King, Jenifer Lewis, Rolonda Watts, Keith David, Quinta Brunson, Robert Townsend, K. Michelle, and Marwa Khalil. They’re on my Dream Sheet for a reason. The other item on my Dream Sheet is being the next Black Disney Princess. My schedule this year is a lot different from last year and the years before. I’m open to some adventures.
PLEASE TALK ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF WORK YOU ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON
I’m currently focused on animation and dubbing. I had the chance to dub Love is Blind Brazil Season 2 and it was a fantastic experience. I enjoy animation and it’s time I shift my attention over to that. I also have my own projects outside of voice acting. I’m preparing to release a poetry book; I’ve written approximately 400 poems. And I’m working on completing my feature length screenplay that I started when I was in WGA’s screenwriting program.
WHAT TYPE OF SPECIALTY IN VOICE OVER WORK DO YOU LIKE TO FOCUS ON, OR DO YOU HAVE SEVERAL TYPES?
I’m capable of several types, but I’d like to stick with commercials, animation, and video games. Those 3 are exciting enough for me. I enjoy that I can use different voices in commercials. I once voiced a commercial for a company in the US Virgin Islands. I can’t tell you how many times I listened to the sample audio and repeated “orange” to get the pronunciation correct. Animation gives me the
space to be creative, silly, and to step into new worlds. I feel the same about video games. Although I don’t really play video games, I truly like the joy I see when gamers get excited about who’s voicing their favorite characters.
YOU ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE AS A VOICE OVER WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2025?
This year, I’m working on doing voice over the majority of my time. I’d love to get into more animation and dubbing tv and film into English. Last year, I learned about voiceover for the automotive industry and medical narration and would like to get into those areas. My other goal is to boost up my social media. I’ve spent several years writing marketing plans for others and managing social media accounts for businesses. It’s a new feeling to do it for myself, but I’m looking forward to sharing a bit more than I do now. I’m also ready to put together a unique scripted podcast led by one of my original characters. She’s ready to speak, and I think it’s time I unleash her. I can’t wait for people to meet her and the other characters I created. All I will say is that sometimes the message just needs the right messenger, and I think she’s the messenger we need.
CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXCITING PROJECTS THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NOW?
I completed episode 3 of an educational video game entitled, “Ava”. It’s produced by Social Cipher and is an SEL game for neurodivergent students. SEL stands for Social-Emotional Learning and the game helps students develop those skills. I have ADHD, my twin godsons have Autism, my honorary niece has Schizencephaly (a physical disability that causes neuro difficulties as well) and my honorary nephews and niece are a combination of Autism and ADHD. When I was first offered this job, I immediately said yes even though I was asked to voice 5 characters. I was up for this challenge! Each character has their own personality and I enjoyed giving them life.
I voice Captain Redbraid, Marlene, Captain Kira, Shelly the loud speaker, and Patch Pants. Ava is the main character and she and Captain Redbraid are space pirates traveling the galaxies having adventures and working on social-emotional skills. I’m a big supporter of neurodiverse individuals as well as those with other cognitive and physical disabilities.
They are capable of learning, we just have to remember they learn differently and anytime I can be a part of something that helps them learn I’m going to say yes. I look forward to this game being available to even more school systems. And I can’t wait for my crew to say in their own way, “That’s my Aunt Ang!”
WHAT MAKES A GOOD VOICE ACTOR?
I believe the ability to listen is what makes a good voice actor. When I think about how I’ve been able to mimic voices and come up with different voices is because I listen. It’s difficult to put in words, but when I listen to how an accent sounds, I’m listening the way I would approach reading phonetically. I pay attention to how the long and short vowels are pronounced. I listen to the speaking cadence. There are fine details in the way we speak that are missed when we’re engaging in conversation. Listening skills are imperative when being directed in a session. I don’t hear myself the way the director hears me. I need to listen to their feedback and their instructions. When my voice acting instructors would say, “Get out of the room” or “I don’t believe you”, I knew exactly what they meant. Listening is something we have to practice and the more we practice the better we’ll be not only in voice acting but in life.
