Posted in: Blizzard, Games, Hulu, Overwatch, Overwatch 2, TV, Video Game Publishers, Video Games, World Of Warcraft | Tagged: Feodor Chin, futurama, overwatch

Futurama: Feodor Chin on Overwatch, TMNT, Representation & Much More

Feodor Chin spoke with Bleeding Cool about versatility in his voiceover work, TMNT, Overwatch, taking over Leo Wong on Futurama, and more.

Feodor Chin is fast becoming one of the most visible actors in Hollywood today, but you're far more likely to hear his voice than see his face as he's emerging as a force in the voiceover world, especially in video games Since making his debut in CBS's Nash Bridges in a live-action role, Chin took roles as he could get them, and among his first was the popular MMORPG World of Warcraft. He would also have roles in League of Legends, Guild Wars 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, XCOM, Red Dead Redemption II, and Overwatch. Recent roles included Prime Video animated series Secret Level, NBC sitcom St. Denis Medical, and Hulu's Futurama. With over 120 titles in his filmography, Chin spoke to Bleeding Cool about wanting to stay busy as a working actor, if he imagined his voiceover career would go as far as it did, taking over the role of Leo Wong from Billy West on Futurama, and the importance of representation.

Futurama and Overwatch Star Feodor Chin on Thriving on His Acting Versatility

Bleeding Cool: When you started your acting career, what made you decide to integrate voiceover work as part of it?

That's an interesting question. After I graduated from UCLA, I returned home to San Francisco for a bit, because like many 20-year-olds who are uncertain about how to begin their careers, the option of potentially living at home rent-free was a little too hard to pass up. I started in San Francisco, and you can make a living as an actor there. There's a thriving theater community and lots of commercial work. There are industrials, occasional film or television shows that might come through. There's also a lot of voiceover work, and so when I first signed with a San Francisco agent, they sent everything for you with commercials, TV shows, and a lot of voiceover stuff. That's how I first got my start in voiceover. Some of my first jobs were probably radio spots and industrials, and my first video game was a game called 'New Legends' (2002). This is how long ago it was. It was one of the first titles for a new platform at the time called the Xbox [laughs].

Did you ever think in your wildest dreams that it would have been sustainable? Is it just something you integrated into your versatility and paradigm in your work?

For any actor, you have dreams of maybe winning awards and being on magazine covers. But more realistically, I think one of my dreams was just to be a working actor. I guess I did imagine that it would be possible to make a sustainable living out of this. I certainly didn't think I imagined how exactly that would look. I can tell you, getting to do something like 'Overwatch' that became such a phenomenon, I certainly did not envision that. It's been a real blessing, for sure.

Was there a particular project that stood out to you from your video game filmography? 'Overwatch' was one of your most significant notches, for sure, but was there one that you thought stood out for the right reasons or weirdest reasons?

Certainly one that jumps out is I got to play Master Splinter in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' (2013), the video game there. That might have been one of the first times I got to play an iconic character from my childhood. That was a real treat, for sure.

It's funny that you mention the 'Ninja Turtles' because I saw you had another bigger role taking over Leo Wong from Billy West in 'Futurama.' There's been this ongoing issue with Hollywood and representation. There seems to be two schools of thought on this, where some believe actors should act, pushing back on the whitewashing narrative. How did it feel to take over that role, built on that 'Futurama' legacy, and come in as late as you have?

Yeah, absolutely. I can speak to that. Like you said, and it's true, I think most actors feel that in an ideal world, any actor would get to play any role. That is part of the job: you get to inhabit these different characters. As we know, we don't live in that ideal world, and we live in a world in which there have been, maybe historic…

Whitewashing?

Yeah, where certainly the same opportunities are not afforded to people based on skin color or gender. Since we live in that world, it is fairer to have a more authentic representation. Certainly with 'Futurama', when the recasting came about, it was pretty daunting, but I tell you, Billy could not have been more gracious about it. Billy is such a talent, as they all are on that cast, that they do such a great job with the parts that they do. He was certainly gracious about passing the mantle, and I did get the opportunity on a couple of episodes to record live with everyone in the studio. That was certainly a treat to get to watch everybody work, and those guys are legendary [laughs].

Certainly, with the pandemic, many more people are comfortable recording their lines and performing remotely. That was my follow-up question. You had a chance to meet with everyone. Did it feel like you're joining a well-knit family?

Yeah, absolutely! In my initial episodes, I recorded a few at home, and I know a lot of folks did, but we got in the studio for at least a few episodes. One session I remember, Billy West, Maurice LaMarche, and Lauren Tom were there, and getting to record with them. Seeing Billy basically talk to himself like three different characters, like it'll, you don't go through what is, it's just a real treat.

I'm sure he had a character or two to spare that he didn't mind delegating, right?

Yeah [laughs] right. For sure.

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