I am Christopher Corey Smith, voice actor in Miraculous Ladybug, Skyrim, Attack on Titan, and over a thousand more. AMA!

What do you do to to preserve your voice?

There are a number of things. First and foremost is to warm up before gigs. Even ones that aren't vocally stressful. Second is hydrate. Drink at least one bottle of water for each hour you're in the booth. Third is rest/recovery afterwards. Lozenges and syrups only work slightly. After all, your vocal chords are in your trachea where you don't want liquid getting. When I have a character that I know is going to be difficult, I try to schedule him for last thing on friday. So I have the weekend to recover.

So I taught myself how to do metal vocals (with a motley number of YouTube videos to help), and what I kept hearing is that milk screws with your voice because it somehow “makes more phlegm” or something like that. I’m pretty sure it’s bunk, but have you had personal experience one way or the other?

I stay away from milk, caffeine, and alcohol when there's a job. Sometimes that's not possible, but I try.

How did you get started professionally? And did you expect to become a voice actor as a child?

So many of my peers started in movies, TV and stage. I wanted to be the voice of cartoons since I was about 6. Even though I didn't really know how it all worked. I moved to LA straight out of high school and started pursuing VO. I studied with Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry hound). I began in radio production in the early 80s and have been lucky to work consistently since then. Best! Job! Ever!

Any cool anecdotes about studying under Butler? The cartoons he voiced were a big part of my childhood!

I was lucky enough to study with Daws for the last six years of his life. He was the one who really stressed that acting is key, and not just funny voices (this from the king of funny voices). I was colleagues with nancy Cartwright and Bob Bergen. Both of whom went on to do quite well. And well deserved, they are kind and immensely talented.

You've done a lot of work in anime and video games - are you a fan of those mediums as well? If so, then as a fan what is your personal favorite anime and favorite video game?

As a side note, I absolutely loved your performance as Kittan in Gurren Lagann! That's one of my all time favorite dubs, and Kittan was one of the best parts of it. Thanks for giving such a great performance!

Kitttaaaaaaan! Loved playing that guy! I was so emotionally invested. By the time we got to the end I'm all "Noooooooooooooo!" So GL is one of my faves. I grew up as a huge fan of reruns of golden age anime like Speed Racer, Astroboy, and Kimba the White Lion. Kimba was the show that made me want to be a VA. As far as games, I love playing them and hearing my fellow VAs. ESO, Skyrim, Borderlands. I have to say I've spent more hours playing CoD5 Nazi Zombies than any other. Great way to blow off steam at the end of a long day.

Hey, you! You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right?

Yeah, me and that horse thief.

Sorry, I tend to sleep in after taking an arrow to the knee.

Sub or dub? And how do you feel about people who opt for subs and miss out on your part?

I'm a fan of dubs since they keep me working, but I totally get why some folks would prefer the subs. There are definite limitations to the dub performance since we're working within someone else's acting. We don't have the luxury of our own timing or performance. That being said, there are those who aren't able to appreciate the visuals because they're busy reading subtitles. Over the years dubs have gotten much more sophisticated and subtle. No longer the Speed Racer days. It all comes down to preference and I respect both.

is magic truly everything?

It is if you're a magician.

How hard was it to get into voice acting?

It took a long time to reach the level where I work everyday. I had to have a lot of side jobs for a long time. I was an agent, casting director, set decorator, subtitler... etc, etc, etc. As long as I could work in entertainment I enjoyed whatever job I had at the time. But I always kept VO in the forefront. Been a full timer since about 2000. It's also the best time to be in VO. There are so many projects happening all the time. And it's not the same 6-1/2 people doing everything.

Can you say, "I used to be an adventurer like you but I'm dummy thicc and the clap frrom my ass cheeks kept alerting the drauger?"

Sorry, I can't hear you over the clap from my ass cheeks.

Are you aware of the "Magic is Everything!" Meme in Fire Emblem Heroes?

