Backstage.com recently posted a “Voice-Over How-To” interview with Nancy Cartwright. “Artists just love to create,” says Nancy Cartwright. “If they’re being stopped by either the industry or a person in their life…you have to have an outlet. You have to be able to rise above that and have some sort of a way to express yourself artistically.”

Okay, you got the audition. Well done! You studied your part. You worked hard at coming up with different options for the director and now you just found out that you got the job. CONGRATULATIONS!! Ah, you suddenly think, “Now I can kick back and relax. As long as I show up on time, I will be fine.” HA! Not quite. The real question you should be asking yourself is, “Now what do I do to really ‘deliver the goods?'”

Continuing with the “Voice-Over Series” that were originally published in Animation World Magazine, Nancy Cartwright discusses the most important issue in voice acting, “Finding Your Voice”.

Back in 1978, when I just landed in Hollywood to study with voice pioneer, Daws Butler (voice of Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Elroy Jetson, etc.) actors viewed voice overs as a way to supplement their income. Voicing funny characters or doing commercials was viewed along the same lines as waiting on tables, running errands and assisting other artists who had real jobs. Today, voice acting is the envy of any actor, whether they focus on their craft in front of the camera or behind the mic. And if you are very clever, you can actually manage to do both.

Probably the most important ingredient to a successful career of any kind is the carpe diem principle: You have to recognize opportunity and grab it with both hands. This message is so often repeated that some people view it as trite or, as I believe, a fundamental truth to success.

Tuesday, [December 17th], marked the 30th anniversary of the series premiere of The Simpsons. Has there been a more successful underachiever on television than Bart Simpson?

It is that time of the year again. You know, candy canes, reindeer, the smell of pine needles—or whatever your dominant holiday odors might be—and 24/7 bingeing of The Simpsons! That’s right, starting on December 17, you too can be fully sleep deprived cataloging every D’oh!, Aye Carumba, Lisa sigh and “eat my shorts” contained in 661 episodes of The Simpsons!

Not only has The Simpsons been on the air for decades now, but back in the early days they also topped the music charts. The various stars, including Nancy Cartwright of course, spent additional time in the studio recording some pretty amazing music.

One of the characters Nancy Cartwright “voices” in The Simpsons is Maggie, who has of course been a baby for decades. In the latest Treehouse of Horror episode for Season 31, Maggie has some strange markings on her head. Here is the intro. Enjoy!

Nancy Cartwright, best-known for playing Bart Simpson on the record-setting animated series The Simpsons, was chosen to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award and gave the keynote speech at the Catalyst Content Film Festival (www.catalystcontent.org).