Valve's Leading Lady: Merle Dandridge
She's tough, sexy, and one smart cookie. As a leading lady, she defies stereotypes and laughs in the face of convention. Without her help, lives would be in peril. She's versatile, made up of equal parts scientist, rebel, and renegade. There's one more thing you ought to know about this remarkable woman.
Her name is Alyx Vance, and she's a video game character.
Despite its groundbreaking graphics, deft use of physics, and peerless gameplay, Half-Life® 2 wouldn't be the same mind-blowing experience if not for the talented voice work of its cast of professional thespians. I convinced Merle Dandridge, star of the stage and screen, to take a break from her insane Rent schedule to speak to the fans at Xbox.com about her role as the voice of Alyx Vance, just months before Half-Life 2 hits the Xbox® following four solid years in development.
To say that this first-person shooter is hotly anticipated is a mild understatement. Its Windows PC counterpart garnered numerous Game of the Year awards last year from scores of magazines, industry organizations, and online publications. If the final product is anywhere close to the quality we've seen in the preview build, Half-Life 2 will blow gamers away this fall. Read on to find out how this beautiful and gifted actress breathed life into Gordon Freeman's leading lady.
Actress Merle Dandridge—the voice of Alyx Vance.
Xbox.com: Hi Merle. Thanks for taking time out of your insanely busy schedule to chat with us. Tell us how you got involved doing voiceover work on Half-Life 2.
Merle Dandridge: My pleasure. I'm very proud of this game. I was in Los Angeles doing some guest spots for television and was sent out to audition for this game. After being screened by the casting directors, I was introduced to Bill Van Buren, Bill Fletcher and Marc Laidlaw. It felt as though I clicked with them almost immediately.
Xbox.com: Before you took the role in Half-Life 2 as Alyx Vance, you admittedly knew very little about video games. Are you shocked at the overwhelming response you've received from the game industry (and rabid fans) following your award-winning performance?
Dandridge: Funny you should ask. I was just on my way home from working and stopped for Chinese [food]. A kid walked in wearing a T-shirt with the Half-Life 2 logo on it. He was so excited to talk about it, assuming I was a gamer as well. It was nice to hear, first hand, someone completely unlinked to the project pitching the excellence of the game.
When the press releases first started going out concerning my involvement in the game, I admit I was surprised by the response. I truly had no idea what I had gotten into. I am just so honored to be lumped together with the true geniuses who engineered this game.
Xbox.com: The other voice actors in the game—Robert Guillaume, Louis Gossett, Jr., and Robert Culp—are all Hollywood veterans. Even though you never worked directly with them, were you intimidated knowing they were working on the same project? When you heard their voices during playback, did the scope of the project hit you, or were you always aware of what Valve was trying to accomplish?
Dandridge: I never had any pre-conceived notions about this project. Still, I had to take pause when these actors' names were thrown into the mix. Working with great actors pulls your work up as well. And ultimately I end up learning and being better. So, it was nice to have Robert Guillaume's playback to work from. He's so heartfelt. To answer your question further, I try not to think about this job in any other terms than the work that's in front of me. The work is the true reward in this scenario. Working with such great minds on such great material is an actor's dream.
Ms. Dandridge's performance won her a G4 award.
Xbox.com: What was your first impression of the game script and Alyx's dialogue in particular? Did you work closely with the writer during vocal sessions, or was it mostly a hands-off affair?
Dandridge: My first impression was that I had my work cut out for me! I had to process a completely different culture along with internalizing this complex and wonderful woman, Alyx.
Working with Marc, Bill V., and Bill F. was the best part. They paint such vivid pictures and give such succinct direction. And it doesn't hurt that they are just ridiculous fun to hang out with.
Xbox.com: With the release of Half-Life 2 on Xbox this fall, your voice will inevitably pipe forth from hundreds of thousands—if not millions—more televisions around the world. Judging from the guestbook posts on your web site, you've garnered a large amount of fans from your work on the game. Are you ready for round two? Did you imagine the game would net you a legion of adoring fans?
