What if a VA quit or died?

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

If a VA quit or died, would they be replaced? Would the character never appear again? Would the show end? What would happen?

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

They would hire a new voice for the character. Granted, it wouldn't be the same as the original VA but hey, the show must go on.

[SFyr 1,982]

Yup yup. I agree with the above. To my knowledge they just try to damage control as much as possible--some shows kinda adjust things in the show/series/whathaveyou to compensate or take a character out when they can't be used anymore... but ultimately, I think in this case they would just find the closest match they can and move forward.

 

I mean, to my knowledge, it's happened before in cartoons, right? Maybe less VAs dying, and more them quiting/getting fired.

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Regeneration...? If a character's actor dies, bring them back with a cool new look and voice actor, then act like it's a side effect of some kinda strange voodoo cutie mark magic.

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

oh took me awhile to understand what you meant by VA.....

 

 

if a VA dies they replace them.... (depending on how the directer feels and how relevant their character is)..... did you know the voice actor for Mermaid Man died a few years ago and he was replaced with someone capable of mimicking his voice.....

Edited April 29, 2015 by Snowflake Frostflame

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

Most likely the VA would be replaced with a new one.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

oh took me awhile to understand what you meant by VA.....

 

 

if a VA dies they replace them.... (depending on how the directer feels and how relevant their character is)..... did you know the voice actor for Mermaid Man died a few years ago and he was replaced with someone capable of mimicking his voice.....

Actually, the episodes that aired after his death were still the original voice. Some of them aired really late due to the hiatus to work on the new movie. In an interview, Tom Kenny said he thinks they're probably just going to retire the character.

 

Mermaid Man is a character that's able to be written out, though. I do wonder what would happen if Tom Kenny himself died. Would they get a new SpongeBob?

[Snow Frostflame 3,568]

Actually, the episodes that aired after his death were still the original voice. Some of them aired really late due to the hiatus to work on the new movie. In an interview, Tom Kenny said he thinks they're probably just going to retire the character.

shit I didn't know that..... I assumed he was replaced..... I kinda stopped paying attention to Spongebob once I realized how bad the modern episodes where.... only to look back at it when I heard Ernest died.....

 

 

Mermaid Man is a character that's able to be written out, though. I do wonder what would happen if Tom Kenny himself died. Would they get a new SpongeBob?

good question.... he plays Spongebob, Patchy, Gary, the Narrator.... and so on.... so they'd have a really hard time trying to replace him....

[The Awesome One 1,315]

They could try finding a voice actor who could provide almost the same kind of voice as the previous actor and that is not really hard.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

They could try finding a voice actor who could provide almost the same kind of voice as the previous actor and that is not really hard.

That's very hard, though. Pinkie has a one of a kind best voice ever!!!

[The Awesome One 1,315]

That's very hard, though. Pinkie has a one of a kind best voice ever!!!

 

There are plenty of talented voice actors who can more or less provide that same voice. Of course you will be able to tell that Pinkie's voice will be slightly different but it will be close enough.

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

There are plenty of talented voice actors who can more or less provide that same voice. Of course you will be able to tell that Pinkie's voice will be slightly different but it will be close enough.

"Close enough" probably wouldn't be close enough, though. It'd be distracting and not nearly as good to have a less good voice.

[Jangocoolguy 433]

As had been said, just get a new performer. It's happened a number of times over the years(even if it is quite a shock) (like how Looney Tunes fans went through a heck of an adjustment after poor Mel Blanc died).

Edited April 29, 2015 by Jangobadass

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

As had been said, just get a new performer. Happens all the time (even if it is a bit of a shock at first).

It doesn't happen that often. Most shows stick with one performer.

[RarityFan01 2,444]

It would really suck if Tabitha St Germain died considering she does a lot of voices. (Granny Smith, Princess Luna/Nightmare Moon, Photo Finish, Gravy Boat, Mrs. Cake, Pound Cake, Philomena, Suri Polomare, etc.) 

 

It would suck if any VA died honestly. (No, I'm not choose Tabitha St. Germain because she voices my favorite pony... and favorite princess... I chose her because she does a lot of voices.) 

 

I'm sure they can find replacements, but it just won't be the same. 

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

It's highly likely they would pass onto a replacement. The vast talents of Vancouver voice actors never cease to amaze me. Though every VA's natural note is unique and distinctive, the VAs can do impressions of each other that are virtually indistinguishable from the genuine article. Examples on this show are the times Shannon Chan-Kent and Andrea Libman have substituted each other, as with Rebecca Shoichet and Tara Strong. In addition, I would also give a shout out to Tabitha St. Germain for replicating a very Andrea Libman-like voice for the spa pony in "Castle Sweet Castle". I was convinced it was actually Libman that did it until I saw the credits.

[Pastel 7,630]

I'm sure they'd replace them with someone else, even if it's a mane 6 voice actor.

However, if the show became more famous and lasted longer (like The Simpsons), they might not do it.

[raykv423 1,689]

Since this is MLP, I would say recasting might help. Sure, it might not be the same but it would sound close enough like the previous VA.

 

Keep in mind that in some shows, when the actor died, the character the previously mentioned actor played would be also be killed off/dies, kinda like when Luke Perry died, his character (Fred Andrews) he played on "Riverdale" would later died. Sadly this goes to same for movies/TV franchises and animated shows and movies. 

 

As for the case of MLP, I would say recasting might be better option because the entire MLP franchise is so beloved and popular and because if Tara Strong died, and Twilight Sparkle would be written out by having her died, it would be way too depressing to have a MLP character, especially if it's one of the Mane 6, dying. So yeah, I prefer recasting. It won't be the same but the show would go on. 

[ZiggWheelsManning 10,866]

There's a lot of reason to worry about Marge Simpson's VA Julie Kavner, who's consequentially the oldest VA on The Simpsons.  If Kavner's no longer around, the show would be retitled The Simpsons, But Marge is Dead  Use computer technology of the recorded voicework from classic episodes to make it sound like what the character used to be at his or her vocal peak.  That was a missed opportunity for the CMCs voices in the later seasons.