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NAVA Hosts Fundraising Gala With Maria Pendolino As A Virtual Keynote Speaker

December 13, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

Maria Pendolino Delivers Keynote Address At NAVA’s Virtual Fundraising Gala

This past week, NAVA – the National Association of Voice Actors – celebrated their first ever fundraising gala in Los Angeles and I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the virtual gala, which was hosted by my friends Jamie Muffett and Scott Chambers on Zoom.

I am so pleased that NAVA chose to offer a virtual option. It solidified their position that they are working day in and day out for all voice actors – regardless of what geography folks are located in. While I would have loved to hob knob in LA with my voice acting friends (and, icon honoree Seth Green, ‘natch), I was delighted to still be able to participate safely from my home and cheer on the award winners AND auction winners.

Both events raised over $60,000 for the NAVA Foundation, which supports a lot of work, including:which provides critical services and advocacy on behalf of our rich and diverse community, including:National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) provides critical services and advocacy on behalf of our rich and diverse community, including:

✅ A Legal Defense Fund
✅ Access to scholarships, classes, and events
✅ Members-only and community-wide information and events
✅ Resources like the AI/Synthetic Voice Contract Rider
✅ An emergency fund for community members in need
✅ Critical advocacy work around consent, control, and compensation for voice actors in regards to AI, including lobbying and influencing legislation on Capitol Hill.
✅ And, so much more!

If you’d like to listen to my keynote address, the audio MP3 is available here and I’ve also copied the transcription below for easy reading. If you’d like to learn more about NAVA or make a donation that is tax deductible, please visit navavoices.org.

And, if you’d prefer to read the speech while listening to your favorite Spotify playlist instead, here is the transcript:

To NAVA

Written by Maria Pendolino, Delivered Live on Wednesday, December 6th 2024

Hello NAVA Virtual Gala!

Do we think these are the most dramatic sleeves ever?? To be clear, I am not wearing Spanx and I have fuzzy slippers on. After all, I’m still a voice actor, right?!?

I want to welcome everyone to the very first National Association of Voice Actors – NAVA – Virtual Gala. I am truly thrilled and honored to be here this year and to be serving as your virtual keynote speaker. I have to be honest – sometimes I still feel like I’ve just begun building my voiceover career and business. Then I look back at over a decade of hard-work, dedication, hustle and drive and I’m really proud to stand before you today as a member of NAVA’s board of directors and your virtaul keynote speaker tonight.

I’d first like to say a big thank you to Tim Friedlander, Carin Gilfry and my fellow NAVA board members. I’d also like to send a big thank you to all of our NAVA members! Thank you for coming along on this journey with us in our first year of existence. It’s because of you that we work tirelessly to advocate and fight for our craft and our industry. And of course, I want to say thank you to Jamie Muffet and Scott Chambers for joining me on the virtual stage this evening to be our hosts with the mosts!

For those of you that don’t know me, I’m proud that I’ll be entering my fourteenth year as a voice actor in 2024. I was one of those very annoying children who performed at any opportunity – even if it wasn’t a performance opportunity – and I dragged my parents to several auditions for community theatre productions of The Sound of Music. I also starred in a probably-illegal summer production of Aladdin, well before Disney Theatricals had a stage version of the movie ready. I began my professional career as an actor working in TV, theatre, and film, and was fortunate to add voice acting as another avenue in my acting career. Whether it’s commercials, pop culture documentaries, telephone systems or corporate training programs: I do it all, and I love it all.

When I was 22 I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. What started out as weird knee pain and a little bit of swelling, ballooned into a full blown mobility disability by the time I entered my thirties. And here I thought it was just my cheap old navy flip flops? Suddenly, the prospect of being on stage for eight shows a week or getting picked up for hair and makeup in a vam at 3AM to be on set for 18 hours seemed like a total impossibility. Enter: my voice acting career. I could walk into a studio and say “Hey, can I have a stool?” and no one would bat an eye. And as the home studio revolution took over, I can now totally control my working space and my environment so that I am safe, comfortable, and effective in my work. In addition to serving on NAVA’s board, I am also proud to serve as a leader on the steering committee of the first-ever Disabled Voice Actors Database.

