The more versatile an actor is, the more in demand they are. One of the major skills that an actor needs to grab more projects is the ability to change accents at will. This becomes even more essential when you are in the animation industry, where the way you speak can severely impact the quality of the entire production.
DC has been experimenting with electronic media ever since the earliest days of Superman radio shows. As technology developed, that translated into animations and live-action adaptations of comic book storylines. The DC Animated Universe (DCAU) is one of the most respected brands in the industry, with shows like Justice League Animated and films like All-Star Superman. DC’s recent entry Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths has been well-liked as well, and fans are really excited for one character in particular.
Legendary voice artist Nolan North, who has portrayed Hal Jordan and Amazo in the DCAU film, will also be voicing John Constantine. And he is the best actor to have ever voiced the character, so far.
How is Nolan North the Best Choice for DCAU’s Constantine?
John Constantine is DC’s underdog, an arcane superhero who pulls off victories against impossible odds in a suave manner. Constantine has been portrayed in live-action two times so far, in the 2005 film Constantine with Keanu Reeves in the lead, and in the CW series Constantine starring Matt Ryan as the occult detective. However, the main complaint regarding the two was their accents.
Constantine is British by birth and shares the very same signature accent. Reeves’ portrayal was brutally criticized by fans at the time of the film’s release, mainly due to his accent. While Ryan received way more praise for his TV version, his Welsh accent did come in the way, and his show was dropped off after a single season. However, DC struck gold when Nolan North took up the character in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Nolan has an impressive repertoire in both the animation and video game industries. He has voiced in some of the biggest gaming franchises in the world, such as Uncharted, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Prince of Persia, and many more. His animation career is equally as impressive, with credits in projects like Transformers: Prime, Young Justice, and Ben 10. However, what makes him stand out among others is his love for mimicking different accents.
Nolan North Loves Doing Different Accents, Especially British
Nolan North is a respectable name in the animation and gaming industry for his remarkable skills, and doing accents is his forte. Especially the British accent, which he also uses while talking to his English friends. In an interview with ScreenRant, North revealed:
“[Switches to British accent] It’s not too difficult. A lot of times I can slip into it. I grew up in New England. [Switches back] it’s actually funny that you mentioned that because my dad was a self described anglophile. We watched BBC, [which was on] PBS, where they ran Monty Python, Benny Hill and Fawlty Towers. My father’s big fan of Alec Guinness and Richard Burton. We just watched those movies, he just loved that. I just developed an ear for different accents and things like that and I was always able to do it.”
He added:
“Accents have always been a lot of fun and I am not shy about talking to my British friends going, ‘Hey, is this sound alright?’ and we’ll start talking. Every now and then, they’ll be like, ‘No, no, that word is different.’ So yeah, I get a lot of help with it if I need it, but it’s a lot of fun. And hey, the Brits do the American accent all the time, so why not, right?”
It seems like DCAU finally has an actor who can nail John Constantine’s accent. Fans are already loving him a lot in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, and hopefully, will keep liking his portrayal in future projects,
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths is streaming on Max.
