Here’s our first update on the North American voice actors for the new year. They’ve been busy, so there is lots to report!

The Kevin Spacey film Casino Jack is said to include songs in the soundtrack sung by Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Venus #2) and Cadence, an a capella group who even imitates musical instruments. Cadence was introduced to the film’s composer, Jonathan Goldsmith, by Emilie. Together they were hired to work on 25 minutes of the score for Casino Jack. They spent two long days in the studio together, learning the music on the spot, with direction from the composer and music director. Readers may recall that we have reported that David Fraser (Grandpa Hino) plays Karl Rove in the film (pictured, left; photo from IMDb). This film is now playing in select cities, check your local showtimes to see if it’s in your area.

Upcoming tour dates for Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Venus #2) include: February 25th in Montréal at l’Astral at 8 pm; February 26th in Sherbrooke, Québec at Centennial Theatre at 8pm; March 17th in Moncton, New Brunswick at Capitol Theatre at 8pm; March 22nd in Winnipeg, Manitoba at Park Theatre at 8pm; March 24th in Whitehorse, Yukon at the Yukon Arts Centre at 8pm; March 25 in St. Albert, Alberta at the Arden Theatre at 8pm; and March 27 in Vancouver, British Columbia at the Capilano Performing Arts Centre at 8pm. Please visit the theatre websites for ticket information. (Photo from Emilie-Claire’s Flickr album)

Canadian fans may be interested in catching Sidekick on YTV, an animated series about Eric Needles, the young sidekick of a superhero called Maxum Man. Although Maxum Man is mysteriously missing, Eric “lives in the superstar superhero’s fabulous mansion with Maxum Brain, the super computer, and has access to the most amazing jets, cars, lasers, gadgets and teleportation devices ever invented.” Familiar voices in the series include Tony Daniels (Jedite/Wiseman) as Maxum Brain and Ron Rubin as the villain Master XOX (pictured, left; photo from YTV). To find out more about the show, fans can check out the official Facebook page or the show information on YTV’s website, which includes pictures and videos.

Also on YTV is the recently launched Almost Naked Animals, a comedic cartoon featuring animals wearing underwear. We’ve previously mentioned that Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Venus #2) plays Bunny in the series. We’ve also recently discovered that Robert Tinkler (Rubeus) plays Howie in the series. Additional voices include Tony Daniels (Jedite/Wiseman) and Julie Lemieux (Sammy). (images from official website)

We’ve previously mentioned Vince Corazza (Allan/Tuxedo Mask #3) as being a part of Rock and Roll: The Movie. Interested fans can now watch a trailer for the film on IMDb here. We recommend that younger readers be cautious if following through to watch the trailer, as the movie includes mature themes and is described as “an off the wall, T&A, rock and roll comedy.” Vince plays Bill, a friend of the alcoholic, has-been Steve Taylor whom a young man named David is attempting to assist gain a record deal, in order to win a bet. You can first catch Vince in the trailer at about 37 seconds in, and he has another line at about 1:18. It’s unclear if this film has been released in theatres as yet, but we will let you know if we find any more details.

Tony Daniels (Jedite/Wiseman) can also be heard in The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! in three different episodes. Other familiar voices on the show include the previously reported Robert Tinkler (Rubeus) as Fish and other voices, Tracey Hoyt (Rini #1) as Sally’s Mom, and Jeff Lumby (Professor Tomoe) as Aiya and other characters. Additional cast we have noticed are Julie Lemieux (Sammy) as Bart in four episodes and Linda Ballantyne (Sailor Moon #3) as Katie and other characters (in a total of three episodes). Tony Daniels was also in an episode of Arthur in the fall, as Johnny/male announcer.

Tracey Hoyt (Rini #1) appears in Servitude as a lousy mom. The comedic Canadian film is about “A group of frustrated waiters at a kitschy steakhouse [who] take over their restaurant for one final, glorious, revenge-filled night when they discover they are all about to be fired.” (description from IMDb). This film is currently in post-production.