NAVA’s mission is simple: to advocate and promote the advancement of the voice acting industry through action, education, inclusion, and benefits.

And I want to be clear that NAVA is here for all voice actors. Whether you’re a well-known voice acting celebrity or you’ve just enrolled in your first voiceover coaching session or class: NAVA is here for you. Working for you. Championing you. And celebrating you and all of your diverse and authentic selves.

I also want to acknowledge partners in this work like the Voices of Global Majority and QueerVox who, like NAVA, believe in the power of advocacy, elevating underrepresented voices and authenticity in casting and our work.

I thought a lot about what I wanted to say to you all this evening. It is truly a wild time to be working in a creative field and working as an actor. Our industry and many of the industries that we collaborate with are in a period of disruption and paving new and difficult roads every day.

It’s hard to focus on yourself, your craft, your industry, and growing your business, when the headlines sensationalize everything and it sometimes can feel like everything is hopeless and we are screaming into the void.

I won’t lie and say that it’s all sunshine and rainbows out there. We’re living through a period of record inflation – it’s hard to find housing, pay your bills, feed your family, and even consider having a budget for enjoyment and travel. I want to acknowledge that sometimes it feels like it’s almost too much to manage.

We’re living through a tumultuous global climate, with devastating images on the news and social media swirling around.

Let’s not forget that we have survived a massive global pandemic and historic lockdown and quarantine period, the likes of which that have not previously been seen in our lifetimes and that I hope we won’t see again this century. Shout out to my fellow autoimmune warriors who have been reminding people that even if the lockdowns are over, it doesn’t mean that COVID is gone and not still an incredibly scary and dangerous virus that can wreak havoc on immunocompromised folks and people with disabilities.

All the more reason to celebrate that NAVA brought a health insurance option to the marketplace for our members . All you have to be is a NAVA member and you can enroll in health insurance for you and your family if you need it.

I am grateful that NAVA prioritizes educational opportunities not only for paying members – but also classes that are open to the voiceover community as a whole. Teachers graciously donated their time or discounted their fees to allow as many people the opportunity to learn and grow.

For those of us in creative fields, we are living through a period of enormous innovation – a sea-change of technology, tools, resources, and intelligence beyond our wildest dreams when some of us were feeding our Tamogotchis in the mid-90s. Some of it is great – automation helping us reduce admin burden of redundant tasks. And, some of it is scary as we see the proliferation of synthetic voice and the use of AI in Hollywood and across creative industries.

NAVA has been on the forefront of this sea-change in technology. We’ve known that we cannot sit idly by and wait for the creators to figure out how to communicate, regulate, or manage the effects of the changes in technology. Instead – we went head on to advocate for our industry, our members, and the voice acting community.

Enter the fAIr Voices campaign.

Consent.

Control.

Compensation.

The three Cs. The three critical aspects that inform how a voice actor can remain in the driving seat of their career.

Being able to consent to the use of your voice. Whether that is a live performance – for example, how your voice is being used in a commercial or industrial capacity, or consent on how a synthetic version of your voice is being used. The key here is: it’s your voice whether it’s coming out of your mouth or was made from your files and is coming out of machine.

Actors should have the right to decide whether or not they want their voice used for any purpose, including AI.

It’s your voice. Your likeness. Your persona. Your biometric data. You get one voice and it’s yours.

If you do have a synthetic model of your voice – and let’s be clear: synthetic voice models aren’t going anywhere. There *is* a place for them. There are jobs that a human being cannot do. For example, when a newspaper goes to bed to be printed, a human being would not be able to record the entire newspaper cover to cover by the time the early risers are up at 5:00 AM ready to read the headlines and articles. Is that when news articles hit the internet in the morning? I have cats, not kids, so I am still hitting snooze at 8:45 AM Eastern, so I am not the right person to ask.

I joke here – but the point is – there is a place for synthetic voice models and actors who help in making them should have control to ensure that it stays where it is supposed to and isn’t used beyond the scope of any agreement made between the actor, AI company, and end client. Any usage beyond the original agreement is to be cleared with the voice actor whose voice is being used.

