ISRAEL

- How did you get your first dubbing role?

I was in my early 20's. Shafrira Zakai, the Israeli legend - Disney dubbing translator and director (who just recently celebrated her 87th bday :)  was looking for the voice for Snow White. She couldn't find the matching voice. She asked around and a very famous musician told her about this young singer (me) who, to his opinion, can do the job. She called me and we set a date for my audition.
Two days before my audition I became very ill and was hospitalized. I remember saying to myself : "Oh my God, I blew my big chance with Disney! They will never call me again because they will think I'm not a serious artist, cancelling like that..." It turned out I had the typhus! It was very hard to diagnose and I was in a very serious and dangerous condition...

So many professors and doctors where trying to find out what the problem was. No one thought of the typhus! Who gets the typhus in our day and age? Finally I was diagnosed and treated with antibiotics and recovered. While I was sick, Shafrira auditioned others and Orit Yaron (אורית ירון) got the part of Snow White. She recorded it - acting and singing. Disney studios got the result and told Shafrira that the singing voice was not the voice they were looking for, did not sound close enough to the original English version from the 1930's, not operatic "belcanto" enough. Shafrira was upset because she had already spent a lot of time, work and money on the recordings. Disney studios insisted that she had to find a more fitting singing voice for Snow White. To my surprise, she called me again and asked me to come and audition for the singing voice only - she did not want to record the speaking voice all over again. I auditioned. She sent the recording to Disney studios and their answer was: "bingo!".

- Were you already an actress at that time?

Yes I was. I acted and played the piano since I was a child. I started singing much later.

- What are your memories of dubbing Snow White, the one who started it all?

I remember being surprised by the compliments I got from Shafrira and the Disney representatives who came to visit. I did not understand why they were so excited!

- You also dubbed Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty", and Anastasia from the movie of the same name. Was the approach different to dub such classical characters like Snow White and Aurora compared to more modern Princesses such as Anastasia?

Of course. I got the role of Aurora, right after I recorded Snow White. Disney studios asked for me. Singing these roles - I had to imitate that old style of singing. Anastasia is very different - character wise and singing wise. By the way, I auditioned separately for the singing voice and the speaking voice for Anastasia and happily got them both.

- Why didn't you come back as Aurora in "Ralph Breaks the Internet" in 2018?

Sorry, never heard of this movie... Have no idea (Shafrira has retired years ago).

- In 1998, you took part in the dubbing of The Prince of Egypt as Miriam, an important movie about the stories of Jews, how did you feel about that and was it important for you to be part of it? Did you meet the legend Ofra Haza?

I knew Ofra Haza well. We worked together in a few shows including the musical "Rumpelstilskin". I did not see her at the recording studio when we recorded "The Prince of Egypt".
I remember that it was funny for me playing Dudu Fisher's sister (he played Moses) since I knew him well and was performing with him at that time.

- Do you know the reason why neither Shlomit Aharon (Ariel's voice in the first film) nor Rama Messinger (Ariel's voice in the second film) returned as Ariel in "Ariel's Beginning", and how did you get the role?

Shlomit Aharon is a famous Israeli singer. She was a celebrity in the 80's and was chosen for Ariel's voice (this was dubbed here before I even started dubbing, nor Rama, it was before Snow White). She is not an actor/voice actor. In the early 90's there was a very successful TV series "Adventures of the Little Mermaid" ("Ariel" is called "Marina" there). I was Marina's voice and also sang the opening song of this series. All the kids recognized my voice as the Little Mermaid's voice from this very popular TV series. I did not audition for "The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea" (probably because I was in another Disney project, or had just finished one). I was invited to audition for "The Little Mermaid 3" and got the part. (I have no idea if Rama auditioned for it or not).

- 2010 was your first time dubbing a villain: Mother Gothel in "Tangled", how was it different from your "Princess's work"? Did you enjoy dubbing the villain?

This is my personal favorite role. No compare. So much more fun, using maturity, acting skills, humor, and letting myself go wild!!! Fun fun fun!!! When I was younger I always got those "delicate" Princess roles, because of my voice and looks and was frustrated that no one knows that I can be more that that! Mother Gothel saved me!!!

- Did you audition for roles you didn't get eventually?

Yes of course. But I don't remember which. Probably not those classics from the 90's.

- What are you doing nowadays? Do you still do dubbings?

Oh yes!!! A lot! I recently did the voice of Poly the parrot/narrator from "Dr. Dolittle" (2020) (voiced by Emma Thompson). I also recently did the voice for Michellee from "Green Eggs and Ham" (2019) on Netflix (voiced by Dianne Keaton); also for Netflix, the voice of the leading role in "The Main Event" (2020) (played by Tichina Arnold); Netflix - the voice of the lunatic mother in "The Willoughbys" (2020) ; "Frozen 2" (2019) - Yelena; "Spiderman" (2018) - Morales; "Missing Link" (2019) - Yeti Elder (voiced by Emma Thompson).
Interesting anecdote - I have dubbed lately 3 roles which were originally dubbed by Emma Thompson ("Brave" - Queen Elinor, "Missing Link" - Elder Yeti, "Dr. Dolittle" - Poly).

Interview by Agust Ingi Aðalheiðarson
April 23, 2020