Interview With “Toy Story 3″ Actress

Kristen Schaal is an American comedienne and actress who is the voice
for animated characters such as Pumpkin Witch and Palace Witch in “Shrek
Forever After” and
the web-savvy dinosaur, Trixie the Triceratops, in “Toy Story 3″ (the
DVD goes on sale today!).

NG Kids: How did you get into acting and voice overs?
Schaal: Well, I started out doing stand-up and that led to all the jobs I have now.
 
NG Kids: Can you tell us how your voice becomes part of a movie or a TV show?
Schaal: It depends on the project. Usually you’re in a sound booth by yourself and say each individual line in different ways and the director can take which one he or she likes the best and that’s usually how the movies work. For the TV shows I’ve worked, we’re in the room together with the entire cast and we’ll riff and improvise with each other. It depends on whose project it is, but usually you’re just by yourself in a sound booth.
 
NG Kids: How long did it take for you to do the voice for “Toy Story 3?”
Schaal: I probably went in two or three times and each time, only under and hour. Trixie’s only a very short scene.
 

NG Kids: What’s the best part of doing voice work?
Schaal:
You really get to overact and be dramatic and have a lot of fun with
it. Then, relax and watch yourself because the animators did all the
hard work of making the character look amazing. It’s fun and relaxing at
the same time.
 
NG Kids: Do you have a voice trainer?
Schaal: I don’t. No, I usually just use this voice, which is my voice… for better or for worse!
 
NG Kids: What was your favorite toy as a child?
Schaal:
I think I liked a lot of different ones. I guess if I had to pick my
favorite, I did enjoy My Little Pony. I can remember collecting them as a
kid.
 
NG Kids: What were you like as a kid?
Schaal:
I was pretty imaginative as a kid and remember getting worked up and
scared over things. I’d be afraid of predators and ghosts and monsters
to a point where I wouldn’t be able to sleep in my room for weeks at a
time. Not very healthy, but I had a big imagination.

NG Kids: What do you daydream about?
Schaal: Going to the beach and being on vacation.

NG Kids: What is the best piece of advice that anyone has given you?
Schaal: I guess it was from my mom. She told me to be tenacious and go for my dreams even if someone told you that you couldn’t do it.

NG Kids: Do you have any jokes you can share with our audience?
Schaal: If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?

Photograph courtesy ©Disney/Pixar