Over the years Supanova has hosted some impressive guests, but few can boast the kinds of extensive credits held by Supa-Star and veteran voice artist Jennifer Hale. Whether it be lending her vocal talents to the animated outings of Marvel superheroes and Disney princesses, or to hit videogame franchises like Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate and Mortal Kombat, chances are that Hale has been directly involved in one of your favourite pop culture projects.

Currently holding the Guinness World Record for the most prolific female videogame voice actor, Hale’s expansive career has seen her work on hundreds of the world’s best-known games, animated television shows and movies.

We caught up with Hale ahead of Supanova on the Gold Coast (13-14 April) to look back at her astounding career and to see what advice she may have for people looking to follow in her footsteps.

“My favourite role is all of them,” Hale says of the hundreds of characters she has played over the years. “Seriously. The sheer variety of roles I’ve had the privilege to play is a joy.”

Her most recent gig sees her join the cast of the acclaimed ­X-Men ’97 revival series as the voice of Jean Grey. Having previously played the character in the 2008 animated series Wolverine and the X-Men, as well as several videogames, her latest outing saw her pick up the mantle from the original X-Men: The Animated Series voice actor Catherine Disher.

“I’ve had the honour of being Jean Grey in a few shows and games over the years,” she explains, “so I was very familiar with Jean and the Marvel legacy that she carries. Taking over for Catherine had a particular weight and I really appreciate the opportunity to carry the mantle forward.”

“This series had the added layer of incorporating the tone and flair of the ‘90s show and marrying that tone and feel to fit today’s style of acting. It was a unique challenge to honour the original and weave that into a show that still has the authenticity and immediacy that today’s audiences have come to expect.”

As for Marvel’s surprise return to the classic ‘90s cartoon, the veteran voice actor has her own hopes for similar revivals to follow.

“Absolutely,” she says when asked if she would like to see any other classic shows given the X-Men ’97 treatment. “Spiderman: The Animated Series. That was phenomenal to work on and I think there’s even a petition that’s circulating to bring the show back. I’d love to see that happen.”

Yet long before Hale ever had the chance to play such iconic characters as the X-Men’s Jean Grey or Spider-Man’s Black Cat, she was once a production assistant who was asked to “come next door and do my rendition of a Valley Girl”.

“I think they paid me $30 or $35 and I was hooked,” she says of her first introduction to voice-over work. “I got the guys there to mentor me and I worked diligently to get better and build a voice acting business.”

LOVE this show
such a great time and my first @Marvel project #BlackCat #feliciahardy https://t.co/TeJm5RkRQu

— Jennifer Hale (@jhaletweets) November 20, 2023

For aspiring voice artists looking to follow in Hale’s footsteps, she has worked hard to provide newcomers with the kind of resources she once could have only dreamed of. One of the founders of SkillsHub for Actors, Hale is joined by an impressive cohort of veteran voice actors and directors providing training, advice and coaching for those looking to establish themselves in the industry.

“It’s a site I’ve built with my sister and our friend Bill who is an amazing dev and I structured it based on what worked for me in this career,” Hale explains. “We have 80+ fellow VA veterans, casting directors and voice directors available to coach by the minute and we offer classes for all levels.

“Regardless of where you go to learn this craft, make sure the people you’re learning from do what you want to be doing. I really want to spare people from the not-so-great things out there and support them to have a great time, whatever creative journey they embark on.”

Jennifer Hale is looking forward to meeting her Australian fans at Supanova on the Gold Coast (13-14 April).