Xanthe Huynh, the Voice that Brings Life

“I just have to make sure that I’m warmed up and I’m opened to whatever’s thrown at me. It’s not like any other field, acting in front of a camera or on stage in a theater,” she said. “There, you have time to rehearse with the script in hand before showtime. Whereas, in voiceover, often time you don’t get the script ahead of time. Sometimes, they rush it in that morning, and so it’s new to everybody. I have to be spontaneous and rise to the occasion.”

Xanthe further explained, “In voiceover, especially with Anime, voice synchronization is a very important technique I have to master in real time. I mean, there are visual and audio queues to help indicate when to start the voiceover sequence. But perfect synchronization still depends a lot on the voice actor’s ability to perfectly synchronize the voice for the character and at the same time act the part, express emotions and sustain it for the entire movie. My background in the theater really helped me do this part well.”

As Xanthe Huynh passionately describes her professional work, I can’t help but wonder why this young, talented and beautiful Vietnamese-American chose this career path and how she got to be where she is today in an industry that many have aspired to but only a few succeeded.

Accomplishments

Xanthe Huynh (pronounced Zan-thee Hwinn) is one of very few Vietnamese-American voice actresses in Japanese and American animation. Her work includes K-On! (Ui Hirasawa), Love Live School Idol Project (Hanayo Koizumi), Sword Art Online (Sachi), Yuki Yuna is a Hero (Yuna Yuki), A Lull in the Sea (Miuna Shiodome), Kite Liberator (Monaka), The Familiar of Zero (Siesta), Squid Girl (Sanae) and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha (Suzuka). Bebe/Nagisa Momoe in Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion. And games such as Omega Quintet (Nene), Hyperdimension Neptunia Series (Falcom), Rune Factory Frontier (Mist), Luminous Arc 2 (Luna & Therese), Avalon Code (Fana), and Summon Night: Twin Age (Ayn).

She was nominated for Best Vocal Ensemble in Anime Feature Film/Special, Television series, by Behind The Voice Actors Anime Dub Television/OVA Voice Acting Award.

Choosing a career path

Born into a traditional Vietnamese family, Xanthe’s parents were very protective and strict. Immigrated to the US from Vietnam, they both have to work long hours to provide for the family. “My parents, they were always working,” she said. “and so they would say all these scary things to keep us housebound, for our own safety that is. Therefore, we spent most of our free time in front of the TV and that’s how I discovered anime and developed a passion for it.”

When it’s time for her to set a career path, choosing a field of study, Xanthe’s parents were very supportive but never without strong persuasion for her to consider other traditional careers, known for stability and well-paid status. Although she understood her parents’ good intentions, Xanthe courageously walked her own path. She followed her passion for theater and began taking acting classes and studied theater in middle school, high school, and also continue on to college. Xanthe graduated from UCI with a Bachelor’s degree in Dramatic Arts.

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How it all started

Xanthe developed a passion for anime from spending countless hours in front of the TV growing up. One day, while watching anime, Xanthe recalled, “I thought this one voice did not really match the character, and I felt like, you know ‘I wish I could do this,’ I feel like I could do a good job. And I was talking to some friends, and they recommended that I go and do this competition at Anime Expo. And I went, and I was a finalist. I didn’t win but I still got the opportunity to come into their studio and audition for them. And so that’s kind of how I got to merge the two things that I love, like together. So I was just really fortunate. It was just lucky timing, I feel on top of that.”

It was more than just luck that got her job after the audition at Bang Zoom! Entertainment. It was her talent, good timing, and perfect execution that land her the job. Xanthe took initiative, grabbing the opportunity when it presented itself and put her talent to work when it counts the most.

Xanthe continued: “It was just a general audition. They just had me read a bunch of different characters so they could see what I sounded like — I didn’t have a demo for them — to hear different types of characters that I could potentially play.” It was at that reading that studio executives determined which type of voices suited her and which future parts she could fill.

Before the competition, Xanthe told herself she wouldn’t win. But the opportunity presented itself, and she took it. Once the studio took an interest in her and granted the audition, she realized that is where she belonged. She recognized the potential career path, and it proved a defining moment for a young voiceover actress.Continue reading »

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A trailblazer

Xanthe’s decision to pursue a career in voiceover acting was met with challenges, and before deciding to devote herself to the genre, she tried theater. The problem with theater was that her physical stature limited her roles.

