The series follows teenager John Bennett (Max Burkholder) and his foul-mouthed bear, Ted (Seth MacFarlane), in 1990s Boston.

Nerd Reactor interviewed the cast of Ted during WonderCon 2026, and the cast shares their craziest scenes in season 2.

Playing John’s father, Matty Bennett, is Scott Grimes.

“It’s gonna be the whole scene where I come out of the bathtub with my pants down, and I have to wrestle my brother with my bare behind showing to the world,” Grimes tells Nerd Reactor. “I don’t know if you guys have seen it, but my bum is in your face. The camera is there, and my bum is right there. So that was tough to watch, tough to film, but it’s also what we do on this show. We push that kind of envelope a little.”

Giorgia Whigham portrays John’s cousin, Blaire, and she shares one of the most unhinged moments in the season.

“Oh man, they’re all unhinged,” she said. “But I think anything from the Mrs. Robichek episode. That whole episode is unhinged, and that would pop up in the dictionary, I would say.”

Whigham recalls a scene with Alanna Ubach, who plays John’s mother.

“There’s one that I reference because I laughed and I couldn’t pull it together,” Whigham said. “It was in season one. I don’t even know if it got put into the show, but when Alanna… when we were at the dinner table, we were, for some reason, I forget what it was, we were all complimenting on Suze. I think they were, ‘Oh, I think they were stoned,’ and they were saying, ‘Oh, this meatloaf is great, or whatever.’ And she said, ‘I feel like the Academy Awards,’ and just the way Alanna talks is so, it’s just the improv lines that she would give just made me laugh each time. But that one, that one killed me.”

You can check out our video interview above.

About Ted Season 2

Ted the TV series – Everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed teddy bear is back! Peacock’s comedic prequel series to the hit film franchise of the same name, Ted season two finds us in the ’90s, and Ted the bear’s moment of fame has passed. He’s now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts, with his best friend, 17-year-old John Bennett (Max Burkholder), along with John’s parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach), and cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham).

Ted the TV series is available to stream on Peacock.

The post Ted Cast Reveals the Most Unhinged Scenes in Season 2 appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

And if you’ve ever thought, “Hey, I want to do that too,” we attended a fun and insightful WonderCon 2025 panel discussing how to break into the voice acting industry for games and animation. Curious if you have what it takes to be a voice actor? Read on and find out!

Panelists Introduction

Moderated by artistic director Shawn Strider, the founder of Labyrinth of Jareth Masquerade Ball, the panelists included:

• Daniel Ross (Emmy Award-winning voice actor, Donald Duck in Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas)
• Heather Gonzalez (Tsuru in Beyblade X, Yukari Takeba in Personal 3: Reload)
• Stephanie Southerland (Jean Gunnhildr in Genshin Impact, Tess Bailey in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6)
• Alex Bankier (Gran Kirkwayne in Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture, Crème Brûlée Cookie in Cookie Run: Kingdom)
• Isaac Robinson-Smith (Bishop in X-Men ‘97, Mushu in Disney’s Dreamlight Valley)

Guess what they all had in common?

A background in theater.

Stage performance played a significant role in their voice acting, and the panelists started with community and/or school theater, as it helped them with vocal control, characterization, and performance skills. So, if you’re seriously interested in pursuing this career, start by joining your local or school’s theater program as a valuable stepping stone!

It’s Not Just Doing Funny Voices

For aspiring voice actors, the panelists emphasized that training is essential.

“It’s voice acting. It’s not just about the voice. There’s a misconception that you get to do funny voices in front of a microphone, but it’s so much deeper than that. You really need to be able to have your acting chops reflect that you can do an actual character, a living, breathing creature, or a person or whatever,” said Stephanie Southerland.

“Yeah, it’s like you can do SpongeBob, but can you do SpongeBob reciting Shakespeare?” quips Heather Gonzalez.

“Know yourself, your instrument, and what your capabilities are. Saying ‘I’m really passionate, and I really want to do this is not enough,’ said Daniel Ross on stressing the importance of knowing oneself and how to stand out in a competitive industry.

