Grey DeLisle.

GD: Well, I come from a regional theater background. I completed my formal training with the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts which is a school that also operates as a working reparatory company. They have about 10 actors they hire as the core group... two ingénues, two leading ladies, two comic types, male and female. Those actors are then cast in the upcoming season and the smaller roles are filled in by guest artists. That's sort of the way my brain is -- filled with two little girls, two little boys, two old ladies, two leading ladies -- of course with the layering on of accents, speech impediments and mucus! All of these "cast members" can sound like a few different versions of themselves, but they are already very fleshed-out characters, so I suppose my auditions are a bit more confident! I just sort of "cast" whatever audition material I'm given with the rep company in my head [laughs]!

NC: Your career is so impressive because you are balancing on-camera with voice-overs and have recorded four CDs as a singer. Add to that a 2-year-old son; I'd say you are pretty busy. How do you balance all those art forms? What criteria do you keep in mind when deciding what part to take?

GD: Oh, boy, I sure wish I was better at turning things down but I'm pretty much a human whirling dervish! I never turn down work! I keep thinking of the phrase "Can I start y'all off with something to drink?" and it turns my blood to iced water!

NC: What is your greatest challenge regarding your work?

I get a huge amount of satisfaction from my work but I'm kinda of the mind that if you're doing the work you were put on this earth to do, it's not so much of a challenge, but a thrill! Sometimes I get a bit intimidated by an accent or trying to come up with something completely original that no one has ever heard me do before, which gets hard when you've been doing the same job with the same 12 folks for the past 15 years! -- but I just laugh and jump in the water head-first! There have only been a few belly flops! As far as the music goes, I suffer from debilitating stage fright!

NC: We've had the pleasure of working together on Kim Possible, Rugrats: All Growed Up and The Replacements. What is the most challenging job you have ever had?

GD: Doing the Sith warrior, Assaj Ventress, for Cartoon Network's Clone Wars was pretty nerve-wracking. My butt tightened up a little thinking of all of the Star Wars fans I might anger if I screwed it up! In the end, it turned out to be one of the characters I'm most proud of! No one recognized my voice and I was able to pull off the androgynous quality I was going for (and I'm pretty darn girly!).

NC: What advice would you give some "young pup" just starting out in v.o.?

GD: There's always room for talented people! Don't let anyone discourage you by telling you what a "small world" it is! I mean, it is a tight circle but if you're good enough, the circle will widen! Also... be nice to everyone! The gal who's setting out the sandwiches may be casting something in five years! You should be nice just 'cause your mama raised you right... but still!

NC: If you were producing/directing an animated series, what would you do differently than is done today?

GD: I'd let the actors improv a lot more. Things sound so fresh and funny when the actors are just allowed to play! Then again, this would probably result in me going way over-budget on recording time and losing control of the cast and crew, thus getting fired -- so maybe I'd better stick with acting for now [laughs].

NC: Your animation fans might not know that you actually received a Grammy for "Willie We Have Missed You." I saw "the making of" on YouTube and it is a truly a piece of art.