Robert Tinkler (Rubeus) is part of a new television series called Mudpit. He plays Slime. “This CGI animated/live-action series follows four real-world teens and their rock band, MUDPIT, as they follow their dreams of fame and fortune. The series takes place in a gaming café and a fantastic, virtual world known as MUZIKA. Their online avatar rock band personas battle for a coveted record deal, while their real life selves engage in the daily comedy and drama of teenage life.” (description from TV, eh?)

We previously reported that Tracey Moore (Sailor Moon #1) is in the cast of the Care Bears to the Rescue Movie. The movie is now available for pre-order on DVD and will be released on February 8th.

Dennis Akayama (Malachite) appeared in an episode of Being Erica entitled “Gettin’ Wiggy Wit’ It” in November, as Dr. Kotara. He will also be appearing in the upcoming Canadian film Hello October, as Oliver. this romantic comedy is currently in post-production.

Fans can now see Barney’s Version in select theatres. Harvey Atkin (Bumboo/Pox) appears in the film as the second Mrs. Panofsky’s father. A trailer is available for viewing on IMDb here. Currently the film is airing in the Toronto and Montréal areas, with an extended release to begin January 14th, across Canada. More details about the movie can be found on the official website.

Rino Romano‘s (Tuxedo Mask #1) voice was heard in an episode of CSI as Sqweegel (which was also the episode title), an episode first aired last October. The character was a serial killer who punished local heroes with hidden secrets.

Here is a promo for the episode:

Kirsten Bishop (Zoicite/Kaori Knight/Emerald) appeared in an episode of the new Nikita TV series, as Mrs. Harcourt/Irena. The episode was called “Phoenix” and a description is available on IMDb here.

As previously reported, Naz Edwards (Queen Beryl) played a tipsy (“drowsy”) grand theatre dame in Drowsy Chaperone. Her character was assigned to keep a young star away from her fiancé, so that the star doesn’t abandon her career in favour of getting married. It is described as a comedic and wacky musical, set in the 1920’s. The play ran from November 11, 2010 through January 2, 2011 at the Performance Network Theatre in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo from The Detroit News, who gave the play a “grade A” review.)

Sabrina Grdevich (Anne Granger, Sailor Pluto #1) appeared in When Love is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story, as Julia. The biography is based on the true story of the enduring but troubled love between Lois (played by Winona Ryder) and her alcoholic husband Bill (played by Barry Pepper), co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. The movie was premiered on US television April 25th and on Canadian television on May 5th.

David Huband (Serena’s Dad) now has two upcoming films for 2010 and another for 2011. We previously reported that he will be appearing in Running Mates, as Father McDonough, set to premiere later this year and in Dream House, as officer Nelson, set to premiere in 2011. Later this year he will also be appearing in a short film called Animal Control, as a vet. The film is about Larry, an eccentric amateur taxidermist whose only companions are the animals he’s stuffed. All three films are currently in post-production. We will be sure to let you know when we have information about release dates.

Rino Romano (Tuxedo Mask #1) can be heard in the upcoming Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions video game as the 3rd Spider-Man. The game will be released on September 7, 2010. He can also be heard in the film Get Him to the Greek, which is currently in theatres. The film is about a record company intern who is hired to accompany an out-of-control British rock star to a concert at L.A.’s Greek Theater (description from IMDb).

We previously reported that Harvey Atkin (Bumboo/Pox) will be appearing in Barney’s Version. A trailer for the film is now available for viewing on Youtube, but the language is a bit mature/suggestive so our younger readers may want to avoid this one. No release date yet, the trailer only says “coming soon.” Rating not yet available either.

Norma Dell’Agnese (Prisma) appeared in the premiere episode of the Canadian comedy Dan for Mayor. The show is about a slacker in his early 30s who ends up unintentionally running for mayor of his town. Fans may recognize Fred Ewanuick, who plays the protagonist, as he was previously a recurring character on another Canadian comedy show, Corner Gas.