Other essentials for aspiring voice actors? Mindset and Resilience.

Knowing WHY you want to do it and having that clear motivation will help guide you when things get hard, especially when auditions can be exhausting, and you’ll experience more rejections than acceptance.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The people who make it have usually been at this for at least a decade,” said Alex, reminding everyone that success takes time, persistence, and patience.

Regarding major challenges, Isaac discussed stepping into the role of Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther for Disney Parks and cruise lines as well as Eddie Murphy for the role of Mushu. “Chadwick meant so much to the world…it was definitely intimidating but very humbling at the same time. I just want to make sure I’m a good steward of those characters because they mean so much, but so challenging and exponentially rewarding.”

How AI is Impacting the Industry

You might’ve noticed that some of your favorite game characters aren’t speaking anymore.

On July 26, 2024, SAG-AFTRA initiated a voice actors’ strike between video game VAs and gaming companies over AI protections, fair wages, and better working conditions. As companies have used AI to clone voices without the actors’ consent and additional compensation, the actors want protection against unauthorized AI replication of their voices.

“Just because our industry is threatened right now, it doesn’t mean that AI is evil. It’s what people do with it. The nefarious notion that you can take interviews, TikTok videos, and YouTube videos and compile a composite of someone without their consent… It’s pretty disgusting. We’ve been striking for so long because the companies just want to say, ‘We worked with you once, now we own your voice forever.’ And we’re like, no, of course it’s not okay,” said Daniel Ross.

Alex Bankier said, “Certain automation can make aspects of production easier, but that does mean it can cut into our livelihoods as performers and even the livelihoods of audio engineers, the production team, game developers, it really affects all of us…this is an existential threat and these companies really want to be able to use just the bounty of existing performances to whatever end they want, but don’t want to compensate the performers.”

Currently, negotiations are still ongoing with no resolution reached, which has led to delays in some video game releases and even temporary removal of voice-overs in certain games. Actors are using the hashtag #GamePerformanceMatters to spread awareness and encourage people to do the same for support.

Real Questions Answered By Established Voice Actors

For the Q&A portion, audience members quickly lined up at the microphone to ask their questions, but due to time, 6 questions were answered. All of them were great, so we felt the need to share and summarize their answers!

Q: How do I create distinct voices for my cartoon characters?

A: Start with their personality traits. Are they tired, energetic, cynical, optimistic, etc? Use contrast to play with different tones and energy levels to make them distinct. Consider the emotional tone of the show; for instance, if it’s a comedic show with emotional moments, then balance humor and depth.

Q: What are some reputable voice acting classes or coaches?

A: Avoid any predatory courses that promise instant success and six figures. Panelists love coaches like Richard Horvitz, Keythe Farley, and Cissy Jones. Schools include Voice Trax West, Sound On Studio, and Real Voice LA. You can also get a free consultation at Global Voice Acting Academy, with other resources including Voice Over Resource Guide and IWantToBeAVoiceActor.com

Q: How do I start auditioning for roles in voice acting?

A: As mentioned, theater experience is a valuable stepping stone, but you can also begin with voice acting lessons to get in front of industry pros. During this time, start building connections with working actors, directors, and casting agents. Since big roles often require an agent, work towards getting representation.

Q: How do I stand out when the industry prioritizes A-list actors?

A: Alex emphasized the importance of standing out in the industry, not by stepping on others but by honing one’s craft and putting oneself out there through networking and self-promotion. Daniel utilized social media to showcase his talent and to gain visibility. But remember that success takes time since most established actors have been in the industry for at least a decade!

Q: Should I include impressions in my voice demo reel?

A: If it’s for an animation demo, then no, since those characters are already booked. However, a separate sound-alike demo can benefit you since sound-alike work exists in TV and movies. Have multiple demos. The ones you need for an agency animation and commercial demos because those are the ones that book the most, but you can also do a video game demo and a creature sounds demo. Put on display what you’re good at!

