Tom Hanks tests Tom Holland's acting! | The Graham Norton Show - BBC

Summary

The script offers a candid look into the voice acting process for animated characters, specifically focusing on the challenges faced by the actor portraying Woody. It highlights the intensity of the role, the physical constraints of voice recording, and the exhaustive range of expressions required for seemingly simple lines. The actor humorously recounts the experience of being asked to perform grunts and varied emotional deliveries for a single line, capturing the meticulous and sometimes grueling nature of voice acting in animation.

Takeaways

• 🎙️ The actor expresses the difficulty of voice acting, suggesting it's more challenging than it seems.
• 😖 The actor feels tense and constrained during recording sessions due to the need for precision with the microphone.
• 🗣️ The script describes the character Woody as being 'clenched', indicating a high-strung or anxious personality.
• 📉 The actor humorously notes that the most challenging parts, like grunts, are saved for the end of long days.
• 🧗‍♂️ The actor is asked to perform grunts for a scene where Woody climbs, showing the physicality required in voice acting.
• 📉 The actor mimics the descent sound effects, emphasizing the detailed work involved in voice acting.
• 🎭 The script talks about the 'repetitions' exercise, highlighting the need for actors to explore various deliveries of a line.
• ☕ The actor humorously recounts practicing a simple line in many different ways, showcasing the depth of acting exercises.
• 🗣️ The actor jokes about being unable to act in an English accent anymore, suggesting the influence of playing American characters.
• 🤣 The actor humorously imitates Tom Holland, indicating a playful approach to their work and a readiness to adapt to different roles.

Q & A

What is the main challenge the speaker faces during voice recording sessions?

The main challenge is the physical constraint of being clenched and not being able to move while the microphone is right there, which makes it difficult to perform the required actions and sounds.

What does the speaker describe as being saved for last during a recording session?

The speaker describes grunts as being saved for last, usually at the end of a long workday, which involves making various sounds to match the character's actions in the animation.

How does the speaker describe the process of creating the grunts for the character Woody?

The process involves watching an animatic of Woody performing an action, such as climbing up a bunch of books, and then mimicking the grunts that would accompany that action.

What is the speaker's impression of the voice acting process?

The speaker finds the voice acting process to be more challenging than one might initially think, involving a lot of repetition and the need to extract every possible meaning from a single line.

What is the 'repetitions' exercise mentioned by the speaker?

The 'repetitions' exercise is a training method where an actor says a simple line in every conceivable way, exploring different inflections and emotions to enhance the performance.

How does the speaker relate the 'repetitions' exercise to their voice acting experience?

The speaker relates the 'repetitions' exercise to voice acting by explaining that they have to perform the same line with different nuances, similar to how they would in the exercise, to match the emotional context of the scene.

What is the significance of King Kong in the context of the script?

King Kong is used as a metaphor to describe a high-stakes situation where the actor is asked to perform a line with more intensity because it's a significant scene in the story.

Why does the speaker mention Tom Hanks in the script?

The speaker mentions Tom Hanks as an example of how they were asked to perform a line with more intensity, as if King Kong was about to smash the building, to emphasize the importance of the scene.

What does the speaker imply about their ability to act in different accents?

The speaker implies that they have difficulty acting in an English accent anymore and find it more natural to perform in an American accent, as evidenced by their impersonation of Tom Holland.

How does the speaker feel about their performance in the voice acting sessions?

The speaker feels that they understand how to perform well in voice acting sessions, as indicated by the praise they receive for knowing 'how to do it' and 'how it works'.

What is the speaker's background, as hinted in the script?

The speaker's background is hinted to be from Kingston, suggesting that they might be originally from Jamaica or have a connection to the Jamaican accent or culture.