PLEASE TALK ABOUT WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT HOLLYWOOD ENTERTAINMENT.
Superficially, I like the glitz and glam. Anytime I can dress up like a pageant queen Barbie doll, I’m a happy camper! Even if it says, “casual dress”, I’m not half stepping. On a more profound side, I like that Hollywood has a place for everyone. This is an industry that requires all sorts of skills to make it what it is. Although I’ve done theater, voice acting, and commercials, I was able to use my skills as a Navy Corpsman (medical) and land a job as a Covid Compliance Officer. My time doing that introduced me to an awesome group of Talent Producers, all the jobs in post-production, and I met the president of one of the production companies I was working for. Not too many other industries will let you jump to a different department just because you did similar work at another company. I also love the freedom in Hollywood. Coming from a background in sales/marketing, teaching, and the military I know what it’s like to feel restricted. Sure schedules can be grueling, personalities can clash, and rejection can sting, but I don’t have to stop my conversation and render a salute because an officer walked by. Working in entertainment gives me a freedom that my other jobs didn’t give me. And I love that. I love knowing that I can create my own projects too. I don’t have to wait for my phone to ring to get work.
HOW PEOPLE CAN REACH YOU
My website www.AngNaomi.com or via social media at www.instagram.com/angnaomi and www.facebook.com/angnaomi8
ANGELA NAOMI
RENEE GARNER ELMS
Table Room which both featured every range of Voice Actors. VOs just starting, to very successful professionals on every level in Voice Acting. VO Actors, Agents, Editors, Engineers, etc., shared their VO information in these rooms. They worked in one or more areas of Voice Over work that I was familiar with and some that I had never heard of before or never thought about like dubbing and live announcing.
I was all in after hearing how much they had to share; including their own struggles with mental or physical challenges as well as their successes because of their hard work and
FOR ALL THE VIEWERS READING, PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
Renee: Hello everyone! My Name is Renee Garner Elms, and I am a proud resident of Chicago, Illinois. After 40 plus years in the Learning and Development field I retired in 2021 to pursue training to become a Voice Artist.
TALK ABOUT HOW YOU GET STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY.
I have always used my voice to train others, but I kept dreaming of doing more with my voice. I hired a life coach because I thought that would help me to secure a plan to get started in VoiceOver. This Coach advised me and the group of ladies in the Coaching season to start a Podcast. So, I took classes and started buying equipment to do a Podcast. After meeting with people in the VO Industry in Clubhouse a year later, I quickly found out that Podcasts and Voice Work are NOT the same at all!
determination in their fields! Sadly, both of those rooms and other VO Specific Rooms on Clubhouse that I frequented have closed
PLEASE SHARE A MOMENT WHERE YOU FELT INSPIRED TO BE A PART OF THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY.
My biggest inspirations came from watching children’s movies with my Great Nieces and Nephews. I was in awe at how they know every word, song and mood of the characters in the movies they love and watch repeatedly! I want my voice to be heard on their favorite shows for them and their
Podcasting and Voice Over work were 2 different lanes that required money for different sets of skills, audio equipment (microphones, audio interfaces, editing equipment, website domains, blogs) and more.
WHAT MADE YOU GET STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY?
Renee: I wanted to BE the voices I heard in children’s movies, commercials and more. I also wanted to help others with my voice, but I wasn’t totally sure how to do that outside of the training field that I retired from in 2021. I started with classes at Second City in Chicago for Improv and VoiceOver basics. After those ended, I reached out to a Voice Actor from Chicago on LinkedIn and he sent me a list of books and other resources to explore which I did.
I shared my new interests with a friend at church and she introduced me to Clubhouse where I joined the Working Voice Actor’s Room and the Kitchen
future children to experience! I want that to be one of my legacies after I pass on physically.
