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Kellen Goff has perfected the art of bringing the unnerving anime villain to life. Whether it’s the calculated malice of Overhaul in My Hero Academia or the unhinged chaos of Black Clover‘s Zagred, he has a knack for making them sound terrifyingly real.
But if you strip away the vocal distortion and the menacing monologues, you find an actor who really just wants to play the gentle, tender-hearted hero. It is a paradox that defines his career. How does the same man summon the chaotic shrieks of Zagred and the soft warmth of Glamrock Freddy?
In this conversation, Goff pulls back the curtain on his process. He opens up about how life on the autism spectrum taught him the skills he now uses in the booth, the adrenaline rush of recording simuldubs against the clock, and why he believes the scariest villains are the ones who think they’re the good guys.
Your anime portfolio features predominantly complex, menacing villains like Overhaul, Diavolo, Zagred, and Porco Galliard. How has your understanding and interpretation of villainy evolved over your anime career? Are there specific villainous characters that fundamentally changed how you approach antagonist roles?
Kellen: It’s interesting that you call Porco a villain. That proves one of Attack on Titan‘s core themes: two people on opposite sides of a conflict can both be ethical, morally good individuals who nonetheless believe, deep in their souls, that the opposing side is evil. Ethics and morals are shaped by the society you live in. I don’t think it would be fair to label Porco a fiend any more than any other character in the show. They’re all villains. Many have done terrible things in the name of “good.” They’re all heroes. Many have saved lives and loved deeply. They’re all human at their core, products of their environment.
A believable villain is the hero of their own story and uses that belief as justification to commit abhorrent acts. Binary thinking is a dangerous and limiting practice in all things. To deem someone a protagonist or an antagonist relies entirely on what you believe a protagonist or an antagonist is. That is not me trying to justify heinous acts, far from it. It is exactly how to make a villain interesting: give them the nuances between 0 and 1 that humanize them. Invoke understanding and empathy where it is unexpected. Make the viewer question whether they really are the villain.
While you’re celebrated for intense antagonists, Sasaki and Miyano represented a significant shift toward gentleness and emotional vulnerability in your anime work. How do you prepare psychologically to transition between voicing terrifying villains and intimate, tender romantic moments? What technical or mental adjustments do you make between these polar opposite character types?
Kellen: The more egregious adjustment for me is when I am playing someone not a bean. I like being kind and tender-hearted characters the most, like Sasaki, Glamrock Freddy, or Wind Archer Cookie. I love to lead with love because it makes me feel good. Having grown up on the autism spectrum, I also deeply yearn for acceptance and inclusion. All of that comes far easier when I’m playing someone who embodies everything we deem good. I feel far better about myself.
That said, changing into someone different has become easier with time and practice. We all have darker places in our minds. When I need to be someone different, I call upon one of those places, those bad memories, and let it take the wheel for a little while. I do not like to stay there for long. I tend to break in between lines and come back to Kellen to diffuse the tension.
The key to embodying a different persona is to mix and match your own experiences with what you feel fits the character’s needs most, like making a potion and creating something new from the blend. A temporary façade. For me in particular, my body and face contort on their own to match and suit what I mentally become. It can be healing to let some of the steam out, like with Diavolo. But I believe it is important not to stay in it longer than needed. That is a form of self-care.
Anime dubbing requires navigating the gap between Japanese cultural references and Western audiences. How do you balance staying faithful to a character’s original intent (from the Japanese voice actor and source material) while making the character resonate authentically for English-speaking audiences? Are there specific instances where you felt the English dub needed to diverge significantly from the original?
Kellen: It really depends on the situation. An actor is usually cast because their initial performance aligns closely with the vision of the casting director, executives, writers, and/or director. That direction often shifts throughout the recording process. Every actor, every human, approaches life differently. No two thought processes are identical. A strong director will let the actor explore what they feel best serves the character and the story, while still guiding them toward the interpretation the director believes fits the project as a whole.
In anime, the priority is almost always preserving the original intent. That intention can be expressed in countless ways while still remaining faithful. There are innumerable ways to be awkward, sad, joyful, and so on. Certain approaches resonate more authentically within different cultural lenses. As long as the core purpose behind the scene is honored, the freedom to interpret is where many believe the craft of acting truly breathes. Just look at how many distinct takes there have been on Venom from Spider-Man!
Ultimately, it’s about doing what feels true, both for you and for your audience, while respecting the creators’ foundational vision. If that means consensually putting your own spin on it, it can only enhance the uniqueness of the project and help it stand out.
Many of your characters have distinctive physicality in their scenes—Overhaul’s fastidious composure, Porco’s aggression, Zagred’s chaotic energy. How do you translate a character’s physical body language into vocal performance when you’re only working with your voice? Do you physically embody characters during recording sessions?
Kellen: I touched on this a bit earlier. Again, being on the autism spectrum, a lot of acting comes to me differently than it does for most. To be a bit facetious, there’s a lot of work that goes into masking yourself in polite society, which has given me a lot of passive acting practice. As a result of that, and of course proper acting training to hone it, my body and face will often shift to match the image of the character in my head. A mask that big might make Overhaul’s head heavy. The constant fear of being perceived makes Diavolo tenser. The tumors on a Bloater’s body make them more hulking and heavy. A man in his later years or an easy-talking country boy might slur their s’s a bit, albeit for different reasons. At its core, it’s mimicry of different observed behaviors, taken apart and put together in new shapes.
