I was sitting in my favorite coffee shop across the street from Blizzard Arena LA, aka the Overwatch League Studio. Naturally, I was writing about video games when I noticed both Darin De Paul, the voice of Reinhardt, and Chloé Hollings, the voice of Widowmaker, walk through the door with accompanied by a gang of chatty friends. 

I recognized one member of their group as an old acquaintance of mind I've known since back in my days of attending cons, working booths, and photographing fans. She recognized me back, came over to say hi, and noticed immediately that I was starstruck by the Overwatch royalty in the room. My friend is a naturally social person and seized the opportunity to both make my day and also bask in my awkwardness.

De Paul, without being asked, delivered several booming Reinhardt lines just before the photo was taken and I blame that for my kid-in-Disneyland expression. As I went back to my seat to continue working, I looked up a short time after only to see Hollings approaching me.  We started a different conversation and, as a writer herself, she was interested in my job and the Overwatch League storylines I try to capture.

Before she returned to her home in France, she agreed to talk with me once more at a later date. This time, it would be a discussion about her job and her now iconic voice acting performance as Widowmaker.  I wanted to know what it was like to be forever connected with one of the most popular characters in one of the most popular games in the world.

That day at the coffee shop, her ability to turn a fan photo-op into a sincere conversation surprised me, but it doesn't anymore. Through our discussion, I've come to learn that this type of bias for connection is core to both Holling's personality and her ability to bring so much emotion into a character who, per lore, has none.

"It’s not about trying to be cool or being mean, but thinking about the pleasure that she takes out of everything she does."

Are you anything like Widowmaker?

The whole reason I became an actor is that I believe we all, as humans, have things alike. I’m fully aware that it is easier for other characters, such as Jonny Cruz who plays Lucio. They can find similarity with their characters because, you know, they enjoy life and they are really fun.

Whereas Widowmaker is this deadly assassin and all that comes with that. Still, I can find similarities with her. One of them as a person who has shut down her emotions in order to survive. She has done so to a greater extent than I would have ever done, but that has definitely been a means of my own survival as a teenager when I was younger. Yeah, that was my system.

I find similarities, of course, with her passion for what she does. One of the most important things I realized when I played her is that, when I’m in the studio, it’s not about trying to be cool or being mean, but thinking about the pleasure that she takes out of everything she does.

Killing gives her a lot of pleasure and she seeks that pleasure -- vividly.  I seek pleasure, but I don’t get it from the same space that she does, I don’t kill people and go “yay!”

[laughter]


How do you work? What is your approach to voice acting?

My approach to voice acting is just acting. When people ask me for advice on how to become a good voice actor, I say “become a good actor. Whatever comes through the microphone is whatever you have put into your character. To me, great characters come from great writing and that is what I love about Overwatch so much. The writing is extraordinary.

The first thing I have recorded is the short film, have you seen it?

Yes, I have.

Alive is so well written. Even though there are very few lines and Widowmaker doesn’t say much,  the little things she says speaks a lot about who she is, where she comes from and how she perceives life.

At the end of the day, that is all a human being is -- just a way of perceiving life. That is where I start, from the writing.

But then, there is a physicality. It is very easy when you are in the recording booth to explore physically because no one is really watching you. In the beginning, when I started recording her, I never thought that I was the type of girl that would ever be cast for Widowmaker: I feel so different. I feel so bubbly next to her.

So I came wearing big, high-high heels because I felt that if I just came with my sneakers, I would never pull it off. That might not even be true, but that is what I did.


So there is a definite physicality you embrace when entering the role of Widowmaker?

Oh, yes-yes-yes. Especially because she feels so different. She doesn’t have the same energy that I have, at least I don’t think!

She is so sure of herself. I started recording her two and a half years ago and, as short as that is, two years in a woman's life from the age of 26 to the age of 28 is still a big gap. At 26, even my voice wasn’t as low as it is now and even if it is just slight, subtle differences, back then I felt more like an old teenager or a young adult than like a woman. So I really needed, just to convince my self in a way, to bring that physicality.

Another thing that really helps me with Widowmaker is that I think of myself like I’m a cat.


Wow, really? A cat?

[Laughter]

I don’t think I’ve told that to anyone actually. Yeah! Especially all of those lines when she is aiming and stuff like that -- there is something about it that is like a cat wagging its tail just waiting to jump!


Yeah, like a sense of methodical planning and deliberateness, but also how playful and pleasurable it is for her to hunt and kill.

Exactly.

Has playing this character changed you personally? Does Widowmaker ever come out in your real life?

It has kind of been like a reflection -- like a mirror.  Sometimes, I think “oh, I thought I had nothing of Widowmaker in me", but actually I do.

