Reddit AMA Recap: Krystal LaPorte and Christopher Ayres

A special two·fer.


Recently, the married voice acting couple, Krystal LaPorte and Christopher Ayres did a Reddit AMA interview together sharing years of professional experience under their belt with Ayres having a decent track record of voicing Iconic Anime villain roles such as Frieza from the Dragonball Franchise, Corset from Panty & Stocking and even a minor villain role in the underrated Devil May Cry anime. While his Wife Krystal also does her fair share of voice acting in Anime as well in shows such as Akame ga Kill, Parasyte, Black Bullet, Dr. Stone, and her most prominent role as Tina, one of the three Kunoichi “Blue Rose” Triplets from Overlord. Both of them during the interview share a laptop while also flaunting their pet cat “Atticus” with Krystal answering the most questions due to Chris recovering from a recent surgery.


For both of them: how have you fared during the quarantine? I know that Chris had to have a lung transplant before, so it would be tough given he’s more at risk.

Krystal: Physically healthy as far I know, and trying to keep how I’m feeling on the back burner until this is over. I have a lot of people who really need me to be physically and emotionally supportive during this time, so I feel focusing on my own feelings right now would make me less efficient at it. I am just so incredibly lucky to be spending the quarantine with Chris and Atticus, and that he was able to get his transplant surgery before the pandemic. I have not been able to spend this much time with him since I moved to Dallas two years ago, so this is really making up for the lost time. His health and happiness is priority numero uno right now.

Chris: I am actually handing it fairly well. The recovery from the transplant is a slow one but my doctors say I’m making good progress. Things are scary and we all have to be careful. It actually feels that most people bare living in my shoes right now. I will have to wear a mask and sometimes gloves, wash and sanitize constantly. I’ve been pretty isolated since I first got sick three years ago so even that’s kind of normal for me. I am Aldo luck to be here with my two favorite people so it’s nice.

On the most fun, performances they had when voice acting/directing? And what are your dream roles to play?

Krystal: I REALLY enjoyed playing Kohina Hiruko in Black Bullet, and Cherri Bomb. They are so different from who I am as a person, being able to actually BE that person just makes me giddy! I also really enjoyed being Lion from Kemono friends. While the recording itself was a total blast, it’s just everything about it that really stands out to me; the people involved in it are SO wonderful, the director just radiated a passion for the show, and they really tried to involve a lot of ways to benefit animals during the production and release. Thinking about it makes my heart happy.

As far as dream roles go, I want me and Chris to be Andre and Firmin in the Phantom of the Opera. No idea why, but that would be so much fun.

Chris: As for dream roles wow tough question. I would love to play RICHARD III, Iago in Othello. Carlie in Chaplin and I do agree with Krystal about Andre and Firmin in the Phantom of the Opera.

On Chris voicing his Iconic role as Frieza from the Dragonball Franchise.

I have a blast voicing Frieza. Even when I was at my sickest recording him (while exhausting) always gave me such a boost. It’s by far the most fun I’ve ever had with a character ever. I always say he’s drawn from several of my childhood favorites who made me want to be an actor. It’s a little Roddy McDowall, a little John Hurt, and punch of Vincent Price. It’s a mix of all of those and a little bit of me. That’s the easiest way for me to break it down.


On Chris’s reaction to finding out that Frieza eliminated Frost during Dragonball Super’s Final Arc (who was voiced by his brother Greg Ayres)?
Chris: I was floored I figured it would happen but when it did I was floored.


On meeting actors outside of anime.
Chris: Oh yeah I’ve been working professionally as an actor since I was six so I’ve met many well-known actors like Jeff Bridges, Danny Divito, and Danny Elfman and worked with Anthony Newley, Cathy Rigby, and JoAnne Worley and Directed Jim Parsons when we were in college.

On what shows made Krystal want to become a voice actress.
Krystal: I actually had no idea that I would enjoy anime until I was doing walla, and just fell in love. The first time I knew I wanted to act was when I was about 5 or 6 and my Mom took me to see Little Shop of Horrors! Anime wasn’t really allowed in the house once I moved with my dad, so I had only seen a few of them before I was 18.

On how they both got into the industry and the difficulty of voice acting.
Krystal: I don’t think I ever really ‘broke’ in. It’s been more of a long, hard grind for me. I started with walla (voiced background noise) and bits, and as time progressed and I improved, the roles continued. Some larger, some smaller, but they’ve all been wonderful. Sometimes! We all have different strengths in acting, so some roles come easier than others. I, for example, do not laugh. So every time a character has a really loud, extended, or hearty laugh, you can be sure I agonized over that scene to make it sound natural!

Chris: I was actually pretty much only doing theatre and a slot of the actors working for me were doing anime and suggested I try. I was always to busy to audition at an open call and finally, my brother (Greg Ayres) called the number and said: “book the damn appointment”. I waited for about six months and had my audition later got called in for my first session I had two or three lines and primarily did background WALLA. And pretty much moved up from there.


And finally on whether it’s weird listening to their own vocal performances.

Krystal: Not at all, because I refuse to at all costs. In all seriousness, it used to be really bad. I still internalize a lot of insults, so they’re usually all I hear when I listen to recordings of myself. I’m MUCH better it now though.

Chris: Sometimes it’s weird to hear your own voice. It was harder when I first start.