Anime communities are notoriously passionate about character portrayals. How does the knowledge that millions of dedicated fans will scrutinize your performance affect your voice work? Has fan feedback from anime roles ever caused you to reconsider or adjust how you voice a character in subsequent seasons?
Kellen: Certainly! Having been an anime fan myself since 1998, I deeply value the rich, diverse opinions offered by the community. I know firsthand how precious an attachment to a favorite character can be, and if I’m trusted with a fan’s favorite character, I refuse to give anything less than my full investment. I know all the places to look for research, I listen and engage with why people love the characters so much, and having been part of this wider fandom for so long, I pride myself on being able to discern which feedback is most helpful.
Fan conventions take this to a whole new level. I often ask what a fan loves most about their favorite character of mine and do my best to highlight those aspects. People love the mood swings and unhinged energy of Floyd Leech, the golden retriever energy of Sasaki, the authority and ambition of Overhaul, the ruthlessness of Diavolo, and so on. It is incredibly valuable to receive such immediate, unabashed feedback face to face. In a world so wrought with division, it is very important to me to do my best to make sure everyone feels heard.
While I do my best to incorporate the notes of the masses, I ultimately trust my own instincts when taking a character through their journey. Art is most invigorating when laced with the unexpected, after all, and a good mixture of all the sweet and spicy opinions makes for the best stew.
You mentioned that Colleen Clickenbeard was instrumental in teaching you anime voice acting after casting you as Overhaul. What specific techniques, philosophies, or approaches did she teach you that fundamentally changed how you approach anime dubbing compared to other voice work?
Kellen: Colleen didn’t take me in as a private student or anything, everything she taught me was on the job. That said, with Overhaul being my first big anime character, she affirmed and reaffirmed a few lessons that I still carry with me today:
- Less is more. Some of the truest emotion is hidden in subtlety. When you learn how to convey emotion gently, it hits the audience that much harder when you do get loud. Pick and choose your moments to lose it.
- It’s okay for a read not to be perfect. With time, you often learn to appreciate most acting choices you’ve made, as long as the intent was conveyed clearly.
- Relax.
You work on simuldubs where episodes air concurrently with the Japanese release. How does recording under tight deadlines affect your creative choices compared to having more time to develop a character? Does the pressure of simultaneous dubbing actually enhance or restrict your performance quality?
Kellen: It genuinely depends on the situation. Factors such as how many hours we’re allotted to record, the priorities of the directors and other leadership, and the complexity of the material all influence the process of simuldubbing. That’s what makes it such an intriguing acting exercise. I love time trials in video games, especially with ever-changing rules, and simuldubs often feel just like that.
There is ample opportunity for collaboration as well. You can really feel it when everyone is equally invested in the project. When it’s you, the director, and the engineer against the clock, some very interesting things can emerge in the trial by fire. It’s thrilling.
How involved are anime directors typically in shaping your performance versus other mediums you work in? Do anime directors from different studios have different directorial philosophies or approaches compared to video game or animation directors? What’s your ideal level of creative input in the directing process?
Kellen: Voice directors in anime are often just as hands-on in shaping characters as directors in any other medium. The differences usually come down to the individual, not the format. Every director brings their own approach and priorities, but their goals ultimately align around telling the strongest story possible within the given parameters.
Some directors prefer to stay very close to the source material, even mimicking the original inflections, while others encourage actors to explore and bring their own flair, as long as it serves the moment and fits the timing. There is a full spectrum of styles in between, and I believe all are valid.
That said, the key to my heart is collaboration. When a director creates a space where ideas can flow and we build the performance together, that’s when I do my best work. I can certainly adapt to more structured environments, though they can come with added pressure. I thrive most when I am treated as an equal creative partner in the process, and I know many of my colleagues feel the same.
Looking at the trajectory of your anime career, what do you consider your most meaningful contribution to the English anime dubbing industry? Are there specific anime character archetypes or genres you haven’t tackled yet that you’re eager to explore?
Kellen: I do my best to bring a natural, grounded feel to my performances when the timing and material allow. Dubbing is a very precise process, and it’s easy for anyone, including myself, to slip into familiar, reliable patterns just to make the words match up. When I can, I like to explore choices that feel sincere, unique, and interesting for the character, even if they’re a little goofy or unconventional, as long as they support the scene. When directors and engineers give space for that kind of exploration, it often leads to moments that feel more genuine and memorable. I’m grateful any time those choices resonate with fans and peers.
I adore being good boys, cute little animals, and comic reliefs. I love being villains too; it’s always a great time. But I always relish every moment when I get to be someone who is liked, not feared. It never fails to put me in a great mood.
To that end, I have always, always wanted to take a crack at a true shonen protagonist—the main hero in a big adventure. A Yugi Moto, an Ash Ketchum, a Naruto. A Luffy, an Asta, a Tanjiro. That kind of archetype. It is one of my greatest dreams. I’ve gotten close, but a deal has yet to be sealed. Hopefully, someday! Until then, I’ll keep putting my all into the roles I’m lucky enough to be chosen for and enjoy my time with them to the fullest. I hope you continue to enjoy them as well, readers!
