Lesleh Donaldson
Kea Moll (Droids)
Interview: May 2019
How did you get started in the entertainment business and what got you started as a voice actor?
I started out as a child model and after doing my first commercial at 11 I just progressed from commercials to tv to movies then voice acting.
For the Droids and Ewoks series you voiced characters various characters including the heroine Kea Moll.
How did you get your parts for these series assigned?
I auditioned. To be honest I have no memory of Ewoks probably because I was one of many voices and it held no memory for me, as for Droids I replaced an actress whose voice they decided they didn’t like so they cast me and rerecorded my voice.
I played Kea Moll and like I said I have no memory of what I played in Ewoks probably various background voices; it was a paycheck sorry to be so off the cuff but I speak the truth.
What did an average day working on Droids/Ewoks look like?
I did what they asked, I guess my voice was well suited for Kea, again no memory of Ewoks. I came from a commercial voice background so not really an animated voice actor. You go into the Studio you record your voice and you leave it took no time at all. Also, I was starring in a hit play then so my mind was on that!
When you joined the Droids/Ewoks cast the Star Wars movies were the most successful movies ever. Had you seen the movies and what did you think of them?
I LOVED the first three Star Wars movies and had a huge crush on Mark Hamill so I was excited to meet Anthony Daniels. I took roles that they cast me in so there was no thinking about whether I wanted to be a part of it or not, I wanted to work.
How do you look back at the fact that you are part of the ‘Star Wars Universe’?
I don’t think I’m part of that Universe partly because it was animation and not the movie!
Besides Star Wars you done several other things like the movie Running with Michael Douglas. What do you regard as the highlight of your career?
The highlight of my career was in the 80’s when I had a career.
What would you give as an advice to someone who is reading this interview and wants to become a (voice) actor as well?
Like I said I’m not really a voice actor I got lucky because I had the right tone in my voice that producers liked back then but I would say that if you like doing character voices keep practicing and then make a tape and send it out because you never know!
What are you doing right now? Can you tell something about your current projects?
I’m currently still acting and I’ve written two scripts which are out being considered about to embark on a biopic of George Hislop a Canadian gay icon of the 70’s and 80’s.
