At the end of January, Sonic the Hedgehog's voice actor, Roger Craig Smith, announced his departure from the role.
At the time, it was suspected some big changes were going on behind the scenes at Sega ahead of Sonic's 30th-anniversary celebrations. While this may still be the case, the voice actor says it was his decision to step down from the role.
He recently shared this information in an interview with Voices from Krypton (transcript courtesy of The Sonic Stadium):
“I think my response would be “it’s just one of those things.” It’s a time in looking at the way things are being handled and the way that you are, where you’re at, and what you kind of want to deal with, and do. And I found myself going, ‘I think it’s time. I think it’s time to be done.'”
"I know people are sort of surprised and shocked by it, and it was like “yeah”, and I’ve seen all the speculation that were like, “voice actors don’t walk away, he was fired!
It’s interesting the perception that people have, and we get this all the time; like, it’s amazing how all the experts that are out there that have nothing to do with this industry that make all of these assumptions, you know, ‘this is how this works and this is what this does’…
You know, after a while you do things and start going ‘I think I’m very pleased and I’m very proud and I’m very happy with what has happened there,’ and I think it’s time to say, ‘I don’t want to keep doing this.’
Some people would be like, “why?” and it’s like, “it doesn’t have to make sense to you.” It’s perfectly good sense to me and it was the right thing to do, and I’m happy to have done it.’"
Smith's departure from the role was followed by Tails' voice actor noting she wouldn't be voicing the character in the upcoming Netflix animation, Amy Rose's voice actor also revealed she was done and Mike Pollock confirmed he would continue to voice Dr. Eggman in future Sonic games.
You can see Roger's parting message (and Sega's goodbye message to him) in our previous story.
[source voicesfromkrypton.net, via sonicstadium.org]
Comments 36
Eggman is forever
” It’s a time in looking at the way things are being handled and the way that you are, where you’re at, and what you kind of want to deal with, and do. And I found myself going, ‘I think it’s time. I think it’s time to be done.'”
It was his own decision but something was going on behind the scenes..
Sonic was better when he couldn't talk
I never thought sega got rid of him, there was no way they would get rid of such a good voice for sonic, its almost like if nintendo booted mario voice actor (That sounds like somthing nintendo would do)
@Miu Definitely get that vibe, too. Mismanagement, creative direction, maybe even money. Shame, he's a great actor.
@Snatcher
"its almost like if nintendo booted mario voice actor"
Not really, Charles has been Mario's voice since day one. Sonic must have had at least 3-4 voice actors since Adventure.
I don't think he's lying, but the voice actors for Tails and Amy have also left. I kind of doubt they would have all decided individually to leave. I think SEGA is doing what it always does and replacing the English cast again, while the Japanese cast has been almost exactly the same since these characters were first voiced. I play the games with Japanese voices whenever I have the chance anyway, but disappointing fans will have to get used to all new English voices. Again.
Pretty sure it’s been called a day for longer than you’ve been around, Roger mate.
@Jakiboy This new one will be the 4th English VA for Sonic since Adventure, not counting the actor in the movie. If we count that Sonic, along with the 90s Sonic Cartoons, and the OVA, then it's up to 7 English Voice Actors for Sonic over almost 30 years.
@unobvious @Miu I agree. I commented something along the lines on his initial reveal.
That very first tweet had a blue heart emoji, but was followed by a blue broken heart picture
I don't think anyone would use a broken heart for a good bye from a job where everything was perfectly fine
Best of luck to them. I never liked his voice as Sonic or any of the cast, personally. But I hope they had a good experience.
@Knuckles
Thanks Knuckles, but if you want to go the extra mile you could also include the one in Sonic CD. "I'M OUTTA HERE"
Still think there's way more to this story than he's letting on.
I liked his sonic voice, but mostly because of how much I hated Griffith's.
Ofc it was his decision and a good one because it's great to take a break even when you're leaving it forever.