I dream of being the voice on television commercials, Audio Description on Movies as a favorite character like a Motherly voice, favorite Aunt, Sister and/or Grandmother in Children’s movies! I am bringing all of my experiences as a 60 plus woman to Voice Over! I truly feel that you are never too old to live your dreams.
ANY
PROJECT OR PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH OR COLLABORATE WITH?
Projects that I want to work on are the Writing and Delivery of Audio Descriptions as well as Commercial, Character Voices and Public Service Announcements, eLearning and Corporate Narration spaces. I’m learning more about the audio content at local Museums, Libraries and more. That sounds intriguing to me also!
There are soooo many people that I would love to work with in VO Spaces. Portia Cue, Dominica Ivey, Vanessa F. Garcia, Yasmeen Ansari-Roberts, Michelle Francine Turner-Anderson, Tracy Lindley, Keaver Brenai, Katie Jostock, Chris Woodworth, Colin W D Mclean, Adrienne Livingston, Barbara J. Faison, Bridget Melton and so many more VO Artists!
I also would love to work with the teams at Disney, Pixar, Netflix and Movie Producers, VO Artists and Production Houses that are local to Chicago or are in other parts of the world too.
WHAT TYPE OF WORK ARE YOU FOCUSED ON?
My focus points now are as follows: 1) Commercials 2) Audio Descriptions (Writing and Delivery of content) 3) Audio Books to a small degree (Children, Religious, Romance, Self-Help/ Restoration content 4) Narration Projects: eLearning, Corporate Narration, perhaps Medical Narration and more.
WHATS A TYPICAL DAY IN THE DAY OF A VOICE OVER ACTOR?
Waiting for opportunities to come to your Inbox, Phone or Text if you have an Agent or Manager. Looking for opportunities to market your skills and abilities through social media, emails, or in person. Tracking ALL expenses regularly. Balancing the time to do all of the above and possibly other work to pay the bills!
CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXCITING PROJECTS THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NOW?
I am currently working on training in new spaces where I get to audition with actual Producers in that VO Space thanks to Liz Atherton and her CastVocies VOAC sessions with VO Industry Professionals. We get to complete an Audition after the Zoom session and get real-time feedback to improve our delivery for that type of VO Project. I love it!
It’s also a great learning tool to learn what areas I DO NOT want to enter at this time. I am looking forward to completing my Audio Description Writing Certification in 2025 when classes open up for enrollment.
IF SOMEONE WANTS TO HIRE YOU FOR ANY VOICE OVER WORK CAN YOU PLEASE LIST YOUR WEBSITE AND HOW PEOPLE CAN REACH YOU?
Sure! My website is reneegarnerelmsvo.com. Please email me at renee@ reneegarnerelmsvo.com to discuss any future projects that I can add my voice to for you. I keep my phone reserved for calls that have been set up in advance via an email.
ANY LAST MESSAGE YOU LIKE TO SAY TO ALL THE READERS ?
I chose to be happy and to use my voice to bring joy, comfort, understanding, compassion and information whenever I can as a good human on this planet. I strive to make my clients very happy that I am representing them with my voice. I strive to be the GOOD that I want to see in the world everyday by using my voice that is filled with love and a smile. Just saying “hello with a smile” to the people that I meet in stores and public spaces is how I share kindness in my place in the world on a regular basis! Thank you for your support of Fusion and for reading/hearing my story! Blessings on you all on overflow!
FOR ALL THE VIEWERS READING, PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
Hello everyone! My name is Adam D. Bullock and I’m a professional Voice Actor, Podcaster, beginner Voice Acting Coach and content creator from Phoenix, AZ.
TALK ABOUT HOW YOU GOT STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY.
Long story short, I’ve been a part of the industry since January 2016, and since then I’ve been doing voiceover work for local businesses, indie filmmakers/animators, radio commercial spots, podcasts, and even made my Cartoon Network (Africa) debut in a pilot animation series called Garbage Boy and Trash Can (Created By Ridwaan Moshood).
WHAT MADE YOU GET STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY?
Well since I was a kid I’ve always had a love for anything and everything when it comes to watching tv shows, movies and live performance theater shows that featured unique and interesting characters.
