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Musician YELLOW Debuts as Voice Actor for New Character in 'Despicable Me 4'

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Musician YELLOW has made his Hollywood animation voice-acting debut in "Despicable Me 4," voicing the new character "Grumpi."
  • YELLOW described the voice-acting process as challenging, requiring nearly six hours of recording and intensive direction.
  • He found the experience immersive, comparing his character's mischievous nature to his own personality.

Taiwanese musician YELLOW, also known as Huang Xuan, has stepped into the world of Hollywood animation, lending his voice to a new character in "Despicable Me 4." He takes on the role of Grumpi, a green, mischievous monster with a notably long official name, "Gary O'Connor O'Malley McGammy Ichaibo the Fraudster."

I thought it would be okay, but after coming in, I was directly hit to the bottom, almost wanting to call my mom!

— YELLOWDescribing his initial surprise and difficulty during the voice-acting recording session.

Despite being a self-proclaimed "Minions" fan, YELLOW found the voice-acting process far more demanding than anticipated. He spent nearly six hours in the recording studio, undergoing what he described as "loving guidance" from voice director Guo Wei. "I thought it would be okay, but after coming in, I was directly hit to the bottom, almost wanting to call my mom!" he admitted.

The most charming part of voice art is when you don't exist in the past or the future, only focusing on the sound of the present, and you become that character itself.

— YELLOWReflecting on the immersive experience of voice acting.

YELLOW highlighted the unique challenges of voice acting for animation, emphasizing the need to convey complex emotions and character nuances solely through sound. He explained that even short lines require significant emotional range and precise vocal control. To embody Grumpi, particularly his distinctive mouth shape, YELLOW had to physically hold his lips open for much of the recording session, a technique that left his facial muscles sore but ultimately helped him connect with the character's "slightly cunning" and "shocked when telling lies" personality, which he humorously relates to his own Gemini traits.

He's a bit cunning, and very good at telling lies with a shocked expression. I think this point is very compatible with me, I suspect he's a Gemini!

— YELLOWComparing his character Grumpi's personality to his own.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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