Interview with David Chevalier, voice of Loki in the MCU

Interview with David Chevalier

The last episode of the first season of Voices took place in July, the show aired on the Twitch channel of Cultura Pop every first and third Thursday of the month that talks about dubbing and everything related to this profession linked to the world of cinema, TV series and video games (and which will resume very soon). On this occasion we had the opportunity to speak with David Chevalier, historic voice actor of many personalities from the world of cinema and TV series, who gave his voice in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Tom Hiddleston in Loki (and in other productions), as well as to Morty in Rick & Morty and Samuel "Sam" Winchester's character in Supernatural.

What you will read below is an excerpt from the long chat we had with David Chevalier during Voices. If you are curious to see (and listen to) the entire interview, you can go directly to the video at the bottom of the article.

Interview with David Chevalier, voice of Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Let's start with the classic ritual question: why did you choose to be a voice actor?

I have many parallel interests such as music and writing, but dubbing, which started as a game because I used to do it as a child, has become something that I also wanted to use to take away some satisfaction, so I started studying and taking it a little more seriously and I was able to make a job of it, because there is nothing better than being able to do something well and also having an economic return.

You also talked about music and writing. What do you like to play and write?

The chapter on music has been "put aside" for a few years, but when I was younger I sang, played guitar and bass, wrote my own songs in English and I liked indie-rock. Then, of course, you get to the point that you have to make choices, because it's not that easy to carry out several things at the same time, and so I put it aside a bit. But that passion is always there, who knows that one day it might start again!

As for writing, I've always enjoyed doing it since I was a teenager, because in addition to the lyrics, I enjoyed writing scripts and subjects, thinking that I would then develop them "in the future when I have time ". Again, never say never!

In Rick & Morty you manage to have a totally different and almost unrecognizable voice, compared to, for example, Loki's. How tiring is it to work on such a character?

Obviously it is very tiring and difficult to maintain that characterization for too long, especially if you have to do other shifts in the day as well. Over time, I have found ways to not tire myself too much, but there are scenes where, if you get too carried away, you risk getting too much strain, so it's always better to stay focused to avoid hurting yourself. .

In addition, from the very beginning, I specifically asked not to overload the various shifts too much, because I cannot do two hundred lines of such a product, because otherwise I would not be able to do anything else.

Does it ever happen to be together with the music stand?

For some years now the various parts have been recorded, all separate, both for the convenience of the audio mixing and for the management of the availability of the various voice actors, so that more lines can be made with the same person in as little time as possible. It is therefore more convenient both for studies, also for a matter of costs, and for the actors, who have all the work combined in one session.

It's a shame, because before it was much better as well as funnier: for example, during my first starring movie American Pie, I was quite embarrassed in some scenes with Nino Prester (who played my father), because I didn't stop laughing and I couldn't stay serious! (laughs)

Furthermore, by working with colleagues at your side you can get in tune, especially with regard to the dialogues where you talk to someone and they actually answer you, as well as having a chat every now and then, loosen up the tension and so on. When you are alone in the room, it is a little sadder.

Is there a risk of “carrying around” a character with a strong personality (for example Loki) even in everyday life?

Perhaps this is more of a problem than film or theatrical actors, as we spend much less time with the characters than they do: in fact, before staging a certain role, they prepare for months, they read the script and totally immerse themselves in a certain role; we, in four or five shifts, finished the film and at the end of the day it will have been a few hours, so it is difficult for that to happen.

You've voiced the character of Samuel "Sam" Winchester on Supernatural for a full fifteen years and last year the series ended. How does it feel to have concluded this experience after so long?

In the end, we got a little touched during the last scene, especially because it was an annual appointment for fifteen years and we literally grew up together with the actors, both me with Jared Padaleki, and Stefano Crescentini with Jensen Ackles and I am convinced that we will miss it more next year, when for the first time we will not find ourselves in the room to dub Supernatural. I loved doing it and in fifteen years of the series a lot has happened.

You've already played Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe feature films. How was it to return to interpret him in a series dedicated to him?

It was fantastic, because he is one of my favorite characters, if not THE favorite character and every time I have to play him I am very happy. Also, this time, he was the undisputed protagonist, in his series, dedicated to his evolution, so it was really a satisfaction. Obviously, I didn't know anything before I walked into the room and I was pleasantly surprised to see how they wrote and elaborated on the character so much.

Also, you can see a lot how even Tom Hiddleston has fun doing it and how it fits him perfectly, because he manages to use all the shades he wants. And as a result, when you see an actor so comfortable in the role, you too are driven to do the best and certainly do it more willingly.

If you want to see Loki, other Marvel series like Wandavision, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, What if…? or other films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you can subscribe to Disney +, Disney's streaming platform, by simply clicking on this link.