November 7, 2022 • 40 mins
Christy and Will welcome AJ Hudson to the pod. While he may be one of the youngest guests they’ve ever had, he couldn’t be more accomplished!
AJ shares the view from where he’s sitting which includes his favorite show, the best snacks at recording studios and what it feels like being the first black iteration of Robin in the new Batwheels series!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey Christie, Hey Will what's up? Nothing much? How are you?
I'm moving so I have a very different setup today. Um,
but I am so happy. Um. You know, we had
a blessed move and the house is great and my
kids are good and so all is well. You know,
I got this microphone and you and our amazing guest today, Yeah,
(00:20):
which is great. What you don't have is the giant
green screen behind you, and I also don't have any
makeup on, so I don't. But you're a vision. You're
always a vision. Makeup or no makeup, You're a vision
and we know it. Thanks guys, that's very sweet. But no,
we're really happy because we've got not only uh an
incredible voice over actor today, but a young voice over actor,
(00:41):
so him. I'm intrigued to talk to him about kind
of what the nature of the business is now as
compared to kind of when we started. That sounds awesome.
I love saying this. But what the kids are watching nowadays,
I really you know, it's really cool though to see,
especially because you are one of voices of Batman and
(01:01):
he is playing Robin, and in fact he's the first
African American Robin, right, the first generation of a black Robin,
which is really really cool, and he is I mean,
he's just already had such a great career. So A J.
Hudson is on today on I hear voices, and we'll
get to chat with him. This is going to be fun. O.
(01:22):
Welcome to the show. Okay, wait, I'm starting right away
with he's wearing the ultimate T shirt. Ever, because how
did he know that you were a fan? I don't know.
I've been playing D and D for years and so
we are automatically besties. A J. Do you play here?
(01:43):
I don't. We just honestly, we were going shopping for
my little New York comic on trip and we saw
this yet and I was like, actually, my dad was like,
I like this show. That's an old school one too.
I can tell that is the original Dungeons and Dragons
one there. I love that. Well, welcome to the show.
Welcome to I hear voices, A J. We're excited to
(02:03):
have you. Are you excited to be here? Yeah? I
also really like his blue background. He's got agreed lue background.
You will, yeah, you will find as we are going
along in this podcast that Christine, I really have no
idea what we're doing. So we're gonna talk about your shirt.
We're gonna talk about the stuff in the backgrounds, like
what kind of cherry is sitting on? Agent? Yeah, we've
(02:24):
we're pulling it strong. Are you sitting on? So we
were talking about first of all, all things voiceover, obviously,
and we were looking at certain things about your career
because the first thing that pops up is your age.
You're young. You're sixteen, yes, sir, and sixteen, and to
(02:49):
have the career you have, especially in the voiceover world,
is is pretty remarkable. So how did you get started
doing animation? As far as how do I get started? Well,
you know, I started acting like on screen when I
was six. My dad just threw me into that because
he thought it would be nice. But um, I don't
even remember my first voice over. I just remember it happening,
(03:11):
and then everything builds up upon that over the years. Yeah,
well what I thought was super cool and when we
look and I can relate to I also started acting
on screen when I was six years old. Um. Well,
actually I started in theater um and um I think
I think when you start young, um, it makes you
(03:33):
very like a malleable, like to do many different things. Right. So,
even though you know you're using your voice to understand
how to be a character and to be different characters
at a young age, that translates pretty quickly over to
voice to voice over work. Right. Yes, see, that's interesting
(03:54):
that you would say that because I've worked with a
number of on camera actors and maybe it's because they
didn't start. Yes, it's because you weren't able to really
transition as well into the voiceover world as you would
expect them. And and so it's you. You're working with
somebody that you've admired for years and years and years
as an on camera actor. And AJ, we're going to
(04:14):
get into the list of people that you have worked with,
because it's to say it's impressive. Um, when you get
into Kathy Bates, Samuel Jackson, Ted Dancon, we're just throwing
out incredible. Um. But I think you're right because you
get set in your ways when it comes to your
craft and if you are strictly an on camera actor
and then you're thrown into voiceover, um, it is a
(04:36):
different thing. Do you So, do you even remember what
your first voiceover gig was? I think it was, Um,
I did a Barbie. Yes, yes, you were Jason was
you were you jas okay and you were you like
recurred in all of these Barbie um Dreamhouse so you were.
That was like a big like that was almost like
you're not a big break, but like that was a
(04:56):
big deal and it was that was I must say
that was really fun, Like not even just the recording process,
but even just going to the studio. They always had
my favorite snacks in their head. Find some eminem's over
to the side. I was like, I could get used
to this. You know what, I gotta be real. You
just unlocked like an entirely amazing childhood adolescent memory of mine.
(05:21):
This is something that they do in the voiceover world,
the voiceover. Well, it's on camera too. Yeah, there's kids around,
there's candy. Yeah, but no, no, no, do you don't
remember this? At l A Studios where we used to
film Kim Possible, they would ask you like, oh, hey,
what do you like or you want more of this? Okay,
we'll make sure. And I always wanted string cheese for
some random reason, and they always made sure they get straight.
(05:43):
But they do. Like the snack game in these places
is on point. It is. It's also Salami Studios definitely
hooked me at Salami. Salami's got some great stuff, you
would think, so, um, exactly, Studio. I just find it interesting,
Christie that the thing you asked for is dairy as
you're about record, was the worst thing you can ask for? Yeah,
(06:08):
I want cheese sticks in a pack of smokes? Yeah? Perfect? Yeah,
pretty much pretty much? So when when? Now, when you
were growing up, were you a fan of animation before
you started acting in it? Did you have certain animated
series that you watched religiously? Oh? Yeah, definitely. I'm sure
like as many young kids, you know, cartoons? Is this
something that we we watched so favorite? Oh? I don't
(06:32):
even know what I'm thinking there go and me and
my mom is in love with that show for forever now.
So yeah, okay, what else I gotta ask? Because now,
because you're getting into the you're into the bat world now,
I'm just saying, in the DC world, So were you do?
Do you know who will is this co host? Start?
(06:54):
My first My first gig was Batman? So is Batman?
So that was really cool? But what were did you
have a favorite DC superhero growing up? M hm? Or
now about that? About that? I was, um, I kind
of am a Spider Man fans, but okay, but you
(07:15):
know I am, I'm not as far as d C.
I do like UM, I like the Flash. I don't
know why, he just I like all his suits and
his just speed. Something about him is just really nice.
And then of course Robin. As I've done more research,
I love Robin and I watched um Teen Titans Go
a lot. Oh yeah, well you're on that, like I'm
(07:35):
It's funny. I'm both I'm so, I'm Flash, I'm kid
Flash on Teen Titans Go. But I also write a
lot of you. I've written written some of the episodes
for Oh yeah, oh you just written my leg? Yeah
that was that's all. Yeah, yeah, but I I wrote so,
I wrote the pilot of that show, and then I
wrote a couple of the other the Dungeon Dragons episode
where they're riding the dragon, all that kind of stuff.
(07:56):
It all comes full circle and ends up with a
j It does as a new generation of voice actor.
By the way, you can you don't have to hang
your head low when you're talking about not liking d C.
I get that there's people that have the different camps
and Marvel is perfectly acceptable, especially Spider Man a great
(08:17):
character all the time. Um, so tell me a little
bit about about bat Wheels because it sounds incredible. Well,
also in the work that you've done, like you were
just mentioning about Robin and doing research. Yeah, well let's
do bat Wheels first. First of all, it's been a
great experience. Uh, Mr Michael and Mr Simon, They've been
amazing in the studio. It's been great to work with them.
(08:38):
And I remember when I first got the job and
my dad and I were looking at it. We had
to do some research on who Duke Thomas was, who
a black Robin was, and we as it went off,
they're like, oh, this is this is pretty nifty. I
get to be the first black Robin on screen. That
is huge beyond my comprehension. So but um yeah, bat
(08:59):
Wheels just a kid friendly Batman TV show, more based
around cars, so like Gotham City is more like an
amusement park, a bunch of rams, a bunch of swoop
de loops, a bunch of freeways, and uh, just a
preschool friendly, not watered down version of Batman, but definitely
a less you know, dark Batman because you know these
are preschoolers that need to be watching this. Sure, no,
(09:21):
and there's nothing wrong with that. So the Bruce tim
who is one of the biggest creators of Batman, He
created Batman, the animated series, Batman beyond Justice League, some
of the biggest things ever. He always said, because he's
become the the authority on Batman, he always said, there
always needs to be a Batman for everyone. So there's
a Batman for little kids and a Batman for adults.
