
February 2023 issue of SFX magazine is out today and we picked up a copy to take a look at an exclusive interview with Alan Tudyk for his role as Optimus Prime on Transformers: EarthSpark.
What goes through your head when you learn that you’re going to be part of such a well-known franchise?
I got an email asking if I wanted to do it. I read it and my brain rejected the idea that I would even be asked to play Optimus Prime. I read it as Prime. I saw Prime and I was like, “Oh, right. There are other Primes.” Because I did [2011 live action film] Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, and there was another Prime [Sentinel]. There was Optimus and then this other guy showed up.
It was like one of the original Primes and so I thought I was like Optometrist Prime or some other, you know, Amazon Prime. I was like, “Cool. I’ll be talking about Transformers. I’ll probably have like two lines an episode and I get to do this cool thing.” It wasn’t until just a few days before I ever had to record that I started working on it and saw that all the lines in the script that were highlighted were Optimus, and I freaked out.
Why?
Like, there’s no way! [Laughs] What are you talking about? I’m more like Uncomfortable Prime, I shouldn’t be… That’s usually my characters that I play: Indecision Prime, left or right? We really had a blast, I came in and worked on it, and we had a really good time. The first time I got to say “Autobots, roll out,” I got chills, literally chills. And then they turned up the heat. And then we continued the session.
What’s been your main take-away for your character?
I would say it’s just so much fun. I love this new iteration; there’s areas of grey here because it’s now after the war, and Megatron and Optimus Prime are working together, but it’s not clean-cut. Some of the Decepticons are still fighting this war, so they’ll capture them and it’s like, “Are they your enemies? Are they your friends? You’re all part of the same species. So what is it?” There’s a question there. It’s about looking after ourselves as a species, which is a good message at any time in history, but working together for the common good.
I also took away how cool the animation has become. From when you first watched it to now, this big animation is so cool, it looks really, really good. It’s very entertaining, there’s a lot to it. There’s a story family, a lot of that part of the story, but then there’s also some really great action.
You can read the rest of the interview on SFX Magazine – February 2023.
Sonic Eclipse
I like the actor, but his Optimus voice isn't for me. Now, I haven't seen much of Earthspark other than a few clips. But the little I have seen of his Optimus, he always sounds like The Kraang from TMNT'12. Not really what I want Optimus to sound like.
[Wing_Saber-X]
Did everyone else have this meme in mind when Alan Tudyk mentioned he had chills voicing Prime?!
Fuze9
Ok, that made me laugh.
NemiMonkey
2fabdad
He’s good. I like it.
janeDoe001
Warning: I haven't seen the series yet (not a no spoilers request I have no problem with spoilers) so this is me late in the game finding out who voices this Optimus Prime.
So Alan went from Joker and Clayface to Optimus freaking Prime. Did anyone see this coming before it happened or am I silly for not considering this casting?
Also, I loved that when Alan saw he was playing Prime, he didn't realize it was THE Prime. lol
jD001
fartsniffer42
Haha. Two-Dick.
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RodimusRex
It works as a double reference because of his role on Santa Clarita Diet.
DracoPrimal
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Dexatronic
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[Wing_Saber-X]
hey, quit being a buzzkill, buddy!
avc-prime
Alan Tudyk is a no body, couldn't they get somebody important? (if you know, you know) (Sarcasm)
Beemer
Alan Tudyk is a national treasure.
On being interviewed about being the chicken in Moana: "I went to JULLIARD!!!" ROFLCOPTER
Dexatronic
New Wheeljack fills that role.
ToaDraco
It's definitely a bit jarring at first to hear him as Prime but by the end of the first set of episodes they released, you get used to it. I really like how Prime is handled in the show so far. There's some moral gray area and he's struggling with the decisions he's made and how to navigate a post-war era and whether he's relinquished too much control to Ghost in the name of peace.
Shmoptimus Prime
Tudyk is hilarious. I always love seeing him pop up in things. Ever since Firefly.
DracoPrimal
I love the breadth of Tudyk's work, man's got RANGE. Watched his arc in "Dollhouse" and was enamored with how convincing he was the WHOLE time.
BigRed
Easily the first time in a long long time that Optimus Prime has felt human instead of self parody. Glad to have him on board.
Nemesisprime1975
He is a great actor and I liked him in dotm.
What's her name? In….d…ia lol
Chadderbug
The other 2 are a certainty, but I don't think he lied about Bumblebee being dead lol. After the war ended, pretty much everyone who remained went into hiding, Bee being one of the many. And I suppose he was the easiest to get ahold of to train the Terrans. As for GHOST, we know hardly anything so far. We've seen a few people who work for them (Meridian namely, but he's former) plus the fact that Elita, Optimus, and Megs are part of them too. I don't think we've even seen the leader of GHOST yet.