Like, when I am really focused on something. I like to lead, actually. I don’t know if I am a good leader, but in group situations, I like to take charge and, I can see some of that militaresque, organized person in her come out of me.

"There is more to me than a fragile little piece of porcelain."

It has helped me. I never thought that I could get a role like this. Sometimes, just realizing that people from Blizzard did see that in me and the way that I perform Widowmaker -- it really opened a window. Like, if they believe it, maybe I can access these traits.

I’ve always had this thing where I viewed myself as this little fragile doll. But, this made me realize that not everyone sees that. Just because I see myself in a certain way, that doesn’t mean that I am only what I see. These people at Blizzard believe that I can be this woman. So yeah, there is more to me than a fragile little piece of porcelain.


I imagine that is either most surprising or enjoyable part of being a voice actor for a smash hit video game. The realization that, this performance, unlike acting in a movie, is something that people will literally embody. When they play Widowmaker, your performance helps them feel like they truly are her.

How did you first react to that dynamic? Did you expect that people would be quoting your lines and making this entire culture of fandom around it?

No, not at all. The last game that I actually played was Crash Bandicoot when I was 14 with my brother and that is it. So, I am far away from any new games that come out and I really didn’t know how popular they can become. I am also in Paris, so I am far away from everyone and anyone -- even Blizzard. I knew that industry exists, but I can’t feel the impact of how huge it is.

So when I performed the role, I was very happy to do it but didn’t expect any of it to become this cult thing with such passionate fans.


When did it first hit you?

It really hit me at BlizzCon. I was like oh my god. When I see fans that have waited in line five hours to get an autograph, that still seems…

Even myself, I don’t really know who I would wait in line five hours for. That isn’t to say I don’t feel passionate about anyone, but that is a huge thing to do, right? When these things happen it is always incredible, but what I love the most about the fans is when I realized, even though this is all virtual and playing video games, people still need to idolize the human beings behind the fictitious characters.

In a way, I find that reassuring as well. What I really appreciate is that the fans, as much as they love the character and the game, start to really like the actors, they embrace the whole of the actor. It’s not just Chloé as Widowmaker -- I’ve had fan comes to me with a book I wrote in French that came out in 2016. And I’ve had English speaking fans, with my book, trying to read it, learning French in order to be able to read it -- things like that.

I find that amazing. That always moves me a lot. That was so unexpected because, when you look at fandom from a distance, you can only see this hysterical thing of people screaming and yelling. But when you get to experience it from the inside, you see how very personal it is. It comes from a very genuine, loving place and that is really moving.

You may find this interesting. Those type of fans are always very preoccupied with the lore behind their favorite character and the inner motivation behind them. They love to hear about tiny details that went into the character's creation that they normally wouldn’t know. That being said, what is your favorite line from Widowmaker? Perhaps a line that you feel really embodies her and the performance.

There is one. It isn’t the words, but it is just so…I get a glimpse as to why so many people love her. It’s when she says:

“Et c'est comme ça” -- "And that is that".

She is like, “I’ve done my job”. I really like that. Another one that I really like is “Your emotions make you vulnerable.”

I like that one because it has so many layers to it coming from Widowmaker. It is a good description of who she is, why she is the way she is and what she is hiding from. It says a lot about her and I like that.


Do you think you would be friends with Widowmaker? Could you guys hang out?

[Laughter}

Would she be friends with me; I think it is the other way around. You don’t get to choose Widowmaker, she chooses you and I don’t think I would be her friend.

She is kind of scary. I realized that the other day: she likes conflict. I don’t like conflict. So, this type of person would have a tendency to scare me away probably. But, you know, anything is possible.

"I was aiming at were luxury perfume ads and things like that..."

Have ever seen the other characters in Overwatch and thought to yourself “I could have played that character -- that would have been interesting”.

Mmm, No. I always give the same example but I have to stop giving it because she is going to get mad at me! I always say when I tell this story about how I would never perceive myself as Widowmaker. I say I would have cast my self as a Tracer type of roll.

It just seems more natural to me, that I would be like: “hi guys! The Calvary is here!”

[Laughter]

I also love Mei, but now I feel so close to Widowmaker and I don’t want to betray her in a way. But I honestly can’t imagine any of the other actors being played by anyone else, especially not by me.

But, I will say this.  I love Winston. And I love his line especially --“I’m not a monkey, I’m a scientist”.


You seem to be attracted to the contrasting elements of the characters. "Emotions make you weak", "I’m not a monkey, I’m a scientist". These characters are torn in obvious ways.

Yeah! But that is what I like about Overwatch as well. I’m not what I appear to be and that is actually true to most of the characters in the game I believe. Part of the richness of the game is because all of these characters have different layers and they are all not what they believe to be.

I like that a monkey can say “I’m not a monkey, I’m a scientist”.