(09:42):
Sometimes the movies are very dark and the cartoons very light.
Sometimes the cartoons are very dark and the movies are
very light. But there's always a Batman for everybody. And
this is a perfect example. Bat Wheels. So it's for
preschoolers that can get introduced to the world of the
dark night, which is pretty rage And I would say
that the aesthetic from what I've seen, it still does
have some It seems very nighttime. It feels very dark
(10:04):
and still got they're bright. They're like in the caves
and whatnot, and it's like they're bright lights or what
kind of shine from within, and it kind of almost
humanizes the cars and makes them I feel like, very
accessible to, Like my kids are going to love the show.
So speaking on what you said about the night time.
I remember, I remember in our interview that we did
with the directors, that was what they were going for.
(10:24):
They wanted just bright light during nighttime, making Gotham look
fun and less dark than in previous installments of Batman. So, yeah,
you want to make the first too curious preschool or
I would think it's probably more cars, right, cars meets Batman.
I think that's probably how will yet Yeah, a little
(10:44):
mash up. I think that's very very cool. Um so
what when you were doing your research? What did you
discover about about the Robbins that you were reading about?
Because there are so many and there's some that are
loved and some that are hated and some that I
mean they're tod they killed. How can you hate Robins?
Are you kidding? So when when Robin was um, well,
there's because there's different Robin. So some people like you know,
(11:05):
for instance, uh, Jason Todd. People didn't like Jason Todd
at all, whereas people love Dick Grayson who went off
and became Nightwing. There's I mean, everybody's got all of
these backgrounds and everybody has a favorite Batman. So there's
a famous story where they put out a comic book
series where Jason Todd was essentially the Joker captures Jason
Todd and they left it up to the audience what happens,
(11:28):
and it was like voted to kill him. So so
that's what happened, is Jason Todd was killed. Wait, see, then,
how do you be a likable um? How do you
become a likable Robin? Then? Well, I don't think you don't.
I don't think you get to choose. It's it's something
you know, how do Why do some some people like
certain characters on television shows and some other characters are hated.
(11:49):
It's just that's It's the same with comic books. Did
you Now we've talked about some of the shows you
liked growing up, and we've talked about some of the
shows that you're doing. Now, do you have a dream role?
Like if you could pick any animated character you wanted
to do, is there is there when you would pick
right away? Is that Spider Man? It? Actually that would
be one of them. But honestly, I'd want to voice
(12:13):
myself like me animated. I feel like that would be
something that would just never heard that before. Okay, So
I like what's now. I'm curious what in what iteration
would you be just you? Would you be a superhero?
Would you like what would it be? You know what?
Thinking about that, I would want to be some type
(12:33):
of superhero. Basketball piano playing like for everything I do now,
So that's just pretty over the top version of me.
We know you're a big basketball fan. But you said,
do you play the piano as well? Your musician as well? Oh? Yeah,
I actually have a piano right here next to me,
so I've been playing piano for even years. Now do
(12:57):
you now do you sing as well? Are you songwriter
or is it just more piano? I can I do
sing A little bit. I do sing, I seeing when
I'm playing my piano all that. I think a j
might be one of the first piano playing I know
we've had some musician voice actors, but I don't think
we've spoken to somebody who who? Who? Who? Does that?
(13:19):
Do you feel like your relationship to music kind of
informs the way that you're like going about you know
the way that you're doing your voice acting honestly, yes,
Like when you think of rhythm and cadence, all that
goes into play when you're doing a scene, especially in voiceover,
because you know, the movement isn't really there, so you
have to do all of it with your voice, so
(13:39):
you have to just keep that in mind while you're recording.
So yeah, I like that question. Yeah, there's there's a
inordinate number of voiceover actors that are also musicians. It's
I would go so far as to say most so
most of the people we talked to also have some
sort of musical background. It lends itself to using your
voice as an instrument. It whether that's singing or changing
(14:02):
the voices that you're doing or whatever it is. It's
just there is something very musical, very lyrical about being
a voice over actor. Um. And it's also I hate
to say this, but it makes you, man, it makes
you perfect for Disney, like for the Disney Disney actor,
you know what I mean. It's like, you're gonna be
the musician. You're gonna be You're happy, You're fine. It's like, yeah, okay, jeez.
(14:25):
The amounts I've gone on for stuff like that is
just I'm sure. And now, is is acting something that
you're interested in as a career? Is voice acting something
you want to focus on or you like, hey, I'm
doing this until I get my basketball scholarship. Um, honestly,
(14:46):
I'm gonna say, I don't know. I was gonna say
it's a mix of all three, but no acting and
voice acting is definitely something that I'm going to be
doing until I'm old. So yeah, I don't see myself
stopping I have. I enjoy it too much and it's
too not easy, but it's just it's such a it's
a fun job where I get to be myself, I
(15:08):
get to be other people, and I just it's just
so entertaining the different things that I can do on
an off screen. Are you working on any voices in general, Like,
have you been trying to experiment with different voices or
is it mostly like you're familiarizing yourself with your voice
as you are at sixteen. I mean, honestly, I'm not
(15:30):
really like I've been doing a British accent or it's
like kind of a mix of a British and Australian accent.
I can never differentiate the two. But that's really the
only voice I do consistently, and I've been trying to
work on that more because you know, I like people
like Tom Holland who just they have such a great
American accents, so I'm like, you know, I want to
have a great British accent. So you know, maybe a
British film comes up and I might be able to that. Awesome.
(15:54):
You want of a really easy technique for differentiating between
English and Australian. Yes, So the easiest thing you can
do is to get into Australian. Is you talk about
saying they always say gooday, you know, good eye, So
you say it's a good eye, like I've got a
great eye. Good eye. So if you're saying a good eye,
then all of a sudden you're Australian good eye all right?
(16:16):
Then it throws And thirteen that's the other one. They
talk about numbers, So thirteen it's you know, with with
British it's their team. But with Australians thirteen. So you
just you run through British. British is more sophisticated, like
I've got a cup of tea exactly. What also depends
on the British accent you're trying to do, because you
could go very cocky, you know, anything like this, and
(16:38):
it doesn't matter what you're saying, because it all comes
out you know, and then they say, but you know,
dropping your hs or whatever, and then there's other ones
that you know, very very proper. It's very proper British.
So and I'm terrible at at accents, so I mean,
that's a whole another thing where accents are learnable, see
versus like, I feel like there's a lot of resources
for folks out there, even people listening to the podcast.
(17:01):
You can go even on YouTube and you can learn dialects.
Um I'm I think that's great a j that you're
challenging yourself to to learn new dialects. That's totally I
feel like achievable and really inspirational. Now I want to
go learn. I also heard that if you say beer
can that it's bacon ba can bia can it sounds
(17:21):
like what, I don't know that baken? What is that?
But what is it? Are you trying to say beer?
It's Jamaican but then it's also a different one, but
I don't know biah can the other I forgot what
the other accent was, but that was like a hack
and I don't know it was Australian. Honestly, don't even
(17:44):
know how to answer that. We're just going to plow through.
Um and a J. I do have an interesting question
for you because both Christine I grew up as child
actors as well, and the business is changing so much
from what we knew to what you're Jay were people.
UM my question is how is it still balancing your
(18:07):
career and school? I mean, I was just thinking about that. Um,
It's honestly not that hard, especially with technology nowadays, It's
not like I have to be at school to learn everything.
So I mean it's really quite simple, honestly. Just email
my teacher, Hey, I'm gonna miss school. I'm shooting these days,
or have an audition I have to leave early, and
(18:28):
they'll just send me the work. If I have any questions,
then I can go to them the next day, get
some tutoring and and when you're on the set, is
it still three hours a day? Do you still need
a studio set teacher for three hours? I do still
need okay, all right, so it hasn't changed all that much.
So when you show up, you you okay. This is
(18:49):
really interesting because even when I did Kim Possible, I
like did something where I didn't do three hours. Anytime
I showed up, I guess I banked on different days.
Oh that makes sense. I did I banked on the weekend.
I think I banked on the weekend. Okay. Wow, it's tough, man,
it's tough, AJ but so but you're enjoying it. It's
(19:10):
worth it to you to balance all that for sure.
What is it like for you to watch your voice
married to your character, your your cartoon character. It's awesome.
I remember the first little demo that they showed us,
the first bits of animation. As I was finishing recording
(19:31):
and just looking at I got emotional. I was like, dude,
that is me in a show that a bunch of
people are gonna watch, a show that my little brothers
are gonna love. And so I almost started crying because
I was like, that's my voice coming out of the character.
