[Exclusive Interview] The Eminence in Shadow’s Adam Gibbs, Christina Kelly and Annie Wild Chat About Their Characters and the Depth and Wackiness of Breathing Life into Them

The Eminence in Shadow is a fantasy isekai that turns the premise on its head with its smart yet delusional protagonist, Cid Kagenou, played by Adam Gibbs. His enormous power is only rivaled by how oblivious he is of his true enemy in the Cult of Diablos. His second-in-command, a strong and confident elf, Alpha, played by Christina Kelly, and his witty and smart elven analyst, Beta, played by Annie Wild, help him in his crusade against the organization, despite how unaware he is that they even exist. 

The three actors sat down with me to get into the nitty gritty behind the complexity of their characters, the over-the-top humor, and behind the scenes stories. They were absolute delights in how passionately they cared for their characters. They spoke with me as if they were catching up with an old friend, even if we’ve never met, with kindness and levity, making for an excellent interview. I can’t thank them enough for their time. Be warned, spoilers below: 

So, the thing with Cid is he is, I’ve come to realize, as I’ve dubbed him, he’s the perfect charmingly aloof protagonist. He immediately leaps out at you for how hilariously self-aware he is about Isekai plotlines yet ironically unaware of the Cult’s true existence. But what’s, what’s so great about him is really his heart when it truly matters and you see that in the relationships he slowly but surely develops with the friends around him. As an actor, what’s it like getting to the core of who he is, especially someone who’s as smart, but as oblivious as he is? 

Adam: “I mean it’s always fun to step outside yourself and get to do something, ya know I’m a pretty self-aware guy, I think. I’m probably a little gentler, uh less jaded um, the list goes on, but we are, our differences are quite vast as well, so being able to kind of live that, even if it is just a couple hours in a session, um, it’s wonderful. But it’s also fun to, to able to find those small ways that you do relate, um, because, we can all, everybody from time to time can roll their eyes at the world and roll their eyes at the situation and just ya know feel over it and what not. Um, so yeah, it’s, it’s a really great blessing to find both of those, those sides in Cid and Shadow.”

Yeah, no I feel like as jaded as he is, I feel like we’ve all had that at one point, at one time or another. We’ve all had those moments where we can kind of, feel so done with everything and just wanna take the simple way out.

Adam: “Totally, totally. No, I, I was just gonna say what, what I love about that is that ya know we do all have those feelings and so its nice that not only do we relate to the characters as we watch them, but I feel like we relate to each other as individuals, ya know as kind of a collective group all relating to these shows, ya know. 

No, absolutely, you see that through various aspects. Uh, Christina uh, I have to ask you about Alpha, because she’s Cid’s strong and noble leader within the Shadows, whether he knows it or not. And as we have learned in the series, you see how she leans on him, when she truly needs him and there is a genuine trust between them. I have to ask, what’s your favorite part of not only playing Alpha, but also exploring her relationship with Cid in the show?

Christina: “Yeah I love getting to play Alpha, because she’s a little different than what I typically get cast as. Typically, ya know I get cast as the tsundere, like very hyper, princess-y type. So getting to play something that was a little more serious and [inaudible] and umm I think it’s probably one of my favorite parts. Um, I’m real interested to see how the relationship with uh, Cid and Alpha goes. She clearly is in love with him, uh, but he’s too oblivious to, to see it um, and yeah I’m really excited for season two and to see like how everything gets played out and if it’s gonna follow the manga or not.”

I have to ask also, for Annie, Beta has absolutely stolen my heart with how feisty and sharp-witted she is. Her relationship with Alexia, played by the incredible Olivia Swasey, is so much fun to watch in their heated, like rivalry/friendship, because of how, like, remarkably similar they are. And um,  of course, we know Beta is helping uh, Rose and Alexia to gather info for the Shadows, but, my question is, do you ever see her telling Alexia and Rose the truth and what do you think will be the ramifications of that? 

Annie: “I mean, here’s the thing, I love that trio. I love like what it becomes and I, I also, similarly to you, like Beta stole my heart with that dynamic and also just with like who she is, she is so feisty, she is so earnest, um she is, ya know, obsessed with fun. Ya know, wants to really go all into. I think, I think there is a chance. I think the ramifications would be pretty severe, considering the competition for, ya know Cid’s heart, and the power dynamics there and the fact they have established, it would be kinda scary if someone who you’ve spent all this time took off their mask and were like, “oh this is who you really are.” So, um, I, I don’t know, but I, I think, I kinda hope for it. I do, I kinda hope for it.”

Yeah, no I think it would be a very interesting revelation. Um, these last few questions are actually for all of you guys. So, whenever you guys want to, just feel free to jump in if you have an answer. There’s so much tongue in cheek humor in the show that had me cracking up so incredibly hard. Whether it was Cid’s alter ego as Mundane Mann or Rose’s fiance in Perv Asshat, there is no end to the ridiculous names. But, there had to have been moments where you guys were recording and you just broke character and just cracked a smile or burst out laughing, right? Are there any moments in particular that you guys can think of like that? 

Adam: Constantly, constantly. I mean, just, ya know, uh, working with John Swasey is always a pleasure. When I got into the first episode, ya know I gave my read and he was, “No, no dude that’s too proper [Annie laughs], he’s a little cooler, he’s a little, ya know, he’s uh-, 

Annie: He’s Adam Gibbs. 

Adam: Well, he is [laughs]. He said, “ya know take Deadpool, think Deadpool. He’s like, he’s just, ya know, over it, and, but knows what’s going on and is just sarcastic and ya know couldn’t be bothered.”

Annie: He’s cool. 