And, finally, compensation. Actors should be paid fairly for the use of their voice print and the licensing of their voice and/or likeness.

I think it’s important to acknowledge that we aren’t in this fight alone. Creatives in all industries are having these conversations in their workplaces, their industry groups, and in the media. It really brings new meaning to being stronger together.

Legislation is literally being written on Capitol Hill as we speak around the privacy and protection of American’s biometric data. NAVA was proud to spend a day in meetings with senators and representatives to directly influence the language in these bills to support our industry and our livelihoods. Talk about building the plane while flying it – but we are doing it. NAVA is putting our money where our mouth is and working tirelessly to make it happen.

All right – enough about the robots.

Let’s talk about why we really got into this business!

Where else can you build an entire wardrobe of business casual pajama pants?

What other careers offer you the ability to work seamlessly while your cats lay across your desk providing a furry and vibrating wrist rest while you are editing?

Who else would open a breakout room called Room 5 creating friendships, traditions, and dance parties that go into the wee hours of the morning?

The voiceover community.

And that’s what we are. Truly. A community.

Whether it’s asking for advice on Facebook, sharing information over email, or actually seeing someone in person in studio or at a conference – there is a community, and a strong one.

I want you to hear this: There is more voiceover work than EVER before. We are living in a voice-forward world with smart devices, smart homes, smart speakers and talking cars. We are living in an audio renaissance with people rediscovering radio through streaming services, the explosion of the podcast space, with even corporations producing their own podcasts for employees, the rebirth of the radio / audio drama, narrative storytelling, audiobooks and more.

The work hasn’t dried up. I promise you. The robots have not taken all of our jobs and they won’t take all of our jobs. There is more voiceover work than ever and it’s waiting for us. And I’m proud to collaborate with clients every day who value the power of human expression and creativity that we bring to our work as voice performers.

Our acting and performance capabilities have value. The studio set-up that we’ve expertly crafted has value. Our ability to deliver audio files a hundred different ways has value. First Name Underscore Last Name dash Source Connect Underscore NO SLATES. Our knowledge of different genres and what standard performances need to be for those genres has value. Our emotions, feelings, nuance, and the ability to take direction has value.

It is imperative that you understand the intrinsic value you possess and offer to your clients and know what you are worth. And it’s more than just the dollar amount on the invoice that you send.

We are working actors.

We are a generation of voiceover professionals – more well-equipped to perform and deliver than any time in history.

There is work out there and I believe there is enough work for all of us.

I couldn’t be more proud to be a voice actor in 2023 and a member and board member of the National Association of Voice Actors, which is providing critical services to our industry, including:

✅ A Legal Defense Fund
✅ Access to scholarships, classes, and events
✅ Members-only and community-wide information and events
✅ Resources like the AI/Synthetic Voice Contract Rider
✅ An emergency fund for community members in need
✅ Critical advocacy work around consent, control, and compensation for voice actors in regards to AI, including lobbying and influencing legislation on Capitol Hill.
✅ And, so much more!

Let’s raise a glass and toast to NAVA’s first virtual gala and celebrate that we were all here at the beginning of this fantastic movement.

To NAVA!

USA Today’s Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs of 2023

December 7, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

I’m thrilled to share with you that I’ve been included in USA Today’s list of Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs of 2023!

I’m honored to stand alongside such talented changemakers and business owners. This recognition isn’t just a testament to my journey as a voice actor, but a nod to how the arts and humanities can foster an entrepreneurial spirit. As a millennial business owner, I’ve embraced the idea of pursuing my passion and making it financially viable.

I’m no Rihanna, but it’s possible to make the arts financially successful at a smaller scale. I love that I can marry my art and performance talents with my desire to be successful in business and commerce.

It’s surreal that I can support my family doing what I love. Whether it’s voicing video games, political commercials, e-learning, or working on side projects like the Disabled Voice Actors Database, I bring the arts into the everyday. I’ve even narrated numerous documentaries about pop culture icons such as Jim Morrison, Will Smith, Amy Winehouse, Julie Andrews, and Tina Turner.

