Adrian Hough is a veteran actor and voice performer with more than 30 years of experience in film, TV, animation and gaming, but we know him best as the voice of Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler, in X-Men: The Animated Series.
He returns as the beloved character for the revival series, X-Men ’97, whose second season finale aired today, Aug. 2. Nightcrawler is a fascinating character, not just because of his unique teleportation abilities, but because of his humanity despite the way he’s ostracized for being a mutant. Despite everything he endures, he holds on strongly to his faith while being charming, optimistic and always adventurous. It only ever takes a few episodes for him to become a fast fan favorite, and it’s obvious way.
Of course, Nightcrawler is just one of Adrian’s many, many roles. He earned a BAFTA nomination for his work portraying Haytham Kenway in Assassin’s Creed III and is far more than just a voice actor, also appearing onscreen in everything from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to Supernatural, Once Upon a Time and more. We got the chance to speak with the star about his decade-spanning career, the legacy of Nightcrawler and so much more. Read it all in our full interview below.
Sweety High: How did you first get involved with voice acting? Did you know early on that it was something you had a real knack for? How did that career evolve from there?
Adrian Hough: I was a theatre and film and TV actor for 10 years in the U.K., voice work was a huge part of my training, and initially I did not have a knack for it, I didn’t think. But worked very hard and developing my voice and speech, including practicing various dialects until I could internalize their rhythms and tone, and emotional and intellectual structure. The very first animated show I auditioned for was X-Men, or “project x’’ as it was presented to us back in the ’90s. I had done a couple of commercials as a voice actor previously and narrated medical videos. Voice has always been an important part of my work, in terms of being able to transform as much as possible for each role. If I can sound like or look like a character, then I can let that inform the emotions and behaviors of him.
(Image courtesy of Adrian Hough)
SH: Despite only being in a few episodes of the original X-Men animated series, your performance as Nightcrawler is the definitive version of that character. What has it meant to you to return to the role after all this time? Has your approach to the character changed at all since the beginning in the ’90s?
AH: Thank you for that. It has meant a lot to me to hear from people how they hear my voice when they read the comics. It really is a privilege to bring the soulful Kurt to life. 30 years later, it was not on my “bingo card” to come back but when I got the email requesting me to record the lines for an audition, it was exciting. (I had kept the voice of Nightcrawler in my back pocket for years). Returning to X-Men ’97 and the new ways the character expresses himself, from the soulful to playful to challenging, and witty, allows me to expand on the initial version, and the writing is spectacular. I am always very excited to get the new scripts for the character and the show in general. The whole team of writers and animators and directors is extraordinary. My approach is always to let the writing guide me, and to play within the script.
(Image courtesy of Marvel Animation)
Also read about: This X-Men Cartoon Is Better Than the Movies—Here’s Where to Watch
SH: What has it been like to see a new generation of viewers fall in love with your version of Nightcrawler, and the X-Men in general?
AH: In the ’90s we never got to see the responses of the viewers. I go to conventions a lot these days and there are always wonderful heartfelt stories from fans who will invariably tell us they hear our voices when they read the comics or “you were the voice of my childhood”. I find it very moving. And humbling. I am always so grateful that people feel to share that with us.
SH: What is your favorite thing about the character of Nightcrawler and getting the chance to lend him your voice?
AH: My favorite thing is his range of possible versions. One moment philosophical and heartfelt and the next playful and teasing his fellow X-Men. Then the moment after that, defending them with his superhero powers, teleportation and swordplay, including a third sword on his tale! But probably how he earnestly tries to be the best version of himself and holds to a sense of ethics or faith in something bigger than himself. And that he is not perfect.
(Image courtesy of Marvel Animation)
SH: With over 150 credits to your name, are there any roles you’re most fond of?
AH: The roles that stand out for me are ones where I have made discovery or happy accidents happen, or I feel like I “told the truth” about a character or inhabited him with a sense of empathy, even if the character is an antagonist, no one thinks of themselves as a villain. Finding my way into different characters is one of the joyful challenges of being an actor over the years, and I have been very lucky to be able to do it. Nightcrawler and Haytham Kenway from Assassin’s Creed 3 are definitely highlights. Haytham was recorded inside the Performance Capture volume, a studio where we wear tights and dots and have to imagine the world that will appear in the game, so the cut scenes were really Noah Watts and I working as in a film or theatre.
SH: What do you think are your unique talents as a voice actor? How do you feel you’ve showcased your versatility over the years?
AH: I think I try always to inhabit the characters emotionally and intellectually so even if the voice I use is different in tone, and unfamiliar to my natural one, people can hear the character more than the actor playing him. Range of accent and tone is something I have worked very hard at and continue to. Maybe my strength is that I never think I have “got” to the place I want to be, but it’s ever looking forward. Rather than back at what I have done. When people ask me what my favorite role is, I often only half joke, “the next one.”
Also read about: Lenore Zann on Returning as Rogue for X-Men ’97 and the Legacy of the Iconic Character
SH: What do you think people misunderstand most about your job?
AH: I think some people think that acting is glamorous or something you can just try, rather than a skill and craft that you can develop. In my mind, the notion of “making it” is an illusion. You can be in a hit show one moment and unemployed the next, and vice versa. There is no solid footing, but if you work very hard, and get very very lucky, it’s possible to carve out some place for yourself. I have been very lucky indeed. But I have also stuck with it when it looked hopeless to me and been mostly interested in the art of it.
(Image courtesy of Marvel Animation)
SH: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to get into your line of work?
AH: As a business, acting/voice acting is not a practical plan, if you can find the joy in acting without making it a business, then do so. There are many heartbreaks and the business is brutal to your self-esteem. I think the best message I learned was to focus on things other than whether I was working or not, for my sense of worth. But for advice, I always say, “Make yourself good, be always making yourself better. Develop your sense of taste and learn other skills.”
SH: Is there anything else fans should know?
AH: There are so many ways of creating your own projects, YouTube, all sorts of social media and theater. The best teacher is experience. But also, there are many teachers who have valuable things you can learn from. Find your people.
For even more from the cast, click HERE to read our interview with JP Karliak, the voice of Morph, on queer representation in X-Men ’97.
