Lani Minella
Lani Jean Minella (born July 28, 1950)[1][2] is an American voice actress, voice director, and producer mostly working in the games industry. She is also the founder and owner of the voice-acting agency, AudioGodz.[3]
Lani Minella | |
---|---|
Born | Lani Jean Minella July 28, 1950 San Diego, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | San Diego State University |
Occupation | Voice actress, voice director, producer |
Years active | 1992–present |
Notable credit(s) | Nancy Drew in Nancy Drew video games |
Website | laniminella.com |
Career
After college, Minella started on Morning Drive radio for an alternative station in the late 1980s, but after being heard of her celebrity impersonations, she was called and referred to GTE Interactive Media to imitate voices from the movie FernGully: The Last Rainforest, which was being pitched for a LaserDisc presentation to Magnavox and Philips.[4] She was then referred by the company to their to CD-Roms division where she worked on more voices and assisted script writing on games for children.[5] Minella asked the company if they're others doing similar work and suggested that she should go to trade shows, which led her to attend showcases like Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Game Developers Conference in San Jose, and Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, where she tried to set up her business card but failed to get any offers, which led her to start her own acting agency AudioGodz, a production company specializing in all aspects of voiceovers from talent to casting, directing, writing and production in 1992.[6]
In 1996, Minella worked on a major first-person shooter video game, Duke Nukem 3D, as voice director and actress, voicing most of the female characters in the series. Lani helped cast the voice actor of Duke Nukem, Jon St. John. She met Jon when she was cast as the voice for a commercial he was producing in San Diego. After being impressed by her voices, Jon imitated the voices back at Lani and asked if he ever done voice acting for video games, she shortly got him a telephone interview with the game's creator, George Broussard, and eventually got the part as Duke.[7]
Lani's first major voice role in a video game was for Her Interactive's adventure-mystery series Nancy Drew, starring as the titular character Nancy Drew, debuting with 1998's Secrets Can Kill. Lani reprised her role as Nancy Drew in 31 other video games, with her last being Sea of Darkness in 2015, the decision was made by the CEO due to the dwindled popularity of the series and decided to find a voice actress who is local in the Seattle area, as Lani lives in San Diego.[8]
Since starting her career and becoming well known for her unique 4-octave vocal range,[9] Lani has provided voices for many voices for other characters in a variety of video games, which includes the Sea Emperor Leviathan in Subnautica, Rouge the Bat in Sonic Adventure 2, Ivy Valentine from the Soulcalibur series, Lucas in the Super Smash Bros. series, various characters in The Land Before Time games, Luke in the Professor Layton series, Sindel and Sheeva in the 2011 Mortal Kombat, and Mia in Fire Emblem Heroes.
Personal life
Minella is half Italian.[10] In her spare time, she does vocal coaching, gardening, and taking care of her rescue pets when she's home.[11]
Filmography
Animation
Year | Title | Role | Crew role, notes | Source[12] |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Burn-Up Excess | Maya Jingu, others | English dub | Resume |
2003 | .hack//SIGN | Girl | English dub | [13] |
2003 | Geneshaft | Dolce Saito, Chacha, others | English dub | |
2006 | Justice League Unlimited | Mayor of Central City | Episode: "Flash and Substance" | [14] |
2007 | All Grown Up! | Kid, Old Woman | Episode: "TF + KP | [14] |
2012 | The Cleveland Show | Hispanic Woman | Episode: "Flush of Genius" | [15] |
2018 | Motown Magic | Lorenzo | [14] |
Feature films
Year | Title | Role | Crew role, notes | Source[12] |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | Ferngully: The Last Rainforest | Background voices | Debut voice role, LaserDisc release | |
2019 | The Queen's Corgi | Ginger | US Version | [16] |
2019 | It Chapter Two | Loop Group | Tweet[17] |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Crew role, notes, region | Source[12] | Region |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Astal | All voices | [14] | ||
