In animation, it’s the voice actors who breathe life into the characters, transforming written words into dynamic personalities that resonate with audiences. As Cradle, a highly-anticipated animated adaptation of the beloved book series, approaches release, three of its leading voice actors — Phil LaMarr, Morla Gorrondona and Maxine Phoenix — recently got together at the San Diego Comic-Con and shared their unique experiences in shaping their characters. From navigating complex accents to capturing the imagination of an already dedicated fanbase, the actors reflect on the creative challenges and responsibilities of bringing Cradle to life.
In the first interview (above), LaMarr and Gorrondona discussed their roles in the show and how they were able to have the creative freedom they needed in bringing their characters to life. Gorrondona described the series as a blend of familiar fantasy elements, like those in Narnia and both actors mentioned the approachability the show has for young adult audiences.
They spoke about the collaborative process of their characters development, working closely with creators to ensure their voices matched the vision, experimenting with vocal traits, and making adjustments based on feedback. LaMarr reflected on how Cradle differs from his past work, with its unique, book-based world requiring a different approach then he normally has.
In this interview, Maxine Phoenix, who plays a key figure in the upcoming animated series, describes her the character as one of the best-written female roles she’s ever portrayed. She emphasized the character’s strength and the inspiration she hopes it will bring to women and younger audiences. She shared that while the recording process took about four hours, she spent extra time perfecting a unique accent blending Russian, Scottish, and Nordic influences, drawing inspiration from characters like Melisandre from Game of Thrones. She talks briefly about her audition and how she felt some apprehension but she trusted her instincts and valued the collaborative feedback from the series’ director (Jay Olivia) and writer (Will White), who helped shape the performance.