“I know that voice!” “That voice is so familiar!” Over billions of ears have heard the voice of Roy Samuelson, a leading and well-respected Hollywood Voiceover Artist. For over two decades, his deep, soulful and commanding vocal skills have garnered him incredible success behind the microphone, contributing to literally thousands of vocal promos on Los Angeles’ NPR station KCRW. In other television and film projects, he often provides voice matches for top Hollywood stars.
Commercially, Samuelson has voiced Intel Tags during the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards. Major brands work includes Quaker, State Farm, DirecTV, Ford, Target, multiple spots for McDonalds and currently a Toyota commercial, gaining national attention. With vocal gifts only a select few possess, he can easily adjust the purpose of his voice – in Stand Up to Cancer campaigns, he sounds like the warm voice of reason. For Rent a Center, he is your best friend. For Sketchers, he is your father.
Samuelson gains critical praise and garners much work in the ever-growing area of Audio Description, including a 2019 SOVAS Award nomination in the narration category. This service makes television programs, movies and other visual media accessible to people who are blind and low vision. His narration provides descriptions of key elements without interfering with the audio or dialogue of a program or movie. There is now a push in the entertainment industry to market Audio Description outside of the blind and low vision community, where fans can listen to their favorite films and television, much like listening to books on tape. Samuelson is leading the charge of this emerging concept. To date, he has recorded narration for over 500 national network episodes and blockbuster films, including the Oscar-nominated “1917” and series like NCIS and Star Trek: Discovery among many others.
Roy Samuelson may not be a name and face whose is easily recognized outside of the Hollywood entertainment industry but his voice is one that most people have heard over and over. Whether narrating for a film or series, delivering promos on tv or the radio, adding his voice to scenes on your favorite program, Samuelson’s talent embodies the pinnacle of success in the Hollywood world of voiceover artists.
The Abaton Calendar is a resource created for and by voice talent, to help create meaningful connections and forge and maintain professional and personal relationships. (And hopefully, have a hell of a lot of fun in the process).