1996 | Candy Land Adventure | Captain Cookie, Princess Lolly, Queen Frostine, Gramma Nut, Tree 2, Red Ant 1, Queen Bee, Miner 1 | [14] | ||
1996 | Diablo | Adria the Witch, Wirt the Peg-Legged Boy | [14] | ||
1997–2002 | The Land Before Time games | Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Chomper, Spike, Mo | Voice characterization | [14] | |
1997 | Bubsy 3D | Bubsy Bobcat, others | Voice Talent | [14] | |
1998 | Starcraft | Dropship Pilot | [18] | ||
1998 | Rocky & Bullwinkle's Know-It-All Quiz Game | Sherman | [14] | ||
1998–2015 | Nancy Drew games | Nancy Drew, various characters | [14] | ||
1999 | Snowboard Kids 2 | Slash Kamei, Damien, Wendy Lane | [14] | ||
1999 | Evil Zone | Alty Lazel, Midori Himeno, Ihadurca | [14] | ||
1999 | Final Fight Revenge | Poison | [14] | ||
1999 | Duke Nukem: Zero Hour | Female Commander | Voice actor | [14] | |
1999 | Blue Stinger | Janine King | Voice actor and director | [14] | |
1999 | Tail Concerto | Waffle Ryebread, Panta | [14] | ||
1999 | 40 Winks | Ruff, Tumble, mother | [19] | ||
2000 | Evil Dead: Hail to the King | Anne Knowby, Grammy, Deadites | [14] | ||
2000 | D2 | Martha | [20] | ||
2001 | Diablo II: Lord of Destruction | Malah, Ancients | [14] | ||
2001 | Half-Life: Decay | Gina Cross, Colette Green | [14] | ||
2001–2004 | Sonic the Hedgehog games | Omochao, Rouge the Bat, Void | Voice actor and director | [14] | US/EUR/NA |
2001 | Illbleed | Eriko Christy, Michelle Waters | Uncredited | [21] | |
2001 | AirBlade | Kat | Voice actor and director | [14] | |
2001 | Frogger: The Great Quest | Various characters | [14] | ||
2002 | Slots from Bally Gaming | Olive Oyl, Betty Boop | [14] | ||
2005–present | Soulcalibur games | Ivy Valentine | Voice actor | [14] | |
2006 | The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth II | Galadriel, Spider Rider | [14] | ||
2007–present | Fire Emblem games | Mia (Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn onward), Micaiah (Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn only), Mist (Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn only) | Voice actor | [14] | |
2007– | Professor Layton games | Luke (US English), Flora, Emmy, various others | [14] | ||
2008 | GrimGrimoire | Amoretta Virgine, Opalneria Rain | [14] | ||
2008 | Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Pit, Lucas, Lyn | [14] | ||
2009 | Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 | Lucia von Bardas | [14] | ||
2009 | Borderlands | Steele | [14] | ||
2010 | Darksiders | Silitha, Tiamat | [14] | ||
2010 | Star Trek Online | M'Tara, T'Nae, Sirella, Taris, Taelus, Vishka, Mivek, Computer voice, Jhu Terel, B'Elanna Torres, Nadel, others | Voice actor, casting, and director | [22][23] | |
2010 | Amnesia: The Dark Descent | Girl, Mother, Clarice | Voice director | [14] | |
2011 | Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution | Hive Mind | [14] | ||
2011 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | The Night Mother, Nocturnal, Aranea Ienith, Cindiri Arano, Dravynea the Stoneweaver, Idesa Sadri, Ildari Sarothril, Irileth, Jenassa, Marise Aravel, Niluva Hlaalu, Priestess of Boethiah, Sabine Nytte, Suvaris Atheron, Synda Llanith, Tilisu Severin, Female Dunmer | [24] | ||
2011 | Mortal Kombat | Sindel, Sheeva | [25] | ||
2012 | Lucius | Mary | [14] | ||
2013 | Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm | Slivan | [14] | ||
2013 | The Last of Us | Clickers, Runners, Bloaters | Voice actor | [14] | |
2014 | Strider | Nang Pooh, Xi Mang Wu, Female broadcaster | [14] | ||
2014 | Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U | Lucas, Lyn, Larry, Lemmy, Morton, Wendy | [14] | ||
2016 | Rad Rodgers: World One | The Jungle Elder | [14] | ||
2016 | Mario and Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games | Larry Koopa, Wendy O. Koopa | [14] | ||
2017 | Remothered: Tormented Fathers | Gloria, Red Nun | As Lani "Alien Ilmann" Minella | Press,[26] Resume | |
2018 | Subnautica | Sea Emperor | [14] | ||
2018 | War for the Overworld: The Under Games | Overlord Lamash | [27] | ||
2018 | God of War | Pesta | Tweet[28] | ||
2018 | Bendy and the Ink Machine | Lacie Benton | [29] | ||
2018 | Dark Parables: Return of the Salt Princess | Serafina/Fire Witch/Fire Doll | Voice actor | ||
2018 | Dark Parables: The Match Girl`s Lost Paradise | Forest Witch | Voice actor | ||
