Women In VoiceOver
Salli Saffioti is an East Coast charmer with a fascinating history and a brain swimming with characters who come to life in video games and animated series. But she’s also well versed in promo and commercial voiceover work. She wanted it all, and she does it all. As you will discover, people like Salli, are, in fact, born for this.
I can pretty much guarantee you’ve heard the voice of Nicole Balick. She was the voice of The Style Network for over a decade, which, if you know anything about the vo biz, is a minor miracle and testament to her staying power. She has voiced national network tv commercials too numerous to put in print, and when you buy Shell gasoline, listen up. She’s the one talking to you there on the screen at the pump! Nicole is effortlessly charming, with a rich textured voice, and I gotta say, she gave the best answer so far to the last question in my infamous B-Hive Roulette game at the end of each podcast. You’ll have to listen all the way to the end to hear, but trust me, you’ll have a good time getting there. Love me some Nicole Balick.
Really there’s only one word to describe Rebecca Davis: Effervescent. And her voice, as refreshing as a cold pop on a hot August afternoon, follows suit. So it makes perfect sense that she is the inaugural recipient of the Don LaFontaine Voiceover Spirit Award, sponsored by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Rebecca volunteers for Young Storytellers, mentoring low-income elementary school students to discover the power of their own voices through the art of storytelling. She works actively with the nonprofit organization, Women In Animation, serving as its Co-Chair. And when she’s not busy volunteering for all sorts of great causes, she can actually be heard doing voiceover things! She’s been narrating Vanity Fair’s monthly audio magazine (available on Audible.com) for a few years now, and is thrilled to be voicing her first recurring role, that of Fiona, the big brassy new girl in town, in the animated series Lego Friends available on DisneyChannel.com. Oh, and word has it she can’t ride a bicycle. Judging from a rather endearing story she tells in the podcast, I’m guessing that might actually be true. But when you’re as buoyantly charming and talented as Rebecca Davis, who needs a bicycle?
Virginia Hamilton. Lordy, this woman is a gas to hang out with. With pockets bursting with TV affiliate stations, high profile promo gigs, and a myriad of movie trailers under her belt, Virginia’s well on her way to ruling the voiceover genres where mostly men dominate. Lock the children away for this podcast. We’ve got some adult themes – addressed in the most childish manner, mind you, but adult nonetheless!
One of 2016’s prestigious Benztown 50, Rena-Marie Villano comes to a well-rounded career in voice over via her years of work in Radio. She images stations on Sirius Satellite Radio and radio stations all over the country, including here in Los Angeles, where you can hear her on ALT 98-7 – L.A.’s New Alternative. As a promo voice, she’s been heard on EPIX, DIY Network, and HGTV. She has also worked for The Weather Channel, NBC, The CW and MGM HD. She was the Live Announcer for The Game Awards 2016, and narrated Peggy Noonan’s audiobook “The Time of Our Lives: Collected Writings” which she calls an amazing and transformative experience. Rena-Marie’s career is rich with perseverance, tenacity, focus, and determination. When it comes to voice actors who put their heads down, shoulder-to-the-wheel, simply for the love of the work, Rena-Marie is the real deal.
Cuban born, Spanish voice actor Yeni Alvarez is a force of nature, and a whirlwind of positivity and effortless charm. She is known for her roles as Carmela in the long running Disney cartoon series, Handy Manny (one of my daughter’s favorite’s,) Viperine in the TV movie version of the ever popular Monster High franchise: Frights, Camera, Action!, and is heard everyday by hundreds of thousands as the Spanish Voice of Disney Theme Parks worldwide (please keep your arms and legs inside the boat at all times – but… you know… in Spanish!) So ya, that’s her on It’s A Small World, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc, etc, etc! How cool is that? I don’t know about you, but I’ve got #disneyenvy! Yeni also tells of her rather harrowing journey from Cuba to the U.S. as a young child, and how gratitude and the decision to be happy play a huge part in her success. I loved getting to know Yeni, and I’m certain you will, too.
Celia Siegel is owner and creative extraordinaire at Celia Siegel Management which specializes in branding and marketing for a small roster of voice over talent. She is the first non voice-actor in the B-Hive, and she has oodles of wisdom to share. Celia has nearly 30 years experience in the voice over biz both as a manager and branding specialist as well as talent agent at a couple of the top voice agencies in the country. Celia and I get seriously personal in this one, sharing some of our most challenging experiences and how such experiences have the power to transform and propel us to greater things. If you’re facing a seeming insurmountable obstacle, give a listen to this one for some inspiration and a glimpse at what a positive attitude and sense of gratitude can do.
Paula Tiso is a long time, Los Angeles based, multifaceted vo talent whose gifts run deep and wide. You’ve heard her as Lulu in Final Fantasy X, the evil Jihl Nabaat in Final Fantasy XIII, and as the Laughing Octopus in Metal Gear Solid IV, among other video games (and if you haven’t, check out her amazingly complex and creepy performance here: Laughing Octopus.) These days, Paula is rockin’ her home studio doing commercial, narration and affiliate promo work, getting ready to launch her 3rd child from home into the big wondrous world of adulthood, and fostering little kitties. Yep. That’s right. Fostering little wayward kitties! Paula’s nurtured a complex and long-standing career in voiceover while keeping her priorities in place, and she’s got a LOT of wisdom to share.
Hanging out with Rebecca Riedy is like drinking your favorite cocktail on the deck of the Titanic and not caring a whit because you’re laughing so hard. Wait. I’m not sure that came out right. What I mean to say is that she’s so bloody fun to hang out with, your life could be going to hell in a handbasket and you couldn’t care less because she makes you forget who you are! I’m not sure that came out right either, but you get my meaning: She’s a great hang. You’ve heard her announce the Emmys and the Grammys. You’ve heard her on those hilarious spoof spots on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Now meet the affable and entertaining Rebecca Reidy in the B-Hive.
Rebecca Riedy Serial Creativist
Carroll Day Kimball VO Casting
Meet Larissa Gallagher – a sweet and most hilarious sheila, all the way from Down Under. Larissa is a woman of many talents and many accents – including good old Standard American right at the top of the list, so don’t go lookin’ in the ‘Aussie-Only’ VO box, ’cause she busted outta there a long time ago. Her biggest dream is a juicy recurring role in a wacky animated series. Are you listening, Butch Hartman?
The B-Hive Podcast 