Dandridge: Not in a million years would it have occurred to me that this job would turn into such a huge … I don't even have a word for it. I'm very flattered that people have taken an interest in my work. I've become very attached to Alyx Vance and it means a lot [to me] that others like her as much as I do.
Xbox.com: You recently finished additional voice work for the Half-Life 2 expansion titled Half-Life® 2: Aftermath. Without revealing any plot spoilers, can you tell us a little bit about Alyx's upcoming role?
Dandridge: To be perfectly honest, I couldn't even recount it to you if I remembered any of the copy that has gone by me. To keep her fresh, I don't hold onto any of the past material. It keeps me [in the] present in my current work. If I were to look at Half-Life 2 now, it would probably all be a surprise to me.
Xbox.com: Have you played (or has anyone shown you) the fruits of your labor in Half-Life 2? If so, what did you think of the finished product? If you haven't played it yet, what's stopping you?
Dandridge: I'm still stuck in Ms. Pac Man.
Xbox.com: Let's talk about your background for a moment. Your homepage bio paints a very unique picture of your childhood. How old were you when your parents left Okinawa, Japan and settled the family in Nebraska for your father's military career? Did you travel to other exotic places as an "Army brat" or was the move sudden and permanent?
Dandridge: We spent some time in Korea as well. But i was pretty young when I got to Nebraska. So you could consider me a full-out "Cornhusker" with Asian influence.
Will there be more game roles in Merle's future?
Xbox.com: Of all your performances (stage, television, film, and video game) which role are you most proud of?
Dandridge: Aida and Alyx Vance. But, being that I did not originate the role of Aida, Alyx would have to be my number one so far. And there have been no other Alyx Vances to my knowledge.
Xbox.com: Knowing your diverse cultural background and seeing your photos, it's fair to say that you're a uniquely beautiful woman. Alyx Vance in Half-Life 2 is also easy on the eyes, perhaps the product of a multi-racial union. Did the artists at Valve consciously draw parallels between you (the person) and Alyx (the character), or was that mere coincidence?
Dandridge: I think it was coincidence. When I went to my first audition, there was a picture of her on the wall that the camera focused on as I spoke the text. I was shocked looking at her. At the very least, we look like close relatives. Growing up in homogenous Nebraska, I'm not used to seeing girls who look like me. She was originally modeled after Jamil Mullen with whom I have exchanged a few e-mails. She is a fantastic lady!
Xbox.com: As an actress, what types of themes would you like to see explored in video games?
Dandridge: Something with a redeeming theme. That's why I like this project so much. I really feel like Alyx is a good person [who is] trying to make a difference.
Xbox.com: If you could build your own game, what would it be like?
Dandridge: After visiting Valve and seeing all that went into Half-Life 2, I think I'd better stick to playing the leading lady.
Xbox.com: Do you see the lines between Hollywood and the game industry blurring over time, or is the use of professional voice talent and high caliber writers a passing fad in digital entertainment?
Dandridge: It seems as though that line is already blurring. I think artists are always looking for what's new, what's cutting edge—something inspiring or just fun to do. I don't see the public's interest in games dwindling. Supply and demand would dictate that the industry continues to grow.
Xbox.com: Have you been approached with offers to voice act in other video games? If so, give us the dirt.
Dandridge: No, no one has approached me. But I love working for Valve!
Xbox.com: Tell us about your current and upcoming stage, television, and film projects.
Dandridge: I am currently in Rent on Broadway. Although there are some wonderful possibilities for the future, nothing is signed and sealed, so I'd better keep mum about all of that.
Xbox.com: Anything you'd like to add in closing?
Dandridge: Just my gratitude for the great response and all the awards. It is such a joy to play such a fantastic character. To have her be so appreciated is just icing on the cake!
Xbox.com: Thanks much for your time.
Dandridge: Anytime!
By Bobby Stein
