My name is Danielle Harris and I am a voice actor.

I got started in the voice over industry in 2020. Contrary to what some may think, the pandemic was not the reason I started at that time. 

 had been working in government for over a decade and just had our first child. I was on maternity leave and looking back, I believe it was partially postpartum, but I was really depressed about going back to a job I hated. It was tough because I was an essential worker during the pandemic, and I should’ve felt extremely grateful I had a job to go back to regardless of how I felt. But when I would look at my daughter, it would really make me think about my future and all the things I haven’t done or haven’t accomplished. I actually attempted to start in voice over about 10 years prior to 2020 but life got in the way and back then, I only thought of it as a hobby and didn’t know much about the industry

There are two different moments where I was inspired to be a part of the voice over industry. The first was when I was a teenager. Because that was the time, I grasped the idea that there were people (actors) voicing all the cartoons, puppets, and anime characters I grew up watching. When you could start researching online to find out who voiced something, that’s what I would do and realize that there were a lot of actors that were voicing a lot of the things I loved to watch, and it was so cool! I distinctly remember saying to myself out loud, “I would love to do something like THAT!” Looking back, I think it was also the anonymity of it that I fell in love with too because I’ve always kept to myself and like to do things behind the scenes. 

The second moment I felt inspired was the ‘ah ha’ moment and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was on maternity leave and my daughter was about 2 months old. My family and I were sitting around the dining table, talking, laughing and I was goofing around and voicing what I thought my daughter would say based off her expression. Kinda like the movie ‘Look Who’s Talking’ with Bruce Willis, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley. We were all cracking up and BOOM I had that feeling like I need to do some research on voice over. It’s weird I know, but that’s when I really got serious. And here we are today.

One of the challenges I face is the typical imposter syndrome. I feel so blessed and grateful to be doing what I am doing. But there are times when it’s slow to book work or even I book work, and I find myself thinking am I good enough and if the client is happy with the work I’ve done. But I usually get over it and keep it moving. It’s an insecurity but I tell myself this is a subjective industry. I cannot please everyone and all I can do is my best. Some clients may choose to re-cast, or some will be ecstatic with my performance and come back for more. It is what it is. I just focus on what I can control and that is me and my mindset. 

The other challenge is the work like balance. I now have two beautiful children that are absolute handfuls. I’m sure all the parents understand. I’m home with them all day while my husband is at work and I have to meet their needs, manage the home and manage my voice over business. Shout out to all the stay at home parents. It is not easy. But again, I focus on what I can control and make things as easy as I can for myself. Things like Instacart, lawn care and professional home cleaning services have really helped my sanity. My mother is also the best because she helps a lot when I have a session, or I need to run errands.

I love Japan! I can’t wait until I can visit one day! It’s on my bucket list. And I love anime. Honestly, anime has been my therapy for a very, very long time. I love to watch it to get out of my own head and just get immersed into the story and world of the characters. And like I said it was a huge motivator for voice over. I’ve watched probably hundreds of shows at this point, maybe even in the thousands. I’ll be honest though, I prefer the dubbed. Especially now because I get to hear my peers kick butt voicing the characters and it helps me as an actor know and understand the direction when performing. This is not to say that the subbed is not enjoyable, because it totally is, and I have watched tons that are subbed. Dubbed is just my preference. But I think the top three dubbers I love and admire are Steve Blum, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Bridget Hoffman mainly because of nostalgia but there are too many actors that I love now.

I can’t think of any one person I would love to work with. There’s too many. But it would be a dream come true to voice a character for DC, Marvel and Disney animation as well as a cool videogame. I’m also open for dubbing anime if the characters right. All of that would be a huge accomplishment for me. Outside of character work I also love Promo and would love to do live announcing.

Right now, I do a lot of commercial work which I also love. Commercial and corporate work. When Political spikes I also get a bit of that as well. I’m an advocate of working where you fit in the market. Right now, this is what people want my voice for and that’s cool because I enjoy it! I’ve also done quite of a bit of explainers and eLearning in the past.

When I think of Hollywood Entertainment I think of my childhood and my dad. We have always been movie lovers and movie goers. I enjoy the experience as a viewer and I love a good story and great writing. Back in the day there were amazing stories that set a lot of movies up for today. I have more appreciation for acting, storytelling, writing and casting today because of what I do. Understanding all the work that goes into all of it. It makes it even more thrilling to watch. I’ve never been to Hollywood. That’s another bucket list.

