"I had to make squirrel noises as Bubbles and without realizing it, I was making the face and putting my fingers up to my face to look like a squirrel and everyone made fun of me for the rest of the day"
About this Quote
Method acting, but for a Saturday-morning rodent. Tara Strong's anecdote lands because it's a perfect micro-tragedy of performance: the job asks for a sound, the body supplies a whole identity, and embarrassment arrives as the invoice.
As a voice actress, Strong is paid to be disembodied. The culture still treats voice work like a lesser magic trick, as if the real talent is invisible until it's ridiculous. Her "without realizing it" is the tell: the craft is so physical it becomes unconscious. People imagine voice acting as a mouth and a microphone; she's describing it as full-body puppetry, where facial tension and hand placement help carve a sound into something repeatable. The squirrel fingers aren't childish; they're a tool, a way to anchor a character in muscle memory.
The subtext is social: the moment you externalize your process, it becomes fair game. "Everyone made fun of me" isn't just a punchline; it's a snapshot of how quickly groups police sincerity. Making animal noises is acceptable when it's polished and played back through speakers. Doing it live, mid-process, triggers the reflex to tease the person who looks like they're trying too hard. Strong's humor softens the sting, but the story quietly defends creative vulnerability: the work often requires looking stupid before it sounds right.
It's also a small tribute to animation's weird alchemy. Bubbles may be cute on-screen, but getting there is sweat, contortion, and the courage to be laughed at for a day.
As a voice actress, Strong is paid to be disembodied. The culture still treats voice work like a lesser magic trick, as if the real talent is invisible until it's ridiculous. Her "without realizing it" is the tell: the craft is so physical it becomes unconscious. People imagine voice acting as a mouth and a microphone; she's describing it as full-body puppetry, where facial tension and hand placement help carve a sound into something repeatable. The squirrel fingers aren't childish; they're a tool, a way to anchor a character in muscle memory.
The subtext is social: the moment you externalize your process, it becomes fair game. "Everyone made fun of me" isn't just a punchline; it's a snapshot of how quickly groups police sincerity. Making animal noises is acceptable when it's polished and played back through speakers. Doing it live, mid-process, triggers the reflex to tease the person who looks like they're trying too hard. Strong's humor softens the sting, but the story quietly defends creative vulnerability: the work often requires looking stupid before it sounds right.
It's also a small tribute to animation's weird alchemy. Bubbles may be cute on-screen, but getting there is sweat, contortion, and the courage to be laughed at for a day.
Quote Details
| Topic | Funny |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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