The Energon Pub

News Credits: 5749 · Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:54 am

The Transformers facebook page has posted a brief Q&A with Transformers Prime's Sumalee Montano, the voice of Arcee. The session has been mirrored below for those of you without facebook access.

Chalrie Levitz asks: What was your favorite Arcee episode in season 1 and why?

Sumalee Montano: For me it’s a tie between Predatory and Crisscross. I love Crisscross because of the amazing fight and scenes between Starscream and Arcee. Both characters are at their utter best…and worst!!!

Predatory is also a favorite of mine because of the style and tone of the episode. It’s strikingly different from the others episodes, and it’s a huge turning point in Arcee’s character development. We meet her nemesis, Airachnid, and gain insight into Arcee’s vulnerabilities: her guilt over her partners’ deaths, losing those she cares about (Jack), and struggling with a desire for revenge (against Airachnid). Those are some pretty hefty character traits that, as an actor, I really enjoyed delving into.

Ryan Mulligan asks: How was it taking part in a show with such classic voice actors?

Sumalee Montano: Mind-blowingly awesome! I’m a big believer in surrounding yourself with people who inspire you. And not only is this cast insanely talented, but everyone is so nice, generous, and giving – an absolute joy to be around! It truly feels like a family, and I’m convinced I’m the luckiest girl in the world to be a part of it. Plus, we laugh together sooooo much. It’s an incredible blessing and an honor.

Amanda Butt asks: How have you adapted your approach to Arcee's voice over time? When watching the early episodes it sounds like you played a more feminine angle, whereas by later episodes she sounds more dry and sarcastic. Was that intentional? And if so, what about her character is it you respond to and use to shape her voice?

Sumalee Montano: That wasn’t intentional, but I definitely appreciate your attention to detail. When we started, I focused on Arcee’s toughness, which vocally came from a certain posture and physical stance that I used (and still use) in our recording sessions. I chose a very specific way to stand in relationship to the mic/mic stand that makes me feel my strongest and most powerful. As time went on, I was able to “fill in” my physical stance with Arcee’s history and life experiences. Living through those things in my mind affects and shapes the voice.

Abby Ryan Cluster asks: As a female VO artist, how fun/hard/interesting do you find working in what some think is a "boys’ club?"

Sumalee Montano: Being an actor is interesting, fun, and continually challenging. I love my job! I don’t really think about it as being a boys’ club. Although that kind of thinking can push you to work even harder, which can be a good thing. But I basically see myself as a “guy’s girl,” so I always appreciate an opportunity to hang with the guys.

Jordan Hobbins asks: Are you planning on buying the toys?

Sumalee Montano: YES! All the toys! They’ll be great replicas of these hopefully indelible characters. There’s also a fun coincidence related to the new Arcee toy. I was talking to a friend on the East Coast who I hadn’t spoken with for years. I didn’t know she was part of the team working on Arcee’s toy packaging, and she didn’t know that I was the voice of Arcee. When I told her, she exclaimed, “Hey, I just worked on Acree’s toy earlier today!”

I love it when you discover how Transformers touches so many people’s lives and brings us together.

Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:26 am

how come they didnt ask her if she previously knew it and what she thought of the old stuff? or if she has any of the old stuff?

News Credits: 2 · Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:41 am

Damn, she's hot... :shock:

Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:15 am

Oh my Vector Sigma! =P~

This beauty mama is the erotic voice behind Arcee? Me Grimlock are in LOVE now! Me want to be her friend, her husband, her slave... whatever, yes mistress, indeed! <3

Or like we say on new Dinobot Island also known as germany: Das ist eine heiße Mama! yummy yummy :lol:

News Credits: 2 · Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:23 am

Interestingly enough, I looked at her IMDB after reading the article and noticed that she has Transformers: Fall of Cybertron listed on her credits...yes, as Arcee. A further link tying the WFC/FOC continuity to TF Prime? Or a sign that we will get familiar TF Prime characters in FOC? Skyquake maybe? WHeeljack? Bulkhead? Airachnid? WOuld love to see what they could do to bulk up Bulkhead consideirng what they've done to Optimus.

Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:47 am

Damn she's fine !!! Forget Peter Culun, invite her to Botcon 2012 !!!