Like many “overnight successes,” it’s taken me years to get here. I started acting when I was 11 but didn’t earn my first paycheck for acting until I was in college. By my 20s I was living in New York City, as a working actor. I had a recurring role on Army Wives, a role in the Bollywood Film English Vinglish and I even got to be in an episode of National Geographic’s LockedUp Abroad!

But by my early 30s, my escalating psoriatic arthritis led me back to Buffalo. That’s when my career took an unexpected turn into the world of voice acting. Transitioning from on-screen to behind the mic allowed me to pursue my passion in a format – voice over – that allowed me the flexibility I needed.

Do I still miss being in front of a camera? You bet. But this pivot has let me work with global professionals—from directors, to clients, to brands like PG and the NFL—all from my home studio where I can take a break when I need to stretch or soak with Epsom salts after a long day’s work.

It also allows me to collaborate on projects like the Disabled Voice Actors Database, a database for working voice actors who also happen to be people with disabilities. Its goal is to “allow(s) more voice seekers to find qualified disabled voiceover talents for their projects.” More than 100 casting directors, companies, and producers have reached out to have access to the database for their casting needs and more than 500 disabled actors have listed themselves in the database to be found for opportunities.

There’s a lack of representation in the arts, both when it comes to disabled characters and to actors who also have disabilities playing in the available roles. For example, the 2021-2022 GLAAD Where Are We on TV Report, found only 2.8% of primetime TV characters were disabled. Similarly, a 2019 report from the Ruderman Family Foundation found that only 22% of characters with disabilities in 10 shows were also played by actors with disabilities.

This USA Today honor isn’t just a personal win—it celebrates the magic of arts meeting entrepreneurship. It also reminds me of the incredible community I’m part of. Here’s to more adventures at this exciting intersection of creativity and business.

Disabled Voice Actors Database

February 1, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

It’s 2023, and with the New Year comes a new opportunity for me to focus on what is really important. And no, I don’t just mean petting my cats and annoying them as my husband and I cheer loudly for the Buffalo Bills — although that does top my preferred list of activities, no matter the year (sorry kitties). Instead, I’m referencing the passion that I have for supporting my fellow community of voice actors and, more specifically, disabled voice actors.

As some of you may be aware, I live with a disability. When I was only 22 years old, I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, a really painful chronic condition that can affect mobility. At age 32, the pain became so severe that I had to get a double knee replacement.

Though I am grateful to be gainfully employed as a self-sustaining professional voice actor, I can’t ignore that living with a disability makes it harder for me to do what I do. I doubt there’s any easy field for anyone living with a disability. It just so often feels like the world isn’t made for us, period.

Being An Advocate

It dawned on me sometime this year that I am fortunately in a position where I can enact change within my industry. Armed with this know-how and more than a little bit of frustration with how the entertainment industry as a whole can be shrouded in disability erasure and downright ableism, I partnered up with my friend, Nick Germain. He started the first version of the Disabled Voice Actors Database. Together with a volunteer steering committee, we brought it to its current incarnation today. It’s my pleasure to now introduce this database to you!

Introducing the Disabled Voice Actors Database

Truth be told: the idea for the Disabled Voice Actor Database was inspired by the existence of a few already-existing databases that target other communities within the voice acting world, namely the LGBTQIA+ community (QueerVox) and people of color (PGM VO List).

Although the communities that we serve are different, the premise is the same: to help chip away at the inequality that non-white, non-able-bodied, and non-straight voice actors face within their field. Although we’d all like to think of the entertainment world as progressive, the reality is that disabled actors still make less money and get offered fewer roles than their able-bodied counterparts. Disabled actors are also often passed by for roles that center on disabled stories. A popular hashtag on social is #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs.

It’s our hope that the database will give casting directors easy access to a range of very talented voice actors who happen to also live with a disability. I will sleep well at night if I can know that there is no longer an excuse for anyone to ever say they didn’t cast a disabled voice talent in a role because they “couldn’t find someone.”

