For neurodivergent voice actors like Kellen Goff (“Five Nights at Freddy’s,” “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”) and Analesa Fisher (“Yummiland,” “Craig of the Creek”), who both have autism, seeing (and hearing!) the world a little bit differently means bringing something special to the table… or the recording booth. In a recent collaboration between Backstage and Voice Trax West, these voiceover artists came together with casting directors and agents to discuss the industry’s challenges and progress, and explore the ways it can better support and showcase neurodivergent talent.
The panel went over the issues faced by neurodivergent performers, including self-identification, role types, and tokenization.
Identifying neurodivergent status: “When should an actor or a rep on an actor’s behalf identify to casting [neurodivergent status]?” asked casting director Danielle Pretsfelder Demchick, who moderated the panel. “When is the right time? Is there a right time? Do you have to?”
According to talent agents Micaela Hicks (Vox) and Portia Scott (Coast to Coast), disclosure decisions should be individualized. Some performers may choose to disclose only for specific roles or when accommodations are needed, while others might prefer automatic disclosure.

“It’s our job to represent you, who you are, and how you want to be represented,” said talent agent Alicia Beekman (DDO). “So for me, it’s definitely actor by actor. I rarely will have any reason to disclose it at the point of submitting auditions. Once we do get to a live callback or a booking, we absolutely have that conversation, especially if there are any accommodations that will help you be successful in that appointment or in the booth. But it’s always going to be a conversation on a case-by-case basis. So please talk to your reps. We are here for you.”
Choosing roles: Some performers prefer focusing on specifically written neurodivergent roles, while others may want to audition for everything; once again, it comes down to the individual.
Goff mostly auditions for roles where neurodiversity isn’t specified. Fisher sees a lot of roles that aren’t categorized as autistic despite appearing that way, and they feel this means the roles aren’t being cast authentically. “No one’s turning to the writers or the producers and going, ‘Hey, you kind of already wrote this. Why not cast it more authentically?’ ” Fisher explained. “So more often than not, I’m getting auditions for characters and I’m like, ‘You’ve clearly written it this way, but you’re not willing to cast it this way.’ ”
Tokenization: Even when a role is cast as neurodivergent, Fisher cautions that some people only “want those people on their roster because they want to fill in the gaps, and will only use you for those things.” Since “divergences get kind of tokenized,” it’s important to remember that you’re “more than the one box that people want to put you in—that box that just makes you one part of who you are,” they said.
Despite these challenges, panelists found that much progress has been made in the voiceover industry, particularly when it comes to accessibility, appreciation of unique perspectives, and representation.
Better accessibility: Voice acting tends to be more accessible than on-camera work for underrepresented communities (such as neurodivergent performers), since talent is judged primarily on their abilities.
Increased interest in neurodiversity: Sometimes, coloring outside the neurotypical lines can be a major plus for casting directors. “Neurodivergent performers bring really nuanced performances, and often bring something to a role that other people don’t,” Demchick said. “Sometimes you end up really standing out because you bring a perspective…because of the way your brain works, you’re really good at capturing a world.”
Casting director Lynnanne Zager also noted the particular strengths she’s observed in neurodivergent performers, especially in automated dialogue replacement (ADR) and creature voice work. “That kind of beauty and uniqueness and creativity was just unmatched,” she explained, so she seeks out voice actors who can think “outside the box.”
“It is your brain and it is your interpretation of things that brings these characters to life,” Fisher added, “and that makes fans and people go, ‘Wow, this person did an incredible job. I never would have seen this character this way.’ ”
Growing opportunities and representation: The panel addressed growing opportunities across multiple voice-acting sectors (particularly animation, video games, ADR, e-learning, and commercial work), and encouraged neurodivergent voice actors to give everything a try if possible. More diverse representation “raises the bar for more opportunity, more growth in industry on all sides,” said Scott.
Goff reports that the mere act of taking on a role as a neurodivergent performer can help others in the community feel that they’re being represented. “When I booked [‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’] and started to do it, and then it came out that I was autistic, the fan base felt very represented, and that was completely unintentional,” he said.
Neurodiverse talent should be cast in “every single thing… everywhere… everything!” emphasized casting and voice director Kristin Paiva. “We should be casting worlds that look like the one that we live in.”
Finally, panelists examined the need for neurodivergent performers to, as Demchick said, “move up, connect with their peers, [and] have a broader sense of community.”
Fisher and Goff find that the voice-acting community is an especially welcoming one. “The voiceover community, more than any other community in this industry, is so welcoming, and everybody just wants to help each other,” Fisher said. Goff agreed, saying it’s “just full of the kindest, most supportive, most passionate fellow actors,” which helped him find his “place in the world.”
Goff largely relies on what he deems “conventional ways” to connect with like-minded performers: fan conventions, workshops, and online message boards such as the Voice Acting Club forums. Fisher also recommends going online to connect with other performers with disabilities, particularly the Disabled Voice Actors Database (DVA). “You can make friends with the exact same disabilities as you, [or] just people on the neurodivergent spectrum,” they said.
Spectrum Laboratory in L.A. is another helpful resource that provides networking opportunities as well as training and performance spaces specifically designed for neurodivergent performers. It has an “amazing” and “very connected” community, according to Zager.
The panel discussion ended on an encouraging note, with Demchick saying it was a “needed conversation”—one that hopefully represents an industry-wide paradigm shift embracing diversity and inclusion.