News Credits: 1 · Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:40 am

If they had a Botcon Panel with her and Tara Strong, you'd have hundreds of salivating fanboys killing each other to get in.

News Credits: 2 · Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:52 am

rpetras wrote:If they had a Botcon Panel with her and Tara Strong, you'd have hundreds of salivating fanboys killing each other to get in.

THey'd be hitting each other with their MP Convoys...and wouldn't care. Which makes me wonder...

who is the hottest Transformers female voice actor? :-?

News Credits: 462 · Wed Nov 23, 2011 1:05 pm

First-Aid wrote:Interestingly enough, I looked at her IMDB after reading the article and noticed that she has Transformers: Fall of Cybertron listed on her credits...yes, as Arcee.

Which is puzzling considering how we were just told by Matt Tieger that there are no fembots (specifically Arcee) in FoC. He said that they wanted to get Arcee in there, but could not.

Then again, this could show once again how unreliable IMDB is. I'm not saying she's not in FoC (that much we know to be possibly true), but that her voicing Arcee in FoC seems highly unlikely.

First-Aid wrote:A further link tying the WFC/FOC continuity to TF Prime? Or a sign that we will get familiar TF Prime characters in FOC? Skyquake maybe? WHeeljack? Bulkhead? Airachnid? WOuld love to see what they could do to bulk up Bulkhead consideirng what they've done to Optimus.

Arcee was already in WFC.

Wed Nov 23, 2011 6:48 pm

There was a fight between Arcee and Starscream in Crisscross? Methinks thats a mistake

Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:02 pm

She's gorgeous, man. Not to mention a great voice actor for a great character. Keep up the good work!

Thu Nov 24, 2011 7:44 am

It's always weird to see a face where the voice comes from. I really thought she'd be white. And I think her War For Cybertron Arcee voice sounds a lot like G1 Arcee (I could be mistaken, haven't seen the series in over a year).

Great voice actress, hope she'll play Arcee in Fall Of Cybertron.

And yes, she's beautiful, omg.

News Credits: 462 · Thu Nov 24, 2011 12:41 pm

noctorro wrote:It's always weird to see a face where the voice comes from. I really thought she'd be white. And I think her War For Cybertron Arcee voice sounds a lot like G1 Arcee (I could be mistaken, haven't seen the series in over a year).

She didn't play WFC Arcee. That was Kari Wahlgren.

noctorro wrote:Great voice actress, hope she'll play Arcee in Fall Of Cybertron.

Arcee is not in Fall of Cybertron. No fembot is.

News Credits: 462 · Mon Dec 19, 2011 11:42 pm

Okay, things are making sense now. Turns out Ben Yee's source on Sumalee Montano being in Fall of Cybertron was the ever-unreliable IMDB. All's well now. :roll:

Tue Dec 20, 2011 3:52 am

First-Aid wrote:who is the hottest Transformers female voice actor?

Sabrblade wrote:Kari Wahlgren.

Do I win thread?

News Credits: 462 · Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:16 am

cotss2012 wrote:
First-Aid wrote:who is the hottest Transformers female voice actor?

Sabrblade wrote:Kari Wahlgren.

Stop twisting my words. I didn't say her name in response to that question. I said her name to say who voiced Arcee in War for Cybertron.

News Credits: 2 · Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:37 am

Sabrblade wrote:
cotss2012 wrote:
First-Aid wrote:who is the hottest Transformers female voice actor?

Sabrblade wrote:Kari Wahlgren.
Stop twisting my words. I didn't say her name in response to that question. I said her name to say who voiced Arcee in War for Cybertron.

Can't argue with the results....yowza.

Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:28 pm

Sabrblade wrote:I didn't say her name in response to that question.

I know. That was the whole point. I was taking a question and an unrelated statement and demonstrating that the latter would be a perfect answer to the former, despite not being intended as such.

Are you an Aspie by any chance? Serious question, not an insult.

News Credits: 1452 · Tue Dec 20, 2011 11:55 pm

Cotss2012, Sabrblade.

I'm rocking the warn-hammer if for one more time, you guys start an argument in a thread deviating from the main topic at hand. Please keep it civil.