@Jakiboy I thought about it, but considering it's the same voice used between the Japanese and English copies of Sonic CD, releasing in Japan first, I didn't think it should count for considering Sonic English VAs, especially since the Japanese cast hasn't changed since Sonic Adventure iirc.
Well I'm sure with his extensive resume the big Hollywood studios will be calling. Just ask how Jackie "The Jokeman" Martling is doing now when he left The Howard Stern Show...
That was a lot of words to say absolutely nothing
@Snatcher Based on....?
@ALinkttPresent lol my thoughts exactly.
@BAN Nintendo is known for doing alot of stupid sh**
@Snatcher Yawn. They do things that make business sense for them. Firing the one and only guy that’s ever voiced Mario in the games (and who happens to be a living legend in the industry, unlike the multiple people who have voiced Sonic) for no reason makes no sense and isn’t something they’ve set any precedence for, so your comment is completely baseless/erroneous.
@BAN ya I was saying It made no sense for them to fire him, and I also said I never thought or couldn't why they would, don't take the "somthing nintendo would do" to seriously its was mostly poking fun of how nintendo is going to delete a bunch of mario stuff on march 31.
@Jakiboy he is going to get fired on march 31. Jk Jk but I can see your point, I mean its not really the same thing, I'm just trying to say I wouldn't see there reason for firing him. but would the mario example go for Eggmans voice actor?
They were probably pissed that they didn’t get to voice their characters in the movie or once they got over that found out they weren’t getting the new Netflix show. You don’t just all walk out when everything is going great.
I just want to say that Captain Lou Albano will forever be THE voice of Mario.
Roger voiced the worst era of the character, but he also did the worst Sonic voice, he basically ruined the character for me, but I can't help but think he's lying here.
Why would you call it quits on a job-- on voice acting? On a popular character? Who's getting not just another film, but another TV Show.
I love how nobody wants to take his words at face value, hahaha! I'm happy for him after hearing everything that was said. I definitely recommend everyone here listens to the full Part 1 & 2 on their podcast app of choice. It's really good!
I think he wanted a piece of that Hollywood movie pie and was left a little hurt that they went with someone else. I'd probably walk away too honestly, even knowing that it's just how the industry works and it shouldn't be taken personally, it is actually a very personal thing. In his head he was Sonic, and then someone else is given the role and given all this money and suddenly he's second place. I think Tails and Amy left for potentially similar reasons, they're probably voiced by other actors in the sequel.
Yeah, that description there....while it's pretty clear he left on his own, it sounds like there was a really bad deal, bad work environment, or something unpleasant going on that made staying a lot less desirable than leaving....
That was so unbelievably purposefully vague.
I don't buy it because right after he "left" all the other sonic universe voice actors were fired besides Eggman. Every time in the past when Sega wants to "renew" sonic for a new era they let go all the voice actors at once besides Eggman. Just like they did with the sonic adventure staff when sonic x came out. That's one heck of a coincidence That he was the only one that "quit" When everyone else was fired lol
Just like Gina Carson chose to quit Star Wars?
Jaleel White will always be Sonic.
@BAN
"@Snatcher Yawn. They do things that make business sense for them. Firing the one and only guy that’s ever voiced Mario in the games (and who happens to be a living legend in the industry, unlike the multiple people who have voiced Sonic) for no reason makes no sense and isn’t something they’ve set any precedence for, so your comment is completely baseless/erroneous."
(remembers having read what I had believed to had been details regarding other actors for what I had believed to had been the Mario mentioned in this message for certain video games on certain parts of the World Wide Web such as the part located at this address: https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/voice-compare/Super-Mario-Bros/Mario/)
@abdias or sounded angry in the Japanese DC games
It just sounds like a money dispute tbh, The offer was on the table but he decoded he was above it. You're not gonna admit publicly to wanting more money y'know? That, or he genuinely wanted more career opportunities that he couldn't while tied to Sonic. In any case, let's respect his wishes not publicly discuss it.
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