Q: As a voice actor, what’s the best direction you’ve received that improved your performance?

A: The best directors act as scene partners, making the performance feel real as most of the time, you just see an Excel sheet with some lines versus the whole script. They also help actors feel secure, especially during emotional scenes, so creating a safe environment is key. When actors were asked to imagine their physicality of the character, what the character’s posture is, and whether they are doing any movement. And when actors are encouraged to experiment, the element of play makes it easier for them to embody the character fully.

We hope this gets you one step closer to your voice acting journey – or at the very least, helps you understand the immense effort behind the work and why the use of AI can threaten the future of the profession.

WonderCon 2026 returns next year on Friday, March 27 – Sunday, March 29, in Anaheim!

The post How to Break Into Voice Acting for Games & Animation – Straight From the Pros appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

That being said, any doubt about the spirit and enthusiasm of attendees being dampened by the aforementioned factors fell to the wayside as I witnessed cosplayers enthusiastically pose for photographers indoors and convention attendees find more time to chat with vendors and panelists than they normally wouldn’t otherwise, The more spacious isles of the Anaheim Convention Center exhibit hall also made wandering around much less chaotic and more relaxing than bigger conventions and in this author’s personal opinion, also a better convention to bring friends and family who have never been a comic book/fantasy convention before.

And while the star power was felt much less than in previous WonderCons, there was still plenty to see. 30 Years of Gargoyles: A Celebration for Fans featured creator Greg Weisman and key players of the series’ staff, all of whom provided great behind-the-scenes stories. Unfortunately, no questions were allowed about the rumored live-action series.

The fully packed X-Men Fandom panel featured most of the voice cast from “X-Men ‘97” and provided a lot of insight into the development of the series’ voice casting. Lenore Zann, who is the voice actor for Rogue for both “X-Men ‘97” and 30 years before that, “X-Men: The Animated Series,” had a particularly inspiring personal story – after losing reelection after a 12-year stint in Canadian politics and losing a niece to cancer in 2021, Zann felt lost until Disney called and asked her about auditioning again for a character she made so iconic.

But what makes WonderCon stand out in California has always been its ability to highlight upcoming comic book projects, as well as highlight comic book culture as it is now without being too distracted as much by the glitz and glam of Hollywood projects.

Bad Idea, a comic book company whose mission is to provide a high-quality comic book reading and collecting experience that involves eschewing doing trades and digital versions of their stories, not only previewed some gorgeous artwork for upcoming projects like “Tankers” and “Megalith”, but also gave attendees a WonderCon exclusive – the 4th-anniversary version of their Hero Trade, copies of which are going for hundreds of dollars on eBay.

Comic Culture in Museums: Pop Culture on Display! was an amazingly informative talk from industry and education professionals who have run exhibits like the Comic-Con Museum. Patrick Reed, who has curated some major exhibitions for Disney and Marvel, led audiences on a journey on what it takes to set up such exhibitions and preserve comic book art, as well as what makes comic book art collecting so different from fine art collecting.

It’s hard to tell whether WonderCon next year will be more or less the same as it was this year, but one thing was made clear this year – rain or shine, nothing is going to dampen the resolve of attendees to dress up and have a great time, and for speakers and panelists to connect with their fanbase in a more intimate way bigger conventions can’t provide.

WonderCon is produced and operated by Comic-Con International, the fans who organize San Diego Comic-Con, the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

WonderCon’s 37th year will return in 2025 and will be held from March 28 – 30 in Anaheim.

The post WonderCon 2024: Is the Smaller Sibling to San Diego Comic-Con as Wondrous Anymore? appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

With dog documentarian, Rachel Nelson, moderating for a fun and educational roundup of guests featuring Tony Fleecs (co-creator of comic, Stray Dogs), Matt Corrigan (dog makeup FX artist, I Am Legend), Alex Collier (GA-Cert K9 Search and Rescue) and John Anthony Shahor (RRK9 Dog Scientist aka Cynologist), you just knew it was going to be a paws-itively good time.

