Mary Elizabeth McGlynn

Mary: I've been lucky to play a myriad of strong women mostly due to the timbre of my voice. From Julia in Cowboy Bebop to Jaguara in Wolf's Rain to Hilda in Outlaw Star, I've had the honor of voicing some amazing women.

Mary: Motoko is the first leading role for me that spans an entire series. She gets to develop her skills as a leader, mother figure, sexual object and yet technically, she's not human. More like a machine with a human spirit and characteristics. This of course means that she can go at an enemy with almost a reckless abandon to her own well-being. If she breaks, she can just transfer her ghost to a new model. That's quite a feeling of freedom and I think it comes across in her personality. That also makes her great fun to play.

Mary: To be honest, I think I'm more comfortable in the director's chair than behind the microphone. The process of putting the pieces together while trying to tell a story is a wonderful and fulfilling challenge.

Mary: (about preparing for recording sessions) I sing in the shower, in the car, just about anywhere I can to get my chords warmed up. An amazing teacher named Patsy Rodenberg gave me a wonderful routine in grad school that involves humming, chewing, blowing the lips, and stretching. I also try to stay away from coffee and milk before a session. They add to mouth noises which the engineers have to clean, using up precious studio time.

Mary: (about favorite characters she's portrayed) I was madly in love with Spike so I lobbied hard to play Julia in Bebop. I think Jaguara in Wolf's Rain was my favorite villain. That woman was pure evil. There's something about playing a "smiling villain" that appeals to me. They show no remorse and they love what they do. Clear thinking, ala Hannibal Lecter, is a thing of beauty. Not that I recommend that as a character trait, but it's sure is fun to play!

Mary: (about preparation for her role as Major Motoko Kusanagi) The first Ghost in the Shell movie has always been one of my favorites long before the series came along. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen, between the animation, the music, and the more adult themed style of storytelling. When I heard they were going to continue the story of Motoko and the gang from Section 9 I was thrilled. I got the call for the audition and was lucky enough to land the role of The Major. The only research I did was to watch the movie over and over to get a better idea of how she ticked and of the world she lived in.