A Lot of times re-enacting my favorite moments at home for my family and close friends. So as the years went along I had a period of years where I had a fascination with puppetry. Where I was actively participating in a few different puppetry groups in the past few states I’ve lived in. They taught me about the skills and knowledge I needed to be a great puppeteer in order to tell great stories on stage. I got to perform in a few local shows at that time and had a blast doing it. If I think about it, puppetry really taught me allot of core character acting skills that I still use today.
then at some point I had a very short interest in wanting to be a clown. I had some experience dressing up and acting like one at local carnival events. Though like most things as a kid, you get bored and move to the next thing that takes your interest. Now skipping over some other details and events along the way, I started getting really invested in renting movies from the local movie store (BlockBuster, Hollywood Video, etc..) and getting very obsessed over the “behind the scenes” features in each movie I got. Of course this was pre-youtube and tiktok but that’s all I had back then.
It wasn’t until I started watching these specific features in these dvds, called “Behind the Voices” or something along those lines, that I really had an eye-opening moment. I was like “that’s how they do that?”, “...that’s a real job?”. After that I spent a long while of self practice, researching and the journey took off from there.
PLEASE SHARE A MOMENT WHERE YOU FELT YOU WANTED TO BE INSPIRED TO BE A PART OF THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY.
That’s a good question…well, as I was still in the moment of learning more about the industry through what we had information-wise on the internet…. I was teaching myself how to do voice impressions of my favorite cartoon characters and famous celebrities. I got pretty at doing certain ones and others not so much. Regardless though, I kept practicing either by myself or in front of school friends and family members.
..but to get to the point of your question, I would say it was during the holidays with my younger cousins at the time that I really got into performing my made up voices or voice impressions for them so much that eventually they told me I should pursue a career as a voice actor because of how funny and impressive I was back then.
Then as time went on, I started to listen to allot of interviews that featured well known voice actors from my childhood and boy did they tell some amazing stories. Though the one thing that really stuck out to me in their interview was how so many people would walk about to autograph booths at comic conventions and tell them how what they did helped them in their lives. Stories like “if it wasn’t for you doing that one character, I wouldn’t have gotten through the toughest times in my life” or “that show you did voices for saved my life”. The list of examples goes on and on but really that was when I had a “lightbulb” moment or a spark of inspiration.
In life they say we may only impact so many hundreds of people we come in contact with and truly make a difference in their lives…but what if you could impact millions of people around the world just from one or several projects, without ever meeting any of them. For me that’s what sold me to go after this amazing career.
IS THERE ANY PROJECT OR PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH OR COLLABORATE WITH?
Yes, I would love to do more work for video games (mobile games, console, PC, Etc), adult animation, kids animation, anime and more. I have done some work project wise as creatures for indie film, so I would love to do more projects where I get to create/perform unique sounds for monsters, unworldly creatures, ghosts, etc.. With the work I’ve done as a haunted house actor, I know bring some cringe-like moments to my listeners.
As for who I’d love to do work for is a good question but I’d love to work with/collaborate with some of the current top shows that are out there
right now like Hasbin Hotel, Family Guy, Rick and Morty, Big Mouth, DC’s Harley Quin, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, etc. As for anime I would say shows like Demon Slayer, One Piece, Hunter X Hunter and Naruto.
Lastly, for video game work I’d say I would love to work with any game developer for Horror games, Sci-fi games, Marvel/DC games and etc.
PLEASE TALK ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF WORK YOU ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON.
Well there are so many different types of voiceover work out there today that it took me a while to figure out what my niche was. Some forms of voiceover work pay more than others, some have quicker turnarounds (as far as seeing the final product sooner/publicly), and for the last few years I’ve had to really look down deep and really ask myself what is worth my time.
Long story short, I’ve come to realize that I am more of a character actor to my core. SO currently I’m focused on finding and creating projects for animation, podcasting, audio dramas, video games and more.