Robert Tinkler (Rubeus) can be heard in Beyblade: Metal Fusion as the hero of the series, Gingka. Gingka and his friends take on a group known as the Dark Nebula who want to conquer the world (an extended description is available on ANN via the link above).

Toby Proctor (Tuxedo Mask #2) joined in on the Canada Day festivities in the township of Scugog, Ontario. The celebrations were hosted throughout Palmer Park and Water Street. Fish TV held a sports celebrity weigh-in in the afternoon. Toby was joined by comedian Russel Peters, actor Aaron Douglas, and Brian Skinner of the LA Clippers.

Tracey Hoyt (Rini #1) appeared in an episode of Living in Your Car as Nurse Cohen. the episode, entitled “chapter four” first aired on May 28th. Fans can catch the series on HBO Canada. Description from IMDb: The story follows Steve Unger, who was caught cooking the books and now finds himself legally forbidden from working in any position that involves “other people’s money”. Clinging desperately to the last vestige of his former self – his luxury sedan – Steve hopes to begin anew. Shunned by family and friends, under court order to teach an ethics class to other “fallen angels,” Steve now makes his home inside his luxury car. Propelled ahead by his needs and whims, trying to simultaneously help and exploit everyone he meets, Steve attempts to survive in the land of the have-nots and at the same time somehow resurrect the charmed life he once had.

Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Venus #2) will headline the 21st year of Hillebrand Jazz at the Winery alongside Denzal Sinclaire; the Richard Underhill Quintet and the Jake Wilkinson Quintet featuring Michelle Willis. Fans can see her perform on Saturday, July 10th in Niagara. Gates open at 2 pm and the concert takes place from 4 pm to 8 pm. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased online at www.hillebrand.com or by calling 1.800.582.8412 ext. 2. The annual Hillebrand Jazz at the Winery began in 1989 with the intent of bringing premier Canadian jazz talent to Niagara Wine Country and serving it up with premium wines and Wine Country cuisine. (source: CNW)

Rino Romano in Spaceballs?!

The 80’s movie Spaceballs was a parody of Star Wars. It wasn’t very popular in theaters, but gained more popularity when it was released on home video (and subsequently DVD). The movie also poked fun at tons of other Sci-Fi productions that were popular during the day. Fast forward to this year, and there is an animated series in the works. The series was due to start in June on G4 but has since been postponed with no premiere date as of this writing. In Canada though, the series airs on Super Channel. Playing the leading role of Captain Lone Starr is none other than Rino Romano (Tuxedo Mask #1). Captain Lone Starr is a combination of the personalities of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. He has a companion, a half-man, half-dog (mawg) named “Barf” (short for Barfolomew) which is a parody of Chewbacca. Fans awaiting the series can check out a trailer here!

Robert Tinkler in New Movie!

Set to premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival is Cooper’s Camera! This one is about a family’s Christmas celebration in 1985 that becomes horribly dysfunctional when an estranged uncle shows up. The story is told through the Cooper family’s youngest son Teddy’s “eyes” – aka his Christmas present, a second-hand video camera. Robert Tinkler (Rubeus) plays the supporting role of Officer Malette alongside The Daily Show‘s Samantha Bee and Canadian comedian Dave Foley. This looks hilarious from what we have read and we hope to hear more about this soon!

Jeff Lumby Featured in New Red Green Special and Book!

I’m sneaking in this quick edit this morning! Meg Ruffman is an actress who has an interesting hobby – carpentry! She has even written a few books about simple how-to projects for beginners. She is nearly finished writing a book called We’re All In This Together, a biography on Steve Smith. Last week she was featured as a Special Guest Co-host on Jeff Lumby’s (Professor Tomoe, Kakeru, Mischa) radio show, Lumby in the Morning. While she was there, she also shot an interview to be aired on The Comedy Network in October as part of We’re All In This Together: The Red Green Story a tribute to Red Green. The show definitely ranks up there with long-running Canadian TV shows and we were sad to see it go when it did. We look forward to watching this special and hopefully we’ll see a few “brilliant” moments from Jeff’s character, Winston Rothschild III of Rothschild’s Sewage and Septic Sucking Services. Picture courtesy of SOS, pointing out our favorite evil professor in court (of course, not for his monster engineering).

