Based on the spinoff team up comic book series Super Sons, which first debuted in the Rebirth era back in 2017, Warner Bros. Animation’s first-ever all-CG animated, feature-length film centres on the partnership of Jonathan Kent (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) and Damien Wayne (voiced by Jack Griffo).
In the 49th instalment in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies, 11-year-old Jonathan Kent discovers he has superpowers, just as the World’s superheroes are under attack by a malevolent alien force. Jonathan has to join forces with assassin-turned-Boy-Wonder Damian Wayne in order to to rescue their fathers (Superman & Batman) and save their planet.
To celebrate the film’s release, we had the opportunity to sit down with legendary voice actor Laura Bailey – who voices DC’s Lois Lane – to discuss her own take on the character, the brilliant CG animation, and the wonderful Kent family dynamic.
Nicola Austin: Hi Laura! How you doing after New York Comic Con?
Laura Bailey: Oh, I’m recovering – it’s been wonderful. You know, I think that was one of the times I’ve been around that many crowds since since the pandemic, so yeah, it’s a recovery mentally.
NA: And it was the first time you met the two Super Sons, right? Your actual son in the film!
LB: Yeah, yeah, the first time I met my son! They were so glad we got to hang out with them.
NA: So, what was it like when you first got the call to say you’re playing Lois Lane and Travis is voicing Superman? Were you like, oh no I play d&d with him all the time and now I can’t get rid of him!
LB: Oh, no, I live with him, I can’t get rid of him! (Laughs) No, we were so excited. There were pours of champagne had in celebration. Yeah, we’re huge fans, so to be able to play these roles, even better to get to play them together was phenomenal.
NA: So stepping into the shoes of such a beloved character, were there any little flourishes you added to put your own stamp on her? I noticed at one point there was this funny little snot you sort of added when she laughed at one point.
LB: Yeah, I can’t remember – I think that might have just come out and then they kept it! I love that Lois in this had so much, it felt so much like my personality, just in the writing already. So it was very easy to slip into the character.
NA: And Jeremy Adams written such a beautiful Kent family dynamic. Did you draw any inspirations to help develop this further at all?
LB: You know, I have a four year old son now and this is one of the first roles I’ve gotten to be a mom since having him. Yeah, it was really wonderful. It’s funny because I’ve played moms in the past and I thought I got it. I thought I understood it. And now being Lois in this part of my life, i’s a completely different approach. I think Jeremy really just nailed that relationship.
NA: Definitely. What were some of the best parts you most enjoyed when you first read the script? Because I really enjoyed the bit with the water bottle and the hairspray. And when Jonathan was sort of counting down to lowest remembering her bag, I just thought they were a really great touch.
LB: I love that she’s so capable and she’s strong and intelligent and she’s still just like a hectic mess in her own house. Because it’s so honest, it’s so much my life.
I think some of my favourite moments – I don’t want to be too spoilery – but some of my favourite moments happen later on in the film in her interactions with Starro because you get to see this like edgy side of Lois which I don’t think we’ve seen very much. Especially in this like happy like, friendly family vibe. She got to do some really fun things that as we were recording it I was like, oh do I really get to say this!
NA: And there’s a wonderful moment where Lois says to Clark, I think we did good. Are these lines all scripted? Or did you get to improvise anything at all?
LB: That one was scripted, but it felt so real to say it and that moment was one of my favourite in the film just to see that moment between the two – so wonderful.
NA: Definitely. And I love the fact that even though Clark is like one of the strongest superheroes ever, Louis can still sort of tell him what to do!
LB: Right? She’s the only person in the world who can tell Superman what to do! Yeah, I just love their relationship so much. There’s so much history there and to get to see it in this modern take.
NA: Definitely. You’ve worked voicing a multitude of characters in anime and animation. When you finally saw the film, what did you think about the visually distinctive animation style used?
LB: I was blown away. I saw it in a bit as we were starting to record just you know, pickups to ADR earlier this year, and yeah, I was so excited to get to see this animation style coming from WB. And it worked so well.
NA: And there’s this section where Superman and Jonathan are flying around and the just the sky is just so beautiful. And it’s so so well done.
LB: Yeah, I think because of the 3d element, they were able to do these epic shots, and these huge panoramas. And it created a mood for the film that that wouldn’t have been accessible in any other style of animation.
NA: Definitely. So obviously, Travis and Troy clearly know each other and they have such a fun dynamic as Superman and Batman in this film. Would you say your team Superman or team Batman?
LB: It has to be team Superman or I’ll be sleeping on the couch if I said anything different!
NA: So in this film there’s such a great villain but is there anyone else you’d like to face off against in this DC universal?
LB: Oh, wow. Oh, wow. I guess Oh, man. I’d love to see, I’m a fan of the Scarecrow. I think that would be great to show in future storylines to see you know, Damien and Batman more in depth and and get to that element. But obviously, I still want to be Lois, so involve her in the story, please!
NA: Of course! So who would you say your Lois Lane is? Mine growing up was Teri Hatcher in Lois and Clark, but it was there anyone in particularly you sort of drew from at all?
LB: I mean, well, my first, my first Lois was Margot Kidder. And, you know, she’s so phenomenal. But yes Teri! And you’re one of the few people that have said that as well. I love her as Lois Lane. And yeah, 90s babies. It was wonderful. I think you know, all of those performances in the past influence you but I certainly wanted to bring my own my own personality and my own flair to the role as well.
NA: Yeah. And obviously, you’re huge voice actor in the gaming world, too. If Lois were to appear in like a DC game, what would you love to see her character do? I mean, I really enjoyed Mary Jane in Spider Man, where you had those sort of detective missions, do you think something along those lines maybe?
LB: Stealthing stuff? Yeah. How would she do it? Like I gather, maybe she can be like the guy in the sky sort of thing, the voice in your head, helping you find your way around. Or, you know, there were these games when I was a kid called Laura Bow – I don’t know if you were a gamer. It was a Sierra game and it was an investigative reporter in the 1920s. And she would go on three solving quests and Lois Lane would fall so perfectly into that world where it’s like, you know, you can do like this film noir vibe, and have her go around and like investigate, it would be awesome.
NA: Call of Cthulhu style!
NA: So what’s next in the pipeline for you? I don’t know if you can talk about it at all, but have you guys wrapped on legend of Vox Machina Season Two?
LB: That’s like the one thing that I can’t talk about unfortunately! But the sequel is coming out in January of next year. And we just were able to announce that season three got greenlit so we are working on that as well.
NA: Amazing, that’s so cool. And trying to get over the last few games I guess!
LB: Yeah, last night’s game was was a blast. So stay tuned. Watch that one.
NA: Very exciting! Well, thank you so much for your time.
