Some actors are recognised for their face, others for a single, iconic shot or sentence. Voice actors live in that strange space where you might not know their name, but you absolutely know what they sound like.

To find out what it’s like to build characters using just your voice, we sat down with Maciek Nawrocki, an actor and improviser whose work ranges from feature films and series to children shows and video games, like The Thaumaturge.

We talked about how voices appear, whether they interrupt normal conversations, how to stay sane after emotional roles, and what AI means for performers whose work lives in a sound booth.

The following excerpt from the recorded interview was edited for clarity and consistency.

Zosia Duzic (ZD): Does finding a new voice comes naturally to you or do you have to imagine the whole character first?

Maciej Nawrocki (MN): It’s strange, but I don’t even know how it happens. Even right now, during this interview, I am not sure of what accent I am speaking in. One of my friends said that the voice simply talks through you and that’s how it feels. I don’t think about it that much at first and usually something clicks, I shape it more deliberately later.

Mikołaj Tran (MT): Do these voices and accents ever slip out accidentally in everyday conversations?

MN: All the time! It is probably because I practice almost all the time. When you switch between many voices regularly, sometimes they jump out on their own.

ZD: And how exactly do you practice? What does that look like?

MN: Every day, for almost ten years now, I have a reminder on my phone which says: read in English out loud. Since I don’t live in an English-speaking country, I don’t have a natural, everyday exposure to the language, so I recreate that by reading books out loud at home. I listen to myself and try to spot and polish whatever sounds off.

MT: Do people recognise you by your voice?

MN: Quite often. I also do improv at Klub Komediowy, and sometimes after a show someone comes up and says, “I spent this entire time trying to figure out where I know your voice from.”

ZD: When you’re acting on set, do you ever lose the script and improvise?

MN: Rarely, because I really make an effort to learn my lines well. But even if I forget something, improv is a safe backup plan. If you know the script and you know how to improvise, then nothing can truly surprise you in a bad way. When you forget a line, instead of panicking, I just just go with it and see where it lands. Maybe the director will end up liking that little accident and decide to keep it in.

MT: Do you have a favourite character you have voiced?

MN: When my daughter was younger, she adored certain characters from children’s shows, especially a nerdy boy named Melvin from Captain Underpants. He spoke entirely through his nose which she really liked. Because she loved it, I enjoyed doing that voice at that time. However, I don’t think I have a personal favourite now.

ZD: How do you handle emotional roles? Do the emotions stay with you?

MN: You really have to learn how to exit emotions, not just enter them. Acting schools teach techniques for getting into a state, but leaving it is something you develop on your own. Most of the time it’s easy, because you know the difference between your real feelings and the character’s. But sometimes, especially after intense scenes, some energy stays with you. You have to learn how to decompress, calm down, or reset. It’s part of the craft.

MT: What advice would you give someone who wants to become an actor or voice actor?

MN: Understand what the profession really looks like. Acting isn’t the scenes in the film, it’s the waiting, the repetition, the uncertainty, the moments without work mixed with moments of total business. But if you love the craft itself, and if you accept the rhythm of the profession, it can be one of the most rewarding lives you can choose. Freedom comes with instability, but also with possibility.