When I think of voice overs from Hollywood the first thing that pops up for me is Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland. The old animations. The voice acting in those are a part of my core memories. I watched them all the time with my sister when I was little. I still do today. Such great acting and range. Those movies still hold up today and the acting was phenomenal. I would love to be a fly on the wall and see how they were directed and how they performed.

What makes a good voice actor is the ability to understand acting, improv, and know that you are performing. Connect with the copy and continue to grow. You do not have to be the most talented or be able to do a million different voices. You need to understand how to perform to make whoever is listening feel something or whatever they are supposed to feel. Being able to take direction is key as well as knowing how to self-direct because those jobs are out there too. Also, a voice actor needs to have good business sense and understand the industry. That alone is a competitive edge and shouldn’t be skimped on.

I have a home studio, and I absolutely love it. I have not had to work outside of remotely, yet. My home studio is like my haven. I built it myself and it fits my personality. I just feel very free in my studio and very productive. It’s a great feeling to finish an audition, book work, leave and still be at home. It’s amazing.

My specialty in voice over right now is commercial. I love commercial and corporate. It’s the most natural for me. But I want to challenge my comfort zone. I thoroughly believe that being too comfortable is a bad thing. I would love to get more character work. I do not have the ability to do a million different voices like Mel Blanc and other voice actors today, but I know I have the propensity for accents. That’s something I am working to be more proficient in because I believe it will help with my range and just overall challenge me and make things more fun.

The day in the life of a voice actor ranges for the voice actor and their personal lives just as much as where they are at in their professional lives. I have two children under the age of 5 so my days are very busy right now. But generally, I direct market several times a week, audition, have sessions that I booked, and I research. I love to research. I love to learn especially about the business side of the industry. I am also a business major so that’s probably why. It seems like that isn’t a lot, but it is. Running a business is not easy and being competitive in this industry with thousands of other talented voice actors makes you want to be on top of your game as much as you can.

“Just make it EXIST first. You can make it Good later.”

What I recommend for anyone interested in getting into voice acting is research the industry and how it works. Research until you find the answers for all your questions. When you reach a dead in or get stuck then reach out to others for answers to your questions because then your questions will be more thought provoking, and you’ll get more out of it. Get perspective but take it with a grain of salt and find a good coach. I personally, do not think finding a good coach is as easy as everyone makes it out to be because you want to find someone that is really going to help you grow and that is good for YOU. Get a professional demo when the time is right. Understand general business as well as the legal side of this industry. That will help you with contracts, negotiation and strategy. And lastly, there are no guarantees. Sometimes people do things because they think it will guarantee them success. Whatever success means to them. And then they will be disappointed when it doesn’t work out and give up. You must have a lot of resilience to be a voice actor. Mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. Have things in perspective before you start. If you still have a fire inside of you after all that, then go for it!

In my opinion, what makes a good voice actor is someone that takes pride in what they do. They take the profession seriously, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. I mean, we do talk to ourselves in a padded room and sometimes do some crazy stuff in our booths. It’s supposed to be fun. You’re supposed to have a great time and enjoy what you are doing. This industry is very subjective and there are no guarantees. If a voice actor still enjoys doing this even after fully understanding that…they will probably go far.

What I am looking forward to in 2025 is continuing to grow in my ability and knowledge, just like every year. I’m looking forward to building new relationships and partnerships. And of course, I’m looking forward to booking more work. Now that my kids are getting a little older, I can get back on track with taking on more work and getting more training. I suppose people can also expect to see me a little more active on what I am booking as well as seeing me at more conferences.

I can’t really share any projects at this time, unfortunately. NDAs and internal work that I do not have permission. But when I’m able you’ll probably see it on my socials and my website.

Sure! My website is danielleharrisvo.com. My website has all my information to contact, set a meeting as well as my demos, samples, projects I’ve worked on and socials.

I think the message I would like to give to the readers is one of the quotes I live by, “There is no growth in your comfort zone.” I think this applies to every aspect of life, both professional and personal. Growth is very important, firstly for yourself and secondly for all the people you WILL affect. Make sure you’re putting your best foot forward because you have no idea how many people will follow you.