Conscious casting in the world of voice over acting

While the stage and screen industries are shifting towards a colour-conscious casting culture, the voiceover world is only just catching up.
Photo by Soundtrap on Unsplash

In recent years, the debate regarding accurate and authentic representation has dominated stage and screen casting. ‘Colourblind casting’ was the first solution offered, whereby productions cast actors irrespective of ethnicity. This approach soon included gender and sexual identity, with the aim being to open every role to all.

When asked to reflect on how the voice over industry is tracking in relation to stage and screen, Vaughan said, ‘Progress is happening. I think it’s been slower in comparison to the developments in casting for stage and screen, as the conversations around games – and in particular how they are cast – is relatively new … [So] despite progress, I think it’s essential to keep moving forward, both in terms of visibility and how certain groups are portrayed. Games can have such big, expansive worlds that have a great range of characters, but it still feels like there needs to be more representation in leading roles.’ 

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Tahlia Norrish (@tahlianorrish) is an Aussie-Brit actor, writer, and current MPhil Candidate at the University of Queensland's School of Sport Sciences. After graduating from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (Distinction, Acting & Musical Theatre) and Rose Bruford College (First Class Hons, Acting), Tahlia founded The Actor's Dojo — a pioneering coaching program centred on actor peak performance and holistic well-being.