Hah! I was not. Love it! #cracksmeup

This is a bit of a general question among voice acting, but what is the process when you are given the lines to a character? Do directors tell you context around the character for a more accurate voice, or is it a more free for all type idea where you get to add your own unique twists to it?

Sometimes it's a mix n match. I will combine aspects from several different charaters I've done in the past to form the new one. SOmetimes It takes emotional delving, really getting itno the heart and motivations of a character. And sometimes I just drive to Burbank.

Were you naturally good at voices or did you have to do some form of training?

Do you revisit voice training from time to time to keep up your skills?

I like to think I was naturally good, but I DEFINITELY trained, and for a long time. I've studied the various VO forms like commercials, trailers, games, narration. All of which require different approaches and styles. I studied with Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry hound), and Ginny Tyler (MIckey Mouse Club) when i first got to LA. Since then I've continued to train to keep my edge. Also styles change and I don't want to get stuck dong a read from the 90s.

What’s the coolest project you’ve worked on?

Wow that's tough question because I really do love them all for various reasons. It's like picking a favorite child. Doing Mocap for Tommy Marcano in Mafia III was an amazing experience. I've also loved getting to voice characters that were important to me as a kid. Like Luke Skywalker and Race Bannon. I'm in the midst of an incredible mocap project right now (announcing in September) that really checks all the boxes for me. Stay tuned for that one.

Do you find yourself reading the source material or manga before you take up a project to help understand things better?

Also has the translation work for Persona 5 The Royal begun yet? I'm so hyped to play it!

And finally, Happy birthday!

Thanks for the b'day wishes! I don't tend to read source material beforehand. I'll watch as much of the original project as I can. That definitely helps. As for new P5, I do not know. And couldn't say if I did. #NDA Sorry bout that.

Have you ever had the chance to bring an Idea to a production, like :"I think he should say THAT instead" ? Or anything else?

Oh all the time! I just got to contribute to the mocap project I'm on. Got laughs from the crew. Made my day!

Is the voice acting "community" a kind of family like atmosphere where everyone pretty much gets along or is it pretty cutthroat?

The VO community is unlike any other I've experienced in the business. We genuinely get along. We love working together, we hang out, we go to each others events and kids' birthdays. Some of my best friends are fellow VAs. And my sig-other is the incomparable Cindy Robinson.

Reinhardt and Aversa, I like it!

Truly an epic match!

Will you be doing more work for Niantic?

Awwww hells yeah!

So when are you going to start doing Tushy Tuesday like your Ingress replacement?

That's a Scott Monahan special.

Hey there, I have a few questions regarding your work with Ingress!

First, a question that I've wondered about for ages about every actor, how do you prepare for anomalies? Do you get fixed lines or info you have to say or do you have some leeway when an agents asks you something about the story? Also in general, how much do you know about the backstory and Hank in general?

What was your favorite interaction you had with agents?

How did you react when you found out you'll get an anime version of yourself?

And last but not least, how was Ko Lan? What happened to Wendy and Klue? 😉

Again, hope to see you in Europe soon!

The NIA preps me rigorously for anomalies. Hank loves it when agents buy him drinks. Hank was sooooo stoked to learn of the anime. Ko Lan was amazeballs! Hot, exotic, fun, friendly, and exciting!

Who is your favorite major Daedric prince, and why is it Sheogorath?

Sheogorath -- but it's kind of an up-and-down relationship, with him.

Which of your characters do you think you relate to the most?

That's a good question. I play a lot of villains and snarky douchebags. Hope that doesn't mean I successfully tap into my inner SD. Right now I'm doing a mocap character who is heroic and determined. I'm having a great time with him. I love being heroes, but villains pay the bills. That being said, I do NOT relate to Molag Bal. #nopenopenope

Who do you play in Miraculous Ladybug?

What's your favorite show you've worked on?

What was your least favorite?

