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Andrea
Baker's been the voice of Clover
for all three seasons of Totally
Spies but most people know her
better as Andrea Taylor. With
only Totally Spies to her credit
for any animation work, she's
done an amazing job playing
Clover. In the past, she's
performed on stage, television,
and feature films. She
was nice enough to take some
time out of her busy life to
talk about Clover, Totally Spies,
and her work as a voice actor.
someguy959:
Until now, you've always been credited as Andrea Taylor.
For the third season, you're now being credited as Andrea Baker. Can you talk
about the name change and when it happened?
Andrea
Baker: I was married in October of 2001 and I wanted to take my
husband's name, personally as well as
professionally.
sg959:
When you auditioned for Totally Spies, were you reading
only for the part of Clover or did you read for all the main characters? Did
you have a lot of prior voice acting work going into the auditions? How was
the overall experience of auditioning for and getting the part of Clover?
AB:
I only read for Clover during the first audition, and then
for the call back I read for Clover and Mandy. I had never done
a cartoon job before but I have been doing post production voice
looping for features and TV, as well as commercial voice overs for about 6
years. The call back
audition was crazy. I got into a car accident that morning on my way to
the doctor because I had a terrible head cold. I almost didn't go to the
call back because my voice was shot. I sounded all nasally and
terrible. Thankfully, my agents warned the producers, and when I came in
I apologized for my voice and assured them that it was not usually that deep
or nasally. I was surprised they even took the time to see me as there
was about a dozen actors waiting to read. So, as you can imagine I was
FLOORED when I got the job. Thankfully, they had my first audition to
reference my normal voice, and they liked my performance in the call back,
even though I sounded awful. It was the best news
ever!
sg959:
You're relatively new to voice work. Are there any
people in the business whose work you admire and try to emulate?
AB: You are absolutely right. I am a beginner in the world of
cartoons and CD roms. In fact I just recorded my first CD rom
today, and "Totally Spies" is my first and only cartoon credit to
date. I have met a lot of incredibly talented voice over
artists over the past few years, most of them guest stars on the
show. (During the first two season we recorded the show in its entirety
with the whole cast, so we would meet and work with all the guest
stars) I have to say Jennifer Hale has become not only a valued
friend and confidant, but the most incredible teacher and mentor that I
could have asked for. As I am sure you know she has a very impressive
resume and continues to inspire and stretch her talent with every
job she gets. Honestly, I am in awe of her, and hope I can be just
like her when I grow up...( I am kidding about the growing up part, we are not
that far apart in age.)
sg959:
What other characters have you provided voices for in the
show?
AB: Katie and I play Mandy's friends.
They have
been in a couple of episodes and basically we try and do our own version of
Mandy. It is sooo much fun. At the beginning of this season
I voiced one of the villains hench-women, but I think they re-voiced
her. Other than that, I have just
helped out when there was crowd stuff, or screams that were
needed.
sg959:
What was it like to see a completed episode of Totally
Spies for the first time and to hear your voice coming out of Clover's
mouth?
AB: It was and still is HILARIOUS! Especially as the
first show I saw was about Clover falling in love with a musician,
specifically a guitar player. Well, my husband is a bass guitar player
and we happened to watch it together... so basically he thinks he has married
Clover.
sg959:
Clover is definitely the most outspoken of the trio and
this has created a real love/hate relationship with the fans of the show. What
had you hoped people would get out of your performance of Clover?
AB: That is such an interesting question, mainly because I have
never approached any of the creative works I have done with the out come in
mind. I had no preconceived notions of what people would think, or
whether or not they would like Clover or not. I just saw the
drawings and read the script and made a creative choice based on
my own thoughts, experiences, education, and life and then just went for
it. She is out there, but she is based on some truth, some
reality. I think there really are young women or girls who are
just like Clover. Maybe that
is why people react to her so strongly. Everyone knows a real life
Clover somewhere.
sg959:
Do you find many similarities between you and Clover or are
you completely different personalities? When I was interviewing Jennifer Hale,
she mentioned that I should really be asking you this question :)
AB: It is so funny, because as I said in the last
answer. Clover definitely comes from a part of me. It is
not a part of me that I share in the world on a daily basis. But, I
can put myself in her shoes and then just be as honest as possible... no
matter how selfish, or outrageous she can be... I try and find some truth for
myself in the situation. That is just how I perform no matter what the
medium. Jennifer and I both
really transform during the recording sessions. It is so much fun to
watch, and so great to be able to feel safe and free to
do.
sg959:
Which Totally Spies episodes are your favourites and
why?
AB: Well, definitely "A
Thing for Musicians" from
the first season. I think you know why. I also loved "I,
Dude". It's the one with the surfer dude who was going
to wipe out all the resorts to get the best surfing spots back. I love
that one, because we had a great time recording it. Jess Harnell is so
hilarious and when there is a character like that to play with...basically you
spend the entire session trying not to wet your pants because you are laughing
so hard!
sg959:
As far as the scripts for the show go, when do you first
get them and how much preparation time do you have before you start recording
the episode?
