๐๏ธ016 | JB Blanc: 400 Voices, 30 Years & Still Rolling
Release Date: 04/30/2024
Offstage Acting
Todayโs guests are Rob and Helen Bee โ voiceover professionals, podcast hosts, and community builders behind The VO Social, a UK-wide grassroots movement thatโs changing how voice artists connect and grow. Rob and Helen talk with Todd Kramer and Jay Reum about the loneliness of the VO life and how theyโve worked to combat it โ not just with their podcast, but with real-world meetups, business services, and grassroots support. They share their journey from working VO professionals to running a creative services company tailored specifically for voice artists, helping them with tech,...
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Todayโs guest is Kenneth Jay, a seasoned Canadian actor with decades of experience across theatre, film, and television. Known for his dedication to craft and his deep respect for storytelling, Kenneth has built a career that bridges continents and philosophies. In this inspiring and laughter-filled episode, hosts Todd Kramer and Jay Reum chat with Kenneth about the unique discipline of being an understudy, the art of preparation without certainty, and why truth is always at the center of performance. Kenneth shares his journey from Ottawa to Ryerson Theatre School, his surprising connection...
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Todayโs guest is Kym Jackson โ Aussie actor, author, and co-founder of the Secret Actor Society. Kymโs journey spans continents and platforms: she launched her career onstage in Australia, made the leap to Hollywood, and hasnโt stopped working since. Youโve seen her on Criminal Minds, NCIS: LA, This Is Us, and SWAT โ or in films like Snitch, Iron Sky, and We Bury the Dead. But acting is just one facet of her creative powerhouse. In this episode, Kym opens up about navigating the business with grace and grit โ from managing self-tapes and raising a family to launching an...
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Todayโs episode is a little different โ itโs just Todd and Jay, micโd up and mood-swinging their way through one of those actor chats that starts with โIโm not feeling itโ and ends with โokay, Iโve got a little fire back.โ In this candid bonus conversation, Todd and Jay explore the ebb and flow of motivation in an actorโs life โ why it disappears, how to rediscover it, and the tools theyโve each developed to stay (or get back) on track. From inner drive to outer community, yoga hacks to time-blocking, and even the occasional black hole of self-doubt, this is a...
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Todayโs guest is the brilliant Brendan McNamara โ actor, former child star, and founder of Beach Casting, a casting agency making waves across the UK and Ireland. From appearing in films like Angelaโs Ashes and War of the Buttons to launching one of the most actor-friendly casting studios in the game, Brendan shares his uniquely personal journey through both sides of the audition table. We talk candidly about the transition from actor to casting director, the kind of performers he loves to work with, the shifting landscape of self-tapes, and why kindness and professionalism still matter....
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Todayโs guest is not only a brilliant actor, but one of the loudest, clearest voices advocating for honesty and safety in the industry. Alexa Morden is best known as the co-creator and co-host of The 98% Podcast โ a refreshingly unfiltered look at life for the vast majority of actors who donโt earn their full living from acting. Sheโs also an award-winning performer in her own right, with credits in Skins, Fresh Meat, The Great Train Robbery, and the indie feature The Colour of Spring, which earned her over 25 Best Actress awards on the festival circuit. In this episode, Alexa opens up...
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This week on Offstage Acting, Todd Kramer welcomes the brilliant Kezia Burrows โ a Welsh actor whose career spans classical theatre, television drama, and the high-stakes world of motion capture and video game performance. Born in Neath and raised in the seaside village of New Quay, Kezia trained at RADA and now voices and embodies characters in some of the most acclaimed games out there. You might know her as Amanda Ripley in Alien: Isolation, Dr. Emma Fisher in Observation, or from Cyberpunk 2077, CrossfireX, Hellblade, and more. We dive into: ๐ญ Her classical training and transition...
