The Energon Pub

News Credits: 6188 · by **Va'al** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:13 am

Our friends at Madman Entertainment group were able to recently sit down and have a chat with voice actor Garry Chalk, the voice of Optimus Prime in the Unicron Trilogy and Optimus Primal in Beast Wars and Beast Machines. He talks about his early days, and how he got into the business, the difference between the two roles, the evolution of the industry and more! Check out the embedded video below.

News Credits: 22 · by **Rodimus Prime** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:04 am

I like the guy, he's hella talented, and mainly the reason (along with David Kaye) why I love Beast Wars so much, but it looks like he's letting himself go a little there... Still, I wouldn't mind meeting him at a convention sometime, haven't had the chance yet.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:20 am

I bet this interview will be included on Madman's Armada DVD set, which begs the question of why they could get this bonus feature on their DVD set while Shout! Factory couldn't (or wouldn't). :-?

Garry describes the difference between his portrayals of Primal and Prime, saying that Primal was more family-like and fatherly, able to get mad and frustrated and feel more human, while Prime was more militaristic like a military leader who does things military-like. Based on past interviews, It's no secret as to which role he enjoyed and which role he did not like much at all.

by **Nemesis Maximo** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:49 am

While I really do love that Peter Cullen is still able to perform as O.P. in so. Jch media, I really do wish they would get Gary Chalk to voice Prime in the next installment (the cartoon, that is.)

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:45 pm

Can't wait to see the ones they'll have with him for the Energon and Cybertron releases, those will be utterly amazing and hilarious to watch.

Giant Lizard? Calling it, Godzilla.

News Credits: 5 · by **welcometothedarksyde** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:47 pm

Dammit, why do all the Beast Wars voice actors have to be such cool people. Even though he doesn't know everything about the franchise he still seems to enjoy having been a part of it.

News Credits: 767 · by **Dead Metal** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:57 pm

welcometothedarksyde wrote:Dammit, why do all the Beast Wars voice actors have to be such cool people. Even though he doesn't know everything about the franchise he still seems to enjoy having been a part of it.

He does!
He also collects Optimus figures.

News Credits: 456 · by **Sabrblade** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:49 pm

Dead Metal wrote:Can't wait to see the ones they'll have with him for the Energon and Cybertron releases, those will be utterly amazing and hilarious to watch.

I'm not expecting Madman to have separate Garry Chalk interviews for all three series since this one seemed to cover Garry's TF work in a general overview manner rather than specifically covering his Armada work.

But one thing I'd like to hear from him would be an explanation for yawning performance of "Monoptimus Prime" in the Armada episode that debuted Thrust and Jetfire. What was he thinking speaking every line in that episode with zero traces of any kind of emotion? Even his worst performance in Energon looked like a masterpiece compared his performance in that episode. :BANG_HEAD:

MyFigureCollection.net collection · by **Emerje** » Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:06 pm

Man, I would love an episode, special, movie, anything that would be able to get Peter Cullen and Garry Chalk working together.

Emerje

by **BumbleDouche** » Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:33 am

I always remember spotting his live-action performance in the Watchmen movie... I wasn't looking directly at the screen at the time, but when I heard his voice I instantly turned around. A welcome surprise!