I’ve spoken English and Spanish for as long as I can remember. However, being able to truly perform and express myself in both languages? That’s a different challenge.
I remember my first in-person audition—I read for several scripts in English, and then I was asked if I wanted to try them again in Spanish. At that point, I really only used Spanish when talking to my family, and I wasn’t comfortable acting in it. I declined, and honestly, I don’t regret it. If I had forced it, I probably would’ve left a bad impression.
Over time, though, I started practicing with Spanish scripts and worked on becoming more comfortable performing in Spanish. It wasn’t easy—even today, reading a script in Spanish takes me a little longer than English—but I kept at it. I realized that while voice acting in English was great (and enough), why not expand into another language? I was already blessed with the ability to speak, read, and write Spanish, so why not use it?
After plenty of practice, I put together a short Spanish demo to showcase my voice in different styles. I updated my profiles with proof that I could perform in Spanish, and sure enough, I started booking Spanish-language jobs. If you speak a second language and feel comfortable acting in it, I highly recommend exploring it. You don’t have to go all in if you’re not ready—personally, I wouldn’t take on an audiobook or long narration in Spanish just yet because it would take me much longer than English, and I wouldn’t feel as confident.
Even if you're not 100% fluent, speaking another language can still give you an advantage. Some roles—whether in video games, commercials, or narration—may include a few words or lines in another language. That small detail could be the edge that gets you booked over someone else.
Now, what if you think you’re capable of voice acting in another language but are afraid of making mistakes? The truth is, everyone makes mistakes—and that’s perfectly okay! In a live session, everyone wants you to succeed. They chose you for a reason. Just last week, I had a Spanish-language session where I stumbled on a few words and even had to ask if I was pronouncing certain ones correctly. Some of them I had never even heard before! The director and engineer were incredibly patient and helped me through it. In the moment, making a mistake might feel uncomfortable, but it’s never a problem.
Being a bilingual voice actor opens doors to new opportunities and expands your reach in the industry. If you have a second language in your toolkit, why not use it? It may take extra practice, and you might make a few mistakes along the way, but that’s part of the process. At the end of the day, the more versatile you are, the more chances you have to do what you love—and that’s what matters most.