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.)

The Red Green Show: The Infantile Years – Seasons 1991-1993 is now available on DVD. The Canadian comedy show includes Jeff Lumby (Professor Tomoe) as Winston Rothschild, III.

Alison Sealy-Smith (Amphibia) appears in an episode of Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures as Nurse Lydia. The episode is entitled “How to Get Ahead in Medical School.” Here’s a description of the episode, from IMDb: “As Ming gets ready to proceed with her plans for artificial insemination, her husband Chen is stressed and fantasizing about street races and infidelity. The sperm donor, Fitz, their medical school classmate and Ming’s former boyfriend, is considering reinstatement at the hospital which stirs up a lot of unresolved issues. His return would also create more tension between the trio since he wouldn’t be an absentee donor after all, but working alongside the couple every day.”

Sabrina Grdevich appeared in an episode of Cra$h & Burn called “Bond Blame Baptize” as Nicole Asher. The episode debuted on February 4th. We’ve already seen Katie Griffin on this show too. Maybe more of the voice actors we know from Sailor Moon will appear later? Full episodes are available for viewing on the Showcase website here.

David Huband (Serena’s Dad) is playing officer Nelson in an upcoming film called Dream House. The thriller is about a family who moves into a house that seems wonderful at first, until they learn of a brutal crime committed against the former residents. Currently filming in Oakville, Newmarket, and Toronto in southern Ontario, Canada; the film is expected to be released in 2011.

Harvey Atkin (Bumboo, Pox) played Rabbi Goldstein in an episode of 18 to Life, a Canadian comedy about neighbours with opposing viewpoints who become family when their teenage kids get married. Filmed in Montreal, the series started airing in January. The episode featuring Harvey Atkin was aired February 8th. Episodes are available online via the CBC website.

Emilie-Claire Barlow (Sailor Venus #2) has been commenting on her recent Juno nomination. From The Globe and Mail: “I think the only way to get any perspective on that is to travel outside the country. Travelling in Asia and Europe, [people say that] there’s something going on with Canadian musicians, especially female jazz singers. When I do travel overseas, people say there’s such a talent pool of Canadian female jazz singers.” And from Exclaim News: “It’s nice to be invited to the party and this means another round of publicity. I’m up against Diana Krall though,” she laughs.

Vince Corazza (Allan/Tuxedo Mask #2) is spotted voicing Caesar in the White Knight Chronicles PS3 video game, currently out right now. The fantasy role playing game begins in the kingdom of Balandor, where a princess’ coming-of-age banquet is raided by an evil organization called Magi. A boy called Leonard grabs the princess’ hand and leads her to safety in the castle cellars, where he finds a suit of armor that transforms him into the White Knight – an ancient warrior with the strength to defeat Magi’s forces (description from Wikipedia). Thanks to Freddie Jay Francis for the tip!

Here’s part two of the latest North American voice actor update. This part covers upcoming projects. We’ll be sure to keep you updated when we have dates for these projects! (if you missed part one, you can read it here)

Stephanie Beard (Rini #2) will be appearing in two upcoming movies. The first, A True Story. Based on Things That Never Actually Happened…And Some That Did, is about two friends who own nothing and share everything, including a screen play. The second, Not Quite College, is about three guys in their fourth year of junior college. Both films are currently in post-production. You can find out more about these films at the Facebook group for 1st Team Entertainment.

Vince Corazza (Alan/Tuxedo Mask #2) will be appearing in Rock and Roll: The Movie, coming to theatres in 2010. The film is currently in post-production. From IMDb: the movie “follows fresh out of college guy David who moves to LA only to wind up in a bet with his teenage rock star agent idol, William Smythe over his cherished ’59 T-Bird. To keep his car, David must convince a now washed-up rocker to return to the Rock and Roll spotlight for good.”

David Fraser (Grandpa Hino) plays Karl Rove in the upcoming Casino Jack, coming to theatres in 2010. The thriller stars Kevin Spacey and is about what happens when the schemes of a Washington DC lobbyist and his protégé lead to corruption and murder.

David Huband (Serena’s Dad) will be appearing in Running Mates, a movie about two best friends running against each other for mayor in their home town, in 2010.

Toby Proctor (Tuxedo Mask #1) will be appearing in US television series The Bridge which is slated to air in the middle of the 2009-2010 season. It’s a police drama about a street cop who is tired of the political motivations in the police department and becomes the head of the police union. You can see the trailer here. We will be sure to let you know when we have more information about the premiere date!