Adam: Oh yeah, yeah so you know I mean as you said, like Asshat alone, like dude I was like, “Nah, nah we gotta take a break, man, I gotta, I gotta get my mind [inaudible].” 

Annie: The first time, um, I ever had to uh, record [inaudible] um, Perv Asshat, I hit it so hard and John [John Swasey, director] and our, um sound engineer, Patrick, were both like, “Whoa, like hold back.” I mean we had to bust out laughing, because we casually have to say something like Perv Asshat, it’s just, it’s so, it’s so hard not to wanna break and just laugh. But yeah, they both were like, “My gosh you don’t have to show you hate the guy, Perv Asshat. 

Christina: Um, I didn’t really have any scenes like that, but there was a scene that I watched, because John was like, “Christina, you have to see this scene.” And it’s the scene where um, Cid and Alexia in Midgar are in the, the hot spring or like hot tub or something and he like stands up and he’s got a massive dick or [laughing] something like that! And I was like, “Oh my god, are you kidding me, what is this anime?!” It was just, it was so funny, I was laughing so hard, but yeah that was a little unexpected. I was not expecting something like that to happen in the show at all, how you could totally like let themselves show in front of this character, I was like, “Oh my god!”

It is so funny, we were talking about it, briefly we touched on it, there’s so much character acting within the series, but I have to think the action sequences are a whole bunch of fun to record. Not only is it just super satisfying to see your characters empowered, but you get to be the one to bring that energy to life. And like I said, for everyone, do you guys have a specific fight scene in mind that was like a blast to record? 

Adam: “Absolutely, um in his first, in Cid/Shadow’s first fight scene when he’s ya know he’s not like really full Shadow and he’s got the, I think it’s in the first episode, and um, ya knows he’s got the [inaudible] with the mask over his face and he’s going with the crowbar type deal.”

Christina: “Yeah.”

Adam: “And he got like the Naruto-like position run, like oh I don’t know that moment to me, I was like, “ok if this is episode one, this is going to be wild.”

Christina: “Yeah, that final fight scene was pretty big.”

Adam: “Oh the final fight scene is- I mean all the fight scenes are great, the final fight scene is amazing. The other one that I always love uh, personally, looking back, is uh, what’s Scott’s character? Zenon?”

Christina and Annie: “Yeah.”

Adam: “So, Scott Gibbs [Zenon Griffey’s English dub actor], no relation, uh, plays Zenon and ya know we have an ongoing joke, uh over the years about us being brothers, not being brothers, so-”

Christina: “Anime brothers.”

Adam: “Yeah, we’re anime brothers, for sure. I’m convinced we’re cousins somewhere down the line, but anyway, um, its yeah, but he, ya know, we love, particularly John, loves to have me and Scott trade bombs for each other. So, ya know, like any, when we- Scott had recorded the Zenon/Shadow fight before I did, so when I came in, I got to hear Scott’s voice and so, of course, if I know that I’m in a scene where Scott has already recorded, there will be a bomb for me. And there’s always talking about how, ya know, “oh great, the, the like, second Gibbs brother is here or that loser Adam is here,” whatever ya know. So, that, that one will always stick out, too, just for that kinda behind the scenes bit.”

Annie: “Um, I would say, even though I’m not in it, um I’m a little biased with this, because um, my boyfriend is also, uh, a, uh, Sentai voice actor and he got to come in and play the role of Rex, amongst others in the series. And he just dies so well in that scene-,”

[Adam laughs]

Annie: “…and uh, had a really good [inaudible] to take him out, and it’s just like, such a glorious payoff for Cid, as well, since they’re just pretty, he’s a rotten guy, Rex, the character, not Jeremy [Jeremy Gee],” 

Adam: “Yeah.”

Annie: “Um, and uh and so that was fun. And then it was fun as Beta to be, when the Archbishop has the, the knife up to um, Beta’s neck, and she is, ya know, really trying to sell that she is a damsel in distress, but it’s not really that believable. Um, just the conversation that uh Alexia’s like, “We could just leave her, ya know we don’t have to worry about,” yeah, so.” 

Christina: “Uh, I like all of Alpha’s fight scenes, because she’s just, very like, contained. She’s like, “oh, this is so easy, you’re such an easy opponent, I don’t care, whatever.” Um, I like all of them, to be honest, I don’t have a favorite [inaudible].”

 The series is obviously still very early in development, but I have to ask, what’s like, what’s the ‘walk off into sunset moment’ you guys would like for each of your characters? Like, what do they accomplish that lets them sit down and relax like Thanos on the sunset and be content with all they’ve accomplished? 

Adam: “That’s such a good question. I’m not convinced that Cid has a ‘content sunset moment.’ I think that when we reach the sunset and all the other characters are gently walking off into the sunset, Cid is like, “Ah, no not for me, I’ve got to, I don’t know, stir up some shit somewhere else,” I don’t know. And, ya know, with the, the traveling of time, I mean, yeah I don’t know if that’s in the cards for old Cid [inaudible]”

Annie: “Uh, I think Beta like having the most glorious author empire, that uh, she truly, like Agatha Christie, ends up with fifteen houses, like she just has her empire of books, she’s living in a lap of luxury and a dream situation, for her, is that Cid suddenly turns his affection towards her-

Christina: “Nah!” 

Annie: [laughs] …and they live in one of her fabulous houses paid by her books.

Christina: Um, I just feel like Alpha is just devoted to Cid, so I don’t know, I would hope they would get together. I think that would be like the perfect ending for her, but I don’t see it really happening, just with how he is. I just, I don’t know. We’re just gonna have to wait out.” 

Season one of The Eminence in Shadow is streaming now on HiDive.