Todd Haberkorn is a big deal in the gaming and film world. You’ll have heard his voice-acting work in major TV series such as ‘Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight’ alongside Jack Black and Rita Ora, and he’s also well-known for his VO in video games and anime films. ‘Destiny 2: Lightfall’ has just been released, with Todd reprising his role as the voice of the Drifter. He talks about his love for this mysterious space pirate, the exciting new series he’s directing, and the endless creativity of video games.
‘Destiny 2’ has just released its latest DLC, ‘Lightfall’ – can you shed some ‘light’ on the character you play?
“This latest release continues the layered space tale we’ve been a part of for years. My character, the Drifter, floats in and around the storyline, adding colour to the picture we’re painting with this new update to the game. There are so many branches to the story that it’s hard for me to keep it all straight! But with this expansion, we’ve got new powers, a new campaign, and much more. I don’t get to sing a pirate song in this DLC like I did the last one, though!”
Do you relate to the Drifter or is he very different from you?
“I always enjoy hopping in the saddle for my favorite space pirate! After working on it for years, I’ve only just learned that the character was created with me in mind – so that’s a fun fact to know. I prefer it when characters aren’t like me so I can take on the challenge of solving the acting puzzle in my hands. I become a detective and try to fill in all the gaps of who the person I’m playing is, and then I can bring the words on the page to life. The care that the creative team gives the storyline and the Drifter’s part within it continues to surprise me, while at the same time revealing more about his long history that just helps me as an actor. You hear a lot of the Drifter in the Gambit game mode on the multiplayer side.”
Are there any TV voiceover projects that you looked to for inspiration for this video game voiceover?
“Voiceover for cartoons and for video games are similar in the fact that they’re both acting behind the mic, but the process is different. A great director and good writing are important – they give me the ingredients I need to cook my voiceover dish. And then, hopefully, players of the game like it and keep coming back for more.”
What other projects have you been working on?
“‘HiFi Rush’ came out last month and I definitely got to exercise my villain muscles on that one. Talk about a game that’s very different from ‘Destiny 2’! It’s a rhythm-based adventure game with very colourful characters and animation. At the other end of the spectrum, I’m currently directing an animated series based on a video game franchise called ‘Hello Neighbor’. We’re starting from scratch with new animation, new voices and new scripts. It’s great to see the fans of the franchise supporting this animated series, which was the first animated series to debut inside a video game – you’ve got to play it to see what I mean! There’s a really powerful team of creatives behind it, including the minds behind the ‘Ben10’ series and ‘Big Hero 6’. Two episodes are out now and we’ve got more to come!”