This is especially true when John Anthony brought along his search and rescue K9, Crixus of Gaul, seen on A&E Network’s America’s Top Dog. Judging from the dog’s name, I can fathom that someone was a Spartacus fan!

The panel started with introductions, but there was a missing guest speaker, Matt, with his seat empty. As slight concerns rise, the audience comes to find out that it is part of a live demo for Crixus to do a “scent-specific search” to find the missing guest hidden in the crowd. After sniffing a t-shirt left behind by Matt, Crixus started searching the room, and even with the heavy A/C constantly shifting the air, he successfully found Matt rather quickly on the complete opposite side of the room from where he started. 

This was a simple demo, but Crixus had recently saved a life when law enforcement was unable to find a missing person after 5 hours, but the K9 was able to within 30 minutes via scenting. What a good boy! 

With the “missing” guest speaker found, the panel officially started.

As someone who is attracted to all things canine, I was instantly intrigued when Tony Fleecs started talking about the comic he co-created with Trish Forstner called Stray Dogs. Centering around a yellow papillon named Sophie, it’s a 5-issue run or trade paperback psychological horror/mystery thriller read, initially inspired by the science of how a dog’s memory works.

Forbes described it as “What do you get when you crossbreed Silence of the Lambs with All Dogs Go to Heaven? Well, you get Stray Dogs.” 

Since the comic starts with a veterinarian explaining to Sophie’s owner that dogs suffer from very short-term memory, we get confirmation from panelist John Anthony that it is indeed true and that the memory span can be 2 seconds to under 2 minutes depending if the dog cares about said moment. 

More heartbreakingly, he revealed that when a person dies and never returns, and when a person leaves to go to work, the dog has the same emotional experience. 

So if you plan on leaving your furry friend behind for an extended period of time, be sure to leave a heavily scented article (perhaps after the gym?) so that your pet can feel comforted.

Switching gears from comics to movies, let’s talk about Sam, the last surviving dog on Earth in the 2007 film I Am Legend. The dog role was played by 2 different real dogs, Kona and Abbey, and panelist Matt Corrigan, the SFX artist, explained how he worked with Abbey.

As Sam fights off zombie dog attacks in the movie, she gets injured and that’s where Matt comes in to make it look like she’s suffering while working with the dog handler.

Here is an example of the TRAUMA MAKEUP. Remember, no dogs were harmed!

It looks real, doesn’t it? 

Matt also explained another movie magic revelation on how Sam (spoiler alert) takes her last breath on Robert’s (Will Smith’s character) lap. The death scene called for the dog to breathe rapidly until stillness and since you can’t train a dog to do that, they did the next best thing and created a vest that had air pumps that were hand-cranked via a pipe disguised as part of the tail.

While on the topic of zombies, dogs that are trained to be scent-specific can hypothetically be given a zombie-scented article, and they’d be able to track them down, confirmed Alex Collier, who has trained her Boxer dogs for search and rescue, including cadaver searches.

Potentially, even the virus that causes you to turn into a zombie can be tracked. Since dogs can smell what cancer, diabetes, COVID, etc. is doing to the human body, different samples of the zombie virus can hypothetically be collected and trained upon! 

This fascinating and entertaining panel ended with a fun game where Rachel, Matt, and Tony each picked a pop culture dog that they’d love to go home with and here are their choices:

Rachel: Dogmeat from Fallout to carry her bazooka and to get showered with unconditional love.

Matt: Old Yeller because of the lasting impression of him fighting off the wild boars to protect the boy.

Tony: Rover Dangerfield for humor and that he’d probably come with the sexy showgirl owner, Connie.

Paws up to the wonderful moderator and the panelists for ending the WonderCon show with a fun and highly educational discussion!

WonderCon is produced and operated by Comic-Con International, the fans who organize San Diego Comic-Con, the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world, according to Guinness World Records. 

WonderCon’s 37th year will return in 2025 and will be held from March 28 – 30 in Anaheim. Unlike this year, the convention will NOT be on Easter!

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