And then, like like I said before, just the black
Robin and being of like black and Puerto Rican heritage,
(19:52):
that's just so huge to see my voice coming out
of that animation. So I'm just I'm still stunned, and
I probably will be for as long as this goes on.
For well, I mean, you can't you can't beat first,
so you will always in history be the first iteration
of a black Robin. That's enormous. I mean, as a
Batman fanatic, that is huge. So congratulations, well earned, very cool.
(20:27):
Do you mind if we play a little bit now? Okay,
of course, well, of course not. I love to play.
Let's do so. We sent you a script of something
that we might call Across the Garden. Yes, and you're
gonna be if you don't mind being our pirate captain. Okay,
I think it's gonna be a ton of fun. And
we are joined by Jess Mario. Am I saying that
(20:49):
right you are? Hello everyone, Yes, so nice to meet you.
I'm so excited. Thank you, Jess. This is a j A.
J is one of the biggest up and coming voice
over actors in the biz, and we are going to
be playing today for everybody joining us for the first
time ever, we UH do this fun thing where every
(21:11):
week we do a little bit of a animated scene
where somebody gets to come in an amateur voice over
actor UH and undiscovered talent voice over actors, how I
like to say it, gets to come in and play
UH for a quick scene and they get to play
with some of the best in the business. And today
we are going to be playing with a J. Hudson,
and of course we are for those of you who know,
(21:33):
it is across the garden where Uh, Christy and I
are two little mice trying to make it across a
garden faded to the mall, ill faded. Um. We came
up with these characters on the fly. We both right
after we came up with them. We're like, man, I
wish we came up with something different, but this is
what we got. And now we have been stuck with
these two wonderful characters, Ricky and Mocha. I think if
(21:53):
the last time memory serves, they were still trying to
get to the mall. That's just the right. So if
it's okay with you, we would love a j for
you to play Fleabard sounds good, and he should try
his accent. He's gonna he gets to pick his pirate accent.
(22:14):
And then, um, Jess, if you could be peg Leg,
that will be great. I will be red Hat and
we will I'll also be Mark. Um. Actually you know what, Christie,
you be red Hat is only one to another character, yes,
and I will be Mark and uh, and then we'll
(22:35):
all be the pirate crew as we're trying to get
some some background voices in, but to be a whole
lot of fun, I will read the stage directions and
we will get to play. So, ladies and gentlemen, everybody ready,
Here we go as we try to make it once again.
Across the garden fade in interior woods continuous. Ricky and
Mocha are happily running towards them. All we're here, We're
(22:56):
actually here. I swear, I cry if I wasn't dead inside,
they laugh as they jump a log and sprint forward.
What are you gonna do when you see your boyfriend? Wait?
Is he even gonna be here? No? You remember I
wasn't even important enough for him to hang around. Then
why are we still going to the mall? Because it's
(23:16):
a quest, a quest that we needed to finish, especially
after everything we've been through, and Nordstrom is having a
sale from mice. Okay, it's right there, we just have
to We pulled back to find Ricky Amoka standing in
front of a large lake. It's probably just a big
puddle separating them from the mall. Now what Well we
(23:40):
can start with the turning overall eat jills into balloons.
Ricky and Moka trying to find flea beard, apache furried
rat with long gray beard, dressed like a pirate? Do
what the boons? They just stare? Can someone help me out?
Am I saying it right? A crew of perly dressed
(24:00):
rat pirates walks over and surrounds ricky mocha. One of
them steps forward, you'd be saying, a true captain, doubloons moolah.
Still nothing money? Oh money, I get it? You know
that makes sense? Yeah? Um, we don't have any of that.
(24:21):
You don't, do you? Well, then how do you think
you'd be getting past the toughest crew that ever sailed
the high seas? Peg leg? A rat with a peg
legs steps forward. One. A rat with a one eye
steps forward, no head. A rat with no hands waves
green hat. A rat with a red hat steps forward. Oh,
(24:41):
schary the captain be kind of named and Mark, a
rat kind of dressed like a pirper, looking at his iPhone,
steps forward. Hi, Marks me brother in law? Now what
are we gonna do if he got no money? Pig leg?
What do we normally do in this situation? I'd forgetting it?
Really all depends, captain, if and I'd be honest with you.
(25:06):
You sorry, this has never really happened before and hasn't. Well,
then I'm a guessing we don't have no rules to follow.
Make them walk the plank, cruise shifts around uncomfortably. Captain,
we ain't got the plank no more. We ain't We
(25:26):
actually ain't got the ship no more. Remember, Captain, we
had to sell it to Mark to get out of debt.
Hi Mark, that's why we was parading on the land
instead of the high seas. That'd be right, stupid family,
I swear sometimes, Well, do you have anything of value
(25:49):
we can steal? We kind of have a reputation to uphold.
Ricky Amoka looked to each other and start feeling around
in their pockets. Um, I have this gum, yes, come,
it'd be ours. Now would flavor at knee? It'd be
fruit stripe? Captain. The flavor goes away so fast. I
(26:11):
don't like it. It's the best and then it's the worst. Uh,
And there's only three pieces left? What are you looking
forward to? Boom? Well enough at all? Ye, you just
have to share free Beard looks off camera. One of you,
(26:31):
please help Mark with the rapper, Hi Mark, excuse me,
but how can we get across the lakes? So we
can get to the mall. I have no idea, ye
be off with ye before yet this is exhausting. The
beard walks off and a peg leg walks over. Go
(26:54):
down to the first pier and you'll be able to
find a boat. Thank you. Well, let's get going. We
ain't be there yet. That wasn't good and they're out
as they continue on your journey. Yeah, that was long,
but so funny. Great job, jas, Yes, but Jess, incredible.
(27:22):
So just where can everybody find you if they want
to look for you on social media stuff? Oh? Sure?
So my handle on social media is at the j
C Explorer. Nice And what do you do there other
than be absolutely fun with your voice? Oh? Thank you. Yeah.
So by day I am a social media manager and copywriter,
(27:44):
and by night I do some freelance commercial voice over
work and some small parts and indie films and some
background work. Yeah, Jesz, we're reading for you. Awesome. I
know you can do it. That's how It's how you
make a career in this business. You just you work
and you work, and you work and you work. That's
all you can do. So congratulations, thank you so much
(28:05):
for joining us. We're going to be getting all of
these uh animated to our Oh. I can't wait to
see it. It's gonna be a ton of fun to
see little Ricky and Mocha trying to finally make it
across the garden. Thank you again for joining us, Jas,
and we appreciate it. Thank you Will, thank you Christy.
I have to say this was so exciting and such
(28:26):
a joy because I've grown up. I was a nineties
kid with both of you. Will I'm rewatching Boy Meets
World right now, and it's still such a comfort show.
And even in my thirties, it's still making me laugh.
His podcast, His podcast I just started, so I'm watching
I'm rewatching along with you and Christie. I grew up
(28:46):
on Kim Possible. I mean, what a smart, funny, badass
character to watch when I was a little girl. So
thank you well, thank you, Jas. We appreciate appreciate that.
J thank you. Nice to meet you too. Yes, By,
Yeah that was you said you're working on accents. But
(29:07):
I heard a pirate. I heard a pirate like you
nailed it. That's that's and you know what I was.
I wanted to call back to what we talked about
when we first started interviewing a j which was the
difference between somebody who starts super young and how they're
sort of almost like introduced to the world of voice acting,
and how I think like you're like locked into it now,
(29:29):
you know. And I think that's because what we've talked
about with these older actors that are working on camera
mostly they have that microphone in front of them, and
they're so awkward, and so the element of like magic
it goes out the you know, like when will when
you talk about playing and being like childlike, sure, the
difference between childish and taught childlike? Right, Yeah, absolutely, well,
(29:53):
I mean that's I mean, that's the thing is there's
also a lot of voice over are a lot of
on camera actors have it in their head that there's
a right way and a wrong way to act, which
is just not accurate. And and there's it's there's much
more freedom when it's just you in a microphone. People
think you're actually it's more restrictive, but it's not at all.
It's exactly the opposite. It is so much more freeing
(30:13):
because you don't care where you're standing. It's not about
how you look, it's not about what you're wearing. It's
about acting. It's you and the microphone and you get
to play Hi. It's Bethany Frankel. My time on The
Wheelhousewives of New York is a few years behind me,
and now I'm ready to put the wheel back into
the real Housewives. That's where my new podcast Rewives comes in.
