I just noticed that the same actor is voicing my favorite character from Mass Effect 2, and my favorite character from Dragon Age: Awakenings. It’s Robin Sachs who voices Seneschal Verel, and Zaeed Massani. He also voices the mayor of Redcliff. There’s just something about that deep, somewhat raspy voice that I find enormously sexy, compelling and comforting. I want to be able to have a romance with both of them. Maybe in ME3. 🙂
Which got me thinking about the power of the voice, and not just for singers. It’s just another point where an actor can be rejected for something utterly beyond their control. I remember we read this incredibly beautiful little blond girl for a part in my pilot — Star Command. But she opened her mouth, and out came this high, squeaky voice that became annoying in just the few minutes she was reading. I couldn’t imagine viewers tuning in for two hours listening to that voice. The director and line producer concurred, and she was crossed off the list.
Did she know she had this voice that was going to make it difficult, if not impossible, for her to land parts? Had an acting coach had the integrity to tell her, or were they just taking her money?
My accompanist when I was singing in Vienna just told me one day that I didn’t have what it took for the grand opera stage. He said I had a lovely little voice for a small theater, or maybe operetta, but my dreams of a great career were just that — dreams. I was 18. It hurt and I cried about it, but as I look back I thank him because it sent me on a path to law school and ultimately to writing.
Sorry for the wandering off down memory lane.
Anyway, check out Robin Sachs. What a gift to bring computer generated people to life with just his wonderful voice.