Robert Bockstael and David Fraser Scream Mayday!

Robert Bockstael (Prince Diamond) and David Fraser (Grandpa Hino) were both seen in the same episode of Discovery Channel’s air tragedy docudrama, Mayday. They appeared in the episode Gimli Glider, which was all about the tragedy of an Air Canada jet which was exhausted of it’s fuel supply. Robert played Captain Pearson, and David played Robert Hewett. The Captain was a lifesaver as he was able to fly this plane and land it safely as it was gliding. David also appeared in the episode Runaway Train in 2006. These episodes are more than likely to rerun since the show is on almost every day, so watch out for them on your local TV schedules!

While We’re Talking About Robert Bockstael…

Robert has a couple appearances in some big productions happening very soon! On July 1st, a movie called Time Bomb will be released straight to DVD. It’s a war-themed movie about a father named Jason, who lost his son when his SUV exploded. Now he is in Iraq, and the constant suicide bombings around him remind him of his son. An army scientist approaches him about an experimental virus that would create a squad of suicide bombers they could use against the enemy. Uncertain if he has already been infected by the virus, he must struggle to decipher which explosions are real and which are in his head. Robert has a supporting role in this movie as Black. Trailer can be seen here! Robert is also busy with his new role as a Principal in Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning, a brand new TV movie based on the beloved books by Lucy Maud Montgomery. From what we have read, this story tells of Anne’s life before she came to Green Gables. Look for this to air sometime later this year on CTV!

Tidbits:

☼ Rino Romano (Tuxedo Mask #1) has a role in a new Mel Brooks cartoon, Spaceballs: The Animated Series. No word on when it is going to air in the United States, but he will be the voice of Lone Star. The show premiered earlier this month on Canada’s Super Channel.

☼ Wendy Lyon (Queen Serenity) plays Sally Rainfield in the TV Movie Mayerthorpe. This one is based on the tragic story of four Mounties which were killed in the line of duty while stopping a drug operation. The movie aired last February on CTV.

☼ Sabrina Grdevich had a supporting role in the Lifetime Movie Matters of Life and Dating (Originally Titled “A Very Lucky Girl”). The movie about a woman’s journey to re-enter the dating scene and repair her life after a battle with breast cancer aired last October.

☼ It turns out Vince Corazza (Tuxedo Mask #3) was the class clown! Read this hilarious thread for more information!

Liza Balkan Performs New Piece in Festival!

Liza Balkan(Sailor Mercury #2), performed a new piece this weekend at Toronto’s Second Annual Lab Cab Festival. Out The Window is based on the aftermath of witnessing a death on the street. Something happened. The official description from the site reads: 6 years, two trials, a coroner’s inquest, a verdict and 100s of pages of transcripts later… questions remain. About truth. About sight. About the act of the witness. Liza is a director, actor, dancer, writer. Who saw something. She thinks. One critic enjoyed it and hailed it as one of the pieces not to miss. Liza directed the Pajama Game at the Bathurst Street Theatre, and can be seen next directing Bunnicula this Christmas. Fans can visit the official Lab Cab Myspace here!

A Rubeus’ Presence is Felt on Wayside!

Wayside is a Canadian and American production which started this summer on Teletoon and Nickelodeon. They are based on the popular series Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar. Wayside School was accidentally built sideways with one room in each of the 30 stories instead of 30 rooms in 1 story. Viewers join the new kid Todd, as he tries to make his way in a school where it’s okay to fall asleep, cows roam free, and class elections are decided by a game of… dodgeball? The series is popular among kids in both countries and we wouldn’t be mentioning this if there wasn’t a VA involved! Robert Tinkler (Rubeus) is a writer for this cartoon.