Though that’s not to say that I’m not open to doing other forms of voice work but character work brings me the most joy.
WHAT
CAN WE EXPECT FROM YOU FOR 2025?
At the moment I am making great headway with Season3 my podcast called “Just Say…HELLO!”, where I interview voice actors, different people from the animation industry and as well as character actors outside the voice acting industry. It’s available on all podcast streaming platforms. I will also say the show does feature special comedic skits that are edited in with special sound effects and music, to really paint a fun experience for all you listeners out there.
Next I would say I am continuing with my efforts of marketing, networking, auditioning and social media content creation to continue getting my name out there and to work on my next amazing client project.
CAN YOU SHARE ANY EXCITING PROJECTS THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NOW?
There are alot of amazing things I have planned for this year. Some things I can’t go into due to NDA contracts and some things that are still developing as we speak but I will say they are amazing. Which I know is kind of a bummer but hey that’s the industry we are in haha. Though I will be nice in saying that allot of it has to do with animation and podcasting but I’ll leave it at that. I will say as of this article that I am building my own entertainment studio (ABV Productions), where we specialize in podcasting, audio dramas and animation projects. Our new projects are still in the developing stages, so we can’t share much at the moment about them. The “Just Say… HELLO!” podcast is the main public project that we can say is under our umbrella of work but as we continue building our team, we will be releasing more information about the studio in the very near future. It’s a very exciting time because I want to help others to get work, just as much as I want to perform more as a voice actor.
HOW CAN THE INDUSTRY REACH YOU?
Yes, certainly! Currently my website is www.adambullockvo.com but you can also get quicker access to everything I do via https://linktr.ee/adambullockvo and get more updates on my voiceover work, podcasting, and more! All my contact information can be found on my website, but you can also message me through any of my social media pages.
Natsuki Terauchi
FUSION: FOR ALL THE VIWERS READING PLEASE KINDLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF?
Natsuki: Hello everyone! I’m Natsuki Terauchi, a professional Japanese Voice Over Artist with over 25 years of experience. I started my career as an announcer at NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), which is a public broadcaster much like the BBC
in the UK, and is one of the most prestigious broadcasting stations in Japan. I’m honoured to be featured in this issue focusing on Japanese Voice Over Artists. Thank you for having me!
FUSION: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY?
Natsuki: Well, my journey into
the voice over industry began with my time at NHK. While working as an announcer there, I engaged in a wide variety of tasks, including reading news, conducting live reports, hosting TV programs, and working as a radio personality. Therefore, at first, voiceover was just one of the many responsibilities I had, and I didn’t think of it as anything particularly special.
FUSION: TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN THIS INDUSTRY AND HOW YOU OVER COME THE CHALLENGES?
Natsuki: O ne of the most significant challenges we face in localization projects is the issue of Japanese script length. Generally, Japanese translations from English tend to be longer in character count, making it difficult to fit within the original video timing.
To overcome this challenge, when I receive a Japanese script, I carefully review it alongside the original English script and video to identify timing mismatches. Based on this analysis, I request translation adjustments or sometimes propose more concise translation alternatives, drawing from my experience as a former NHK announcer. I would like to make a request to content creators involved in localization projects: please be aware that Japanese translations typically become longer than the original English text.
If this is considered from the planning stage, it can reduce the likelihood of timing issues during the translation process and save valuable production time.
FUSION: WHAT MADE YOU GET STARTED IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY?
Natsuki: However, a major turning point unexpectedly arrived. A large-scale program featuring the nature, culture, cuisine, and people of Yamagata Prefecture, located in the Tohoku region of Japan, was planned. I was assigned to do a live report from a helicopter over Mount Gassan, one of the sacred mountains representing Yamagata Prefecture.
