Chris
McFeely: When did you decide you wanted to build a career for
yourself as an actor?
Neil Kaplan: Well, I have ALWAYS wanted to be an actor. I decided
back in 1993, that what I REALLY wanted to do was voices for
cartoons.
CMcF: How did you break into the voice-acting industry?
What were you doing before you accomplished this?
NK: Well, my FIRST V.O. job was in NYC back in 1987 (where I was
studying musical theatre). I did character voice drop-ins on
WCBS-FM. Before I came down to Los Angeles in 1994 I was working
on a local (award winning) television shows in the San Francisco
Bay Area.
CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the
"Digimon" series?
NK: I had done quite a bit of guest voice work for the kind folks
at Saban since 1995. They have a list of actors that they
frequently call in for auditions. So, they called me, I read, and
I got the job.
CMcF: You're well known as Hawkmon, Halsemon and
Shurimon, but did you voice any other characters on the show,
beyond bits and walla and growling monsters?
NK:
Well, I did the voice of "Thank you for visiting 'Meow Dot
Com'," in the Digimon movie, as well as the nutty teacher
yelling "finished!" (a personal favorite of mine!) I
was also the voice of the Russian & Austrailian Gennai
lookalikes that were featured toward the end of season two. I was
just added as the voice of Indramon (a bad guy!) for season
three.
CMcF: There has been some recent speculation that you may
have voiced Oikawa...
NK: Oddly, the name rings a bell, but I do not recall. Sorry!
CMcF: Tall guy, purple skin, possessed by Myotismon, only
showed up in the last dozen or so episodes?
NK: No, I was NOT Oikawa.
CMcF: Another character question: it's generally accepted
that Lex Lang voiced Aquilamon, Hawkmon's Digivolved form, but I
wanted to check with you and see if you actually performed that
role.
NK: Well, Lex may be a nice guy, and I might even say he is a
friend, BUT... he sure as heck did NOT do Aquilamon! That was ALL
me, and yes, it was me as (half of) Sylphymon too!
CMcF:
Woah, that will surprise a lot of people! In that case, here's
something I've been wondering about: how was the recording for
Silphymon (and the other DNA Digivolved characters) done? Did you
record your lines separately, and Edie Mirman had to match her
voice up with them (or vice versa), or were the two of you
working in the studio at the same time?
NK: One of us would record the dialogue, then it was up to the
other actor to match it.
CMcF: Did you do any work on the show's first season?
NK: I did not work on season one at all. Not even bits &
walla. If you want to hear more of my work, check out "Power
Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue." I was the voice of the very
evil Diabolico. Heck, they didn't even add any effects to my
voice for that show!
CMcF: Once you were affirmed as the role of Hawkmon, did
the roles of Halsemon and Shurimon go hand-in-hand with that, or
did you have to audition for them separately?
NK: Well, I was not just given them until after the show's
director & producers realized how versatile I am.
CMcF: Of the voices you do on "Digimon," which
would you say is your favourite character to do?
NK: Easily, it was Hawkmon... he is quite a charcter, very
oppinionated and full of life!
CMcF: Have you done any recording for the third (current)
series of Digimon?
NK: As previously mentioned, I JUST recorded my first episode as
the evil purple pony, Indramon.
CMcF:
Your current 'big' role is that of Optimus Prime on
"Transformers: Robots in Disguise." As someone who grew
up with the Transformers, what is playing the role of such a
classic, famous character like for you?
NK: I LOVE playing the big red guy! Yes, it does have a special
feeling playing a character that i knew from my younger days! I
can only hope he sticks around for awhile! It is also nice to
play a charcter that is just FLAT OUT heroic!
CMcF: Through what events were you approached for the RiD
series?
NK: Again, the producers called me in to read for the roles of
the "sidekick" villians. I did NOT get offered any of
those parts, but they did call and offer Optimus . So, I gladly
accepted.
CMcF: Do you think that you were you cast in other Saban
projects such as RiD as a direct result of your popular work on
Digimon (or vice versa), or was each assignment independently
secured?
NK: Each show is CAST independently. But, if you do a good job
and show versatlity on one show, they are more likely to want to
bring you in again for a look on the next show.
CMcF: It's rather accepted that voice actors get little
appreciation for what they do, beyond cult and fan followings.
What is your view on this? Do you like the anonymity?
NK: I love being anonymous! Besides having fun,
being creative, and using my talents to earn a living, it is the
best part!
CMcF: It's my understanding that a lot of voice actors
seldom watch the shows they work on. Does this hold true for you?
If you do watch the shows, what are you opinions of them?
NK: I try to watch EVERY show I work on. That way I can listen to
my work & that of my fellow cast members. If it is dubbed
animation (like Digimon & RiD) we record seperately, so you
never know how the rest of the show sounds. If you do standard
animation, you want to see how the animation brings it ALL
together. I love watching what I work on. And to be honest, I
have been very pleasantly surprised by RiD!
CMcF: Are you friendly with any of the other cast members
on the shows you work on?
NK: I have become good friends with Michael Sorich (a voice actor
& director), Peggy O'Neal & Brianne Siddall (both are
voice actresses) and on RiD, I was already friendly with the
great Bob Joels (X-Brawn), and the fantastically talented Wally
Wingert (Sideburn)!
CMcF:
What advice do you have for those who aspire to be voice actors?
NK: Practice, be patient, and have a way to earn money while you
struggle!
CMcF: What do you do in your spare time? What hobbies or
interests do you have?
NK: Well, I am a member of Jewish Big Brothers. I also read for
the blind on occassion. I love to go river rafting & go to
Vegas! But mostly, I LOVE my work! If they would let me, I would
do it 365 days a year!
CMcF: What can we expect so see (hear?) from you in the
future?
NK: Who knows? I wish I could tell you! Such is the life of a
voice actor. If you like the show, drop a letter in the post to
the good folks at Hasbro.
CMcF: Well, those are all the questions I have! Thanks again for
your time, sir!
NK: It has been my pleasure. Thanks for all of your kind words
and compliments!
Neil Kaplan can presently be heard in the role of Optimus
Prime and Ro-Tor on "Transformers: Robots in Disguise,"
with new episodes airing at 8:30am on Saturdays and 2:30pm on
weekdays, on Fox Kids.