(30:35):
This isn't your typical rewatch podcast. I'm watching only the
most iconic episodes from all cities. I'm sharing never before
heard stories of what happened behind the scenes. And I'm
not just pulling in cast members for postgame analysis. I'm
doing something a little bit more interesting. If you've ever
seen an episode of The Wheelhousewives and you know the drill,
but beyond throwing drinks and legs, there are lessons about marriage, divorce, friendship, money, parenting,
(30:59):
and fame. If you have the right minds, analyze and
dig deeper. So I'm bringing on unexpected thought leaders and
celebrities to get their take on the chaos this season.
I sit down with Elizabeth Moss, Kevin Neal and Susie Orman,
Griffin Johnson and more. You think that there isn't much
to learn from flipping tables and yanking wigs, but that's
where you're wrong. Listen to Rewives with Bethany Frankel on
(31:20):
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you
get your favorite podcasts. A j very quickly, I want
to talk about the differences between on camera acting and
voice over acting, because we always ask people which when
they prefer. Is there one that you prefer to the other?
(31:41):
If you if you had to pick, mm hmm, you
know this is gonna be interesting. I actually do prefer
on screen acting just I think my personality and my outgoingness.
I believe that's a word. It just I like to
be moving around and seen on screen. But at the
same time, voice acting is like creeping its way up
(32:03):
there on my favorite scale because I just get to
do so much with just my voice. It is a
very easy thing to fall in love with, isn't it? Yes?
So easy? So other than bat wheels, what else can
we see you in? BT wheels? Just for voiceover or
just anything? Anything you want? Anything you want your time?
Um lets, thingless, thingless? Think quick, quick, quick quick? What
(32:27):
have I done? What have I done? I'm sure on
YouTube you can look up. I did some City Bank
commercials when I was like nine Um, I did Ready
Player one. Actually they took my part out of the movie.
It happened, but it happened. It was still a great experience.
You know, I got to meet Mr Spielberg, so that
(32:48):
was just wow, amazing. And uh, what was your part?
Now you gotta tell us all because I'm a big
fan of Ready Player one? What what? But what was
your your part that they cut out? Um? It was
me and my friend at the end. We were I
think we were loading up a game. But I think
the setting that we were in didn't make sense. To
(33:09):
what didn't make sense compared to where everything else was.
Like we had a lot of grass and like there
was not much grass sing in the movie, so it
wouldn't have made since you still got to shoot and
you got to meet Spielberg. Yeah, that was And also
I did Blackish last year. I did Oh that's fun
episodic television. You know what I'm gonna tell you, Um
(33:31):
A j somebody told me something, UM one of the
beginnings of my career, and I wish I would have listened.
UM to journal and to try to keep as much
knowledge of what you're experiencing as possible, um only as
only just as like some older person wisdom who started
(33:52):
young and didn't really take into account a lot of that.
And now I'm trying to remember a lot of like
facts because I'm working on a memoir and it's hard
to kind of remember a lot of these things. But
that's just an aside. And I don't know what I feel.
I feel like I'm just like I love you and
I want to hug you and root for you. I
want to root for you too. I have I have
(34:13):
some more wisdom for you. The other thing they always
tell you to do as a young actor, Daco Page
very important. It's like it's like, I'm kidding, so it
means he's being silly. Daco Page is like it's like
you can paint minis like Willy, it's gonna say you
could collage. Make make sure as a kid you collage
(34:34):
all the time. No, stop it. He's giving me a
hard time, believe it or not, I am because she's
she's giving you the wisdom of the ages. Um that
could be a good it's actually no, it's good advice. No,
it's actually it's good advice. Because you know again, when
we went back to start Board meets World, I found
an old journal, and it was interesting to be able
to read about like the first table read that I
did and and stuff like that. So it is it's
it's it's good advice to to make sure that you're
(34:57):
remembering now because we're guessing in you know, to three years,
you're not gonna want to come on our podcast anymore.
Way too busy and way too famous to do all
that kind of stuff. To help us out. But Bat
Wheels is on HBO Max, right, yes, HBO Max and
cartoon need to. That is awesome. Cartoon need to HBO Max.
(35:17):
Check it out. It is totally going to be the
coolest thing in the world. Uh see a Batman for everybody,
which we can't wait to see. So for everybody. So
here robbing for everybody? And where where can people find you? Social? Why?
Oh wait? Is that your pop? It was not my
pop pop, but you know we got it in a
New York it's a it's a it is a Robin.
(35:38):
So I hold it dear to me. You should you're
Robbin now You're part of the family. That's the way
it works. You are officially part of the bat family. Now, Um,
that's totally cool. Some day you will have a Batman
insignia tattooed on you somewhere somewhere. Um, I have already
got mine, You've you've now earned it, so you're in
totally cool. Where can people find you on socials social media?
My Instagram is a G the act a J. Cann
(36:01):
act on Twitter and actor on Instagram. Awesome, Well, congratulations
a J. It's so amazing to see what is the
start of going to be an absolutely incredible career. It's
going to be a big show. And congratulations on everything
you're doing. Thank you again, unor well, we're going to
have you back when you're like, I don't even remember
(36:22):
those people or what I was doing with them, but
I guess now in between the nine movies I'm doing,
I'm gonna have to go stranger things here exactly. Congratulations
a J. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you
you too. Well. That was really cool. And you know
what else that made me realize is that everyone out
(36:43):
there starts from somewhere right well. Yeah, and it's also
it's it's incredible to kind of see I was trying
not to get into my head that I was talking
to myself at sixteen, you know, because you're seeing the
start of this incredible career and already doing so many
wonderful things in the voice over world, and the people
we talked about, you know, he we didn't want to
get too much into working with Kathy Bates and Samuel
(37:05):
Jackson and Ted Danson and Danny DeVito, and because we
try to stick around mostly voice over acting. But the
career is already starting pretty phenomenally and going just skyrocketing.
I mean, already part of the bat family and the
first Black Robin ever. I mean as a nerd and
as a Batman nerd. To know that you've done something
(37:26):
that is first, is first, and you will always be
the first something in a the Batman franchise is just
next level to me. You could tell how much having
a voice of a career meant to him, especially with
bat meals as UM part of his legacy, and that
starts now at sixteen, Like I can relate to that
as being impossible as a sixteen year old and being like, Wow,
(37:47):
this is UM the voice of this young generation. And
so yeah, I we we are rooting for a j
We're also rooting for all of you guys who want
to start their careers somewhere. Everybody starts somewhere, and we
obviously are going to be announcing some really big things
very soon, so please stay tuned and you know, get
the word out. Yeah. That's the other thing is you've
(38:08):
it's a great transition to everybody starts your career somewhere.
One of the places you can start your career is
going to be here on I Hear Voices, because we
are going to be launching the don't don't do it,
don't don't do it, don't let's stop it. What is it?
The Supreme Amazing Time, funky fresh amazing Contest. Now you're
(38:32):
really just going it's the super awesome contest to become
the next Voice Actor is going to be launching very
very soon. We've got incredible prizes that are coming out,
and one of those is, while nobody can kick open
the door for you except you, we can crack it.
So we will be able to crack the door a bit,
and then you're gonna have to shoulder your way in
and show us that you are meant to stay with
your own talent and drive. But we can crack the door,
(38:55):
which is going to be a pretty great step in
the right direction. So once again, at is the it's
on the tip of my to do it. Today we
will find muffins in the sale aisle. You realize now
you're just saying words next to each other. Told me
through the super awesome contest to become the next voice
(39:16):
over Actor will be coming out very soon. We're gonna
be able to really get into the prizes. It's going
to be absolutely incredible. We are also on Instagram at
I Hear Voices on Instagram. Right, isn't that what it is? Yeah?
I Hear Voices Podcast. There you go. I Hear Voices
Podcast on Instagram. Uh and uh yeah, thanks for sticking
with us. This is a very cool episode. We've got
many more coming and uh, don't forget if you think
(39:38):
you have what it takes to be the next great
voice over actor, will step up to the mic and
put your voices where your mouth is. Thanks everybody. I
Hear Voices is hosted by Wilford Il and Christy Carlson Romano.
Executive produced by Wilfrid Ill, Brendan Rooney, Amy Sugarman, and
Vicky Ernst Chang. Our executive in charge of production is
Danielle Romo. Our producers Lorraine Vera Wez and Our editor
slash engineer is Brian Burton, and that was my announcer voice.
(40:00):
Some side effects of listening to I Hear Voices are
sore abs from hilarity falling down the Coco melon rabbit hole,
sneezing due to mass nostalgia, and hugs. Follow I Hear
Voices wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss
any of the amazing voices. Be sure to follow us
on Instagram and TikTok at I Hear Voices podcast. To
see the video stream, subscribe to my YouTube channel. You
can also check us out on my space, omegal Vine,
lime Wire. Hey I'm a napster. Okay, well, let's teach
(40:23):
you about the Internet. The who
Hey Christie, Hey Will what's up? Nothing much? How are you?
