David Hurwitz (Actor)
Have You Ever Been Mellow? asks the old much covered song. Knock a 'w' off the end and David Hurwitz could answer with an unequivocal YES!
Nor is the Death Note voice actor - who provided the dulcet tones of Mello in the English anime version - ever likely to forget it.
If his resume is anything to go by, Dave Hurwitz is generally more at home on a theatrical stage than in a voice acting studio. He is currently touring with the National Theatre of Great Britain, bringing Michael Morpurgo's poignant story War Horse to life in theatres throughout Europe and North America.
David plays the antagonist Billy. For Death Note fans unfamiliar with the story, there are more than a few parallels with Mello here. Billy ends up second best to his cousin Albert. He's also the architect of various schemes, whispered into the ear of his own father (rather than a Godfather), designed to regain the upper hand. I won't spoil it by providing details of the ending, but let's just say that both Mello and Billy were in world wars, and their Fate has strong collations too.
Nor is the Death Note voice actor - who provided the dulcet tones of Mello in the English anime version - ever likely to forget it.
If his resume is anything to go by, Dave Hurwitz is generally more at home on a theatrical stage than in a voice acting studio. He is currently touring with the National Theatre of Great Britain, bringing Michael Morpurgo's poignant story War Horse to life in theatres throughout Europe and North America.
David plays the antagonist Billy. For Death Note fans unfamiliar with the story, there are more than a few parallels with Mello here. Billy ends up second best to his cousin Albert. He's also the architect of various schemes, whispered into the ear of his own father (rather than a Godfather), designed to regain the upper hand. I won't spoil it by providing details of the ending, but let's just say that both Mello and Billy were in world wars, and their Fate has strong collations too.
I believe that's David at 1.16 (right hand side) playing Billy in War Horse.
It was in his capacity as a theatrical actor in War Horse that David was recently interviewed by Broadway World. The conversation soon turned towards Mello, and how that role has never really gone away.
Not that David seems too bothered about that!
'I have random people write me fan letters," he told journalist Kathy Strain, "and people have come up to me after shows and want to take pictures with me because they know me from Death Note. It's pretty cool."
David also discussed how he landed the role of Mello (there's a 'large animation voice-over scene' in the actor's native Vancouver, Canada, and his agent had good enough connections in it to get him the part), and how challenging the acting could be (director in another country; David having to match his English language voice to anime lips designed to mirror Japanese dictation; his cue being three beeps rather than another actor's voice).
He knows precisely why Mello has remained his best-known role to date too. It's all to do with Death Note's 'huge following and fan base online'. David Hurwitz gleefully added, 'I'm really glad that I am able to put it on my resume.'
For those who have been living under a rock, here is David Hurwitz voicing Mello (begins at 1.30) and describing - at the time - what that was like.
Not that David seems too bothered about that!
'I have random people write me fan letters," he told journalist Kathy Strain, "and people have come up to me after shows and want to take pictures with me because they know me from Death Note. It's pretty cool."
David also discussed how he landed the role of Mello (there's a 'large animation voice-over scene' in the actor's native Vancouver, Canada, and his agent had good enough connections in it to get him the part), and how challenging the acting could be (director in another country; David having to match his English language voice to anime lips designed to mirror Japanese dictation; his cue being three beeps rather than another actor's voice).
He knows precisely why Mello has remained his best-known role to date too. It's all to do with Death Note's 'huge following and fan base online'. David Hurwitz gleefully added, 'I'm really glad that I am able to put it on my resume.'
For those who have been living under a rock, here is David Hurwitz voicing Mello (begins at 1.30) and describing - at the time - what that was like.