I play Tom, Roger(cop), and Wayzz. I absolutely loved working on the show Monsuno. The cast were all great friends which made it so much fun. Karen Strassman, Keith Silverstein, Cam Clarke, Kirk Thornton! All just the best. I also loved that it was an American show with Japanese sensibilities. Animated by a Japanese studio in anime style. But we got to record the dialogue first, and not dub an existing show. Hmmmmm hard to say a least favorite. They all have value and fun.

Hi Christopher, thanks for taking the time for an AMA! I 'm Japanese player at Ingress. "Hank Johnson" is a wonderfully attractive person and I am also a fan of him. I want to ask you a one question.

Christopher Corey Smith As an individual, what is your impression of the person "Hank Johnson"?

Thank you for reading.

Hi! So glad you enjoy Ingress. I do too! I think Hank is an ethical, trustworthy, and heroic guy. He loves the agent community and truly has humanity's best interest at heart.

Mr. Smith happy birthday! it was nice to meet u at Chicago's Ingress Anomaly.

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¿Which kind of project is harder and which easier? Between dubbing video games, TV series, cartoons, etc and acting ... probably you enjoy pretty much all but which is easier for you, funner and harder?

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Thank you very much!

Great to meet YOU! They all have their challenges. I'd say memorizing lines has a special place in hell, though.

What is your favourite anime series?

When I was a kid it was Kimba the White Lion. These days there are so many good ones. And I get to be in so many of them. Gotta say Gurren Lagann will always have a special place in my heart.

Do you know the good word of the shapers?

Beer.

Spoken like a true Beergresser!

Beerlightenment? Enlightenbeer? Just no light beer.

Hi Mr Smith, my 8-year old daughter has the following questions regarding Miraculous Ladybug:

• are there any more seasons coming out?
• Do you have a daughter named Serena like Officer Rogers?
• who is Hawk Moth?

From my daughter “you are lucky to be in that show. It’s my favorite show!”

Hi!

• We always hope for more, but they haven't told us.
• No, I have a son named Cairo, though!
• Hawk Moth is my good friend, Keith Silverstein.

And thank you!

How did you enjoy doing Okumura in Persona 5? I personally loved your delivery of the character.

LOVED it!

What would have been your favourite scene to voice in anything you've done?

Hard to say, but if I had to pick one it would be as Luke Skywalker in Phineas and Ferb Star Wars, getting to say "But I was just about to go into Taschi Station to pick up some power converters."

Love your work in Ingress. I never get a chance to get to anomalies but it must be a blast to mingle with players while staying in character. (Enlightened Forever)

Only question is, what is your favorite cookie?

Peanut butter.

Have you ever played D&D? Have any other VA's asked you to play with them? Would you play with them if asked (like Critical Role, for example)?

I'm so thrilled for all my friends on Critical Role! They deserve every bit of their success. Not only are they super talented, they are just wonderful people. If asked I would join them in a heartbeat.

What was your reaction when your character suddenly died in the middle of Persona 5?

Bummed. Meant the session was over.

Hello Mr. Smith! Just wanted to say your performances as Slater in FE: Shadows of Valentia and as Dr. Belgar in Valkyria Chronicles 4 were such awesome antagonist performances!

I was just wondering: for characters like Legion or Reinhardt who never had voice lines before, how did you go about getting an idea of how they sound like?

Why thank you! Those were really fun projects. VC4 was quite a ride. For characters like Legion or Reinhardt, there are specifications that the writers give us. We then audition and the producers pick who they think best represents their vision of the character. We take our time crafting our characterizations so that they don't sound like carbon copies of other voices we've done. That being said, there are just those voices that producers hear and they say "THAT ONE". Whether or not it's one I've used before.

I was at the EVO arena last year and I saw you come out on stage as G and give the speech in costume.

How would you describe that experience?

Why thank you! It felt like being a rock star! I was super nervous going into it, but then I didn't want to leave the stage.

Any advice you would give to someone wanting to break into voice acting professionally for the first time?

Take acting classes. Especially improv. You can start anywhere. I began at a community college. But by far the ACTING part of voice acting is the most important. Then make a demo, put it on a website and start promoting yourself.