However, on the day of the broadcast, the weather was rainy with strong winds, making it impossible for the helicopter to take off. So, we quickly decided that I would do a live voice over for the pre-recorded video of Mount Gassan. I rushed back to the studio from the heliport, but because the broadcast time was approaching, I had no time for rehearsal and went straight into the live show. It was an extremely tense situation where no mistakes were allowed, but perhaps I was able to concentrate because of it, and the result was a huge success
I was able to successfully convey the grandeur and rich nature of Mount Gassan through my voice. This experience opened my eyes to the joy and fulfillment of voice over work, as well as the profound art of voice expression. After that, I left NHK and became independent, but I couldn’t forget the appeal of voice over work that I felt at that time. That might be why I eventually chose to dedicate myself to the world of voice over.
FUSION: JAPAN IS KNOWN FOR SO MANY GREAT ICONIC VOICE OVER PEOPLE SUCH AS CHARACTERS FROM ANIME, OR MOVIES AND DUBBED TV SHOWS, WHO ARE SOMEONE INSPIRATIONAL THAT YOU ADMIRE IN THIS INDUSTRY?”
Natsuki: One voice over artist I deeply respect in this industry is Keiko Nakamura. She is one of Japan’s most distinguished voice over artists and was my first voice over coach.
Ms. Nakamura has voiced not only television programs and commercials but also
various public service announcements that every Japanese person has heard in daily life - from elevators and escalators to bank ATMs. Her voice naturally carries both credibility and dignity, and I always aspire to become a voice over artist like her, whose voice becomes an essential part of daily life.
From her, I learned not only technical skills but also what it means to be a professional voice over artist.
Among current voice actors, I admire Kenjiro Tsuda. He is a popular voice ac -
tor known for his roles in anime such as “Jujutsu Kaisen” and the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Series. I’m captivated by his deep smooth voice that combines sophistication and charm, along with his rich expressiveness. Sometimes I think how different my world might have been if I could produce such an appealing voice.
FUSION: IS THERE ANY PROJECT OR PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH OR COLLABERATE?
Natsuki: I’m particularly interested in working on American documentaries. I’ve long been captivated by National Geographic and Discovery Channel productions, and it’s my dream to narrate the Japanese versions of their high-quality content. Through my voice, I hope to bring quality American content to Japanese audiences.
Narrating stories about wine is also one of my biggest dreams. As a wine enthusiast myself, holding a Wine Sommelier certification from the Japan Sommelier Association, I would love to narrate documentaries about America’s renowned wine regions like Napa Valley and
Sonoma Coast. I would especially love to use my voice and wine knowledge to convey to Japanese viewers the stories of generational winemaking techniques, the unique characteristics of terroir, and the passionate winemakers behind these wines. As both a wine lover and narrator, I believe I can deeply understand and convey the culture, history, and human dedication embodied in wine.
FUSION: PLEASE TALK ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF WORK YOU ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED?
Natsuki: Currently, I’m involved in a wide variety of work, and I truly enjoy this diversity. A significant portion of my work involves voiceover for TV and web commercials. I find it particularly rewarding to convey brand messages in both impactful and engaging ways. I also narrate corporate videos, where I focus on delivering company values and missions with a clear, trustworthy voice.
I frequently work on audio guides for museums, art galleries, and world heritage sites. In these projects, my focus is on providing
I frequently work on audio guides for museums, art galleries, and world heritage sites. In these projects, my focus is on providing visitors with both informative and immersive experiences. I particularly enjoy audio guide work because it allows me to learn about artwork, historical buildings, and natural heritage sites myself.
I also regularly record in-flight announcements for one of the major airlines in US, which was one of my career aspirations as a voice over artist. In fact, when I flew to Los Angeles to attend the SOVAS That’s Voiceover Career EXPO and Voice Arts Awards last December, I was excited to be on a flight that featured my own announcements! While my current work spans many different areas, what connects them all is my passion for using my voice to inform, entertain, and connect with people.
FUSION: WHAT VOICE OVERS DO YOU ADMIRE THE MOST FROM HOLLYWOOD?
Natsuki: As someone who loves watching documentaries, it’s almost too obvious to say, but for me, there’s no one quite like Morgan Freeman. Every time I hear his voice - with its outstanding expressiveness, gentle tone, and that smooth quality that carries both depth and warmth - it touches my heart deeply and stirs profound emotions.
