Interview: Yuri Lowenthal

 How did you get into voice acting?

I came to LA to do on-camera acting, but voice acting was

something I was always interested in. I started by taking

an intro class in voice acting, basic technique, etc. and then put together a demo reel and started sending it to agents and production companies. One job led to 2 jobs, and those jobs led to more. And here we are.

Do you consider yourself a voice actor or a dubber?

A voice actor first, dubber second. But to be a good dubber, you have to be a good voice actor, so there's not really much of a difference, in my opinion.

You voice Sasuke Uchiha on Naruto; do you find it hard voicing such an emotionally cold character?

It's fun, actually. I find him very emotional, in fact. He's full of rage and has to keep it in check. It allows me to tap into my dark side.

Do you feel any pressure voicing such a popular character?

Of course. He was loved before I ever go to take a crack at him. I felt a huge amount of pressure when I first started. A little less now, but I still feel like I have a responsibility to him.

You voiced Ben 10 in Ben 10: Alien Force and you are going to voice him again in Ben 10: Evolutions; are you going to change the voice at all for the new show?

Not really. He's pretty much the same guy, only a little cockier than in the last season.

Who is your favourite character that you have voiced?

I have many favorites. Can't really pick one. Sasuke's one. Ben's one. Kuma/Jinno from Afro Samurai, the Prince from the Prince of Persia games. Superman from Legion of Superheroes. The list goes on and on...

Is there a show you would like to work on but not had the chance to yet?

Lots. I'd love to be on Clone Wars, Venture Brothers, there are so many good shows out there...

You and your wife co-own Monkey Kingdom Productions, an independent film production company, what make you want to start this company?

Acting is a difficult profession and often the control is not in your hands as the actor. Our forming the company is our way of taking a little of the control back. We just finished a feature film, a psychological thriller called Tumbling After. We just won an award at a film festival and we're trying to get a distribution deal so that everyone can see it!