Do you watch the shows that you do the voices for? If so what was your opinion on Hunter x Hunter?

Some I do, yes. But I'm a very harsh critic of my performances. I enjoyed HxH very much!

If I'm ever directing voice actors what should I never do?

In general, stay away from line reads. Lest you end up like this guy.

Thanks for taking the time for an AMA!

Does it make sense for a VO actor just starting out to find an agent?

You're very welcome. Nope. Save agents for later in your career.

Two questions! 1. What was the coolest piece of film history you saw at the Henson Studios last week? 2. How many takes did you and Scott Monahan need to do without laughing at the Johnson jokes in the Ingress Dunraven videos?

Hah! Might be the Chaplin Film Vault. Or the Chaplin footprints. Scott and I worked for a good hour on the timing of that piece. We had a great time!

What is your favorite Steely Dan album?

That is a tough call. So many are undisputed gems. Aja and Katie Lied are really up there, but if I can only pick one it's gotta be Can't Buy a Thrill.

Skyrim or RDR2?

Oh Skyrim FTW! Though RDR2 was a lot of fun to record. I got the gig because I could do a believable Oklahoma dialect They were disappointed to learn I'm from California.

Hey Chris!

What is one of your characters voices you most repeat outside of set?

What voice/character would you like to do just for the fun of doing it?

I break out Kermit at parties. And I'd love to still be on the short list of alternate Kermits at Disney.

Do you still get to audition first before you get the role and also, do you have a chance to pick which character you've like to do?

Oh I still audition a lot. There are some projects that just plug me into it. And I almost never get to pick.

What's the hardest role you've taken? Were you proud with the result?

Role of Papa, IRL. Couldn't be prouder.

Do you think Molag Bal has a good side to him?

Hmmmmmm... I think that is his good.

Do you play any video games that you voice act in or know anyone that does so?

When my son was young he would play many video games that I and my colleagues were in. I'd shout "Hey that's Keith Silverstein" and my son would reply "Don't tell me, it takes me out of the game!"

If you could work with any other voice actor, who would it be?

I get to work regularly with VAs who I love and admire. I've worked with Rob Paulsen, Steve Blum, Frank Welker, Cindy Robinson, and so many other legends. I've yet to work with Maurice LeMarche.

Two questions: When you voice act, do you have some freedom over what you say (different words for instance), lets say in asian anime, where the translation given to you may be off in some way? How many times do you repeat a scene before you before its final? Thanks!

Sometimes we do. We can suggest alternate words or phrases. With anime it has to fit the flaps and the director is usually the expert at figuring that out.

Who are you in Miraculous Ladybug? You didn't specify!

Tom, Roger(cop) and Wayzz

What was your all time favorite voice role? Are there other characters you think you would enjoy voicing more?

Hard to pick an all time favorite role. I was on the Disney list as alternate voice for Kermit the Frog. That was a high point. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ3Ec9r5Nhk

Hey there, Mr. Smith! Happy belated birthday! Thank you for doing this!

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This might be a bit of an... odd question and it deals with late-game Persona 5 spoilers, but bear with me. So uh. Hypothetically speaking, if someone were to suggest and write a story about Okumurafaking his death and getting a persona, how would you feel about it? And what sort of things might you want to see in there if it intrigues you?

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Totally... hypothetically speaking. Definitely not enough of a fan of Okumura to do this. Totally not. (Definitely wasn't "the #1 bad dad stan" on twitter for months, no sir.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/18006566/chapters/42540854

https://imgur.com/a/WpZDUfw (all artists are properly credited; the concepts are all mine, but not all the linework!)

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(To be serious for a moment, in all honesty, I'd love to know your thoughts on this concept, but please, do not feel pressured to take a look or respond! I just don't think Okumura gets enough love, and he deserves to survive and have a redemption arc, in my book—or at least, it's fun to write one for him. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor; this has been a project since December of 2017, and I'm still writing it as of now.)