FUSION: WHAT TYPE OF SPECIALTY IN VOICE OVER WORK YOU LIKE TO FOCUS OR DO YOU HAVE SEVERAL TYPES?
Natsuki: Actually, I don’t limit myself to just one specialty in voice over work. What truly draws me to this profession, regardless of the medium or genre, is the power it has to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level. I’m fascinated by the ability of my voice to evoke empathy and resonate with people’s hearts and minds. I find immense satisfaction in adapting my voice and delivery to meet the unique needs of each project. Whether I’m narrating a corporate brand story, conveying the energy of a brand in a commercial or guiding visitors through a World Heritage site, I approach every project with a commitment to authenticity and emotional connection. It’s the challenge of finding the right tone and nuance that really excites me. Ultimately, no matter what the project is, my goal remains the same: to bring a sense of truth and genuine connection through my voice. It’s about creating a voice that feels real, relatable, and impactful, allowing the listener to feel something, to think, and to connect with the heart of the message.
FUSION: IF SOMEONE WANTS TO HIRE YOU FOR ANY VOICE OVER WORK CAN REACH YOU?
Thank you for your interest! You can reach me through the following channels:
My official website, where you can find my demo reels and more information about my work, is: https://www.voiceterra.com
Instagram: @natsuki_terauchi
YURI TAKEI
WHEN DREAMS COME TO REALITY YURI TAKEI AND HER JOURNEY IN THE VOICE OVER INDUSTRY
AUTHOR ROBERT HAIZEN
FUSION: For all the viewers reading, please kindly introduce yourself.
Yuri: My name is Yuri Takei. After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Rikkyo University, I worked at Daiwa Securities Co., Ltd. Later, while managing a research project at the University of Tokyo, I completed the university’s Graduate School master’s program in University Management and Policy. Through this experience, I engaged
in strategic planning and inter-organizational collaboration, while also honing effective communication skills.
From an early age, I received musical training, studying classical music while also performing yodeling on television programs, at concerts and events, and at the Swiss Federal Yodel Festival. This musical background, along with my business and academic experience, adds depth and
expressiveness to my narration.
Since 2023, I have been working professionally as a narrator and voice actor, contributing to projects both domestically and internationally. My voice is appreciated for its warmth, clarity, and persuasive delivery, as well as its playfulness and humor. Recently, I have been developing a distinctive narration style that incorporates yodeling, exploring new creative possibilities.
FUSION: Please talk about how you got started in the voice-over industry.
Yuri: While working full-time at the University of Tokyo, I had put my music performance activities on hold since 2020 to focus on my job. However, I deeply missed creative expression and felt a strong urge to connect with people through my voice in a different way.
This led me to train at TV Asahi Ask, where I discovered the power of narration—the ability to evoke emotions and tell compelling stories solely through voice. Captivated by this art form, I decided to make it my lifelong profession. I resigned from the university to fully commit to voice acting. To establish myself as a professional, I further honed my skills through Voiceover Japan, which provided me with the training and industry insight necessary to transition smoothly into the field.
FUSION: What made you get started in the voice-over industry?
Yuri: My first professional voice-over role was voicing a character in an audiobook. The experience of bringing a story to life solely through voice was exhilarating—I was fascinated by how subtle vocal inflections could shape a character’s emotions and personality.
This project was particularly special to me, as it was nominated for the Japanese Audiobook category at the 2023 Voice Arts Awards, and being recognized early in my career was both humbling and deeply motivating, reinforcing my passion for voice acting and storytelling.
FUSION: Please talk about the challenges you face in this industry and how you overcome them.
Yuri: One major challenge is staying competitive in an ever-evolving industry. To overcome this, I regularly undergo professional training and actively seek constructive feedback. I also stay connected with industry experts and keep up with trends, which helps me grow continuously.
FUSION: Japan is known for so many great iconic voiceover people... who is someone inspirational that you admire in this industry?
