Earlier this year, we shared with you an interview we had with voice actor Robert Mungle from Ohayocon 2022. Due to unforeseen circumstances in my personal life, I have not been able to share all the interviews from this event in a timely manner; however, now with a completely free day, we have the opportunity to share some of the interviews we did at Ohayocon 2022. This time, we had the opportunity to interview Barry Yandell.
For those unfamiliar with Barry Yandell, he is the voice of William T. Spears in Black Butler, Moori in Dragon Ball Z Kai, Bob in Fairy Tail, and Bentham/Mr. 2 Bon Clay in One Piece. Now, let’s dive into the Barry Yandell interview from Ohayocon 2022.
Barry Yandell Interview Introduction
MK: Before we get started would you please introduce yourself?
Barry: My name is Barry Yandell, and I’ve been an actor for many many years, but a voice actor, from FUNimation for about the last 22 years. And other Studios too though.
Intro to Voice Acting
MK: Since you said, you have been active for multiple years; what originally got you into acting and voice acting.
Barry: I’ve always been a little bit of a singer, kid singer, but when I was in eighth grade, we visited the high school and this nice girl pulled us over and said, “would you think about taking drama?” I said “Like what’s that? Sit on stools and read poetry?” I didn’t know why I was good, but I won all these awards. I thought it was fake, but people thought I was good and so I went in and studied and went to undergrad for theater, and then later grad school.
Then, I worked in Atlanta, co-writing and starring in, shows. A friend of mine was trying to find FUNimation for an audition and I helped her find it and I asked if they could see me and they said no and I went anyway, the rest is history.
First Role?
MK: What was the first role you auditioned for?
Barry: Very first role, well they blanked out my voice for a couple of months. I don’t know if it was for this, but the first role that I was cast in was Dolltoki: Dragon Ball GT. Which, I know the fans were like “Oh, it’s horrible!” I don’t care. It’s still on my demo, and that’s what got me started. And then this is before social media, and apparently, the fans liked me. So they kept calling me in. So now I continue on with FUNimation Okratron 5000 which is owned by Christopher Sabat. You probably know his name, but you probably know him as All Might, Vegeta, and other stuff. Gearbox and a number of different studios.
MK: We were actually talking to Kent and Kiba about your upcoming gearbox project, that can’t be named but it’s obvious, but I can say it.
Barry: I want to say it, but can’t on camera.
MK: Do you want me to say it so it’s coming from you
Barry: Yeah it’s up to you.
MK: Tiny Tina’s Wonderland
Barry: I don’t know when it’s coming out, I don’t know
MK: March 25th.
Missed Role
MK: So what’s one role you wish you were cast in?
Barry: Well on stage. I want to be Miss Trunchbull, from Matilda the musical. But some of the fans are wishing happy birthday a few years ago and I love my little demon fan, which is one of my favorites some Soul Eater. And they said “ Who’s with me! Barry Yandell for the Joker” They said if Mark Hamill ever stops doing the Joker. I was like yes please! Mark Hamill stopped doing the joker but Barry Yandell was not cast to the joker. Maybe someday.
MK: Have they even recast the Joker role?
Barry: I’m not and I don’t know this fabulous actor and his beautiful wife very well, but Richard Epcar I think from Facebook posts may have gotten the role but I don’t know.
Inspiration
MK: Who was one voice actor you have looked up to?
Barry: One voice actor I look up to, well there’s so many because they’re all so nice and kind to me. Ian Sinclair is a brilliant actor. And he gave me my shot at the sexy character I play, William T. Spears. I absolutely adore Christopher Sabat; he’s been so great. He makes fun of me a lot and my twangy voice that’s nothing like my characters. And that kind of means I’m a good actor. But, not all of us are blessed with his beautiful, manly, silky voice. But he’s also given me a lot of work at Okratron that I am so grateful for. Mike McFarland, director from One Piece and numerous shows.
Gifted me the role of Bon Clay in One Piece because he was originally cast as Mr.2. but decided that he just wasn’t right for the part. So gifted me that beautiful role, he became Buggy the Clown. So I’ll be forever grateful for that gift from Mr.2.
