Will Friedle is not any stranger to voicing unhealthy guys, however as a rule he’s forged to play heroes. Within the new Teen Titans Go! & DC Tremendous Hero Ladies: Mayhem within the Multiverse crossover animated movie, he will get to have it each methods taking part in not solely Lex Luthor but in addition the King of Atlantis himself, Aquaman. Whereas Luthor continues to be recognizably the vainglorious and energy hungry genius on the earth of DC Tremendous Hero Ladies like he’s all the time been, Aquaman has been reinterpreted as a laid-back seaside bum with a voice that’s clearly impressed by Matthew McConaughey‘s distinct drawl.
We had the fortune to talk with Will Friedle about not solely his twin roles as Lex Luthor and Aquaman but in addition his new I Hear Voices podcast together with his former Kim Attainable co-star Christy Carlson Romano.
Taimur Dar: As many followers are effectively conscious, Lex Luthor began out within the comics as a mad scientist however he was reinvented within the ‘80s as a company businessman within the vein of Gordon Gecko. What’s been actually attention-grabbing is within the final 10-15 years, Lex Luthor has moved away from that Wall Avenue picture and extra in direction of somebody out of Silicon Valley like Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk. I’m curious if that concept of the Silicon Valley tech bro knowledgeable your efficiency for Luthor?
Will Friedle: No, not likely. I feel he’s a cool mixture of Michael Rosenbaum from Smallville as a result of he’s youthful and Gene Hackman. We’re doing a a lot lighter model of Lex and whilst you can actually see flashes of the evil genius. He’s nonetheless navigating being an adolescent or a little bit older together with his household’s firm. It was extra that form of vibe than the tech mogul. I like how they all the time revamp Lex Luthor to be the villain de jour in relation to what it’s that’s taking on the globe precisely such as you mentioned from Gordon Gecko to a Silicon Valley form of sociopath who’s now Lex Luthor.
Dar: You’ve performed your share of villains however I feel it’s secure to say most individuals affiliate you with taking part in heroes like Batman Past/Terry McGinnis, Lion-O, Nightwing, or Bumblebee from Transformers. Do you end up sought primarily for heroic characters and is it refreshing to play villains?
Friedle: It’s so completely different for me. As you had been saying, I’m all the time the nice man or younger hero. It’s a totally completely different vibe for me and one which I like. Any time I can step out of my consolation zone is nice. Individuals all the time ask me, “In case you might play one character who wouldn’t it be?” And my reply is all the time Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe. So to have the ability to play a villain is simply the best factor on the earth!
Dar: It solely not too long ago dawned on me that DC Tremendous Hero Ladies is a mini Kim Attainable reunion for you and Nicole Sullivan besides your roles are reversed this time with you because the unhealthy man and now she’s the nice man.
Friedle: Exacty!
Dar: Clearly Mayhem within the Multiverse was recorded remotely however I’m curious in the event you and Sullivan ever had any periods collectively if you labored on Kim Attainable after which later for the primary season of DC Tremendous Hero Ladies?
Friedle: DC Tremendous Hero Ladies we’d run into one another on the sales space. Often she can be leaving as I used to be coming in. [There would be] hugging and saying good day. We by no means really recorded collectively. Kim Attainable we recorded collectively on a regular basis. Christy Carlson Romano who performed Kim, I see her on a regular basis and we do a podcast collectively known as I Hear Voices. She was in New York on the time in class. I used to be out right here in Los Angeles and I might all the time document with John DiMaggio who performed Drakken and Nicole who was Shego. Often as soon as every week the three of us can be collectively. I obtained to know Nicole effectively and he or she’s one among my favourite folks on the earth. She’s phenomenally gifted. Any time I get to see Nicole is unquestionably a very good day.
Dar: On the flipside, you additionally voice Aquaman who debuted within the second season. I actually love this seaside bum take that’s clearly a Matthew McConaughey impression. Was McConaughey within the description for the character or was that totally your thought?
Friedle: They had been speaking about surf bum and after I began recording it, it simply got here out as a foul Matthew McConaughey impression. And it simply form of labored. Within the movie when the precise Justice League present up, they’re all form of caricatures of themselves. You’ve obtained Superman who could be very a lot the boy scout. Batman is simply mumbling your entire time and you may’t perceive him. And also you’ve obtained the seaside bum that’s Aquaman. It was a enjoyable pure development to go from there to [Matthew McConaughey voice], “I discuss to squids man” vibe. And it appeared to work!
Dar: You talked about John DiMaggio earlier and it jogs my memory how a lot I beloved his take and efficiency as Aquaman in Batman: The Courageous and the Daring cartoon. I do know folks have a tendency to think about Aquaman as a joke however he actually managed to seize the humor for the character with out making him a buffoon. Because you additionally had been in Courageous and the Daring it’s fairly secure to imagine you’re conversant in DiMaggio’s Aquaman so I’m curious if that influenced this model in any means?
Friedle: It didn’t actually have any affect apart from I noticed that you may go as massive as you needed. Johnny is in a league of his personal and also you truthfully simply described John completely. Large and humorous and never a buffoon is how he did Aquaman and that’s John. John is massive and humorous and never a buffoon. Very good man and uber gifted. And outrageous, to not quote Aquaman however he’s. And he simply completely encapsulates that character. I didn’t need to lean an excessive amount of into that as a result of he does his personal factor. And man, he does it effectively. These are sneakers I might by no means fill. That’s why I took it an entire completely different route with the McConaughey impression.
Dar: It’s fairly straightforward to inform when voice administrators like working with sure actors and vice versa. Sam Riegel is extremely busy proper now and so together with his blessing handed the voice directing over to Gene Vassilaros who got here from Nickelodeon casting. Had you labored with Vassilaros earlier than?
Friedle: I had. Gene and I labored for a few initiatives prior to now and I learn for him a few occasions. Clearly I’ve recognized Sam for various years by means of Vital Position and dealing with him. Going from Sam casting to me to Gene being the director was an easy transition.
Dar: Lastly, as you talked about earlier you’ve not too long ago teamed up together with your former Kim Attainable co-star Christy Carlson Romano to launch your individual podcast I Hear Voices. How did that come about and what’s been the expertise to date?
Friedle: It’s been nice. It actually has. Christy and I talked about doing one thing collectively and we had been developing on the 20th anniversary of Kim Attainable this yr. Her factor was, “I actually don’t know sufficient in regards to the voiceover trade. I must know extra.” I used to be speaking to her and her husband Brendan [Rooney] and I Hear Voices was born. Her husband is a businessman and ex-Marine and when he decides to do one thing it will get executed. He’s simply that man. So once we determined to do that from the time we had the cellphone name, it was three weeks later and we had been sitting in a studio filming and speaking to folks. It happened in a short time. It’s been an exquisite expertise. I get to speak to all my mates and we get delve into the voiceover facet of the trade. I feel the pandemic had rather a lot to do with it, however we’re at some extent the place voiceover actors are rightfully getting their place within the leisure trade. A few of these voiceover actors have gotten authentic rock stars in their very own proper. To have the ability to interview them and assist them much more come into the world and let folks know who and the way gifted they’re has been nice.
Teen Titans Go! & DC Tremendous Hero Ladies: Mayhem within the Multiverse is on the market now on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital.
Followers may also catch the film occasion on Cartoon Community premiering Saturday, Could 28 after which on HBO Max starting June 28.
