Movies - TV
For Kevin Conroy, Batman Was A 'State Of Mind'
By JENNA BUSCH
First starring as the titular character in 1992's "Batman: The Animated Series," Kevin Conroy is the superhero's voice for many fans, appearing in almost 60 projects as the Dark Knight. While auditioning for the role, Conroy altered his voice to delineate between the playboy Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter ego — a choice that made a huge difference.
Conroy explained, "He's [Batman] a complicated guy, and that voice can't be just a quirky voice that you as an actor put on. It's a state of mind that you have to get into because that voice comes from such a deep well of pain. If you don't really do it genuinely, it sounds artificial. … You really need to invest it with a lot of emotion and a lot of backstory."
Batman's history is marked with tragedy, and the show and following projects dealt heavily with his grief and PTSD from witnessing his parents' murder. Conroy brought a high level of empathy and emotion to the superhero, leaving a lasting impression on fans and proving that an animated character could be much more than a Saturday morning cartoon.