Interview with Rebecca Chambers: A.K.A. Hope Levy

REFANB Interview: Hope Levy, A.K.A. Rebecca Chambers
	Related: Hope's Voice Actor Page Resident Evil Remake

Yet another awesome voice actor interview on REFAN, this time with the multi-talented, lovely and bubbly Hope Levy. Hope has answered a large amount of questions put forward both not only by myself, but also many from the fan community. A big thanks goes to Hope for sharing some of her spare time to answer these questions. Read on!

What influenced you to become an actor originally? My favorite actress as a child was Judy Garland and Shirley Jones! I wanted to sing and dance in movie musicals like they had!

You also sing, dance, and do improv comedy? Yes. I have been in numerous theatre musicals and have also sung and danced on tv too. I use improv in a lot of voice over jobs! It frees the character from being locked in the text and makes the words more real too!!!

You've worked on a variety of interesting projects, what have been some of your favorites and why? I had a wonderful experience working on the West Coast premiere of the musical version of the cult film "Eating Raoul". I got to work with the late Paul Bartel who wrote the original film as well as Scott Witman and Marc Shaimen who went on to write the musical HAIRSPRAY. I also wrote my own one person show called "HOPE LEVY'S MULTIPLEX: A Cinematic Cabaret" that was a collection of songs where the text came from some of my favorite movie monologues.

On the same note, have you enjoyed your stage work more than the rest of the work you've done? Most people remark on finding it the most rewarding, and I'm interested to know if you find it the same. I love the instant gratification once gets performing in front of a live audience. The exchange of energy one receives instantly is AWESOME and invigorating!!! I love to move people to an emotional place and live performances let me see that instantly!!!!!

How's the voice acting proccess different from other acting jobs? Voice acting is very different. One, you don't know how the viewer is going to react to your work. Two. Most performances are done alone in the recording booth without the luxury of other actors working with you! Three. Game voice over work is actually the most physical type of jobs in voice over. Having to die, be smashed, killed, tortured….you name it takes a lot of vocal strength and physical stamina too!!!!

*What sort of reaction do you get when people find out you're the singer for the Duloc welcome box in Shrek? (One of my personal fav parts of the movie BTW)* People always want me to start singing in my munskinish voice! And of course sing "Keep off of the grass shine your shoes wipe your…..FACE"!!!!

*How did you become involved with Resident Evil* for GameCube?** I auditioned for the casting director!

Would you return to the role of Rebecca if asked? Of course! I enjoyed playing her character.

Did you get to meet any of the other voice actors that also worked on the game? Sadly, no.

How was it working with the game's director with him being from Japan? He was very nice. He gave directions to the Casting Director and then she directed me.

What were the producers looking for, a matching voice for the original game, or something new and different? Something similar.

Just wondering if you were contacted to come back for the next game in the series where Rebecca returned because it had a different actor? Sadly, no.

Have you managed to play any of the video games you've voiced? I've only played one game I voiced and that was because a copy was sent to me!!!

You also were interviewed for a game development book, was this for your voice acting work? Yes. My friend Jeannie Novak wrote this book called GAME DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIALS and asked me to contribute information as a voice over artist.

I just have to ask about the Blair Witch Mountain Project, the rather interesting mockumentry revisit to Witch Mountain. How did you become involved and how and why did it come about? I met the child star of the original Witch Mountain Disney films, Iake Eissinmann, through a mutual friend and then we became friends. He instantly liked my energy and had an idea of doing a mockumentary with a character named "Blair" who is obsessed with the "Witch Mountain" movies. He thought I would be perfect as the frantic kooky "Blair"! It is a very silly funny short film and it ran on Atom Films for awhile. (For anyone who wants to see this, the film can still be found online at this website for Kim Richards, the other of the two main stars - at this URL - http://www.kimrichards.net/videos10.html )

I know some people don't like watching things they've acted in, but if you have seen things you've done, has anything that you (or your voice) has been used for actually made you cringe? Some of the commercials I've made! I have a Guinness Beer spot where I had a line and then it was cut! I looked ridiculous even if they had kept in the line but when you see me I look like a Leprechaun!

What would you say to anyone who'd be interested in doing the same work as you? Voice acting work is not just about the "sound" of the voice. If you want to work as a voice actor learn to be a good actor first. Take acting classes, voice classes, improv classes, and listen to every voice and study them!!! The more versitle you are, the more you can take criticism, the more experience you can have on stage, in class and even behind a mic will help you become a well honed actor. You want to be competitive with the other working actors out there.

What projects have you just worked on or have upcoming? In the Game world, I recently voiced characters in (The Matrix) Paths of Neo, Everquest, and Kameo. I voiced some incidental characters on an episode of Rugrats, All Grown Up. Uncle P should be coming out this year - a movie I filmed with Master P and Lil Romeo. I have a Radio Shack and a Ford Focus on camera commercials coming out in April. I also have some AAA radio spots running. I have a new vocal duo called HOPE I DREAM OF JEANNIE and we will have a cd available in the next few months.

Finally, some of the fans from our forums also wanted me to tell you you did a terrific job in comparison to the original voice actor from the 1996 game. Thank you. That makes me feel very good!!!! I like positive feedback!!! Thank YOU and your TERRIFIC website for taking an interest in the voice behind the games!!!