The Disabled Voice Actors Database originally started out as a spreadsheet, but it wasn’t long before it outgrew this humble abode. Version 2.0 is snazzier and more user-friendly than ever before. Along with Nick, voice actors Satauna Howery, Tony Jackson, Tyler Berman, and Lindsay Sheppard were also instrumental in making this happen. There was also a team of volunteers that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure the database was functional.

Join Us!

Of course, a small list of voice actors does not make a database, so if you’re a voice actor with a disability, I would love for you to get in touch and join us! Simply access the intake form at disabledvoiceactors.com. The database is free; we only allow vetted casting directors and other professionals to view it. That makes the general public can’t search for you.

One note: if you’re under 18, you’ll need your parent or legal guardian to complete the intake form.

Are You A Casting Director Or Voice Seeker Looking For Disabled Talent?

Hey! Nice to have you here. I’m happy to share some tips on navigating the disabled voice actor database to send you on your merry way.

First, go to disabledvoiceactors.com. You’ll see a section called “Voice Seeker Access Request.”
Fill out your information. The more info you’re able to provide, the easier it will be for our amazing team of volunteers to vet you and grant you access to the database.
Once you’ve been approved, you’ll receive unique login credentials that you can use to access the database.
Start perusing and find your next amazing voice talent hire!

Anyone with questions about the database can reach out to disabledvoiceactors@gmail.com, and we’ll help you. As always, thanks for listening and for following along

Maria Pendolino is a professional voice actor with more than a decade of experience. She also happens to be disabled. Her highly-recognizable cheery voice can be heard from your car radios, televisions, and computer speakers. Brands that have chosen Maria as their voice acting representative include Dannon, Geico, Panera, and many others. Maria is passionate about helping her community both on and offline and feels strongly about building a better industry (and the world) for anyone living with a disability.

Geico Commercial Female Voiceover

January 3, 2023 by Maria Pendolino

Geico is well-known for its clever advertising campaigns. As a millennial, Geico’s gecko commercials are a favorite memory of my youth. A “core memory,” as the youth of the 2020s would say. Little did I know that I, Maria Pendolino, would one day grow up to be a Geico commercial female voiceover. After all, when these commercials first came out in 1999, I was in the prime of my TV-watching days. After I returned from school, I used to go into the living room and turn the TV on for an hour or so to relieve whatever stressors were facing my adolescent psyche.

This was when everyone still had cable — there were no streaming services to peruse, and even satellite TV was a bit of a splurge for most people. And there was no targeted advertising based on our browsing habits. This landscape created a bit of a monoculture where we all watched the same episodes and specials simultaneously. It also meant we all watched the same commercials. More specifically, we were all watching Geico commercials.

What makes Geico commercials so popular?

Long before I was ever in the market for a car or home insurance, I knew that Geico could save me 15% or more on these expenses. That’s the power of a clever marketing campaign. “Clever” is a great way to describe Geico commercials. Even in the early days, before “viral marketing” was even a phrase in our collective conscience, Geico knew that making commercials that were funny and enjoyable to watch would have an impact.

Consider this: the introduction of Geico’s famous gecko character came to be because so many people confused the name “Geico” with “gecko.” The gecko’s first appearance broke the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience, asking them to kindly stop confusing the name “Geico” with the word “gecko.”

Fast forward to 2005, and the gecko (whom we are pleased to inform you have the real name of Martin) was voted “America’s favorite advertising icon.” Throughout the years, Geico has tried (successfully) to incorporate different characters and subplots into their advertisements, but Martin still continues to pop up now and then to this day.

Which leads us to the question — what makes Geico commercials so beloved anyway? It’s human nature to naturally detest advertisements. As a result, we often see companies trying too hard to “come to peace” with their ad efforts. Geico is successful because they don’t try too hard. They’re naturally funny and endearing. They’re entertaining, which means that people want to watch them.

Who does the voiceover for the Geico commercials?

Let’s give credit where credit is due. There have been a lot of different voiceover artists who have used their talents to bring Geico commercials to life over the years.

First, let’s start with the case of Martin. There has been a long list of actors who have played the amphibian, including Thomas Bromhead, Dave Kelly, Richard Steven Horvitz, Andrew Randall, and even Kelsey Grammar. But the voice actor most commonly associated with Martin is probably Jake Wood, an actor very famous in his native UK for playing in soap operas.

