Behind the Voice: An Interview with Kyle Hebert
The Saiyan superstar speaks out about his VO career.
You may not know the name Kyle Hebert, but you’ve definitely heard his voice in some of your favorite shows. For years, Kyle has worked in every facet of the voiceover industry – from video games to certified megahits like Dragon Ball Z, Bleach and Naruto, Hebert’s sonorous sounds are music to our ears. We got a chance to sit down with Kyle and pick that beautiful brain of his; here’s what lives inside.
TOKYOPOP: Everyone knows you’ve got a great voice, but when did you first realize it and what was your first foray into voice acting?
Kyle Hebert: As a kid growing up with Looney Tunes, I just embraced cartoons and found that doing characterizations came easily. It wasn’t till I went pro that I quickly learned that you need acting chops, and that’s it NOT just doing a wacky voice. I did numerous character voices on the radio as a DJ in the ’90s, but what I consider the beginning of my VO career was Dragon Ball Z in the summer of 2000. I voiced bit parts on the “Bardock Special”, then various tiny roles towards the end of the “Cell Saga” on DBZ.
TP: You recently got to portray Ryu in the feature film Wreck-It Ralph. What was it like to see one of your characters on the big screen?
KH: I couldn’t believe I got to be on a Disney movie with the coolest loophole ever: a video game world where actual game characters make cameos. They wanted the original voices instead of hiring some celebrity. I already feel super lucky to be voicing Ryu in the Street Fighter games, but getting to be a part of a major animated movie amped up the wow factor for me considerably. Being on a Disney movie was another one of those dreams I had a kid, and even though it’s just a couple of lines, it still counts.
Be sure to read our complete interview with Kyle Hebert to find out about how he made his career go Super Saiyan.
