Q&A with Juliet Landau, playing Labella, from the upcoming DC Animated Universe feature Green Lantern: First Flight

This is the third of several interviews with the cast and crew of the upcoming DC Animated Universe feature Green Lantern: First Flight. It's a bit long, but some of my essays have been longer so I suppose I'll humor WB for the sake of getting a screener of this thing when the time comes (Green Lantern: First Flight will be released on DVD and Blu Ray on July 28th). The first interview was with actor Victor Garber. The second interview was with director Lauren Montgomery. This one is with Juliet Landau, who plays Labella in the upcoming film. Enjoy.

QUESTION:

What is the enticement of voiceover for animation?

JULIET LANDAU:

It is so much fun! You get to sit with a bunch of actors and play. Really play! There’s no hair and make-up, no primping – just absolute, uninhibited creativity. That’s the real joy of acting. And it doesn’t get any better than working with Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano.

QUESTION:

Do you have a preference for the type of characters you play?

JULIET LANDAU:

I like playing all different kinds of characters. Each one is it’s own little puzzle. Aliens are fun because you have a lot of freedom. The voice of Labella just came to me when I read the pages in a kind of organic in a way. I immediately felt like she had to sound the way I played her. When I came in for looping (pick up sound work) Andrea Romano described my Labella sound as “honey-voiced.” I think that really captures it.

QUESTION:

Tell us about Labella?

JULIET LANDAU:

There was a lot of room for invention in this character, especially with the device they use with her. I don’t want to give it away, but she does go through a bit of torture and it causes a rift between Sinestro and Hal. I really liked the sexuality and the flirtatiousness of the character. She’s very different from any of the characters I’ve voiced on Justice League Unlimited or Ben 10: Alien Force – she’s a completely unique character.

QUESTION:
You spent some time acting alongside Christopher Meloni as brother and sister in Carlo’s Wake. Do you have any good tales to tell about our Hal Jordan?

JULIET LANDAU:

Carlo’s Wake revolved around a big Italian family gathering together at the patriarch’s funeral. The immediate “Torello” family rehearsed at my house prior to shooting. I remember working on this funny scene where (Chris Meloni’s character) Benny tells me about his existential crisis while out on the fishing boats catching tuna. With despondency, he asks something like, “What is it all for?” And my character Anna, who was not the sharpest tool in the shed, says something akin to .”I thought it was so’s we could have tuna salad sandwiches …” Chris was flown to New York while we were shooting to meet with Garry Marshall about Runaway Bride. Upon returning, he came into the make-up room and told us about the meeting and we were all saying, “It sounds like you’re gonna get this!” And indeed, he did.

QUESTION:

When did you start comics writing, and what’s the attraction of the written word?

JULIET LANDAU:

My first foray into comics is a two-issue arc about Drusilla for Angel: After the Fall.

I am co-writing with Brian Lynch and enjoying it immensely. The first issue will be out in July, the second in August. I have been working with 3 different artists on some of the imagery and cover art as well. I also wrote a short film called, It’s Raining Cats and Cats, which I will co-direct. Exploring these different facets of creativity has been truly inspiring. As an actor, you’re a component; but when you’re writing and directing, it is your vision of the whole project, which is very appealing. Take Flight has been an amazing experience. Gary Oldman directed a music video shot entirely on Nokia cell phones. Initially he asked me to direct the “Making Of.” But what started out solely as a behind-the-scenes “Making Of,” bloomed into a short documentary film about Gary’s creative process. He loves the movie because it shows him in a light he’s never been seen.

Please visit the film’s official website at www.greenlanternmovie.com