Aside from the Geico storyline, some of Geico’s other famous ad campaigns have included the caveman (played by John Lehr) and the camel (played by “This is Us” actor Chris Sullivan).

Who does the female voiceover in Geico commercials?

If you’re wondering who provides the female voiceover in recent Geico commercials, there’s a good chance it was me, Maria Pendolino.

My Geico journey started in 2022. To date, I have provided voiceovers for three popular Geico commercials, as you can see here:

“Secret Identity”

In typical Geico fashion, this commercial’s humor is just the right amount of “out there” or “absurd.” In it, we see an office worker trying to hide the fact that he’s a famous superhero. Unfortunately, his efforts fail when he forgets to remove his superhero costume before coming to work.

While this commercial features a few different talented on-camera actors, it’s my announcer voiceover that comes in near the end, announcing the benefits of bundling your insurance with Geico.

“Special Effects”

This sci-fi themed Geico ad features a starship team preparing to fight off an intruder, only the “intruder” is nothing more than a man in a motion capture costume with ping pong balls glued on. We’re led to believe the movie didn’t finish their special effects. My voiceover comes on in the end to warn viewers the dangers of cheaping out on their special effects….and of not bundling their home and car insurance.

Maria Pendolino: here for your voice acting needs

As you can see from the above posts, I am the kind of female voiceover talent who is pretty much down to voice anything. In fact, if you’re planning a funny ad campaign, I definitely want to hear from you.

Aside from the Geico commercials, you may have also heard my voice speaking for brands like Dannon, Hoover, The Knot, Xfinity, and Glad Trash Bags. Being somewhat of a “vocal chameleon”, I can happily adjust my services to whatever style you’re looking for, but I especially pride myself on being a conversational, approachable voice that’s welcoming to listeners.

If you’re looking to book your next commercial, feel free to check out my demos or request a live audition. I can’t wait to see what you and your advertising teams have in the works!

Maria Pendolino is a professional voice actor with more than ten years worth of experience. A trained professional actor, Maria worked for years in New York City before she moved to a home studio in Buffalo, NY, where she still works to this day.
http://animationWhen you work with Maria, you join the ranks of many other major brand companies who have entrusted Maria to capture their character’s voice. She proudly works in many different fields ranging from corporate voice overs to e-Learning videos to animated shows and movies. Get in touch today to see how Maria can bring your project(s) to life.

Witch Voiceover

October 13, 2022 by Maria Pendolino

Need a witch voiceover for an upcoming project? You’ve come to the right place! Professional voice actor Maria Pendolino loves the witchy laughs, and all the ghouls and goblins! Just email Maria at maria@voicebymaria.com with a sample script and be ready to cackle along!

With the Halloween season upon us, we welcome the idea that fictional witches are making a steady appearance. Whether it’s in commercials, home decor, or movies, the witches are here. But here’s the thing. Those in the know recognize that witches are “in” no matter the season. There is just something inherently cool about a magical woman who can cast spells and fly on a broomstick. I’ve been a voice actor for over ten years and offer voiceover services of all kinds. But I have a huge soft spot for portraying witch-like characters and doing witch voiceover.

Witch Voiceover Acting — A Special Skill

We know that witches can use their powers for good and are right at home as a protagonist in a story. But the real fun begins when witches are cast as villains. Many brands and companies will hire voice actors to play the witchy villain. They’re looking for somebody who can pull off the particular sound of a witch’s voice. It’s often shrill, shrieky, and maniacal — although every witch is different. When you’re looking for the voiceover of a particular witch character, you’ve come to the right place!

If you’re looking for a friendly, animated witch or one who’s wicked to her core, I offer a variety of witchy voiceover services. Legend has it that I keep a framed photo of Ursula the Sea Witch in my at-home studio, and I’m here to tell you that the rumors are true. It’s my voiceover north star.

