Disney and Pixar’s Luca splashes onto Disney+ on Friday, June 18th. Making her feature film debut is Emma Berman, who lends her voice to Giulia, a resident of Portorosso who befriends Luca and his friend Alberto and helps them achieve their dream of obtaining a Vespa. I had the pleasure of speaking with Emma about her first big movie role and why this character is so special.
(Disney/Pixar)
Alex: What was the audition process like for Luca?
Emma Berman: The addition process started in late 2019 where I just got the original audition from my agent and I worked with my acting coach, voiceover acting coach, Bettina Devin. She helps me a lot with not only the Italian words with the pronunciation, but also the intentions behind the English words too. And after that, after we sent that in to Pixar, my agent told me that they really liked my voice, they just wanted a better quality addition because I had just recorded it on the standard recording device that comes with the iPhone, just in a large room. And so then I got invited to the headquarters of my agency, where I redid the audition in their soundproof studio with their sound engineer, and so that was really fun. And after I sent that in to Pixar, they called me in for a callback and I got to go to the Pixar studios in Emeryville, and that was the best thing ever. It was so beautiful there. It's really exciting to go to the campus because it's so magical and you really feel like you're in a Pixar movie.
Alex: In what ways are you alike and unlike Giulia?
Emma Berman: I would say that I'm pretty similar to Giulia. We're both quirky and goofy and outgoing and very excited, joyful characters. But we also can sometimes be very intense and hard working and very determined. So I definitely relate to her in a lot of ways. She's also passionate about what she does and I'm passionate about what I do. And I guess in the way that we're dislike is that she's not really a scaredy cat. And I'd say that I'm scared of some things like spiders, for example. I feel like she would not be scared of spiders. She's a very, very strong character, which I guess is what I relate to the least about her. So the hardest part would be when she was screaming or when she was scared. Because like, how do you portray scared in such a fearless, strong character, which was definitely a very hard thing to try to do. So there was a lot of screaming going on in the Pixar recording room.
Alex: How much of the voice recording did you have to do at home versus at a Pixar recording studio?
Emma Berman: Most of it was done at home in my little soundproof studio booth that I had built. They just sent me some equipment and I recorded through there. But yeah, most of it was done at home. Sometimes, I don't know the exact number of each session, but I'd say that the majority was at home.
Alex: Luca and Alberto are both based on Enrico Casarosa’s childhood, but Giulia is an original character and director Enrico Casarosa put out a tweet about how you helped create the character. What was that process like?
Emma Berman: I mean, I'm just so grateful that he chose me to portray this incredible character. She's such a strong character who totally embodies what girl power's all about. And so I'm very, very grateful that I got to voice her. I knew that he related to Luca, that this was his childhood story, really. He's not a sea monster, but… So it was definitely a little bit of pressure creating this, voicing for a Disney Pixar film. That's already exciting and just so big. And then it's such a personal story for him that I wanted to make sure that I did it all right. So all the notes he ever gave me, I was like, "Okay Emma, you have to do it like this. Listen to Enrico." It was very fun.
Alex: Is it weird hearing your voice come out of an animated character that doesn't necessarily look like you?
Emma Berman: It definitely is a little weird. I mean, she doesn't look like me at all, but she still has my voice. But I can kind of see it coming out of her. Like I can see that voice coming out of her even though I know that it's my voice, which is so funny. I mean, they did an incredible job with the animation and making it very believable that she's a live character that's really talking. And so that was definitely a crazy experience. But I have seen myself as an animated character before because I voiced a small character on a show called Go! Go! Cory Carson on Netflix. I was in one episode in their latest season. And so I got to see myself as a little airplane, which was really cool, a little British airplane. And so I have seen myself in an animated version that's nothing like me. I'm nothing like an airplane. So it wasn't too weird, but it was pretty weird.
Alex: So you did a British airplane and an Italian girl who makes friends with sea monsters. Are you just a master of accents at this point?
Emma Berman: Maybe. I mean, for when I was just talking in English, I didn't have to do an Italian accent. It was just like for the words in Italian I wanted to make sure that I didn't say them with an American accent, you know? So that part was actually really fun, learning a lot about the Italian language. And then British I've just always done. I walk around my house and then just when I ask my mom for tea, I say, [using a British accent ] "Can I please have some tea?" I just always talk in funny voices and British accents and I just really love different voices.
Alex: Animators sometimes pull characteristics from the voice actor’s recording sessions. Did you see anything that Giulia does are uniquely you?
Emma Berman: I mean, when she raises her shoulders sometimes it's kind of like how I would do it because I do that naturally when I speak. Or how she moves her hands, she uses her hands a lot just like me. And she raises her eyebrows sometimes and sometimes all of a sudden I'm watching it, I'm like, "Wait, was that me?"
Alex: Laughing Place is a Disney fan site, so I’m curious to know what is your favorite Disney thing? It can be a movie, TV show, theme park, ride, or even a food.
Emma Berman: I mean, I love all things Disney. Disney is just the coolest company ever. I love all their films. But I'd have to say that my favorite is Inside Out because I love that it's based in San Francisco, which is where I was born and raised. And it's so fun to see an animated version of where I was born. And I think that's a really cool thing. And I also kind of relate to Joy because she's a cheerful person.
Alex: Do you like broccoli on your pizza?
Emma Berman: I've never tried it, but I usually do like broccoli, so I think I might.
Alex: Okay, cool. Well, congratulations again on Disney and Pixar's Luca. You did a fantastic job and the Giulia is really fun, I think a lot of kids and adults are going to be inspired and charmed by her.
Emma Berman: Oh, thank you so much.
You can see Pixar’s Luca exclusively on Disney+ beginning Friday, June 18th.