Lex Lang has had a prolific career as a voice actor so far, lending his talents to anime series including Rurouni Kenshin, Saiyuki Reload, Initial D, Bleach, Aldnoah.Zero, Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, and many more. He’s also been heard as the voice of Dr. Neo Cortex in the Crash Bandicoot series, and has also been the voice of Han Solo in many Star Wars video games.

Though he was under the weather during the convention itself, Lang was able to follow up with us in an email interview after Otakon this year to discuss some recent career highlights and what’s next for him.

Scoop: Despite being ill for much of the convention, were you able to enjoy Otakon’s first year in DC? How do you think the show compared to when it was in Baltimore?
Lex Lang (LL): Yes, sadly I was very ill Friday, but the good news is that I was able to take a couple of Alka-Seltzer and fend off the brunt of the cold. That being said, I thought Otakon DC was a great show. Great attendees, and the staff of Otakon is always top notch. It feels like visiting family when we get together.

Scoop: We last spoke a couple of years ago, when you were a guest at Otakon 2015; what have you been up to these last two years?
LL: A lot of voice acting! I had the pleasure to be on several animated projects, movies, TV, and anime shows. I worked for Sony pictures on two new animated movies, worked on Legends of Tomorrow, Ray Donovan, Star Wars Rogue One, War for the Planet of the Apes (as the primates!), did lots of video games including The N. Sane Trilogy!

Scoop: Speaking of the N. Sane Trilogy, that’s been a huge success. Did you have any idea that what is essentially three older PS1 titles repackaged would be so wildly popular in 2017?
LL: I knew the first day that I played Dr. Cortex that the Crash Bandicoot franchise was going to stand the test of time. The creative team was extremely inventive and eager to experiment with character and story development. We had a really good time expanding upon Dr. Cortex’s character. Plus the games are just fun to play!

Scoop: You’ve been the voice of Dr. Neo Cortex, Crash’s nemesis, since you joined the franchise in, I think, 2004. What was it like for you to go back and voice Cortex for those original three games?
LL: It is really a thrill! Because I started doing Dr. Cortex for the game Twinsanity, which was the fourth game in the series. So to go back and do the first three really completes the circle. Now I’ve had the true privilege of being Dr. Cortex for all of the games.

Scoop: You were involved in some significant series during the anime boom of the late ’90s-early ’00s, such as Rurouni Kenshin and Magic Knight Rayearth. Can you reflect on what that time in the industry was like? How have things changed since then?
LL: Anime back then was much different. It was just being introduced to American audiences. And the production companies that were dubbing them were just developing as well. Companies like Bang Zoom and Funimation were just getting started. Voice actors were very unknown, and anime conventions didn’t exist. Well now, of course Bang Zoom and Funimation are huge companies, anime is part of pop culture, and voice actors for the most part have great notoriety. Social media is a direct way to connect with the fans of your work. It also becomes part of the job description - connecting with people that is. Today anime is much more accessible.

Scoop: Lupin the Third is another series you’ve been involved with, having voiced Goemon; with Castle of Cagliostro about to see yet another appearance in theaters in just a couple of weeks, it’s clear this series is one that isn’t going anywhere. What has Lupin meant to you over the years?
LL: Lupin was a really fun series to record. Richard Epcar directed it and we always had lots of laughs while recording. Playing a part like Goemon was a real privilege, and all the fans are so wonderful. I would be happy to do any anime that involves him in the future.

Scoop: Between animation and video games, you’ve also voiced some truly legendary characters in pop culture, such as Doctor Doom and even Han Solo. What has that experience been like?
LL: Anytime you get to do an iconic character like those, it’s a bit surreal. At least it is for me because I’m also a big fan. So I geek out a lot. I’m incredibly excited when the words “Star Wars” or “Batman” or “Marvel” are uttered by my agent to me. Whether it’s a booking or an audition, there is that extra level of excitement. So much fun!

Scoop: You’ve also spent a great deal of time working in ADR directing and writing. How did that come about ‒ was that something that naturally evolved out of your voice acting?
LL: Because I was around since the very beginning of anime, when new titles would come into Bang Zoom they reached out to people they knew understood the intricacies of dubbing and acting. People like Wendee Lee, Tony Oliver, and myself. (There are others of course!) And so after I had done a few titles as a voice actor, I was offered the role of ADR director. And at the time we also had to write our own English adaptation scripts.

Scoop: Are there any projects coming up soon that you’re able to tell us about?
LL: I will be playing a bad-ass stone troll in the new God Of War video game. I can be heard in Guild Wars 2 as the Charr male player character, in Curious George as the Doorman and his dog Hundley and I recently was part of the additional voices for several upcoming blockbuster movies. They should all be released by the end of December. No spoilers! Check out my social media for more information.

You can keep up with me on my website or at @lexlang on both Instagram and Twitter, and be sure to follow me on Facebook, too! May the Force be with you!