A Brief History of Voicing “Wicked Witches”

Why is there such a fixation on the witch as a character? I could spend thousands of words talking about the history of witches (witch hunts and witchcraft in a sociological context). But we’ll leave that to the history book writers. Let’s look at witch-themed characters in recent media and the voice actors who play(ed) them.

The 1930s: The Evil Queen (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves)

As a child, the Evil Queen from Snow White used to terrify me. However, rewatches during my adult years have only made me appreciate such bone-chilling voice acting. We’re supposed to be afraid of “the Queen” — she feeds people poisoned apples, for Pete’s sake — and the style of voice acting definitely makes sure we understand how dangerous she is.

The Evil Queen was played by Adriana Caselotti, who later went on to be named a “Disney Legend” in 1994. She was the first woman to hold this title (1994 seems a little too recent for comfort, don’t you think?)

The 1950s to present: Witch Hazel (Looney Tunes)

Many people forget that Looney Tunes actually has a witch character. Yup, it’s not all about the bunny, pig, or duck. Witch Hazel, apart from being a hilarious play on words, is also the name of a villain who — wait for it — lures children away so she can eat them. The mid-20th century just had a different concept of what makes good kid’s TV, didn’t it?

Witch Hazel was initially voiced by Bea Benaderet, a comedian turned actress known for voicing animated female characters.

The 1950s: Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)

As much as sleeping for 100 or so years sounds super appealing at times, it wouldn’t be fun if you had Maleficent the witch as an enemy. Okay, so I think Maleficent is technically a fairy, but something about her brooding voice acting is very evil, witch-like. She was voiced by Elanor Audley in the Disney movie, who was also famous for her voice acting on radio shows.

The 1980s: Ursula (The Little Mermaid)

My personal favorite villain. There is just so much to love about Ursula. In fact, I don’t think that she gets anywhere near enough credit. Sure, she’s evil, but she’s also a woman on a mission, and I respect that. When I grew up loving the voiceovers of Disney characters, I always loved Ursula more than Ariel or any other Disney princesses.

Plus, there’s Pat Carroll’s classic interpretation of the character. A legendary actress, Carroll only recently passed away in 2022. In her lifetime, she was a recipient of an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony awards. She even used her vocal talents in “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” which you can’t deny is a bop.

The 2000s: Yubaba (Spirited Away)

Spirited Away is one of the most beloved Studio Ghibli movies, and for good reason. This magical film tells the story of a young girl who enters into a world with Kami, who are famous spirits in Japanese folktales. She must take a job with the Yubaba to save her family.

Yubaba is a witch who works as a bathhouse operator. In the English-language interpretation, Yubaba is played by Suzanne Pleshette. Pleshette was known for her airy and sultry vocals, perfect for witchcraftery.

Present Day: Red Bull Witch

Yes, you know Red Bull Gives You Wings. Have you ever thought about how convenient this fact is for witches? This means they hardly have to be good at riding a broomstick. That’s the idea behind the recent advertising campaign from Red Bull.

The Red Bull witch’s voiceover is classic — shrill and wispy. And, of course, the lines are funny, engaging, and very witchy! I just love how she interacts with her teenage-witch daughter! The Red Bull Witch Voiceover performer uses different resonators to create a melodious and witchy sound!

Maria Pendolino: Nice Person, Great Voiceover, Mean Voiceover Characters

Look, I’m actually pretty nice. I just “play a witch on TV and the radio.” So don’t be afraid to reach out — check out my voice acting demos, request a quote, or request an audition.

Now that I think about it, I love playing witches so much because it’s so different from how I behave in my everyday life. I love all kinds of voice acting, whether narrating an e-Learning video, providing corporate training, or performing a commercial. But I genuinely have a soft spot for any sort of dramatic animated character, especially those of the witchy persuasion.

Female Commercial Voice

June 23, 2022 by Maria Pendolino

Maria Pendolino | Female Commercial Voice Over | maria@voicebymaria.com

Female Commercial Voice Over Talent Maria Pendolino

When’s the last time you saw a commercial that stuck with you?

In the 1980s and early 2000s, commercials were a big deal. They were almost as entertaining as the shows they ran between.

