We Speak Actors
Multi-award-winning voice actor Todd Haberkorn returns in ‘Destiny 2: Lightfall’
Todd Haberkorn is a big deal in the gaming and film world. You’ll have heard his voice-acting work in major TV series such as ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’ alongside Jack Black and Rita Ora, and he’s also well-known for his VO in video games and anime films. ‘Destiny 2: Lightfall’ has just been released, with Todd reprising his role as the voice of the Drifter. He talks about his love for this mysterious space pirate, the exciting new series he’s directing, and the endless creativity of video games.
‘Destiny 2’ has just released its latest DLC, ‘Lightfall’ – can you shed some ‘light’ on the character you play?
“This latest release continues the layered space tale we’ve been a part of for years. My character, the Drifter, floats in and around the storyline, adding colour to the picture we’re painting with this new update to the game. There are so many branches to the story that it’s hard for me to keep it all straight! But with this expansion, we’ve got new powers, a new campaign, and much more. I don’t get to sing a pirate song in this DLC like I did the last one, though!”
Do you relate to the Drifter or is he very different from you?
“I always enjoy hopping in the saddle for my favorite space pirate! After working on it for years, I’ve only just learned that the character was created with me in mind – so that’s a fun fact to know. I prefer it when characters aren’t like me so I can take on the challenge of solving the acting puzzle in my hands. I become a detective and try to fill in all the gaps of who the person I’m playing is, and then I can bring the words on the page to life. The care that the creative team gives the storyline and the Drifter’s part within it continues to surprise me, while at the same time revealing more about his long history that just helps me as an actor. You hear a lot of the Drifter in the Gambit game mode on the multiplayer side.”
Are there any TV voiceover projects that you looked to for inspiration for this video game voiceover?
“Voiceover for cartoons and for video games are similar in the fact that they’re both acting behind the mic, but the process is different.
“A great director and good writing are important – they give me the ingredients I need to cook my voiceover dish.”
And then, hopefully, players of the game like it and keep coming back for more.”
What other projects have you been working on?
“‘HiFi Rush’ came out last month and I definitely got to exercise my villain muscles on that one. Talk about a game that’s very different from ‘Destiny 2’! It’s a rhythm-based adventure game with very colourful characters and animation. At the other end of the spectrum, I’m currently directing an animated series based on a video game franchise called ‘Hello Neighbor’. We’re starting from scratch with new animation, new voices and new scripts. It’s great to see the fans of the franchise supporting this animated series, which was the first animated series to debut inside a video game – you’ve got to play it to see what I mean! There’s a really powerful team of creatives behind it, including the minds behind the ‘Ben10’ series and ‘Big Hero 6’. Two episodes are out now and we’ve got more to come!”
Featured photo credit: Kevin Lynch
We Speak Actors
Robert Besta appears opposite Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in new Netflix film ‘Back In Action’
‘Back In Action’, dropping tomorrow on Netflix, is a fast-moving action comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx as a middle-aged couple with children who are pulled back into being spies after their secret identities are exposed. Among the star-studded cast (the film also features Glenn Close and Andrew Scott), German actor Robert Besta plays an Eastern European oligarch who possesses some highly sensitive data that the couple want to get their hands on…
Robert, who was born in Poland and grew up in Germany, is an actor and musician known for the films ‘Treasure’, starring Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry; ‘And Tomorrow the Entire World’, directed by Julia von Heinz; and ‘Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin’, directed by Todd Komarnicki.
Robert is also renowned for playing villains in the German TV shows ‘Die Fallers’ and ‘Tatort’, and he brings this skill for evil to his new Netflix role.
“I was happy to slip into the role of the dodgy businessman!” he said. He added that the Hollywood stars in the film were remarkably relaxed:
“It was an incredible and wonderful experience to be in front of the camera in such a big production. Working with Cameron and Jamie was super-relaxed and enjoyable.”
“Both greeted me warmly before the shoot and I chatted to Cameron about everything, so we had already got to know each other beforehand and were able to ease into the scenes. In addition, Jamie always kept everyone in a good mood between the takes and entertained everyone with little jokes and dance interludes!”
Robert speaks German, Polish, English and French and used all his languages in the film, with an Eastern European accent layered on top. Filming took place in London, UK and Atlanta, Georgia, and Robert did a lot of preparation for his role: “I prepared as I would for any other shoot: understanding the world in which the role is set, creating a role biography that I can connect with as much as possible, finding out what the goal of every scene is. It takes a lot of preparation to be able to let go of everything on set and be completely with your partner and in the moment.”
He said it was fascinating to see how everything in the film was planned down to the smallest detail, and yet the actors were still given the opportunity to improvise. He explained:
“For example, we invented a completely new scene on set with my film daughter, that wasn’t even in the script.”
“Seth, the director, instructed her to act out a scene with me: he called out lines, she acted them out and everyone was really enthusiastic about it.”
Robert’s acting career began in theatre – after studying at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin, he became a regular actor at the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe. He said: “I didn’t know Karlsruhe until then and had no intention of staying – well, I still live there. In fact, it’s the longest time I’ve ever been in one place in my life.”
After appearing on the red carpet for the premiere of ‘Back In Action’, Robert’s year continues in a similarly high-octane vein, as he prepares to tour with his indie band MICOR as well as work on more exciting TV and film projects.
‘Back In Action’ premieres on Netflix on Friday 17 January.
Featured photo credit: Netflix/John Wilson
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