I'm moving so I have a very different setup today. Um,
but I am so happy. Um. You know, we had
a blessed move and the house is great and my
kids are good and so all is well. You know,
I got this microphone and you and our amazing guest today, Yeah,
(00:20):
which is great. What you don't have is the giant
green screen behind you, and I also don't have any
makeup on, so I don't. But you're a vision. You're
always a vision. Makeup or no makeup, You're a vision
and we know it. Thanks guys, that's very sweet. But no,
we're really happy because we've got not only uh an
incredible voice over actor today, but a young voice over actor,
(00:41):
so him. I'm intrigued to talk to him about kind
of what the nature of the business is now as
compared to kind of when we started. That sounds awesome.
I love saying this. But what the kids are watching nowadays,
I really you know, it's really cool though to see,
especially because you are one of voices of Batman and
(01:01):
he is playing Robin, and in fact he's the first
African American Robin, right, the first generation of a black Robin,
which is really really cool, and he is I mean,
he's just already had such a great career. So A J.
Hudson is on today on I hear voices, and we'll
get to chat with him. This is going to be fun. O.
(01:22):
Welcome to the show. Okay, wait, I'm starting right away
with he's wearing the ultimate T shirt. Ever, because how
did he know that you were a fan? I don't know.
I've been playing D and D for years and so
we are automatically besties. A J. Do you play here?
(01:43):
I don't. We just honestly, we were going shopping for
my little New York comic on trip and we saw
this yet and I was like, actually, my dad was like,
I like this show. That's an old school one too.
I can tell that is the original Dungeons and Dragons
one there. I love that. Well, welcome to the show.
Welcome to I hear voices, A J. We're excited to
(02:03):
have you. Are you excited to be here? Yeah? I
also really like his blue background. He's got agreed lue background.
You will, yeah, you will find as we are going
along in this podcast that Christine, I really have no
idea what we're doing. So we're gonna talk about your shirt.
We're gonna talk about the stuff in the backgrounds, like
what kind of cherry is sitting on? Agent? Yeah, we've
(02:24):
we're pulling it strong. Are you sitting on? So we
were talking about first of all, all things voiceover, obviously,
and we were looking at certain things about your career
because the first thing that pops up is your age.
You're young. You're sixteen, yes, sir, and sixteen, and to
(02:49):
have the career you have, especially in the voiceover world,
is is pretty remarkable. So how did you get started
doing animation? As far as how do I get started? Well,
you know, I started acting like on screen when I
was six. My dad just threw me into that because
he thought it would be nice. But um, I don't
even remember my first voice over. I just remember it happening,
(03:11):
and then everything builds up upon that over the years. Yeah,
well what I thought was super cool and when we
look and I can relate to I also started acting
on screen when I was six years old. Um. Well,
actually I started in theater um and um I think
I think when you start young, um, it makes you
(03:33):
very like a malleable, like to do many different things. Right. So,
even though you know you're using your voice to understand
how to be a character and to be different characters
at a young age, that translates pretty quickly over to
voice to voice over work. Right. Yes, see, that's interesting
(03:54):
that you would say that because I've worked with a
number of on camera actors and maybe it's because they
didn't start. Yes, it's because you weren't able to really
transition as well into the voiceover world as you would
expect them. And and so it's you. You're working with
somebody that you've admired for years and years and years
as an on camera actor. And AJ, we're going to
(04:14):
get into the list of people that you have worked with,
because it's to say it's impressive. Um, when you get
into Kathy Bates, Samuel Jackson, Ted Dancon, we're just throwing
out incredible. Um. But I think you're right because you
get set in your ways when it comes to your
craft and if you are strictly an on camera actor
and then you're thrown into voiceover, um, it is a
(04:36):
different thing. Do you So, do you even remember what
your first voiceover gig was? I think it was, Um,
I did a Barbie. Yes, yes, you were Jason was
you were you jas okay and you were you like
recurred in all of these Barbie um Dreamhouse so you were.
That was like a big like that was almost like
you're not a big break, but like that was a
(04:56):
big deal and it was that was I must say
that was really fun, Like not even just the recording process,
but even just going to the studio. They always had
my favorite snacks in their head. Find some eminem's over
to the side. I was like, I could get used
to this. You know what, I gotta be real. You
just unlocked like an entirely amazing childhood adolescent memory of mine.
(05:21):
This is something that they do in the voiceover world,
the voiceover. Well, it's on camera too. Yeah, there's kids around,
there's candy. Yeah, but no, no, no, do you don't
remember this? At l A Studios where we used to
film Kim Possible, they would ask you like, oh, hey,
what do you like or you want more of this? Okay,
we'll make sure. And I always wanted string cheese for
some random reason, and they always made sure they get straight.
(05:43):
But they do. Like the snack game in these places
is on point. It is. It's also Salami Studios definitely
hooked me at Salami. Salami's got some great stuff, you
would think, so, um, exactly, Studio. I just find it interesting,
Christie that the thing you asked for is dairy as
you're about record, was the worst thing you can ask for? Yeah,
(06:08):
I want cheese sticks in a pack of smokes? Yeah? Perfect? Yeah,
pretty much pretty much? So when when? Now, when you
were growing up, were you a fan of animation before
you started acting in it? Did you have certain animated
series that you watched religiously? Oh? Yeah, definitely. I'm sure
like as many young kids, you know, cartoons? Is this
something that we we watched so favorite? Oh? I don't
(06:32):
even know what I'm thinking there go and me and
my mom is in love with that show for forever now.
So yeah, okay, what else I gotta ask? Because now,
because you're getting into the you're into the bat world now,
I'm just saying, in the DC world, So were you do?
Do you know who will is this co host? Start?
(06:54):
My first My first gig was Batman? So is Batman?
So that was really cool? But what were did you
have a favorite DC superhero growing up? M hm? Or
now about that? About that? I was, um, I kind
of am a Spider Man fans, but okay, but you
(07:15):
know I am, I'm not as far as d C.
I do like UM, I like the Flash. I don't
know why, he just I like all his suits and
his just speed. Something about him is just really nice.
And then of course Robin. As I've done more research,
I love Robin and I watched um Teen Titans Go
a lot. Oh yeah, well you're on that, like I'm
(07:35):
It's funny. I'm both I'm so, I'm Flash, I'm kid
Flash on Teen Titans Go. But I also write a
lot of you. I've written written some of the episodes
for Oh yeah, oh you just written my leg? Yeah
that was that's all. Yeah, yeah, but I I wrote so,
I wrote the pilot of that show, and then I
wrote a couple of the other the Dungeon Dragons episode
where they're riding the dragon, all that kind of stuff.
(07:56):
It all comes full circle and ends up with a
j It does as a new generation of voice actor.
By the way, you can you don't have to hang
your head low when you're talking about not liking d C.
I get that there's people that have the different camps
and Marvel is perfectly acceptable, especially Spider Man a great
(08:17):
character all the time. Um, so tell me a little
bit about about bat Wheels because it sounds incredible. Well,
also in the work that you've done, like you were
just mentioning about Robin and doing research. Yeah, well let's
do bat Wheels first. First of all, it's been a
great experience. Uh, Mr Michael and Mr Simon, They've been
amazing in the studio. It's been great to work with them.
(08:38):
And I remember when I first got the job and
my dad and I were looking at it. We had
to do some research on who Duke Thomas was, who
a black Robin was, and we as it went off,
they're like, oh, this is this is pretty nifty. I
get to be the first black Robin on screen. That
is huge beyond my comprehension. So but um yeah, bat
(08:59):
Wheels just a kid friendly Batman TV show, more based
around cars, so like Gotham City is more like an
amusement park, a bunch of rams, a bunch of swoop
de loops, a bunch of freeways, and uh, just a
preschool friendly, not watered down version of Batman, but definitely
a less you know, dark Batman because you know these
are preschoolers that need to be watching this. Sure, no,
(09:21):
and there's nothing wrong with that. So the Bruce tim
who is one of the biggest creators of Batman, He
created Batman, the animated series, Batman beyond Justice League, some
of the biggest things ever. He always said, because he's
become the the authority on Batman, he always said, there
always needs to be a Batman for everyone. So there's
a Batman for little kids and a Batman for adults.
(09:42):
Sometimes the movies are very dark and the cartoons very light.