I'd love that! He's certainly the star and center of his own universe! And doesn't get the recognition he deserves. I'll hang on to the link and take a look at it later (when I'm not in the midst of this). Thanks for sharing it! I love working on P5! The design on Okumura was brilliant! Love me a fish-bowl helmet! Bad dad stan?! That was YOU?!! #ThorFlipsTable

Robin Williams seems to have accidentally destroyed access to film animated roles for voice actors. What, if anything have we lost by having live-action celebrities take those roles?

Has the growth in the game industry counter-balanced it?

Often in games, the dialogue comes across as a bit wooden. Why is this and how can it be improved?

Thanks!!

Celebrities have always been sought for animated projects. Boris Karloff narrated The Grinch, Danny Kaye and Judy Garland voiced Gay Purree in the 60s. Producers realize that fame puts butts in seats. Can't blame em. Luckily there's really enough work to go around. As far as game dialogue, it's been my experience that the dialogue tends to fit the tone/feel of the particular game. And my GOD how much better it is than it used to be. Acting too.

Thanks for all your excellent voice work.

You play many characters in games and films which often get sequels. How do you get back into character, tone and accent months or years later to ensure a consistently high performance quality?

Are there any characters you wish you could perform again but haven’t got the chance (yet)?

Once you do a character for a couple sessions it's pretty easy to slide back in. They also have vocal references available. It's always so much fun to revisit a character.

Hello! Thanks for doing AN AMA and happy birthday!

If you couldn't do this line of work what would you do instead? Alternatively: what are some of your hobbies/if you have down time in the studio how do you keep busy?

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Hi! Thank you! And you're welcome! I love travelling. Though I usually do it for work or conventions. Luckily I've always been able to travel with my son or my sig-other. Or both. So it turns work into vacation.

How many times does your voice break in a month?

Hopefully none. But once puberty sets in, who's to say.

Was it weird going from a character like Rufus to someone like G?

Also how is recording for a fighting games? Do you have to listen to all the shouting/grunting from Jessica (Juri), Kat (Ibuki), or Reuben (Ken) for example?

Naw, I only listen to my own grunting.

Who was your favorite character to voice act?

Luke Skywalker/Race Bannon/Lego Joker

Hey there! What's for lunch today?

Hmmmmm good question. I better think ahead.

Are there any current or future games you'd like to do voice work for?

Any Star Wars projects! Also anything from Respawn. Love that studio.

Who do you play in Red Dead Redemption 2?

Various ranch hands and townspeople. Had no idea this was the project I was working on til long after the session.

Have you ever lost consciousness in the booth?

Hahaha not to my knowledge. But then again, perhaps I was unconscious.

My wife has an amazing little girls voice (that's actually hers) and everyone says she should do voice overs for cartoons and whatnot. How does one break into that industry?

Take acting classes. Then take VO classes. Having a unique voice is just the start. Then put a demo together, and put it on a website. You can check out pay to play sites, but I don't have any experience with those.

As someone who’s been working in the anime voice acting industry for a long time, what change has struck you the most from compared to the early 2000s?

Also, I remember listening to an interview from Travis Willingham. He said dubbing anime was basically voice acting boot camp. What do you think of that description?

I'd say streaming is the biggest change in the industry. The sheer amount of projects available to work on these days is unparallelled. Best time to be a VA. If you can dub everyday, it's a very good way to cut your teeth in the biz. But there a number of bad habits you can pick up too. There's really a trend toward subtler, reined-in performances.

Do u like meruem from hxh, and what did u think abt his end at the end of chimera ant arc?

Happy birthday btw

Meruem and I aren't on speaking terms at the moment. There's still litigation from the whole Chimera Ant thing. Our lawyers have advised us not to comment at this time. But thank you for the birthday wishes!!

What was your absolute favorite part of being Oruo on Attack on Titan!? My absolute hands down favorite anime.

I just loved the opportunity to be part of such an epic project! It's one that stands the test of time.

I originally read this as you being Corey Smith, so with that said, have you ever listened to music by Corey Smith?

I haven't. But I will now. Do you like him? Is Corey Smith a him?