Maria Vacratsis (Negaforce) will be appearing in the upcoming film Saturday, which is currently in post-production. Description from IMDb: “An unassuming cab driver refusing to visit his dying father becomes involved at the critical moments in the lives of two of his fares in the course of one night.”

Hey everyone: with Operation Moonrise in full swing, it is really important that you continue to support your favorite Sailor Moon voices – especially since so many of them were favored over stars from FUNImation! Here comes part 1 of a multi-part post!

Stephanie Morgenstern’s Flashpoint Smashes Through TV Screens Again!

Stephanie Morgenstern’s (Sailor Venus #1) Flashpoint has returned in the Great White North this fall (but we’re still eagerly anticipating a return on America’s CBS). Canadians can catch new episodes on CTV Friday nights – check your local listings. Our sister blog We Got The Solution has many more details about the show but we look forward to seeing possible appearances by her this season! Last week’s episode explored something that changes the flow of the SRU for the rest of the season. If you haven’t seen it yet, the episode is on iTunes! Flashpoint: Season 1 also hits DVD in the US on October 13th, and DVD and Blu Ray in Canada on the same day! We’ve been following this before it even came to the airwaves and we’re still astounded that the show is in it’s third season! And it dominated on Friday night .

And we’ve learned something new about Ice Planet. And IcePlanet.TV had posted a strange cryptic message about the future of Ice Planet, which seems to be taking forever to get off the ground. The post is gone now (site was just relaunched today), however it told a strange story of a company that had some strange financial woes and was then hit by the ultimate blow, the recession. IPTV still claims the show will be in production this year, but then again, we wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t. No word officially if Stephanie is still slated to play Cathy Trager in the show or not.

Naz Edwards and Liza Balkan On Stage!

Naz Edwards (Queen Beryl) will be appearing very soon on the Jewish Ensemble Theater stage in West Bloomfield, Michigan! She will be playing the best friend to Amy Kaplan (played by Sarab Kamoo) in the JET’s production of Kitty Dubin’s The Blank Page. This performance runs through mid-October to the beginning of November and is also the world premiere! The JET released the plot synopsis : “With the deadline for her second novel looming, a creative writing professor is mired in self-doubt while work, family and a gifted new student threaten to drag her under. As she struggles to finish the novel, conflicts erupt with her husband, her best friend and her oh-so-talented student.” For our Michigan readers who want more information, click here! Naz also performed in the Performance Network’s Decade of Dreams Cabaret!

And not too far from Detroit, in Kingston, Ontario, Liza Balkan (Sailor Mercury #2) is also on stage! She is appearing from now until October 10th in Theater Kingston’s season opener, Forms of Devotion. This play is based on the Governor General’s Award-winning book of the same name, by Diane Schoemperlen. Even though the stories are set in the present day, they are based on wood carvings from the 18th and 19th century. This adaptation features many shorts on emotions and relationships alternated with short episodes about daily life. Liza plays the leading female, Mary.

Jill Frappier Appears On Camera Again After A Long Time!

It has been 9 years since we’ve seen Luna on camera! Jill Frappier had a few lines’ worth of appearance on Canada’s Comedy Network’s The Jon Dore Show – but it was worth it to see her on camera again! As soon as we heard her voice, we instantly recognized her! She played a grief stricken woman who told an inconsiderate Jon Dore that for years she told an old man to go see a doctor about his health problems. And ironically enough, Jon Dore spent nearly the entire episode avoiding the same thing! We know that Jill is busy teaching at her very successful drama school for kids, Dragontrails Drama, but once in a while it’s nice to see her on TV (we will see more soon, right?)

Spot Vince in Entourage!

Vince Corazza (Tuxedo Mask #3) had an appearance a few episodes in this season of HBO’s Entourage, but we couldn’t spot him. We watched the episode twice, and we think he might be spotted somewhere in the boardroom during the first meeting of the episode, but we’re not entirely sure. He is credited though! He appeared in the episode No More Drama , which was about a thief who broke into Vincent’s house and stole of all things, his underwear. This caused all sorts of paranoia between Vincent and Johnny. The episode is probably available on HBO and HBO Canada On Demand, or will probably be re-run again in the future!

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!