Sometimes the cartoons are very dark and the movies are
very light. But there's always a Batman for everybody. And
this is a perfect example. Bat Wheels. So it's for
preschoolers that can get introduced to the world of the
dark night, which is pretty rage And I would say
that the aesthetic from what I've seen, it still does
have some It seems very nighttime. It feels very dark
(10:04):
and still got they're bright. They're like in the caves
and whatnot, and it's like they're bright lights or what
kind of shine from within, and it kind of almost
humanizes the cars and makes them I feel like, very
accessible to, Like my kids are going to love the show.
So speaking on what you said about the night time.
I remember, I remember in our interview that we did
with the directors, that was what they were going for.
(10:24):
They wanted just bright light during nighttime, making Gotham look
fun and less dark than in previous installments of Batman. So, yeah,
you want to make the first too curious preschool or
I would think it's probably more cars, right, cars meets Batman.
I think that's probably how will yet Yeah, a little
(10:44):
mash up. I think that's very very cool. Um so
what when you were doing your research? What did you
discover about about the Robbins that you were reading about?
Because there are so many and there's some that are
loved and some that are hated and some that I
mean they're tod they killed. How can you hate Robins?
Are you kidding? So when when Robin was um, well,
there's because there's different Robin. So some people like you know,
(11:05):
for instance, uh, Jason Todd. People didn't like Jason Todd
at all, whereas people love Dick Grayson who went off
and became Nightwing. There's I mean, everybody's got all of
these backgrounds and everybody has a favorite Batman. So there's
a famous story where they put out a comic book
series where Jason Todd was essentially the Joker captures Jason
Todd and they left it up to the audience what happens,
(11:28):
and it was like voted to kill him. So so
that's what happened, is Jason Todd was killed. Wait, see, then,
how do you be a likable um? How do you
become a likable Robin? Then? Well, I don't think you don't.
I don't think you get to choose. It's it's something
you know, how do Why do some some people like
certain characters on television shows and some other characters are hated.
(11:49):
It's just that's It's the same with comic books. Did
you Now we've talked about some of the shows you
liked growing up, and we've talked about some of the
shows that you're doing. Now, do you have a dream role?
Like if you could pick any animated character you wanted
to do, is there is there when you would pick
right away? Is that Spider Man? It? Actually that would
be one of them. But honestly, I'd want to voice
(12:13):
myself like me animated. I feel like that would be
something that would just never heard that before. Okay, So
I like what's now. I'm curious what in what iteration
would you be just you? Would you be a superhero?
Would you like what would it be? You know what?
Thinking about that, I would want to be some type
(12:33):
of superhero. Basketball piano playing like for everything I do now,
So that's just pretty over the top version of me.
We know you're a big basketball fan. But you said,
do you play the piano as well? Your musician as well? Oh? Yeah,
I actually have a piano right here next to me,
so I've been playing piano for even years. Now do
(12:57):
you now do you sing as well? Are you songwriter
or is it just more piano? I can I do
sing A little bit. I do sing, I seeing when
I'm playing my piano all that. I think a j
might be one of the first piano playing I know
we've had some musician voice actors, but I don't think
we've spoken to somebody who who? Who? Who? Does that?
(13:19):
Do you feel like your relationship to music kind of
informs the way that you're like going about you know
the way that you're doing your voice acting honestly, yes,
Like when you think of rhythm and cadence, all that
goes into play when you're doing a scene, especially in voiceover,
because you know, the movement isn't really there, so you
have to do all of it with your voice, so
(13:39):
you have to just keep that in mind while you're recording.
So yeah, I like that question. Yeah, there's there's a
inordinate number of voiceover actors that are also musicians. It's
I would go so far as to say most so
most of the people we talked to also have some
sort of musical background. It lends itself to using your
voice as an instrument. It whether that's singing or changing
(14:02):
the voices that you're doing or whatever it is. It's
just there is something very musical, very lyrical about being
a voice over actor. Um. And it's also I hate
to say this, but it makes you, man, it makes
you perfect for Disney, like for the Disney Disney actor,
you know what I mean. It's like, you're gonna be
the musician. You're gonna be You're happy, You're fine. It's like, yeah, okay, jeez.
(14:25):
The amounts I've gone on for stuff like that is
just I'm sure. And now, is is acting something that
you're interested in as a career? Is voice acting something
you want to focus on or you like, hey, I'm
doing this until I get my basketball scholarship. Um, honestly,
(14:46):
I'm gonna say, I don't know. I was gonna say
it's a mix of all three, but no acting and
voice acting is definitely something that I'm going to be
doing until I'm old. So yeah, I don't see myself
stopping I have. I enjoy it too much and it's
too not easy, but it's just it's such a it's
a fun job where I get to be myself, I
(15:08):
get to be other people, and I just it's just
so entertaining the different things that I can do on
an off screen. Are you working on any voices in general, Like,
have you been trying to experiment with different voices or
is it mostly like you're familiarizing yourself with your voice
as you are at sixteen. I mean, honestly, I'm not
(15:30):
really like I've been doing a British accent or it's
like kind of a mix of a British and Australian accent.
I can never differentiate the two. But that's really the
only voice I do consistently, and I've been trying to
work on that more because you know, I like people
like Tom Holland who just they have such a great
American accents, so I'm like, you know, I want to
have a great British accent. So you know, maybe a
British film comes up and I might be able to that. Awesome.
(15:54):
You want of a really easy technique for differentiating between
English and Australian. Yes, So the easiest thing you can
do is to get into Australian. Is you talk about
saying they always say gooday, you know, good eye, So
you say it's a good eye, like I've got a
great eye. Good eye. So if you're saying a good eye,
then all of a sudden you're Australian good eye all right?
(16:16):
Then it throws And thirteen that's the other one. They
talk about numbers, So thirteen it's you know, with with
British it's their team. But with Australians thirteen. So you
just you run through British. British is more sophisticated, like
I've got a cup of tea exactly. What also depends
on the British accent you're trying to do, because you
could go very cocky, you know, anything like this, and
(16:38):
it doesn't matter what you're saying, because it all comes
out you know, and then they say, but you know,
dropping your hs or whatever, and then there's other ones
that you know, very very proper. It's very proper British.
So and I'm terrible at at accents, so I mean,
that's a whole another thing where accents are learnable, see
versus like, I feel like there's a lot of resources
for folks out there, even people listening to the podcast.
(17:01):
You can go even on YouTube and you can learn dialects.
Um I'm I think that's great a j that you're
challenging yourself to to learn new dialects. That's totally I
feel like achievable and really inspirational. Now I want to
go learn. I also heard that if you say beer
can that it's bacon ba can bia can it sounds
(17:21):
like what, I don't know that baken? What is that?
But what is it? Are you trying to say beer?
It's Jamaican but then it's also a different one, but
I don't know biah can the other I forgot what
the other accent was, but that was like a hack
and I don't know it was Australian. Honestly, don't even
(17:44):
know how to answer that. We're just going to plow through.
Um and a J. I do have an interesting question
for you because both Christine I grew up as child
actors as well, and the business is changing so much
from what we knew to what you're Jay were people.
UM my question is how is it still balancing your
(18:07):
career and school? I mean, I was just thinking about that. Um,
It's honestly not that hard, especially with technology nowadays, It's
not like I have to be at school to learn everything.
So I mean it's really quite simple, honestly. Just email
my teacher, Hey, I'm gonna miss school. I'm shooting these days,
or have an audition I have to leave early, and
(18:28):
they'll just send me the work. If I have any questions,
then I can go to them the next day, get
some tutoring and and when you're on the set, is
it still three hours a day? Do you still need
a studio set teacher for three hours? I do still
need okay, all right, so it hasn't changed all that much.
So when you show up, you you okay. This is
(18:49):
really interesting because even when I did Kim Possible, I
like did something where I didn't do three hours. Anytime
I showed up, I guess I banked on different days.
Oh that makes sense. I did I banked on the weekend.
I think I banked on the weekend. Okay. Wow, it's tough, man,
it's tough, AJ but so but you're enjoying it. It's
(19:10):
worth it to you to balance all that for sure.
What is it like for you to watch your voice
married to your character, your your cartoon character. It's awesome.
I remember the first little demo that they showed us,
the first bits of animation. As I was finishing recording
(19:31):
and just looking at I got emotional. I was like, dude,
that is me in a show that a bunch of
people are gonna watch, a show that my little brothers
are gonna love. And so I almost started crying because
I was like, that's my voice coming out of the character.
And then, like like I said before, just the black
Robin and being of like black and Puerto Rican heritage,
(19:52):
that's just so huge to see my voice coming out
of that animation. So I'm just I'm still stunned, and
I probably will be for as long as this goes on.
