Feb. 2004
An interview with Maria Canals by Xum Yukinori of www.comics2film.com

A voice actress with a range as extensive as her work in a myriad of film, television and theatre roles, Maria Canals is probably best known among comic book fans for her charming-yet-husky portrayal of Hawkgirl on Cartoon Network's "Justice League." Maria proves to be as gracious as she is vivacious -- taking time after a day-long shoot for a Verizon television commercial to talk to Comics2Film correspondent Xum Yukinori, and offer a rare glimpse of the woman beneath the winged helmet of the Thanagarian warrior.

Xum: I've noticed that most of your acting career involves "live-action" roles. What first interested you in voice acting?

Maria: I was sent to an audition for another cartoon by my agent and I just loved it. So I kept going to other voice auditions and started getting more and more roles. To me, [voice acting] is the same thing [as onscreen acting], but I can't be seen; I can only be heard. So I enjoy it just as much. I do theatre, commercials, film, television -- in English and in Spanish -- and [voice work] is just another vein in the craft of acting to me. If anything it's a bit more of a challenge because I have to express everything with just the voice. I really enjoy that challenge. And to me I think Justice League is the best show an actor can get animation-wise. I feel very blessed.

Xum: How did the role of Hawkgirl come to you?

Maria: The role that led to Hawkgirl was [Shelly Sandoval] on a show called Static Shock. The same director [as Justice League], Andrea Romano, a wonderful person, called me to audition for Hawkgirl. And I was thrilled to get [the part,] just thrilled.

Xum: Did you know about the Hawkgirl character from the comic books?

Maria: No. I knew Batman, Wonder Woman, the more popular ones. I didn't know Shayera Hol. But I think she's great. I love the warrior in her. I release a lot of stress with all those war-cries I have to do. (Laughter.)

Xum: How did you initially approach portraying the character?

Maria: She had great nostalgia for her home planet, so I remember focusing on wanting that warm feeling of being home. At the audition I read a part where I talked about how I miss Thanagar, and I remember getting a little bit emotional, because I used to live in Miami and moved to Los Angeles, so I thought about my family, my aunts. And my parents are Cuban so I thought about the Cuban culture and the food -- all the things that represent home to me.

And [Hawkgirl] was a warrior, too, so I had to bring out that fighter in me. As Maria, I have more of a feminine, "girly" personality. So I remember bringing up from inside of me the part that would fight for something just and good, without being afraid. As an actor or actress you focus on parts of you that are like the character and bring them to the surface; the good and the ugly. That's how I approached it, like I would any role, on- or off-camera. You want it to be authentic, so you need to bring it out of yourself.

Xum: You do a great job in the role. I could tell early in the series, especially in the episodes "Legends" and "War World," that you really had a character, and not just a voice.

Maria: Thank you so much. I love those episodes. "Legends," where we go to the 50s... and "War World" was great. I got to play a whole bunch of roles as well as Hawkgirl. I was that "crabby old lady" [the yellow alien sitting next to J'onn in the stadium]. Plus the whole gladiator-type story was very interesting. And we had Eric Roberts [as Mongol] on that. He was sitting right next to me [in the recording studio].

Xum: I did notice you and the other voice actors on the show occasionally pull "double (or even triple) duty" on a few episodes...

Maria: Yeah, we do that often. I did another old lady where I got to (adjusting voice) do my voice really crackly. (Laughter.) But I don't remember which episode that was for. It's been two and a half years doing episodes, and we do so many... but I just enjoy being told to "play an old lady here," or "play a little girl there." I love all that.

Xum: Let's talk a bit about season two, where the stories started to have more focus on your character - especially in a romantic subplot with Phil LaMarr's Green Lantern character.

Maria: Oh, yeah.

Xum: Bruce Timm has stated that, from the very beginning, it would be interesting to put these two strong forceful characters together "and watch the sparks fly..."

Maria: (Laughter.)

Xum: But this romantic angle, was that something you knew about early on?

Maria: It was sprung onto us, or at least to me, by the writers. I had no idea.

Xum: When was it sprung onto you?

Maria: I think it was midway through [the series]. There were some subtle hints here and there. But I first remember a session where [Phil, as Green Lantern,] said he doesn't sleep well and then I say my line and he replies, "You know I don't [have problems sleeping anymore]." And I said, (astounded) "What was that, Bruce [Timm]?! This is a show for kids too!"

Xum: (Laughter.)

