This interview was done on Aug 30/05. To meet both our schedules, we met up in a Chatroom.
Anime Station: Hi, how are you?
Maile: I’m good, thanks.
Anime Station: Ok I pulled the questions up.
Anime Station: Are you ready?
Maile: yup
Anime Station: Could you give the fans a little explanation of who you are? And what you have done?
Maile: I'm an actress who lives in LA. I moved here in 1996 with a play, BAD SEED. Then I got agents and started working here. I started acting in college when college friends convinced me to join an improv group. After college I formed a professional group with my college buddies and we moved to Minneapolis. The group was called Every Mother's Nightmare.
I lived in Minneapolis for about 7 1/2 years acting in and writing plays, performing improv and stand-up. Then I moved here - did (do) a lot of theater, stopped doing stand-up, started doing TV, animation, commercials and films.
Anime Station: What area would you say is your prime area in the acting industry?
Maile: Hard to say. In fact, I can't really say -- it ebbs and flows. Right now I’m pretty busy doing animation, but I’ve been auditioning for a lot of TV, and I’m doing a lot of theater. A few years ago I was doing a ton of commercials...
Anime Station: So you have been involved in the acting community for a while now. Do you know how long have you had the 'acting bug'?
Maile: I did a play in 2nd grade - I guess I’ve always been a ham, but I didn't really know I’d be an actress till after college. While in college I studied political science and math.
Anime Station: So you started acting at a young age. What made you want to become an actress and did you surprise everyone when you told them? It is a little different than political science and math.
Maile: Yes, I certainly surprised my parents! I wanted to be an actress because it really was thrilling. I’ve done other things, but nothing is as fulfilling. The other careers I considered were being in the Foreign Service, military intelligence (which my father was in) or being a lawyer... Quite different than acting.
Anime Station: Thrilling -- I have heard that word a lot. So you like the thrill you get out of acting? Or are there other things such as meeting people. I find that acting involves many people on different levels even if it still is a job; it's more social do you find this?
Anime Station: Social as in involved in the work. Working with other people and such.
Maile: Yes, I love the thrill of acting. I do like meeting people and interacting with talented actors. It’s great to develop a character and to explore it with an audience. It’s definitely more social than other careers! And more fun!
Anime Station: Ok wow. Keeping on the topic of acting is there anyone you looked up towards? Or who inspires you?
Maile: many people. Give me one sec!
Anime Station: Sure, take your time.
Maile: I love Julie Kavner - she's done everything - animation, movies, TV, film.
Maile: Play great characters, she's a pretty good role model - I’d love to have her career.
I like Allison Janney- again, does TV, film, some animation - does dramatic and comedic stuff. I’m a fan of people that do multiple things - this might sound strange, because I’m friendly with her - but I love Laurie Metcalf.
Maile: She does stage, animation, TV, films ... and is great in all of them.
Maile: Is that good?
Anime Station: Wow, that’s perfect.
Anime Station: I guess asking you this question might not mean anything but other then in acting industry is there any other areas that you have worked in or would like to work in?
Maile: Yes, I’ve worked on a lot of documentary TV stuff and also for regular documentaries - doing research and producing.
Maile: I love doing that... I love researching crime stories and have done some stuff for Court TV. I love sports - and have done some sports research/producing. I wouldn't mind working for major league baseball one day when I’m old!!
Anime Station: Sports research!? Wow, in what area?
Maile: I did some stuff for a show called SPORTS WIVES. I researched all sorts of athletes and their wives. My favorite is baseball - I got to field produce a segment with Roger Clemens' wife, Debbie.
Maile: Very fun!
Anime Station: Let’s get back to the voice acting area for a moment. You auditioned for the character of Naruto in the anime which is based off of him.
Maile: YES!
Anime Station: At the time did you know how many people were auditioning for the role of Naruto? How did you prepare for the audition?
Maile: I didn't know. I still don't know.
Maile: I prepared by researching the character - online primarily. When I got the callback, I had a little more time to see what he was like and more material to work with. I was coached by Jamie Simone to achieve the right sound and voice.
Anime Station: So you were trying very hard to snag this role. Did you know at the time that it was a big hit over in Japan?
Maile: yes, I was trying hard for the role. But I do try hard for most of my roles
Anime Station:
Maile: I didn't know at first that it was a big hit, but between my initial audition and the callback, I found out. Then I REALLY found out when I started doing the show. People began telling me, etc.
Anime Station: When did you start recording for the show? A couple of months ago?
Maile: In May.
Anime Station: So you’re pretty well caught up in the craze of things by now?
Maile: not yet, really. Since the show hasn't started airing yet (in the US) it's still pretty calm.
Anime Station: Yes but with all the recent news on it from websites across the world, most are expecting it to be a huge success as it is in Japan. Some are already comparing it to the pokemon crazy which happened a few years back and it hasn't even been released yet. That is pretty impressive.
Maile: Yes, it's very impressive. I hope it's a huge success here.
Anime Station: I'm sure it will be.
Anime Station: So getting down to the final question is there anything you would like to say to your friends, fans, future fans, etc.?
Maile: ENJOY THE SHOW!! I'm sure you'll love it!
Anime Station: Well, thanks for your time and the interview!
Maile: You're welcome!
Anime Station: Thanks again Maile.
Maile: You're very welcome! Bye!