For well, I mean, you can't you can't beat first,
so you will always in history be the first iteration
of a black Robin. That's enormous. I mean, as a
Batman fanatic, that is huge. So congratulations, well earned, very cool.
(20:27):
Do you mind if we play a little bit now? Okay,
of course, well, of course not. I love to play.
Let's do so. We sent you a script of something
that we might call Across the Garden. Yes, and you're
gonna be if you don't mind being our pirate captain. Okay,
I think it's gonna be a ton of fun. And
we are joined by Jess Mario. Am I saying that
(20:49):
right you are? Hello everyone, Yes, so nice to meet you.
I'm so excited. Thank you, Jess. This is a j A.
J is one of the biggest up and coming voice
over actors in the biz, and we are going to
be playing today for everybody joining us for the first
time ever, we UH do this fun thing where every
(21:11):
week we do a little bit of a animated scene
where somebody gets to come in an amateur voice over
actor UH and undiscovered talent voice over actors, how I
like to say it, gets to come in and play
UH for a quick scene and they get to play
with some of the best in the business. And today
we are going to be playing with a J. Hudson,
and of course we are for those of you who know,
(21:33):
it is across the garden where Uh, Christy and I
are two little mice trying to make it across a
garden faded to the mall, ill faded. Um. We came
up with these characters on the fly. We both right
after we came up with them. We're like, man, I
wish we came up with something different, but this is
what we got. And now we have been stuck with
these two wonderful characters, Ricky and Mocha. I think if
(21:53):
the last time memory serves, they were still trying to
get to the mall. That's just the right. So if
it's okay with you, we would love a j for
you to play Fleabard sounds good, and he should try
his accent. He's gonna he gets to pick his pirate accent.
(22:14):
And then, um, Jess, if you could be peg Leg,
that will be great. I will be red Hat and
we will I'll also be Mark. Um. Actually you know what, Christie,
you be red Hat is only one to another character, yes,
and I will be Mark and uh, and then we'll
(22:35):
all be the pirate crew as we're trying to get
some some background voices in, but to be a whole
lot of fun, I will read the stage directions and
we will get to play. So, ladies and gentlemen, everybody ready,
Here we go as we try to make it once again.
Across the garden fade in interior woods continuous. Ricky and
Mocha are happily running towards them. All we're here, We're
(22:56):
actually here. I swear, I cry if I wasn't dead inside,
they laugh as they jump a log and sprint forward.
What are you gonna do when you see your boyfriend? Wait?
Is he even gonna be here? No? You remember I
wasn't even important enough for him to hang around. Then
why are we still going to the mall? Because it's
(23:16):
a quest, a quest that we needed to finish, especially
after everything we've been through, and Nordstrom is having a
sale from mice. Okay, it's right there, we just have
to We pulled back to find Ricky Amoka standing in
front of a large lake. It's probably just a big
puddle separating them from the mall. Now what Well we
(23:40):
can start with the turning overall eat jills into balloons.
Ricky and Moka trying to find flea beard, apache furried
rat with long gray beard, dressed like a pirate? Do
what the boons? They just stare? Can someone help me out?
Am I saying it right? A crew of perly dressed
(24:00):
rat pirates walks over and surrounds ricky mocha. One of
them steps forward, you'd be saying, a true captain, doubloons moolah.
Still nothing money? Oh money, I get it? You know
that makes sense? Yeah? Um, we don't have any of that.
(24:21):
You don't, do you? Well, then how do you think
you'd be getting past the toughest crew that ever sailed
the high seas? Peg leg? A rat with a peg
legs steps forward. One. A rat with a one eye
steps forward, no head. A rat with no hands waves
green hat. A rat with a red hat steps forward. Oh,
(24:41):
schary the captain be kind of named and Mark, a
rat kind of dressed like a pirper, looking at his iPhone,
steps forward. Hi, Marks me brother in law? Now what
are we gonna do if he got no money? Pig leg?
What do we normally do in this situation? I'd forgetting it?
Really all depends, captain, if and I'd be honest with you.
(25:06):
You sorry, this has never really happened before and hasn't. Well,
then I'm a guessing we don't have no rules to follow.
Make them walk the plank, cruise shifts around uncomfortably. Captain,
we ain't got the plank no more. We ain't We
(25:26):
actually ain't got the ship no more. Remember, Captain, we
had to sell it to Mark to get out of debt.
Hi Mark, that's why we was parading on the land
instead of the high seas. That'd be right, stupid family,
I swear sometimes, Well, do you have anything of value
(25:49):
we can steal? We kind of have a reputation to uphold.
Ricky Amoka looked to each other and start feeling around
in their pockets. Um, I have this gum, yes, come,
it'd be ours. Now would flavor at knee? It'd be
fruit stripe? Captain. The flavor goes away so fast. I
(26:11):
don't like it. It's the best and then it's the worst. Uh,
And there's only three pieces left? What are you looking
forward to? Boom? Well enough at all? Ye, you just
have to share free Beard looks off camera. One of you,
(26:31):
please help Mark with the rapper, Hi Mark, excuse me,
but how can we get across the lakes? So we
can get to the mall. I have no idea, ye
be off with ye before yet this is exhausting. The
beard walks off and a peg leg walks over. Go
(26:54):
down to the first pier and you'll be able to
find a boat. Thank you. Well, let's get going. We
ain't be there yet. That wasn't good and they're out
as they continue on your journey. Yeah, that was long,
but so funny. Great job, jas, Yes, but Jess, incredible.
(27:22):
So just where can everybody find you if they want
to look for you on social media stuff? Oh? Sure?
So my handle on social media is at the j
C Explorer. Nice And what do you do there other
than be absolutely fun with your voice? Oh? Thank you. Yeah.
So by day I am a social media manager and copywriter,
(27:44):
and by night I do some freelance commercial voice over
work and some small parts and indie films and some
background work. Yeah, Jesz, we're reading for you. Awesome. I
know you can do it. That's how It's how you
make a career in this business. You just you work
and you work, and you work and you work. That's
all you can do. So congratulations, thank you so much
(28:05):
for joining us. We're going to be getting all of
these uh animated to our Oh. I can't wait to
see it. It's gonna be a ton of fun to
see little Ricky and Mocha trying to finally make it
across the garden. Thank you again for joining us, Jas,
and we appreciate it. Thank you Will, thank you Christy.
I have to say this was so exciting and such
(28:26):
a joy because I've grown up. I was a nineties
kid with both of you. Will I'm rewatching Boy Meets
World right now, and it's still such a comfort show.
And even in my thirties, it's still making me laugh.
His podcast, His podcast I just started, so I'm watching
I'm rewatching along with you and Christie. I grew up
(28:46):
on Kim Possible. I mean, what a smart, funny, badass
character to watch when I was a little girl. So
thank you well, thank you, Jas. We appreciate appreciate that.
J thank you. Nice to meet you too. Yes, By,
Yeah that was you said you're working on accents. But
(29:07):
I heard a pirate. I heard a pirate like you
nailed it. That's that's and you know what I was.
I wanted to call back to what we talked about
when we first started interviewing a j which was the
difference between somebody who starts super young and how they're
sort of almost like introduced to the world of voice acting,
and how I think like you're like locked into it now,
(29:29):
you know. And I think that's because what we've talked
about with these older actors that are working on camera
mostly they have that microphone in front of them, and
they're so awkward, and so the element of like magic
it goes out the you know, like when will when
you talk about playing and being like childlike, sure, the
difference between childish and taught childlike? Right, Yeah, absolutely, well,
(29:53):
I mean that's I mean, that's the thing is there's
also a lot of voice over are a lot of
on camera actors have it in their head that there's
a right way and a wrong way to act, which
is just not accurate. And and there's it's there's much
more freedom when it's just you in a microphone. People
think you're actually it's more restrictive, but it's not at all.
It's exactly the opposite. It is so much more freeing
(30:13):
because you don't care where you're standing. It's not about
how you look, it's not about what you're wearing. It's
about acting. It's you and the microphone and you get
to play Hi. It's Bethany Frankel. My time on The
Wheelhousewives of New York is a few years behind me,
and now I'm ready to put the wheel back into
the real Housewives. That's where my new podcast Rewives comes in.
(30:35):
This isn't your typical rewatch podcast. I'm watching only the
most iconic episodes from all cities. I'm sharing never before
heard stories of what happened behind the scenes. And I'm
not just pulling in cast members for postgame analysis. I'm
doing something a little bit more interesting. If you've ever
seen an episode of The Wheelhousewives and you know the drill,
but beyond throwing drinks and legs, there are lessons about marriage, divorce, friendship, money, parenting,
(30:59):
and fame. If you have the right minds, analyze and
dig deeper. So I'm bringing on unexpected thought leaders and
celebrities to get their take on the chaos this season.