Maria: And then it just started getting more and more dramatic and open and it was a lot of fun [to do]. [The relationship] developed quite nicely, I think... little by little. And the episode where we first kiss, ["Wild Cards,"] that was major! [Green Lantern is] sitting there -- shirtless I may add -- and I talk about how different we are and it would never work, and he says, (mimicking) "All I see is a man and a woman." And then he just grabs me and takes my mask off and kisses me. When I saw that scene, it was so arousing... and this was a cartoon! (Laughter.) It was really beautifully done. Just like a movie. It's just filled with so much tension, the way I'm fighting my attraction to him, and he wears me down... and of course the unveiling of my face coupled with my emotions coming out. And it's just very powerful on the kiss. It's just great. It's my favorite scene on the show so far.

Xum: Were you a bit surprised since you mentioned Justice League is a show for kids as well as adults?

Maria: Well, I think I do have that view in my head. I know [the show] is very sophisticated and it's written, very much so, for an older audience. I know many adults who love it. But I also know my nephew, who's 11, doesn't miss an episode. Both my niece and nephew watched the show before they found out I was on it, and they're like, "Oh my gosh!" They see things before I can even tell them.

Xum: So you don't have a chance to, for lack of a better word, "warn" them?

Maria: Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. They seem to know everything that goes on on Cartoon Network before I do.

Xum: Let's go back to season two. Namely, the upcoming season finale, "Star-Crossed." Without giving any story details away, what can you tell us about it?

Maria: It's totally unexpected. You wouldn't be able to predict it. Especially with what happens to my character... which is pretty fierce and unforgiving.

Xum: From what I was able to find out, most of the shocking revelations about Hawkgirl in the season finale seems to have been planned from very early in the show's production. As the voice actress, were you made aware of these facets to your character from the get-go?

Maria: No. No one told me anything. And it really jostled me [when I found out.]

Xum: When did you find out? When you were recording the "Star-Crossed" episode itself?

Maria: When I read the script the night before. I was like, "Who-o-oa!" When [something like this happens to] one of the Justice League, especially one of the only two women, it's a big deal. And I never expected it because it is such a risk to take. I think it's great that [the producers] do things like that.

Xum: Well, despite this dramatic turn of events, it sounds like you have a lot of fun.

Maria: Lots of fun things happen in the recording studio. We've got some funny people. Superman [George Newbern] is such a funny guy and so is Phil [LaMarr], and we're always trying to make each other laugh.

Xum: Can you share any humorous stories or bloopers from a Justice League recording session?

Maria: It's really funny when somebody is supposed to act really macho, and it comes out really wimpy. Like you're giving a punch or a kick and your voice sounds a little wussy. Sometimes I give out a war cry that's too girly. (Laughter.)

Also, when I was really pregnant and [for scenes where] I had to do a lot of screaming, Andrea would be telling me, "Think about giving birth. Think about giving birth." (Laughter.) And I would imagine what that would be like to bring out these intense painful cries.

And stomach noises are always hysterical. Stomach gurgles and burping happen at the most inopportune moments. We once had a guest actor come in to do a role, and the poor man had the worst stomach problem and was burping constantly; every other line through the whole episode. Poor guy.

We have a lot of fun every [session], to be honest with you. It's a great group of people. It's a wonderful show. It's a privilege and a honor to be part of it because there are so many fans. I think we're all pretty grateful and pretty happy and we have a wonderful time.

Xum: Do you have any advice for aspiring voice actors and actresses?

Maria: I always hear, "oh, [voice acting is] really hard to get into, it's really hard to get into." But I think if you really love it and you have a good ear, and you are a good actor, you should go for it. My love for acting in general led me to voice acting and it's wonderful. And it's not necessarily "hard to get into." I think if it's meant for you, those doors will open. If you give it all you have, people will see it and they'll give you opportunities -- just like Andrea did for me.

Xum: Thank you so much for taking time to talk with us. Are there any current projects, voice or live-action, that you would like to plug before I let you go?

Maria: I appear on [the January 25th and February 1st episodes of] Curb Your Enthusiasm. And I also recur on a television show called American Family on PBS. My character is Christy, and my mother is portrayed by Racquel Welch. But the biggest, juiciest thing is a film that's coming out in April with Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson. It's called Imagining Argentina. I play Esme, Antonio's best friend, a nice supporting role. [The film's] a drama. On TV I usually do a lot of comedy...

Xum: ...so this film is different work for you?

Maria: I do it all, I honestly do. Drama or comedy. I enjoy doing both, as well as theatre, TV, film, commercials, voice-overs... it keeps me busy.

Xum Yukinori would love to see a confrontation between Hawkgirl and the annoying "Can you hear me now?" guy from the Verizon ads -- and was assured that it would never happen.