VAM 189 | Interview with Paul Castro Jr., Part 2
Welcome to episode 189 of the Voice Acting Mastery podcast with yours truly, Crispin Freeman!
As always, you can listen to the podcast using the player above, or download the mp3 using the link at the bottom of this blog post. The podcast is also available via the iTunes Store online. Just follow this link to view the podcast in iTunes:
http://www.voiceactingmastery.com/podcast
Welcome back to the second and final part of my interview with the talented and ambitious Paul Castro Jr! You may have heard Paul’s voice acting in games like NEO: The World Ends With You, Legends of Runeterra, and Lost Judgement, the Kaito Files. He’s also performed in anime titles such as Vampire in the Garden, High-Rise Invasion, and the award winning film, Belle. In addition, Paul has worked extensively in theater and film both as an actor and behind the scenes. He considers himself a storyteller first and foremost and his breadth of experience is a testament to his commitment to telling great stories.
In the previous episode, Paul explained how he got started as an actor. While he had always been a fan of games and anime when he was young, it never occurred to him that one could pursue voice acting as a legitimate career. In college, he joined an improv theater group, fell in love with acting, and realized he needed to transfer to a different school in order to pursue acting professionally. He auditioned for and was accepted into NYU’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts where he got his BFA degree in acting from the Meisner studio. He took advantage of every storytelling opportunity that came his way, whether it was acting, writing, producing, or even just assisting other actors! All of that hard work and dedication paid off and he’s now living in Los Angeles pursuing his voice acting dreams!
As we continue our discussion, I ask Paul what inspired him to become a performer in the first place. His response is extremely honest. He admits that he felt the need to get attention when he was young which he would do by acting out, being obnoxious, or by being the class clown. What motivated his need for attention was the fact that deep down, he was incredibly sensitive. He could tell that this sort of emotional sensitivity would not be rewarded in the environment he grew up in. He was therefore pleasantly surprised to discover that vulnerability and emotional honesty were valued and celebrated in the field of acting!
Inspired by Paul’s candor, I then share some of the challenges that I faced as a young, emotionally sensitive boy, and how acting helped me unlock and explore different parts of my psyche. We then discuss how much storytelling meant to us as children and how we both now honor and appreciate being able to work on stories that people take comfort in and want to experience over and over again. Paul also talks about how his time in the theater affected him, both as an actor, and as an audience member watching Broadway shows. These were transformative experiences that deepened his appreciation for, and solidified his obsession with, the craft of acting. After that, we wrap up our time together with Paul’s advice for the aspiring voice actor and how important he feels it is to surround yourself with inspiring content and people who uplift you. It’s a very personal and emotionally intimate interview, and I’m so happy that I get to share it with you!