Dear reader,
Whether you consider yourself an occasional visitor to the world of television or a devoted fan of the greatest animated masterpieces ever created, we at ABF Globalab have no doubt about one thing: you have certainly heard the voice of the guest of this interview dozens, if not hundreds, of times.
If your childhood, your youth, or even your present day has been shaped and colored by fantastic stories and unforgettable adventures such as One Piece and Naruto, then right now your mind is probably recalling the names of the most iconic Italian voice actors. Among them, the name of our guest will sound incredibly familiar, because you already know that behind the voices of many of your favorite female characters stands a single person: Emanuela Pacotto.
Her artistic passport is woven with the names, voices, and adventures of some of the most beloved animated characters of all time: Bulma from Dragon Ball, Barbie, Sakura from Naruto, Nami from One Piece, Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony, Jessie from Pokémon, and many more. Hers is the voice that, episode after episode, taught us perseverance, determination, friendship, hope, and emotional depth, while also bringing that sense of lightheartedness and carefree joy that we now nostalgically miss. It is the voice that preserves the emotional tone of some of our most cherished memories—scenes, values, heroes, and dialogues that we will never forget and that literally brought entire shades of our generation’s personality to life through a daily coexistence with this extraordinary empire of imagination.
Who better than her to tell us about the world of voice acting? We at ABF Globalab had the pleasure of interviewing her.
I find voice acting very similar to the art that made this foundation possible—music—because I believe they share a fundamental element: the ability to move people purely through the nuances of sound, to convey emotions through the voice. Many young people hesitate to express their ideas because they feel it is never enough, that one individual cannot make a difference, that every action is just a drop in the ocean when faced with complex global challenges. As someone who works with her voice, how do you think we can symbolically encourage young people to make their voices heard again and understand that they can truly make a difference?
I remember once hearing the phrase, “Actors are born, not made,” and I believe there is a great deal of truth in it. People are naturally drawn toward artistic fields because they possess a gift, a talent, a predisposition, a calling. And everyone is special in their own way—there is no one who lacks uniqueness in this sense. Artistic sensitivity exists even within professions that are not usually associated with the arts; the important thing is finding your own path.
To make your voice heard, preparation is essential. In my case, I trained as an actress at the Academy of Dramatic Arts of Milan before later becoming a voice actress. Apprenticeship and experience are incredibly important, although nowadays that phase has somewhat diminished.
Everything begins with sensitivity, empathy, and an inclination toward a specific discipline, but study and technique remain fundamental if you want to use your instrument—in my case, my voice—to its fullest potential.
Speaking of this, one thing that changed my life was approaching the world of singing. Singing has always been a passion of mine. As a child, I was part of a children’s choir that recorded theme songs for some of the most famous television programs of the time. Over the years, I continued to cultivate this passion, partly to deepen my awareness of my voice—my professional instrument—even when many colleagues wondered why I devoted so much attention to it.
Another great passion of mine is dance. In fact, I once auditioned for a musical. I was never a professional dancer, but that experience enriched my life and broadened my perspective, helping shape my personality.
That brings me to another crucial aspect of making your voice heard: living. Study is fundamental, but the greatest academy is life itself. Gaining experiences and living sincerely—embracing every emotion, from the happiest to the most painful—helps shape us as human beings. Even in the recording booth, you can convey a more authentic emotion if you have actually lived it.
The characters I voice today carry a different intensity than they did in the early episodes. My tone may be the same, but the emotional depth has grown—not only because of experience and years of practice, but above all because of my personal journey.
We should learn to approach every event and every person we encounter as a new opportunity. The first steps toward making your voice heard—whether in the arts or elsewhere—are to keep learning, keep studying, never settle, never believe you have arrived, and maintain the same curiosity that inspired your beginnings.
The third aspect is refusing to believe that individual actions cannot create significant change. We shape our future through our choices. If we start doing good, even through small gestures—being kind to friends or colleagues, for example—we inspire others to do the same, and every great change begins with everyday actions.
To summarize, the answer is simple: study, live, and above all, be yourself. It is by striving to be good people every day that we change the world.
Voice acting is an art that lives in the shadows. You provide the voice, the emotion, the soul, and then step aside so the character can shine. In an era dominated by appearance, visibility, recognition, and the search for approval, is there still something precious and countercultural in voluntarily disappearing behind someone else?
To work as a voice actor, you inevitably need a strong personality. Yet at the same time, you must place your talent and character at the service of someone else’s artistic vision. In other words, you must know how to disappear so the character can appear.
I believe this teaches one of the greatest virtues we can cultivate today: humility.
The more competent and passionate a person truly is about their work, the less they feel the compulsive need to place themselves at the center of attention.