Obscure Fact
MK: What’s a random obscure fact about you that people don’t know?
Barry: Random obscure facts about me. When I was nineteen years old. I was getting glasses after having a skiing accident and breaking bones. I was at Pearl Optical Express and my mom, my dearly departed mother, was with me. She saw a poster that said, “Fast talk your way to London on the Concorde”. She said you gotta do that, you talk so fast I hardly understand you. I said “No, that’s for professionals” so I didn’t enter. I went to pick up my glasses. They are still having the contest so I said, “my mom thinks I should do this so okay.”
Well, they tried to record me and the tape player was broken. They said, “We’re sorry.” I said that’s okay, I don’t care. Well, I went to pick up my classes and said ‘are y’all still doing the contest?”. They said “It’s supposed to be over with yesterday, but yesterday was Easter. So we’ll let you still enter.” So I entered and I won a trip for two to London on the Concorde in the late 80s, cash, shows, hotel, which in the late ’80s was valued at about fifteen to twenty thousand dollars. So, that was pretty luxurious. They don’t fly it anymore but there’s a random fact.
MK: That is an interesting fact.
Who to work with
MK: One voice actor you’ve always wanted to work with and one regular actor you’ve wanted to work with?
So Kiba said to Tom Holland.
Barry: I was just thinking about this the other day and I have some fabulous brilliant ones I love Sissy Spacek for one. But as a male, I love Christopher Guest but I’ve decided I’m a huge fan of Sacha Baron Cohen. That would be mine and then my Pellerin, Sweeney Todd. which I played Sweeney Todd.
And then as far as a voice actor, I’ll tell you most of you don’t know who this is but her name is Sally Kellerman. She’s an older woman of a certain age. She was in the original movie, M.A.S.H, she played Hot Lips. She does a lot of commercial voiceovers and she was in a movie called Going Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield. I think she just has the sexiest, coolest voice. And I remember growing up, she did this summer fruit commercial. She said “peaches, plums, and cherries”. And I just think that she has the greatest voice in the world and I like the texture of Demi Morre and Deborah Wegener’s voice too.
MK: I’ll combine these next ones.
Do You Game
MK: Do you play games in your free time?
Barry: Video Games? But I swear, I’m going to play Borderlands soon, and my latest game is called, which I’ve been working on for a while. It’s an RPG. I learned that and it’s called Tales of Luminaria by OkuTron. And I hear it’s great and I love it.
So, I’m going to make it a point to actually play some of my games and watch some of my shows because I haven’t seen most of them. It’s not because they’re not beautiful, it’s because I’ve never been officially diagnosed or medicated for ADHD but clearly, you can already tell if it’s an interview. So I have a hard time focusing on some of them.
MK: I get it, I’m looking around too. So I get it.
Cats Vs Dogs
MK: Last two questions: cats or dogs?
Barry: I appreciate cats.
The Answer is dogs.
Favorite Voice Actors
MK: Okay, one voice actor who is your favorite, that when you hear them in the role, you’re just like “yes.” One English, one Japanese?
Barry: Oh my word. I have no idea as far as Japanese because I don’t whatever. Just the first one that comes to mind, I mean, I’ve talked about Christopher Sabat, like I just love his rich voice and I guess I just liked him so much as a person because he’s just an overall nice guy. I’ll say, Christopher Sabat. You know, I don’t watch a lot of his stuff. So it’s hard to do that, no if I think of some Disney films. Maybe there would be some.
MK: We can accept Chris Sabat, it’s fine, no worries.
Socials
Any socials you want to plug?
Barry: Yes, very simple Instagram, BarryYandell and I always try if you comment or whatever to, at least give you an emoji or response so that, you know, that I saw it. My Instagram is nothing controversial. It’s like sushi, I own a couple of Airbnb’s and occasional pedicure, massage, musical theater. Nothing too exciting, but not ultra boring. But Instagram BarryYandell. It’s been a treat to talk to you.
MK: thank you very much!
