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Backstage - Interviews - Diedrich Bader
 WF:
You are headlining as Batman in the new animated series.
How do you prepare yourself to play a character as
iconic as Batman, and how does is differ from what you
have done before.
The voice of Batman is a pretty standard voice and what
I bring to it is my own sense of humor - and my own
cowl.
WF: In the first episode, we see Batman already on
this fantastical adventures with other DC heroes. Which
characters are you looking forward to teaming up with,
and which ones would you like to see? Why?
Aquaman was just fantastic, I love the humor of the Blue
Beetle character and Plastic Man is voiced by the
incredibly talented Tom Kenny who is also the voice of
SpongeBob Squarepants.
WF: Which voice actors have you worked with so far on
Batman: The Brave and The Bold?
John DiMaggio, James Arnold Taylor, Will Friedle, Corey
Burton and Tom Kenny make up the core cast of
characters. We have some incredible guest stars but
you’ll have to wait and see. I don’t want to ruin any
surprises!
WF: How does it feel following in the footsteps in
Kevin Conroy, Christian Bale, and many others, to take
up the mantle of Batman?
It’s a big cowl to fill. I’m excited about the character
and what I can bring to it. People should know that we
will only honor the character of Batman and the previous
performers that have played him. The best part of waking
up and saying “I’m Batman” is the excitement it brings
to my 5 year old son. He is officially the coolest kid
in his class and now I have a project that I can share
with him that is appropriate for his age. In recent
years, Batman has become very dark. Our Batman is
lighter and has a sense of humor.
WF: Batman: The Brave and The Bold is being
touted as a fun series for all ages. How important is
it, to you, to have an animated series that is
acceptable for both a young and older audience?
It’s incredibly important to be able to sit down and
watch the show with my son. “The Batman”, although a
really great show, isn’t one that I’d be able to do the
same thing with because is it more mature. “Brave & the
Bold” is by design a family-friendly show and I think
that’s our greatest strength.
 WF:
Now, this isn't the only DC-based animated series you've
worked on. You provided the lead voice on The Zeta
Project, a show that has an incredible cult
following. Do you have any thoughts or stories to share
on your time working on this series?
I had a great time on that show but this is very
different because there’s I am the only series regular.
On “The Zeta Project” there were five regulars. It’s a
lot more responsibility to keep the recording session
bubbling along- I’m more of a host now than I was
before.
WF: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is releasing
The Zeta Project: The Complete Series (tentative
title) next year. Will you be involved in this release
in any way, such as providing content or interviews,
etc?
I know they will pull what they need from the many
interviews we did when the show was created. I really
wanted participate but was committed to rehearsals and
runs for a play (House of Blue Leaves) and wasn’t able
to contribute. I really enjoyed doing “The Zeta Project”
though.
WF: Let's return to Batman as we slowly wrap up this
Q & A! After watching the first episode, it's safe to
say that Batman in Batman: The Brave and The Bold
it more light-hearted and witty, providing a lot of
banter. Is playing a wittier Batman easier or harder
than voicing, say, a robot like Zeta? Why?
It’s easier to edge towards the comedic side because I
naturally lean on my sense of humor more than anything
else. That’s my comfort level. It’s what I bring to the
table that I think really makes this Batman series
unique. It’s not just a sense of dark irony anymore,
Batman actually tells jokes and I think viewers will
really enjoy seeing this side of him.
WF: So, as we wrap this up, tell us why fans at The
World's Finest and beyond should tune into Batman:
The Brave and The Bold when it premieres! Give us
one last plug for the upcoming animated series!
I think if you like the character of Batman, you’ll find
we go forwards and back with the character. Serious fans
will enjoy the visual homage to the Batman comics of the
40’s, 50’s and 60’s while kids will enjoy the action and
new cast of classic DC characters. It’ll bring a
completely new light to Batman and that is what’s so
exciting about it. Tune in to Cartoon Network on Friday,
November 14 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
[ Back to Backstage ]
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1998 - Present Day.
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