Rino Romano Has Two Narrating Gigs!

Rino Romano (Tuxedo Mask #1) is still continuing his role as the Caped Crusader on The Batman – which will begin its 5th Season any moment now! But Rino also has two roles in which he is narrating. The first is for the second season of Curious George on PBS Kids. The second season is focusing mostly on engineering concepts, like building a treehouse and plumbing, because every kid needs to know how to do these things in everyday life (pfft. who needs adults?). In March, Rino narrated The Story of the 2006 Diamond Bar Wolfpack , a documentary which followed the Jr. Midget Wolfpack Football team. In 2006, they were completely unbeaten through the season! The film was a winner in a worldwide Digital Video competition in June! Fans of Rino Romano can purchase this documentary on DVD and can watch a sneak peek here.

Charlie Bartlett Finally Has a Release Date!

Last May, we told you of high school comedy Charlie Bartlett, which features David Fraser (Grandpa Hino) as Dr. Jacob Kaufmann. We had read everywhere that the film was going to be out last month, but it wasn’t to be found. Just recently, it was announced that the film will come out on February 1st, and the movie has an official website too! Even though the release date is so far away, we can’t wait to see this movie about a teenaged boy who turns into a quasi-psychiatrist!

Spot that VA in Bakugan Battle Brawlers!

Bakugan Battle Brawlers began on Teletoon last July, and we finally got around to watching an episode ! To our surprise, a few VA’s are involved in the dub of this anime. Bakugan Battle Brawlers (or simply Bakugan in Japan) is about kids who pick up cards featuring different characters, environments, and powers. They make a game with these cards , but they do not know that these cards correspond to an alternate world called Vestoria. Soon the kids are pulled into a quest to restore balance to Vestoria! Starring in this show are: Julie Lemieux (Sammy, Peruru) as Runo, the tomboy who uses light attributes, Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Mars #2, Sailor Venus #2) as Alice, who doesn’t battle but advises the other brawlers, and Lyon Smith (Sapphire) as the masked Masquerade, who wants to help the Dark Side win over Vestoria and Earth!

And Finally…

We dug in the vault of old Sailor Moon articles and found a very old interview with Stephanie Beard that comes from the Globe & Mail – just as her career was starting to take off in 2001. Stephanie reveals a few tidbits about her aspirations and childhood in this interview! Sugar fans should give this a read, they may learn something new!

Stephanie Beard

Question: As co-host of YTV’s The Zone, what star-like demands have you made in your contract?

Answer: One big rule — I can’t work with puppets that are bigger than me. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been scared of life-size puppets like Gonzo and Miss Piggy. My other demands included normal stuff like the newest Powerpuff Girls toys, a year’s worth of ice cream and a steak sandwich.

Q: Mansbridge or Robertson?

A: Neither, actually I was thinking more along the lines of ET’s Jann Carl.

Q: You have the nickname Suga Baybee now, but what did they call you when you were a kid?

A: In my family growing up, my brother and sister called me “Chub-a-lie” ’cause I was really chubby and I made up a lot of stories. My mom called me Princess Piglet, but just Princess when we had company over.

Q: Which cartoon character, past or present, would you have liked to do?

A: I always had dreams of being in an animated movie. I was able to accomplish that goal by playing Louisa in the upcoming animated feature, The Santa Claus Brothers, a new animated holiday special based on Michael Bedard’s images (from Nelvana) that will air on YTV this December. Now, I have a mission to be the voice of Maggie, from The Simpsons, when her creators decide to let her speak!

Q: Recently you snagged a role on The Red Green Show. How are you going to handle all the testosterone on set?

A: The real question is, “How are they gonna handle me?” I may be little, but I pack a lot of power. I’m like a superhero, my superpower is my genuine smile makes the boys weak every time.

Q: Which of the dames on Survivor would you most like to mud wrestle with?

A: It would have to be Elisabeth. People always seem to compare us I think I could take her.