AB: This is a little bit of a touchy subject. During the first
two seasons when everything, and everybody was in LA it was easy. We
would get our scripts a few days in advance sent right to us... unfortunately
since the production has moved to Canada it has been difficult to get the
scripts to us early. Towards the end of the season they finally
sent us almost all of the remaining scripts at once. I prefer to have had read the script just for
fun once, and then I go back and just focus on my lines, and come up with a
few ideas before I walk into record. I hope it does not show, but I felt
that some of my work in the beginning of the third season suffered because I
did not have preparation time at all. I literally would be marking my
lines for the first and only time when the session was beginning.
sg959:
The voice director, Jamie Simone, what does he do during
the recording sessions and how does he help with the performances of yourself
and the other voice actors?
AB: Oh! Jamie is the best thing that could have happened to me
on my first cartoon series. He is the best director
ever! First of all he has to try and keep us under
control, which is no easy task, when Jess is on a comedic rant and the
rest of us are trying to out do him with comedic improv during the middle
of a session. But, more importantly, he makes sure that the producers get
what they need from the session. He will let us do a few takes the
way we want to, but then he will make sure to get some alternative reads...
not by using "line reading" directions, but by giving us another possible
perspective of the character. He is right there with us through out
the script and knows exactly what each of the characters are doing and
where they are coming from. Plus he is hilarious and helps to get
some really funny moments out of us.... sometimes
unintentionally.
sg959:
Katie Griffin talked a bit about how the recording
sessions for season 3 of Totally Spies went. From your experiences in LA, how
were the recording sessions for you? Not only the season 3 sessions but also
the first two seasons when you were working with Jess Harnell and Katie
Leigh.
AB: Well, I think I have described the first two season
already. The third season was a new experience for me. I
absolutely LOVE working with Katie Griffin, and having the phone patch is
great, because at least we can work off of her reads and get to know her take
on "Alex." I would really love to do at least one session with her in
the same room as us. It is so fun to play off of someone's, face and
body language as well as their voice. I mean nothing can take the
place of Jennifer Hale's face when she is playing Mandy... or the way that
I have to stand when I am doing some of Clover's most condescending
lines. I would just love to see Katie's physical take on Alex
as well as her voice. However, in this relatively new medium for
me, I have learned that this way of recording is very common, and it
was so rare to record all together like we did in the first two
seasons.
sg959:
It's been mentioned that your recording sessions are a ton
of laughs. Care to share any fond memories of past recording sessions to add
to what has already been said? Is there any chance of listening to your
"Shatnerina" voice??
AB: Oh
LOL I am dying laughing just thinking about "Shatnerina" I do not
think there are any recordings of my Shatnerina, but I am sure I could still
do it. Yes, the sessions were a laugh riot most of the time. I
remember my husband coming to watch us record once, and when we left... he
looked at me sideways, and said, "I can't BELIEVE you get paid to be
here." He is so right. It is such a pleasure to go to work with
this group of people. I can not pin point just one episode. It has
all been so much fun.
sg959:
Has Marathon
approached you yet about returning to voice Clover for the upcoming fourth
season of the show?
AB: I have heard from David Michel that the fourth season is in
production, and I hope to be asked back, but there is nothing on paper or
written in stone. I just keep my fingers crossed, and hope they
call. Ah, the life of an actor.
sg959:
Do you plan on doing more voice over work for animated
programs or are you looking to get back on stage and in front of the
camera?
AB: I love all the mediums I have been lucky enough to work in, and
I hope to work more in all of them. I have not been actively pursuing on
camera work for a little over a year now, but I am sure eventually I will
return to it. The last feature I worked on was released about a
month ago in the US. I had a small, but fun part in the action/
drama "Paparazzi." It was fun to see myself on the big screen again, and
I do hope to do more in the future. In the meantime, I am
thrilled to have been cast as Mary Jane for a new "Ultimate
Spiderman" CD Rom, which will be out next
year.
sg959:
Andrea, thank you for taking the time to answer these
interview questions. I realize you're a busy woman. Any parting thoughts or
comments as we wrap up this interview?
AB: It is my pleasure. Just thinking about all this stuff,
brings a big smile to my face. I realize how lucky I am to get to work
on something that I enjoy so much. I would just like to thank you for
your interest, and for the fans for continuing to watch. I hope they
like the new twists and turns that are coming up in the third
season.
Andrea
is a huge animal lover and supporter
of the work being done by Petfinder.com.
If anyone's looking for
a new pet, please consider adopting
an animal from a shelter. Andrea's
website is still under construction
but she's hoping to unveil the
new layout later this month.
You can reach her site
by using either www.andreabaker.net
or www.andreaebaker.com.
It
has sound clips, pictures, and
even a contact form if you'd
like to send her fanmail.
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