"It's just different discipline, just doing the voice over. I guess I've done about 5 or 6 audio books in the past and I do the animated voice for a show called Fatherhood on Nickelodeon"
About this Quote
Blair Underwood draws a line between on-camera acting and voice work, calling it a different discipline. The word discipline matters: it implies technique, routine, and respect for the medium rather than a hierarchy of difficulty. On camera, the body, eyes, and silence can carry meaning; in a booth, the microphone is the camera, and every breath, inflection, and pause must do the heavy lifting. Presence becomes sound. Energy has to reach through headphones without the help of a set or a close-up.
His casual tally of “5 or 6” audiobooks hints at the stamina and rigor of long-form narration. Audiobook work demands a steady tempo over hours, clean articulation, and the ability to hold character voices consistently while keeping the narrative voice clear. It is part acting, part musicianship, with breath control and pacing as the score. Mistakes are unforgiving; repetition and precision become habits, which is exactly what discipline looks like in practice.
Animation adds another layer. A show like Nickelodeon’s Fatherhood asks for warmth, elasticity, and timing that will marry with drawings and edits. Jokes must land on cue; emotional beats must read immediately. The actor often records alone, imagining the other characters and the world around them, yet the performance needs to feel communal and alive. For an established screen actor, the shift can be liberating: no wardrobe, no marks to hit, yet an obligation to conjure space and gesture with voice alone.
By framing voice-over as a parallel craft rather than a sideline, Underwood underscores professional versatility and respect for storytelling across formats. Moving between audiobooks, animation, and live-action expands the palette and the audience. The throughline is craft: attention to detail, consistency, and the humility to adapt technique to the demands of the medium. Different discipline, same commitment to making characters breathe.
His casual tally of “5 or 6” audiobooks hints at the stamina and rigor of long-form narration. Audiobook work demands a steady tempo over hours, clean articulation, and the ability to hold character voices consistently while keeping the narrative voice clear. It is part acting, part musicianship, with breath control and pacing as the score. Mistakes are unforgiving; repetition and precision become habits, which is exactly what discipline looks like in practice.
Animation adds another layer. A show like Nickelodeon’s Fatherhood asks for warmth, elasticity, and timing that will marry with drawings and edits. Jokes must land on cue; emotional beats must read immediately. The actor often records alone, imagining the other characters and the world around them, yet the performance needs to feel communal and alive. For an established screen actor, the shift can be liberating: no wardrobe, no marks to hit, yet an obligation to conjure space and gesture with voice alone.
By framing voice-over as a parallel craft rather than a sideline, Underwood underscores professional versatility and respect for storytelling across formats. Moving between audiobooks, animation, and live-action expands the palette and the audience. The throughline is craft: attention to detail, consistency, and the humility to adapt technique to the demands of the medium. Different discipline, same commitment to making characters breathe.
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| Topic | Career |
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