Yuri: I deeply respect Kyoya Kimura. He is a legendary voice actor who has significantly influenced the narration style in Japanese television. His mastery of narration techniques and ability to create trends have greatly contributed to the success of Japanese TV programs. Under his guidance, I learned not only technical skills but also the mindset required for TV narration. I
continue to learn from him and other top Japanese narrators, staying attuned to industry trends. Their high standards and evolving techniques serve as a driving force for my growth in this industry.
FUSION: Is there any project or people you would like to work with or collaborate?
Yuri: My goal is to become a regular narrator for television programs, specializing in news, infotainment, variety shows, documentaries, travel, and educational programs. I aim to be a trusted voice that effectively conveys stories and information to diverse audiences. Additionally, I hope to contribute to introducing the culture, diversity, and significance of Japanese TV narration to audiences in the U.S. and worldwide. I believe that if Japan’s top narrators and voice actors share their expertise with the global voiceover community, I believe it could spark interest in the differences in techniques and trends within Japanese narration and provide
insight into the unique characteristics of the Japanese language. Ultimately, it may even lead to the establishment of common discussions on techniques and trends that transcend language barriers. I want to serve as a bridge, showcasing Japan’s artistry and innovation to a global audience.
FUSION: Please talk about what type of work you are currently focused on.
Yuri: I am currently involved in a podcast project produced by a major newspaper company called “Showa 100 Years.” Currently, Japan is in the Reiwa era, following the 30-year Heisei era and the eventful Showa era before that. As Japan undergoes dramatic societal changes and faces a super-aging society, there is a significant generational gap between those born in the Showa era and those born after. This project explores social events of the 64-yearlong Showa era through the eyes of children, helping listeners feel a sense of historical continuity. I am narrating
the episodes and voicing a 12-year-old child who introduces past events and incidents. This immersive storytelling experience has been a valuable opportunity for me. Additionally, I narrate feature news articles for another podcast by the same company.
FUSION: What type of specialty in voiceover work do you like to focus on?
Yuri: My current interest lies in narrating television programs, particularly news and informational shows as well as variety programs. These genres require skills to effectively engage the audience while delivering the content, which I find particularly appealing and look forward to challenging myself with.
FUSION: What are your plans for 2025? What can we expect from you?
Yuri: My goal is to debut as a television narrator. Recently, I’ve been expanding my work in documentary, news, and reporting projects primarily from my home studio, but I’m also looking to take on television projects. Additionally, I hope to share the diverse and excellent narration from Japan with the international narration community and engage in discussions to deepen mutual insights into narration. The Japanese television industry showcases some of the most cuttingedge narration, and I aim to spread the excellent work being done there. My goal this year is to be able to share these experiences as part of my own journey.
FUSION: Can you share any exciting projects that you are currently working on now?
MORE: To catch more of Yuri interview you can see the full interview at fusiontvmedia.com/yuritakei
To know more about Yuri Takei and her work visit her website voicecanvaslab.com
The Showa 100-Year project offers a unique look back at the Showa era through the perspective of a child, bridging historical context with storytelling.
I voice both the narration and the role of a 12-year-old, which allows me to experiment with versatile vocal techniques. This project is particularly meaningful as it highlights Japan’s cultural and historical evolution in a way that resonates with listeners of all generations. It also serves as an opportunity for me to refine my skills while contributing to a project of significant cultural value.
FUSION: In your opinion, what makes a good voice-over actor?
Yuri: They continuously refine their natural voice, expand their expressive range, and stay updated on industry trends. These elements play a crucial role in shaping their skills and approach.
FUSION: Please talk about what you like about Hollywood entertainment.
Yuri: What I admire most about Hollywood entertainment is its ability to captivate audiences worldwide through powerful storytelling. Its universal appeal comes from deeply human themes, compelling narratives, and emotionally resonant performances that transcend language and culture. I am particularly inspired by Hollywood’s strong emphasis on voice acting as a key storytelling element. The exceptional production quality and meticulous attention to vocal performance push me to continually refine my own craft.
