Swapped, a new Netflix animated comedy is hitting Netflix May 1st, featuring a star-studded cast. We chatted exclusively with Justina Machado, who voices Calli to talk about voice acting, her past works, and advice for aspiring actors.
Swapped follows a tiny woodland creature and a majestic bird who suddenly swap bodies after crashing into a magical plant forcing them to team up to survive the wildest adventure of their lives. Fresh off his Best Actor Oscar’s win, Michael B. Jordan voices Ollie, the brown sea otter and Juno Temple voices Ivy, a light green bird. Tracy Morgan, Cedric the Entertainment and more also star in the film.
“The creative team on Swapped was such a pleasure to work with.”
Justina Machado is a legend of her craft, and has been in the industry for over 30 years. She first rose to fame playing Vanessa Diaz in the HBO series, Six Feet Under, for which she received a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
She also starred as Penelope Alvarez in One Day at a Time, and has appeared in films including Final Destination 2, The Purge: Anarchy, and The Throwback. She most recently appeared on Broadway in the musical Real Women Have Curves.
Justina has had many voice acting roles under her belt, and so she said the most important thing she’s learned in preparing to go into the soundbooth is staying hydrated and resting your voice. She even revealed she was on Broadway while also working on Swapped and so it was so important to take care of herself to show up in the best way for both projects.
“For the soundbooth, I make sure my voice is rested, that I have some tea.”
It is also common in animated films for the cast to not even be in the soundbooth together. Justina and Michael B. Jordan met for the first time at the premiere even though their characters interacted a lot.
“Sometimes, you’re not even responding to the other actor’s voice sometimes.”
We take a walk down memory lane of one of Justina’s greatest roles in One Day at a Time. This was one of her favorite audition processes and from the moment she walked in, she said it felt like it was meant to be. She especially learned a lot from the show’s creator Gloria Calderón Kellett, who led by positivity each day on set.
“Complete happiness and joy and the approach to working that way has helped me and made me walk into situations with more of a sunny attitude.”
All of these experiences in Justina’s career have taught her to be brave, be persistent and lead with joy, and that’s her advice to all younger and aspiring actors. You may get more nos and than yeses but if you love the craft, come into each experience with confidence and remain determined.
“Everyone is rooting for you. That is why you are in the room.”
Thanks to Justina for her great advice and for chatting with Young Entertainment! Make sure to follow her on her Instagram at @justinamachado. Watch the rest of the interview to hear even more about her and her experience in the soundbooth for Swapped, and be sure to like and subscribe to our channel for the latest news in young entertainment.
Consider this:
- While a lot of auditions these days are self tapes, it is still important to make an impression in an in-person audition. When you walk into that room, everyone is rooting for you so be yourself and your uniqueness will make you stand out.
