Teri Hatcher, who voices Muthr in the animated series Wondla, shared insights into how she brought this beloved character to life. Hatcher detailed her approach to embodying Muthr’s unique blend of nurturing warmth and robotic directives. She emphasized the challenges and joys of finding the balance between these competing energies in her vocal performance.
The upcoming animated adventure trilogy WondLa is based on Tony DiTerlizzi’s New York Times bestselling book series. Produced by Skydance Animation and showrun by Bobs Gannaway, the seven-episode first season boasts a star-studded voice cast and will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 28. The story follows Eva (voiced by Jeanine Mason), a teenager raised underground by Muthr, her robotic caretaker. A sudden attack on Eva’s 16th birthday thrusts her onto the alien-inhabited world of Orbona. With new allies Otto and Rovender, Eva embarks on a quest to find other humans and her destiny.
An Interview with Teri Hatcher, the Voice of Muthr
Hatcher’s connection to the “WondLa” universe began years ago when she narrated the audiobooks for the original series. Now, she has returned to the world of “WondLa” in a new capacity, voicing the character of Muthr in the animated adaptation. Reflecting on this transition, Hatcher described the difference between narrating and voicing a character. “When you’re recording the books, the audiobooks, you’re narrating them, which to me, I have this image of being on the outside looking in,” she explained. “And when you dive into being a character in the animated series and voicing one of those characters, then you’re suddenly in the life, you’re in the life, you’re not looking at it from the outside.”
Teri Hatcher on her journey with The Search for WondLa books and now the animated series
Hatcher expressed her gratitude for being asked to voice Muthr, a role she was offered by the series’ creator, Tony DiTerlizzi, during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. She praised DiTerlizzi’s talent and described him as “brilliant,” emphasizing his ability to write and draw exceptionally well.
When asked about the relationship between Muthr and her daughter, Ava, Hatcher described it as a “tug of war between safety and independence.” She highlighted the relatable nature of this dynamic, which reflects the common struggle between parents wanting to protect their children and children yearning for independence. Believing that even though Muthr is a robot, her relationship with Eva mirrors the complexities often found in human families.
Hatcher also touched upon the challenges of portraying emotions through voice acting alone. Comparing the experience to performing a monologue, where the actor must imagine the reactions of the person they are speaking to. Despite the differences between live-action and voice acting, Hatcher expressed her enjoyment of both mediums. Hatcher expressed her excitement for audiences to see the animated series.
Wondla arrives on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 28.
The voice cast stars Chiké Okonkwo as Besteel, D.C. Douglas as Omnipod, and Alan Tudyk as Cadmus Pryde. The first season of this epic trilogy promises adventure-packed episodes. WondLa is an exciting addition to Apple TV+’s growing list of family-friendly summer offerings. The seven-episode first season will premiere globally on June 28th. With a star-studded voice cast and promises to be another hit for Apple TV+, which has garnered numerous awards and nominations since its launch in 2019.