Sample audio clip of Xanthe’s voice as Miuna Shiodome in ‘A Lull in the Sea’ [2015]. (Audio source: www.behindthevoiceactors.com)

“When I did theater, I looked so young and was so small,” she said. “I could only play certain types of characters, and a lot of theater roles are written for more mature characters. I felt like if I were to pursue television, maybe I would just do Disney stuff for the rest of my life.”

As she started her career, she lived at home with her parents and worked to save money. She had their support, even though they weren’t sure what her career path entailed. Even her parents’ friends and relatives had a few words to say, such as, “Oh, you should not let her do this because you know she is not going to take care of herself, you’re going to take care of her.”

“It took a while to tell my parents. They were like, ‘I don’t really understand what voice acting is. What is it that you’re going to do? Are you doing just cartoon stuff? That’s for kids.’

“And Anime is not just for kids. Voice acting is real acting, and you hear it all the time. You hear it on commercials and so on. There are so many possibilities, and there are things that I hope to grow into as well. But I feel like it’s just hard to get people to really support the idea and understand it because it just seems it’s such a foreign thing.”

Inner motivation

The pursuit of a career in arts and entertainment is full of ups and downs, and challenges — especially for female actors. Xanthe has thrived, however, despite the lack of opportunities in a highly competitive industry. She has nurtured her love for animation. And in the heart of this graceful young woman is a strong desire to have her voice heard, her spirit freed and to be connected to a better, transformational world.

“I felt like I made this connection with acting when I was in middle school because I had always been really shy, really quiet, and it wasn’t until I was on stage that I felt like, ‘Oh, this is a really great way to share emotional moments and stories with other people.’ It was a nice way to connect with other people, so that’s why I started to pursue more acting.”

And in voiceover work, her physical size and appearance didn’t matter. She couldn’t be typecast.

“It doesn’t matter how you really look. It’s all about how you sound, how you act, how you portray the characters, so I feel like that’s why I love it so much. I can be basically anything because it doesn’t matter what I look like.”

She learned the recipe to success takes more than just talent. Knowing how to recognize opportunities when it arises, take initiative, knowing to make the most out of a limited or restricted environment, and be willing to work hard when it counts the most, all play important roles in securing a chance for success. Xanthe also expressed the importance of building a network of friends and professionals. And last but not least, the importance of having the love and support from family and friends.

An appreciative character

When you want something so badly, others either have to support you or get out of the way. Xanthe’s parents chose to support.

“My parents didn’t really outright objected,” she said. “They still allowed me to do the things that made me happy even though they did often try to push me into other careers, like Business or Pharmacy. For a long time when they came over, they had to learn English … and had to take all these really difficult jobs, low-paying jobs. And they didn’t want me or my brothers to go through the same thing, and to work so hard to make money.”

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One of the great attributes of successful people is the appreciation for those who came before them and who helped them along the way. And Xanthe Huynh has no lack of people to whom she owes her success. She attributes most of it to the strongest woman in her life: her mother.

“Even though she worked, she really did everything at home,” she said. “So when I think about my mom, I hope that someday I will be as multifaceted as her because she just kind of provided everything for the kids. She cooked, cleaned, and did everything, and she went to work on top of that. She is like Superwoman, and I wouldn’t be who I am without all the care” from her mother and father.

“I really do want to thank my parents because I know that they meant the best for me, and they wanted me to have a happy life and this really does make me happy. I’m thankful that they let me pursue it even though it’s hard and it’s a struggle sometimes, but it’s such a joy to do it. They went through a lot to take care of me, so I’m glad that I have the support, to let me do things that people said you should not let her do. It’s hard work but in a different way.”

One day, Xanthe would like to do voiceover acting in Vietnamese. Still, she has more to do, such as filling her role in the video-game franchise “Persona 5.”

“They’re starting with a new cast of characters. I get to be one these main characters, and it’s so much fun. I love this character because she grows so much, starting out so sweet and naive and she goes through a lot of tough times and she becomes stronger because of it,” she said. “I really love that I get to play this well-rounded character in this game, so I’m very excited for it to come out. There are already a lot of expectations about it, so I hope I live it to those expectations.”

Humble in opinion and appreciative of others, Xanthe enjoys a bowl of phở bò when in need of comfort food and is a huge fan of animation.

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For more information about Xanthe Huynh and her work, please visit her official website at https://www.xanthesvoice.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/XanthesVoice/
For updates on Xanthe Huynh, please visit: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=69839