2018 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Lucas, Lyn, Larry, Lemmy, Morton, Wendy | [14] | ||
2019 | MediEvil | Narrator | Tweet[30] |
References
- Minella, Lani (October 26, 2015). "Lani Minella's 58th Birthday Tribute". Facebook. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
- "Lani Jean Minella". californiabirthindex.org. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
- Gnatek, Tim (November 4, 2004). "Giving Voice to Video Games". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- Sweeney, John (November 2, 2015). "Performance Matters: Interview with Veteran Voice Actress Lani Minella". SuperNerdLand. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- AKA Knuckles Echidna, Josh (April 2, 2001). "Lani Minella interview". Sonic Retro. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- Shirgley, Chris (July 30, 2015). "Immortal Darkness Interview: Lani Minella, Voice Actor". Immortal Darkness. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- Dominguez, James (August 27, 2014). "Duke Nukem speaks: how a radio station director became one of gaming's most iconic voices". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- "Interview with Lani Minella". Phoenix Star. January 23, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- "Lani Minella - Videogame Voices". NandrewForever YouTube channel. June 28, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
- "Interview with Lani Minella: face to face with Ms. Gloria". Remothered.com. April 11, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- "About". thewhitvault.com. 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
- "Lani Minella's Credits" (PDF). Lani Minella. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- ".hack//SIGN (TV) - Anime News Network". Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- "Behind the Voice Actors - Lani Minella". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- "Heard you on "The Cleveland Show"". Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- "I play a redhead Scottish stable boy Ginger in this". Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (September 12, 2019). "Just heard a few of my creature voices made it into this movie. After it's been out a while and if I get to see it, I'll let you know which ones. Yay!" (Tweet). Retrieved September 12, 2019 – via Twitter.
- "Phoenix Interviews Lani Minella".
- "Isn't that your voice? 🙂". Facebook. September 4, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- "thanks to Joshua Negron for digging up one of the voices I did in Dreamcast's D2". Facebook. June 30, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- "If I remember, you weren't credited in this game were you?". Facebook. June 17, 2019. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
- "STO Voice actors page".
- "IMDB STO page".
- Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (March 17, 2015). "@Isti91 No I was in Mortal Kombat 9 as Sindel and Sheeva. Never contacted about X." (Tweet). Retrieved February 28, 2018 – via Twitter.
- "Let us introduce you to Lani Minella". Facebook. March 28, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (April 18, 2018). "Meet Underlord Lamash - War for the Overworld: The Under Games youtu.be/ynZnkgCwnXQ via @YouTube 2 days until release. Check it out. I play other characters too. Fantastic company and people to work with!!!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via Twitter.
- Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (April 20, 2018). "God of War – Story Trailer | PS4 youtu.be/K0u_kAWLJOA via @YouTube Out today! Lucky to play a norse witch (Pesta). Check it out. Thank you Sony!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via Twitter.
- "Thanks to Lauren Synger and theMeatly, I am honored to be part of Bendy and the Ink Machine. Very fun game. Check it out". Facebook. May 2, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
- Minella, Lani [@LaniMinella] (May 9, 2019). "Here is just the clip from today's live Sony announcement. Yes I'm the Narrator and thankful" (Tweet). Retrieved June 8, 2019 – via Twitter.
External links
- Official website
- Audio Godz - Minella's company website
- Lani Minella at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- Lani Minella on IMDb
- Lani Minella at Voice Chasers
- Lani Minella at MobyGames