I sit down with Elizabeth Moss, Kevin Neal and Susie Orman,
Griffin Johnson and more. You think that there isn't much
to learn from flipping tables and yanking wigs, but that's
where you're wrong. Listen to Rewives with Bethany Frankel on
(31:20):
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you
get your favorite podcasts. A j very quickly, I want
to talk about the differences between on camera acting and
voice over acting, because we always ask people which when
they prefer. Is there one that you prefer to the other?
(31:41):
If you if you had to pick, mm hmm, you
know this is gonna be interesting. I actually do prefer
on screen acting just I think my personality and my outgoingness.
I believe that's a word. It just I like to
be moving around and seen on screen. But at the
same time, voice acting is like creeping its way up
(32:03):
there on my favorite scale because I just get to
do so much with just my voice. It is a
very easy thing to fall in love with, isn't it? Yes?
So easy? So other than bat wheels, what else can
we see you in? BT wheels? Just for voiceover or
just anything? Anything you want? Anything you want your time?
Um lets, thingless, thingless? Think quick, quick, quick quick? What
(32:27):
have I done? What have I done? I'm sure on
YouTube you can look up. I did some City Bank
commercials when I was like nine Um, I did Ready
Player one. Actually they took my part out of the movie.
It happened, but it happened. It was still a great experience.
You know, I got to meet Mr Spielberg, so that
(32:48):
was just wow, amazing. And uh, what was your part?
Now you gotta tell us all because I'm a big
fan of Ready Player one? What what? But what was
your your part that they cut out? Um? It was
me and my friend at the end. We were I
think we were loading up a game. But I think
the setting that we were in didn't make sense. To
(33:09):
what didn't make sense compared to where everything else was.
Like we had a lot of grass and like there
was not much grass sing in the movie, so it
wouldn't have made since you still got to shoot and
you got to meet Spielberg. Yeah, that was And also
I did Blackish last year. I did Oh that's fun
episodic television. You know what I'm gonna tell you, Um
(33:31):
A j somebody told me something, UM one of the
beginnings of my career, and I wish I would have listened.
UM to journal and to try to keep as much
knowledge of what you're experiencing as possible, um only as
only just as like some older person wisdom who started
(33:52):
young and didn't really take into account a lot of that.
And now I'm trying to remember a lot of like
facts because I'm working on a memoir and it's hard
to kind of remember a lot of these things. But
that's just an aside. And I don't know what I feel.
I feel like I'm just like I love you and
I want to hug you and root for you. I
want to root for you too. I have I have
(34:13):
some more wisdom for you. The other thing they always
tell you to do as a young actor, Daco Page
very important. It's like it's like, I'm kidding, so it
means he's being silly. Daco Page is like it's like
you can paint minis like Willy, it's gonna say you
could collage. Make make sure as a kid you collage
(34:34):
all the time. No, stop it. He's giving me a
hard time, believe it or not, I am because she's
she's giving you the wisdom of the ages. Um that
could be a good it's actually no, it's good advice. No,
it's actually it's good advice. Because you know again, when
we went back to start Board meets World, I found
an old journal, and it was interesting to be able
to read about like the first table read that I
did and and stuff like that. So it is it's
it's it's good advice to to make sure that you're
(34:57):
remembering now because we're guessing in you know, to three years,
you're not gonna want to come on our podcast anymore.
Way too busy and way too famous to do all
that kind of stuff. To help us out. But Bat
Wheels is on HBO Max, right, yes, HBO Max and
cartoon need to. That is awesome. Cartoon need to HBO Max.
(35:17):
Check it out. It is totally going to be the
coolest thing in the world. Uh see a Batman for everybody,
which we can't wait to see. So for everybody. So
here robbing for everybody? And where where can people find you? Social? Why?
Oh wait? Is that your pop? It was not my
pop pop, but you know we got it in a
New York it's a it's a it is a Robin.
(35:38):
So I hold it dear to me. You should you're
Robbin now You're part of the family. That's the way
it works. You are officially part of the bat family. Now, Um,
that's totally cool. Some day you will have a Batman
insignia tattooed on you somewhere somewhere. Um, I have already
got mine, You've you've now earned it, so you're in
totally cool. Where can people find you on socials social media?
My Instagram is a G the act a J. Cann
(36:01):
act on Twitter and actor on Instagram. Awesome, Well, congratulations
a J. It's so amazing to see what is the
start of going to be an absolutely incredible career. It's
going to be a big show. And congratulations on everything
you're doing. Thank you again, unor well, we're going to
have you back when you're like, I don't even remember
(36:22):
those people or what I was doing with them, but
I guess now in between the nine movies I'm doing,
I'm gonna have to go stranger things here exactly. Congratulations
a J. Thanks so much for joining us. Thank you
you too. Well. That was really cool. And you know
what else that made me realize is that everyone out
(36:43):
there starts from somewhere right well. Yeah, and it's also
it's it's incredible to kind of see I was trying
not to get into my head that I was talking
to myself at sixteen, you know, because you're seeing the
start of this incredible career and already doing so many
wonderful things in the voice over world, and the people
we talked about, you know, he we didn't want to
get too much into working with Kathy Bates and Samuel
(37:05):
Jackson and Ted Danson and Danny DeVito, and because we
try to stick around mostly voice over acting. But the
career is already starting pretty phenomenally and going just skyrocketing.
I mean, already part of the bat family and the
first Black Robin ever. I mean as a nerd and
as a Batman nerd. To know that you've done something
(37:26):
that is first, is first, and you will always be
the first something in a the Batman franchise is just
next level to me. You could tell how much having
a voice of a career meant to him, especially with
bat meals as UM part of his legacy, and that
starts now at sixteen, Like I can relate to that
as being impossible as a sixteen year old and being like, Wow,
(37:47):
this is UM the voice of this young generation. And
so yeah, I we we are rooting for a j
We're also rooting for all of you guys who want
to start their careers somewhere. Everybody starts somewhere, and we
obviously are going to be announcing some really big things
very soon, so please stay tuned and you know, get
the word out. Yeah. That's the other thing is you've
(38:08):
it's a great transition to everybody starts your career somewhere.
One of the places you can start your career is
going to be here on I Hear Voices, because we
are going to be launching the don't don't do it,
don't don't do it, don't let's stop it. What is it?
The Supreme Amazing Time, funky fresh amazing Contest. Now you're
(38:32):
really just going it's the super awesome contest to become
the next Voice Actor is going to be launching very
very soon. We've got incredible prizes that are coming out,
and one of those is, while nobody can kick open
the door for you except you, we can crack it.
So we will be able to crack the door a bit,
and then you're gonna have to shoulder your way in
and show us that you are meant to stay with
your own talent and drive. But we can crack the door,
(38:55):
which is going to be a pretty great step in
the right direction. So once again, at is the it's
on the tip of my to do it. Today we
will find muffins in the sale aisle. You realize now
you're just saying words next to each other. Told me
through the super awesome contest to become the next voice
(39:16):
over Actor will be coming out very soon. We're gonna
be able to really get into the prizes. It's going
to be absolutely incredible. We are also on Instagram at
I Hear Voices on Instagram. Right, isn't that what it is? Yeah?
I Hear Voices Podcast. There you go. I Hear Voices
Podcast on Instagram. Uh and uh yeah, thanks for sticking
with us. This is a very cool episode. We've got
many more coming and uh, don't forget if you think
(39:38):
you have what it takes to be the next great
voice over actor, will step up to the mic and
put your voices where your mouth is. Thanks everybody. I
Hear Voices is hosted by Wilford Il and Christy Carlson Romano.
Executive produced by Wilfrid Ill, Brendan Rooney, Amy Sugarman, and
Vicky Ernst Chang. Our executive in charge of production is
Danielle Romo. Our producers Lorraine Vera Wez and Our editor
slash engineer is Brian Burton, and that was my announcer voice.
(40:00):
Some side effects of listening to I Hear Voices are
sore abs from hilarity falling down the Coco melon rabbit hole,
sneezing due to mass nostalgia, and hugs. Follow I Hear
Voices wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss
any of the amazing voices. Be sure to follow us
on Instagram and TikTok at I Hear Voices podcast. To
see the video stream, subscribe to my YouTube channel. You
can also check us out on my space, omegal Vine,
lime Wire. Hey I'm a napster. Okay, well, let's teach
(40:23):
you about the Internet. The who
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.