In a historical moment where appearance often seems to take priority over everything else, I am happy—and I encourage you to be happy—to go against the current. What truly resonates, what genuinely moves people, is humanity and simplicity, even more than career achievements or the display of success.
The illness of modern times is precisely this obsession with appearing perfect. Yet beneath that polished surface, there is often very little substance.
Relying solely on beauty or outward appearance is pointless because there will always be someone more beautiful than us. I believe we will soon return to appreciating imperfections. In a world increasingly filled with identical standards and stereotypes, people will value those who remain authentic and natural.
I am also convinced that the people who have truly been great in life were not those who lived through appearances or perfection. They were individuals who faced difficulties and suffering, people whose lives were often complicated, but who managed to give new, constructive meaning to their pain.
Behind every dubbing performance there is an original actor, character, or animator who has already made interpretative choices. How do you find the balance between remaining faithful to their performance and bringing something of your own? Has there ever been a character where you felt a particular tension between these two poles?
For voice actors, this process is quite natural. The real challenge often lies in the pace of the work and in being able to capture as many emotional nuances as possible while dubbing a scene, so that you can transmit precisely that feeling to the audience.
Animation offers more artistic freedom than live-action films because there are no real facial expressions or physical features to match exactly. Cartoons leave more room for creativity.
Paradoxically, however, one of the most important skills in animation is being able to portray an extremely eccentric character as if they were a real person. The goal is to avoid making them feel overly caricatured and instead present them as genuine and believable.
Of course, some characters are more demanding than others—especially those who speak very quickly. But once you enter the recording booth, you have to forget about the script stand, the microphones, the sound engineer, and everything else around you. The character has to carry you away.
At that point, you no longer even realize you are acting. For those moments, you become the character. You even begin to imitate their gestures.
You spend your life lending your voice to others, immersing yourself in personalities that can be radically different from one another. When you are at home, in silence, how would you describe Emanuela’s true inner voice? Do fragments of the characters you have portrayed ever find their way into your everyday relationships?
I absolutely love performing on stage, but outside of work I have to admit that I do not bring my characters home with me. If anything, the opposite is true: there is a great deal of Emanuela in every character I portray.
Whenever you have to give voice to certain emotions, you inevitably draw from your own memories, experiences, and feelings.
I am someone who loves talking and exchanging ideas, yet when I am at home I often choose silence. It is a noisy silence because it is still filled with thoughts, but I believe it is important to learn how to embrace silence as well, especially in an era filled with constant noise.
A fundamental part of my true voice is my love of travel. I love understanding, discovering, learning new things, and encountering landscapes I have never seen before.
I also enjoy sharing on social media the way I see the world. It allows me to bring others along on my journey, to show them places they may never visit, and above all to present those experiences through my perspective—to explain what moved me the most.
That is how I would describe my true voice: Emanuela’s voice.
Today, some people argue that artificial intelligence may eventually perform artistic tasks, including voice acting. How can we help people understand that it is precisely the warmth of the human voice that gives characters their soul and makes us grow attached to them? What human imperfection or flaw do you think no machine will ever be able to replicate?
I cannot imagine the complete disappearance of my profession, but it is certainly a major challenge.
The important thing is not to do what we do with the goal of being as perfect as possible, but rather with the goal of being as human as possible.
We need to understand what makes us human and defend our humanity. That inevitably means defending our insecurities, our imperfections, and our vulnerabilities.
In today’s world, it often feels as though we are all expected to be superheroes. In reality, what may truly make us emotionally invincible is our fragility—and above all our acceptance of it.
Accepting vulnerability is a profoundly revolutionary act, one that requires enormous courage and strength.
Those who claim to have no insecurities are often far more fragile than those who openly acknowledge them and learn to live alongside their doubts while pursuing their dreams.
I have tremendous faith in young people because the future belongs to you.
Whenever I attend events, I often see a genuine light in young people’s eyes. They tell me things like, “I grew up with you,” or “Your character gave me strength during a difficult period of my life.”
I try to approach my work with passion and sincerity, always seeking emotional honesty in the recording booth. I have truly cried and laughed with my characters. I never imagined that those emotions would reach audiences so deeply, yet I have realized that they do.
That is why my job is not simply about dubbing a character.
It is not just a profession—it is a profession through which we can move people emotionally.
Each of us can find our most human side through what we do, and in doing so, make a difference.
Interview Credits
- First question by Diletta Maglioccola
- Second question by Miriana Alfieri
- Third question by Marco Giaimi
- Fourth question by Rosilda Gjana
- Fifth question by Rosilda Gjana and Diletta Maglioccola
Interview conducted by Diletta Maglioccola