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This week we are celebrating our 50th episode! Hurray. Jay and I talk about where we've been where we are and were going. We catch up with Jay after his month long yoga retreat to India. My experience doing amateur dramatics. And we dive into a few other fun topics all in celebration of the good times we've had so far and the good times yet to come. So here's to the first and the next 50 episodes of the offstage acting podcast! #acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #act #actorslife
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Todayโs guest is Jason Baughan - a classically trained actor whose journey from the West End stage to directing cinematic storytelling in major video games is nothing short of epic. In this episode, Todd Kramer and Jay Reum welcome the multi-talented Jason Baughan (yes, thatโs โBaughan,โ not โBourneโ) for a spirited dive into his career evolution. Trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Jason started with a love of Shakespeare and a West End run in the Olivier-winning Sunny Afternoon, where he went from guitar player to live stage drummer in front of 900 people....
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Sometimes an actor goes through all of the training and all of the courses and pays all their dues and does very well and enjoys the education and the processโฆ and then steps out into the bright lights of the industry with all its mechanisms and professional trappings, takes a long look around and says: โMeh. You know what? I don't think this is for me. I don't love it.โ And today, Todd Kramer and Jay Reum talk to just such an actor. His name is Rob Cairns. But don't worry about good old Robโheโs landed on his feet. Rob trained at UEA and the Oxford School of Drama, dove deep into...
info_outlineTodd Kramer and Jay Reum sit down with JB Blanc โ the prolific, proficient, passionate, professional (and probably a plethora of other Pโs) actor whose career spans over 30 years across film, television, and voiceover.
JB has voiced over 400 video game characters โ yes, four hundred โ making him one of the most recognisable (and unrecognised) voices in modern entertainment. From gritty dramas to animated worlds and massive AAA game franchises, his body of work is a masterclass in range, stamina, and commitment to craft.
In this episode, the conversation moves effortlessly between voice acting, on-camera work, longevity, and the mindset required to keep evolving in an industry that never stands still. JB speaks candidly about discipline, professionalism, and what it actually takes to sustain a creative life without burning out.
Insightful, energising, and packed with real-world wisdom, this is an essential listen for actors curious about voiceover, career longevity, or simply how to keep showing up and doing the work at the highest level.
โฑ๏ธ CHAPTERS
00:00 โ Welcome & introducing JB Blanc
03:40 โ A 30-year career in acting
08:30 โ Early training and finding his footing
13:50 โ Moving between stage, screen, and voice
19:20 โ Entering the world of video games
24:50 โ Voicing hundreds of characters
30:10 โ Craft, consistency, and vocal stamina
35:40 โ Professionalism on long-running careers
41:10 โ Voice acting vs on-camera work
46:40 โ Staying curious and adaptable
52:10 โ Avoiding burnout in a high-output career
57:40 โ What younger actors misunderstand about VO
01:03:10 โ Longevity without complacency
01:08:40 โ Choosing growth over comfort
01:14:00 โ Advice for actors chasing sustainability
01:19:30 โ Final thoughts & wrap-up
๐ฌ Join the Conversation
Have you ever underestimated the discipline behind voice acting? Are you curious about building longevity across multiple lanes of the industry? Drop a comment and letโs talk range, resilience, and doing the work for the long haul.
๐ฌ SELECTED CREDITS DISCUSSED
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The Count of Monte Cristo
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Tristan & Isolde
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Garfield
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War Dogs
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Breaking Bad
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Barry
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Better Call Saul
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Over 300 video games
๐ CONNECT & FOLLOW
๐ง Podcast & more: https://offstageacting.com/podcast
๐ธ Instagram: https://instagram.com/offstageacting
โ X: https://x.com/OffstageActing
๐ Facebook: https://facebook.com/offstageacting
๐ฅ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@offstageacting
๐ Toddโs Linktree: https://linktr.ee/toddkramer
๐ Jayโs Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jayreum
#๏ธโฃ HASHTAGS
#acting #actingpodcast #actor #actors #actorslife #VoiceActing #VideoGames #WorkingActor #CareerLongevity #JBBlanc #ToddKramer #JayReum #OffstageActing