Question: How did you get into Voice Acting?
QF: Well, I have to go back… I started doing impressions around the age of 8… I was fascinated by impressionists on TV and comics, as well as reading comic books and watching cartoons and movies, tv, musicals, and got caught up in all of it. Even Rock and Roll. My mom didn’t play us kids music. She played us what was happening at the time. And so these impressionists made such a mark on me that I started doing impressions of Impressionists doing impressions. In University, I graduated with honors and was a radio host… and when my brother wanted to move out to the Sunset Strip to be in a hair metal thing, I had my demo tape and went with him. I tried going to every agency in town and 3/4 of them turned me down immediately. But somehow one agency didn’t. I was in an elevator with a lady who was going to the same floor as me and went down the same hall as me into the same office as me. She turned out to be the president of the agency. A few weeks later, I got a call from the agency saying that they wanted me on and I said yes and that’s where it all started.
Question: Was there a role that you were considered for and regret not accepting?
QF: That’s a good question… lemme think about that. I don’t think so unless there was a conflict… unless I was working on something else, I don’t ever turn down a role… Which is pretty good for how long I’ve been doing this, y’know?
Question: Have you ever played any of the games you were actually in?
QF: Only once. I wasn’t a big gamer as a kid. I played sports, did theater, but never played video games unless I was at a friend’s house. So my then girlfriend’s brother had MGS2 and I said Jeez, I wanna see this. He started playing and he said, “Hey, you try!”, and I said alright and I was like a horse trying to get out of a stable. Just couldn’t do it, man. It was too technical for me. So I gave him back the controls and said, “You be the gamer and I’ll be the actor.”
Final Question: What was it like being Axel/Lea?
QF: I loved it, man. It was so much fun and the character work was so good. When I finished doing the final voice session for 3, I said, “That’s it? I want more.” And knowing that I was a part of one of the best selling games of 2019, it’s humbling, to say the least. I love the Kingdom Hearts series, it has so much to offer for everyone and I hope to come back soon for more.