Hey, don’t scoff. We had little control over what we watched and were at the mercy of local broadcasts (or cable if you were fancy!)

From Folgers to McDonald’s to Pepsi and more, there were many earworms to choose from. If you close your eyes and think, one is sure to come to you right now.

If it doesn’t, let us help.

“Baby bottle pop, baby bottle pop…”
“Hungry hungry hippos, hungry hungry hippos…”
“I’m a big kid now…”

Sorry…

Commercials Are Here to Stay

Commercials look different now, no doubt. When streaming became mainstream, it brought some advertisers concern. They worried that commercials may go the way of the dodo. This obviously hasn’t happened.

Instead, commercials have adapted. In doing so, they’ve proven they are here to stay as a viable way to spread a message. They do look a bit different, though.

Audiences are getting smarter. They’re more discerning. Part of this is because we’ve seen it all before. We grew up completely inundated by TV commercials. Advertisers need to have a few tricks up their sleeves.

More accurately, whatever the opposite of tricks is what they need. Today’s audience doesn’t much like to be tricked at all.

Today’s audience craves authentic, relatable voices, and to pull this off in a commercial is no easy feat. You’re going to need the right voiceover artist to help you.

Who Does The Voiceovers in Commercials?

We didn’t want to have to be the ones to break this to you—but it isn’t actually the Kool Aid man.

A voice actor named Frank Simms is the Kool Aid man. He also voiced the mascot of Honeycomb Cereal. How can one person voice two people at the same time, you ask? That’s the power of a good voice actor. We can be whoever we want to be. And if you use us correctly, we can be a very powerful tool for your business.

If you’re making a commercial, you’ll need a voiceover actor. And it’s not that simple. You’ll need to have the right voiceover.

It pays to take some time to think about your product. What kind of voice do you want to have to represent it? Should it be youthful? Playful? Serious? If you’re selling life insurance, you probably don’t want to crack jokes. But you don’t want to scare people either.

Maria Pendolino: A Skilled Conversational Female Voiceover for Commercials

While TV commercials were once largely the domain of male voice actors. But the times they are changin’.

These days, female voice actors are just as much—if not more—in demand. And if you’re looking to hire a female voice actor, I happen to know a gal (it’s me. The gal is me).

As a child of the 80s, I grew up inundated by creative commercials. So you can imagine my excitement the first time that I ever booked a TV commercial. I’ve been in the voice acting game for more than a decade, so I have been fortunate to work on many commercials. Here’s some of my favorites:

Thomas

I was delighted to be a part of this Thomas commercial. It has over 24 million views on YouTube since January 2021 (and counting). See how funny this commercial is? That takes me right back to the funny commercials of yesteryear!

Glad

Okay, so maybe I didn’t get to utter the iconic phrase “don’t get mad, get Glad”. But, recording this commercial was still an extremely cool experience. Also, this commercial had a cat in it, which makes it extra worth the watch.

The Knot

I’ve been married for a few years now, so my wedding planning days are behind me. But I was still happy to provide my voice to this commercial for a tool that helps couples’ wedding plan. Because that stuff is stressful!

What is a voiceover recording session for a commercial like?

I can’t answer this question for everyone, but I can tell you a bit of what it’s like for me!

Like many voice actors, I work completely from home. Though it’s fun to travel to studios in New York or LA, a remote studio saves time and money. Plus, we’re all pretty used to doing things online these days in the 2020s.

It might surprise you, actually, that I work completely out of my home studio in Buffalo. I have a curated selection of gadgets in there that allow me to successfully do my job. This includes a fully functional sound isolation booth where I produce broadcast-quality recordings. There is virtually no difference between my home recordings and session recordings. They’re both ready to be broadcast.

Wondering how you can hire a female voiceover for a radio commercial? Maria Pendolino makes it easy. Whether you’re looking to hire a female voiceover for a tv commercial, a female voiceover for a Pandora ad, or a female voiceover for a Spotify ad, Maria Pendolino has you covered.

Get in touch with Maria today—she records everything from her home studio and can work on tight deadlines and with short notice. Maria is able to provide broadcast-quality recordings which means that they’re ready to use with no effort required on your end.