Interview with Edda Heiðrún Backman

ICELAND

- How did you get the role of Jasmine, back in 1993?

I was contacted by the studio owner to audition for the part, I think we where 5 women that tried out and I got it.

- One year later, you dubbed Thumbelina. How did it go?

I found the movie to be very boring, and I did not really like the dubbing either, but I did my best.

- In 1996, you dubbed Esmeralda in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", how was the experience?

I really loved it, it was my favorite dubbing role. The song that she sings in the church ( God Help the Outcasts, ed ) was so wonderful, it is the most beautiful Disney song I have ever heard and sung :D

- What was your last big dubbing role?

It was in 2004, in the film "Shrek 2", playing the Fairy Godmother. I have never had as much fun dubbing then as that character, playing the villain was so great for once. I also loved singing the song "I Need A Hero".

- What was your favourite role to dub?

Well my favorite is Esmeralda, but I also really loved to dub Daisy Duck. I always spoke in a very high and strange way when I dubbed her, and I found it really fun.

- Any special memories from your dubbing days?

Yes, I remember that in the 1990s I was dubbing the TV show "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends" for a TV station. It was an unofficial dubbing and we were on a very low budget so I was dubbing all the characters. Then, in the 4th or 5th episode, a 80 years-old man came on the show and they wanted me to dub him as well. I said that they must be insane to want me to dub him as well, so I draw the line there. But they got Róbert Arnfinnsson (The singing voice of Archdeacon in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, ed) to do it and it workd very well.