Tragic Backstories and Unprecedented Power: Chris Hackney and Jeannie Tirado on Their New “Tower of God” Roles

 

Every year brings with it a wealth of enticing new anime series, but one of the biggest titles to come out of 2020 is Crunchyroll’s Tower of God. The new anime is adapted from the long-running South Korean webtoon by acclaimed author, S.I.U. Tower of God is a brilliant take on the shonen genre as it sets its series within a giant Tower that houses both unimaginable rewards as well as dangerous obstacles and enemies. The anime’s frenetic and addictive structure is quickly turning newcomers into devoted fans.

Tower of God is quickly proving to be one of Crunchyroll’s most popular anime of the year and even though the English dub is only a few episodes in, it’s still making a huge impression on audiences. Crunchyroll has worked especially hard to assemble the best voice actors possible for this acclaimed series. Chris Hackney and Jeannie Tirado are responsible for the characters Khun and Princess Endorsi, who are not only some of Tower of God’s most interesting characters, but also some of the show’s biggest question marks. Hackney and Tirado get candid about their characters and what they channeled into these performances.

Daniel Kurland: Khun is one of the more exciting characters in the series and Tower of God does a good job at showing him in control, as well as being overwhelmed, like in “The Door Test.” Is there a certain side of Khun that you prefer to explore?

Chris Hackney: I feel like Khun has a lot of inner turmoil that really starts to creep in during the Door Test, where we get flashbacks to what brought him to the tower. That backstory and how it makes him who he is when he meets Bam is the story I’m most excited to know and tell. He’s incredibly sensitive deep down, and his heart is something I can’t wait to see more of.

Instantly there’s some very strong chemistry between Khun and Bam. Why do you think their dynamic together works so well?

I think Khun at first sees Bam as a tool for him to use in order to climb the tower but the more time they spend together, the more Khun begins to see how much he and Bam have in common. I think he sees the heart and kindness in him that he wants to protect, and Bam can feel that so the friendship is effortless and mutual. They just kind of “get” each other.

Tower of God has a huge cast and sometimes characters only get a small scene to shine. Was there a particular moment where Khun started to click in for you as a character?

For me there’s two parts that really solidified who Khun was for me; the Door Test and the Crown Game. Both show all of the facets of his mind. His scheming, his planning, his heart, and his moral compass are all both laid bare but still obscured enough to show there’s more to him than meets the eye, but there’s a lot there to know and love.

Khun is someone who welcomes a challenge and engages in a lot of battles. Is there a particular fight scene or challenge for Khun that stands out to you or was especially entertaining to perform?

I don’t think it’s aired yet so no spoilers, but the test with Quant was something else. I can’t go into detail without spoiling it, but it’s exciting and shows you more of just how the gears turn in Khun’s head.

Khun’s history with his mother is such an important part of his character. Do you hope that there are more opportunities to visit this chapter from Khun’s life and what he was like before entering the Tower?

Khun’s backstory has to be so fascinating and heartbreaking. After the little taste we got in episode 3 I was dying for more and I really hope we get another season to explore it. If not, guess I’ll be catching up on the Webtoon with everyone else.

Khun has such an interesting backstory that slowly gets revealed. Did you learn his full history and story beforehand, or did you remain in the dark and learn along with the audience in each episode? And how did this approach help your performance?

I actually hadn’t heard of the manwha/manga before I got the audition, so I had to do a crash course before I submitted to try and get a feel for who Khun is. I’m not caught up on all of the chapters, but I always try to do my homework to give life to the character as the creator sees them.

Tower of God paints such a full world that covers so much territory. What is it about this anime series that you feel makes it different from the rest?

For me, I feel like it has this sort of simplicity and depth apparent at the same time. I know that’s a weird oxymoron, but it just sort of grabs you immediately with themes and characters that feel familiar but are so different. It doesn’t take its time to let you simmer before the next insane thing happens, so you’re on this intense journey from the Go and it compels you to take the ride.

***

Daniel Kurland: Tower of God has such a celebrated reputation and Endorsi is one of the more beloved characters. Was it exciting to come on board to a series that already has such a devoted following?

Jeannie Tirado: Since I was already familiar with Tower of God from seeing artwork on Twitter and Instagram, I was so excited to be a part of the franchise. There are certain shows I’ve worked on where it felt similar like Ghost in the Shell or Code Geass. When I first found out about Endorsi, I was so excited just to be a part of the show.

Endorsi is a big mystery at first and it takes some time for her story to come forward. Was it difficult to get in the character’s mindset and figure out their motivations?

It was difficult trying to find out what Endorsi’s motivations are and what navigates her. The monologue where Endorsi describes the Princesses of Jahad, that’s where you find a lot about her. Doing that monologue helped me figure out why she was a bit of a bully when you first meet her.

Endorsi is often at odds with Anaak, as they both represent very different sides of the Jahad lineage. Talk a little on the unusual kinship that they find in each other and if it’s a satisfying relationship to explore.

I’m a little sister myself and in my mind Endorsi is the bigger sister. I really related to Anaak at first; she’s trying so hard to prove herself. I want to play the poor girl fighting for who she is! That said, this role really gave me insight into how my sister feels. Tapping into that side of Endorsi helped me figure out that family dynamic.

What’s so fun about Endorsi is that she’s royalty, but she also gets to kick butt. Do you have a particular favorite scene or moment with the character?

One of the first things I recorded for Endosi was her fighting and she’s laughing during the fight. She’s about to fight and she’s playfully humming to herself; she has so much fun with her battle scenes. I do a lot of battle / military video games and Endorsi gave me the opportunity to explore something new within fight scenes beyond what I usually record.

There’s also a great scene with both Endorsi and Anaak later in the season – I won’t spoil it but their dynamic in this particular fight was a lot of fun.

Was there a particular moment where Endorsi really came together for you or you really felt like you understood the character?

I already mentioned Endorsi’s monologue where she describes the Princesses of Jahad. Reading through that monologue, you get a real glimpse into how Endorsi views herself.

There are a lot of characters in this show and Endorsi doesn’t get a ton of time together with Bam. Does that make their scenes together more exciting when they do happen?

Because I had heard of the show, I got really excited to see Endosi and Bam together. I saw Rachel in a few scenes with Endorsi but she didn’t say much. However, with Bam there is immediately a rapport and understanding that she is going to look out for him.

Endorsi is complicated because she’s a Regular like everyone, but she’s also a Princess of Jahad. Do you feel like that makes Endorsi more of an outsider? Has it effected how you play her at all?

Yes, and fans can see that in the cafeteria scenes where she’s more aloof versus in other scenes where she is poking fun at the others. There is a bit of that sticking-her-nose-up around the others because she’s a princess. But, even though she’s aloof, she’s always asking to sit at the table.

Do you see Endorsi as someone that might reach the top of the Tower? Why is this goal particularly important for her?

Yes, Endorsi is able to reach the top. I knew this when I first met her given her strategy, wit and power. That said, she’s created such strong relationships with others. She would be able to reach the top, but maybe she wouldn’t choose to anymore. We’ll have to see what happens!

 

Tower of God is now available to watch on Crunchyroll, with new episodes airing every Wednesday