When fans think of their favorite characters, they’ll often have a voice in mind. In animation, things get easier because the voice is provided for them. Many celebrate the favorite voice actors and actresses for their perfect portrayal of these characters. It comes up often with characters such as Batman and The Joker. Many people have a hard time hearing anyone but Mark Hamill or Kevin Conroy playing them. But behind every great voice over, is a usually a great voice-over director. That was the role of Andrea Romano, who is hugely responsible for many of the iconic voices, given to such iconic characters.
For those unaware, Andrea Romano is a legendary voice-over and casting director. She contributed to many a childhood over the past three decades, with her enormous pool of work. Just to give an idea, Romano is the voice director behind DuckTales, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the vast majority of DC Animation. Yes, that includes Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League. Her work earned her 35 Emmy nominations, over the years. Of that 35, she won eight. But she decided to finally retire after a long career of directing some of the best voice talents in the industry.
Romano had actually planned to keep at it for another two or three years. Unfortunately, a diagnosis of optic neuropathy in one eye hindered her work. Now blind in one eye, she decided it was time to retire. She makes her exit with a heavy heart and a fondness for the industry. “I shall miss so many aspects of this industry – particularly the people I’ve worked alongside, and all the fun that happens on both side of the glass,” her statement says. “From the bottom of my heart, I extend my sincere gratitude to every actor, producer, director, engineer and colleague that has helped make this run so incredible.” No doubt fans and artists alike appreciate her work and wish her a happy retirement.
Romano’s latest work is for Voltron: Legendary Defender, season 3 of which premiere on Netflix on August 4.