In the realm of animated storytelling, the magic often lies in the voices that bring beloved characters to life. Behind this magic at Pixar Animation Studios is none other than Kate Hansen-Birnbaum, a name synonymous with excellence in voice casting. With a career spanning over many years, Kate has played a pivotal role in casting some of the most iconic voices in animation history. Today, we have the distinct pleasure of delving into the world of voice casting with Kate herself. From her early days to the intricacies of selecting the perfect voice, join us as we explore the fascinating journey of a true industry maestro. DirectSubmit NYCastings gives you Kate Hansen-Birnbaum!
Kate Hansen-Birnbaum. Photo by Doug Birnbaum.
You started out as a Talent Agent before transitioning over to your current position of Casting Director at Pixar Animations studio. When you were a child, did you wake up one morning and say, “Hey! I’m going to be a Casting Director when I grow up!” or did you consider other options?
It never even crossed my mind! In my final year of college, I landed an internship at a San Francisco-based talent agency, where I learned the foundations of talent representation. My grandfather was a music producer, so I’ve always been fascinated by the entertainment industry. The whole scene seemed so mysterious, and I wanted to demystify it. I started as an intern, got hired as an assistant, and spent seven years working my way up to agent for the voiceover and on-camera division. While working with casting directors, my curiosity about their side of the industry grew. I had the opportunity to work closely with Pixar during my years as a talent agent, and thanks to some right-place-right-time luck, I transitioned to the other side of the desk. I have been with Pixar for 6.5 years now, and it’s been such a fun ride.
How has your work as a Casting Director influenced your personal growth and understanding of people?
I listen to voices all day for work, so it’s hard for me to turn that off—my ear is always tuned in. Listening to countless voices and performances has helped me appreciate the unique qualities each actor brings to the table. Plus, working with incredible filmmakers at Pixar who give 100% every day inspires me to bring my best self to the work.
Your career has catapulted in a short amount of time. You went from Casting Coordinator to full blown Casting Director in what seems like a movie minute. What inspired you to go into casting? Run us through the timeline of when you got your first casting job to now, and how your role in casting has changed as you were given more and more responsibility.
When I started at Pixar, I had to dive headfirst into the thick of casting for several projects. I had to learn quickly, as the size and scope of production here at Pixar are intense, yet I fell in love with every part of the process. Working with an amazing team makes this job even better. As I took on more responsibility, my role evolved from coordinating self-tape auditions to leading casting sessions, collaborating with directors, and helping make key decisions. I’ve learned to trust my instincts and embrace the creative side of casting, which has been incredibly rewarding. There’s nothing more exciting to me than discovering up-and-coming talent, presenting them to directors, and seeing them cast in the film. It’s like watching baby birds fly from the nest! Those are the most amazing moments for me. Every step has taught me the importance of recognizing unique voices and pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve in voice casting. It’s thrilling to be part of bringing these characters to life and being part of the actors’ journey.
What advice do you have for actors who feel they are being typecast?
For actors who feel typecast, my advice is to actively seek opportunities that challenge and expand their range. This could include exploring different genres, working with coaches to develop new skills, and creating their own content. Embrace what excites you and showcase your versatility—it’s a great way to capture the attention of casting directors looking for fresh talent. Persistence is key: stay true to your passion, keep honing your craft, and continue surprising us with your abilities. Make sure whatever you put out is easily findable, as we are always searching for new talent.
Walk us through your typical casting process from the initial call to the final selection.
I work with an unbelievably amazing team, and we consume A LOT of content—keeping an eye on theater, improv, stand-up, and sketch. We’re also fortunate to collaborate with Pixar filmmakers who bring their unique ideas and perspectives to the table. Once we get the character breakdown, the casting team goes through our list of actors who might be a great fit for the role, and we like to throw in a few curveball ideas to give the director something to think about.
During director and producer reviews, we present voices without the actors’ names attached to create a level playing field and eliminate any bias. Once the director narrows down the actors, we conduct a character test, playing the actors’ audio with the character design to ensure it’s a perfect fit.
Casting at Pixar is like composing a symphony; you need all the voices to work in harmony. You wouldn’t arrange a bunch of tubas without including the strings or percussion, we look for voices that complement each other. We’ve listened to up to 1,200 voices for a single role. It’s not only about how well a voice fits a character, but also how it interacts with the voices of other characters they share the screen with. In animation, the physical performance of the actors is completely stripped away, so their voice alone must carry the entire performance.
What qualities or attributes do you believe are essential for an actor to stand out during auditions?
We love it when actors incorporate some improv into their self-tape auditions! It’s refreshing and fun to hear their unique take on the character and the scene. It really gives us a sense of how they can adapt and play with the material.
Casting Director Kate Hansen-Birnbaum at the premiere of Inside Out 2.
What are some common mistakes actors make during auditions, and how can they avoid them?
One big mistake an actor can make is having bad audio quality. Since we only listen to self-tape audio auditions, the sound quality needs to be good. Poor audio can ruin the vocal performance and make it hard for us to evaluate. The good news is that with today’s technology, even an iPhone in a padded room, like a closet, can produce great sound quality.
How often do you provide feedback to actors after auditions, and what type of feedback is most valuable for their growth?
In voice casting, much of the decision hinges on vocal quality and how well it aligns with the character design. We cast actors based on their natural speaking voice. So much of the final decision is based on qualities outside the actor’s control, such as their voice may sound too young or not deep enough for the director’s vision. My advice is to give it your all and leave it in the room. There are so many factors that are completely out of your control.
How do you balance an actor’s talent with the specific requirements of a role when making casting decisions?
We aim to look beyond the roles actors have traditionally played and consider their full range of talents and potential. As I mentioned before, we as a team watch a lot of content and at times, dig deep through the actor’s work to discover unique qualities and skills that may not have been highlighted in their current roles. We’re always reporting back to one another on what we are watching and who’s up-and-coming, which is so beneficial because we can cover more grou
And, especially with the amount of content available. In voice casting, unlike live-action casting, it’s all about finding an actor who can skillfully convey a wide range of tones, emotions, and comedic timing through their voice alone. It’s exciting when we find an actor, especially up-and-coming talent, whose vocal qualities and range align beautifully with the character design.
Outside of casting, what are some of your hobbies or interests that you enjoy in your free time?
We have a lively 3-year-old son at home, which keeps things pretty busy! Weekends are all about family time. I grew up horseback riding, and now we care for a few horses, including a mini pony, and we love spending time with them on the weekends. My son is currently obsessed with camping, so we’ve been taking long weekends to unplug and explore the redwoods and the Northern coast.
Anything else you’d like to say?
One recent highlight I’d love to share is Inside Out 2. While we had already assembled a stellar team of talent for the first film, this time we faced the exciting challenge of expanding Riley’s world and friend group, and of course, introducing new emotions like Anxiety. During the early casting phase, we had to ask ourselves, “What does Anxiety sound like? What should we feel when we hear Envy?” Finding a voice that perfectly matches an emotion is a unique and incredibly fun challenge. We’re so proud of this entire cast and thrilled that the world is responding to this movie in such a beautiful way.
