JENNIFER HALE INTERVIEW
Jennifer Hale
Jennifer R. Hale (born January 30, 1972 in Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador) is a Canadian-born actress/singer best known for her voice over work in games like Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime series, Metal Gear series, Mass Effect, and Disney's animated movies.
Hale grew up in the United States, attending the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Alabama. While in high school, Hale began working as a production assistant. After graduation, Hale worked as an actress, commuting between Birmingham and Atlanta. She got her first big break in the 1988 made-for-TV movie A Father's Homecoming. Later she moved to Hollywood and has been doing voices for video games, animation, commercials, radio promotions, anime, and movies since 1993. She has also been a guest on several well-known TV shows, such as Charmed, ER, Just Shoot Me!, and others. She was sometimes credited as Carren Learning. She plays Cinderella and Princess Aurora in Disney's House of Mouse.
Her contributions to Star Wars:
+ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - Bastila Shan
+ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords - Bastila Shan
+
Star Wars: Jedi Knight (III): Jedi Academy - Jaden Korr
+
Star Wars: Force Commander
+
Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter
Jennifer Hale on some popular games:
Baldur's Gate-Dynaheir/Liia J/Serving Wench
Metal Gear Solid Serisi-Dr. Naomi Hunter
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn-Mazzy Fentan
Spider-Man: Black Cat/Mary Jane
X-Men: Next Dimension-Rogue
Freelancer: Commander Jun'ko Zane
Onimusha 3: Michelle Aubert
Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil: Dr.Elizabeth McNeil
Ultimate Spider-Man: Silver Sable
Age of Empires III: Elizabeth Ramsey
Matrix: Path of Neo: Trinity
(source: Wikipedia)
YS.COM : Lets start with a few questions about your career, there may be readers who are interested in voice acting and your experiences might illuminate their path. What is the most important qualification that a person should have in order to make voice overs?
J.H. : A strong work ethic and a clear understanding that they are a PART of the project, not the most important thing in it.
YS.COM : What kind of difficulties do you face when you do your job?
J.H. : One of the most important things to me is to fully understand what the writer, director and producer need to fully realize the vision they share. When that's not clear or is in conflict, it presents a set of challenges. Not that I mind those challenges, it's just really great when you can jump in and move forward with full clarity and creativity.
YS.COM : And coming to our main subject, what does Star Wars mean in your life? Could you share your memories about the first time you watched it?
J.H. : Oh man, Star Wars is iconic!! To be a part of a legacy like that is incredible. I love the juxtaposition of all the crazy weird stuff you sometimes find in it with the timeless nature of the story and the powerful message it can convey.
YS.COM : One of the most popular characters in the Knights of the Old Republic game was Bastila Shan. How did you first get involved with the K.o.t.O.R. project to voice Bastila?
J.H. : Dara and the gang at Lucasarts gave me that opportunity, for which I am so grateful! It was an unforgettable experience to come in and voice such an awesome character and a jedi no less!
YS.COM : There is one question in the mind of the players who played these addicting series, and you are probably one of the people knowing the answer of it as a person who was behind the curtain: Were there any cutscenes of Bastila in both of the games?
J.H. : oooo, that's priveledged information ;)
YS.COM : When we look at your photos, something catches our eye, Bastila looks very much like you. Are the rumors true that the game designers based on your appearance while creating Bastila?
J.H. : Wow, I have no idea about that, but that is most flattering.
YS.COM : Probably you are not allowed to speak about this but maybe you would give us a clue: Will the K.o.t.O.R. series continue, will we see Bastila again?
J.H. : So wish I could answer that!
YS.COM : Lets get to one of your other popular roles, to Jaden Korr in Star Wars: Jedi Academy. Could you tell us about your experiences in voicing the female version of Jaden Korr?
J.H. : Again, a fantastic opportunity to voice a well written, interesting character.
YS.COM : Here is a question not related with Star Wars: Another game in which players found your performance excellent was Freelancer. How did you feel about voicing Commander Jun'ko Zane?
J.H. : Jun'ko was super cool for me to do. It was a really good experience all around and I think it came out well.
YS.COM : Which one is your favorite regarding all the characters you voiced?
J.H. : I know it sounds cheesy, but I really can't pick a single favorite. There's something about each of them that I really love. And it's not just the character, it's the production team, the writer, the director, it's a whole experience.
YS.COM : Finally, there are many Star Wars fans and eventually many K.o.t.O.R. fans in Turkey. What would be your message to them?
J.H. : My message would be Thank you!! Thanks for playing and watching and all the best to all of you!
YS.COM : Thank you for your time, and sharing your experiences with us!
J.H. : Thank you!