Purely for fun now, if you had to have any voice actor perform your lines and play Widowmaker, which would be the most entertaining and fun for you to watch.

I think Darin De Paul would do a pretty good job. It would be so funny. I think he would be funny doing any character.


There are a lot of fans that have really taken to you as a person, after falling in love with Widowmaker. We have seen that with a lot of voice actors for Overwatch, actually.

What would you say to Chloé Hollings fans who you've inspired to try and emulate your success?

I’d say to focus on the acting. Voice acting can’t be about just speaking because acting is how you find a voice.

Take good actor training and remember anything is possible. Blizzard came to Paris to find me: I was clueless and just walked into the studio one day to do a silly audition I was sure I was never going to get because I was convinced I was not Widowmaker. 

These things happen-- the most important thing in this industry is to work hard, but also to trust in yourself. Whatever is not happening, is for a good reason. Sometimes you can easily get lost in castings and auditions that you aren’t booking, but it really is always leading somewhere.

"People find a support system through this game that they sometimes can’t find elsewhere."

This whole story of being cast as Widowmaker has made me feel very relaxed. In the sense that, working for a company like Blizzard wasn’t even something I thought was possible for me. So, I couldn’t even dream about it. I couldn’t even visualize it or pray about it. I was just me in Paris.

And then it came to me in such a comfortable and easy way without me even being able to anticipate any of the great things -- I mean this is changing my life. I could have never anticipated it and it has given me a great sense of trust. I don’t know how else to put it.


If I understand correctly, you are saying if you were aware of this opportunity and anxiously waiting for your big break, it would have been harder and scarier to confront or find?

Yes. There are workings and things at play that I had no idea were happening. How could I have known that someone on the other side of the planet, Andrea Toyias, [Senior Casting & Voice Director] was listening to my voice? I had no idea who Andrea Toyias even was!

At some point, you just have to think “Ok, I didn’t get this job or this job or that job I really wanted, but I got this one right here and this one is the most beautiful gift I have ever received, and I didn’t even expect it.”

The first time someone penned the first sketch of Widowmaker, who knows what you were doing on the other side of the world.

Exactly!

Before your Overwatch audition and before anyone even knew Widowmaker existed, have you always had the “Widowmaker” voice? Maybe in a past performance or some part of you had embodied a French femme fatale character?”

It was a big concern for me, actually. I’ve done voice acting since I was a kid, since I was 9, and I started doing commercial work when I was in my 20’s.

Back then, I knew what I was aiming at was luxury perfume ads and things like that. But I really didn’t feel I could pull that off, for all the same reasons I talked about before. So I would try [the Widowmaker voice] out for commercial auditions, but not really feel it.

Sometimes I would get it, but that was the extent. Before that, I would mainly do young people: kids and little boys, things like that.


So in the past, Widowmaker’s voice was not only a little boy but also selling luxury fragrances.

Exactly. But, then again, I have never done a character in English with a French accent before, so in that sense, it makes her completely unique. There is a very little chance you will ever hear that Widowmaker voice anywhere else from me.



Widowmaker has several lines. One of the most popular being One shot, one kill. However, the voice line that people probably hear the most from Widowmaker is from her Ultimate ability when she says No one can hide from my sight.

Was there any extra care or attention given to this line when you perform it? Did Blizzard prompt you at all about how common players would hear this and what it would signify?

[pauses to think]

I can’t remember! Those were during the first sessions and were the first lines in the game. One shot, one kill, *"Personne n'échappe à mon regard."

I wasn’t aware of how big the game was going to be, to me this was just another gig. It’s not that I wasn’t taking it seriously, but I wasn’t necessarily paying attention like I would today.

*Chloé spoke the French line for “No one can hide in my sight”

I wasn’t thinking “this is a moment I should never forget”. It’s not like I was on my first Spielberg movie and I will remember the first day of shooting forever. Or like the day my book came out, which I will always remember. When something big happens to you and you know that it is big, like a wedding day, you pay attention to every detail.

At that stage, I was just doing a really cool job. In the beginning, we were running a lot of lines and we were being careful, but I mainly remember putting a lot of effort into sentences I didn’t understand! Sentences like: “What’s an aimbot?”

[laughter]

If you don’t play video games, you don’t know what an aimbot is: that was a tough one to get. I was trying to get my mind wrapped around this weird concept of an aimbot. Other than that, it was more about finding her energy in the beginning. I’m always amazed because, what people say to me sometimes, is that there is so much emotion in her voice.

And that is all from just acting. You can’t control that-- you find this energy, you fill yourself up with all this information about the character, and either it transpires and you and become the vehicle for that energy and it powers through, or it doesn’t. It’s not something you can actually control.

I didn’t try to put emotion from “No one can hide in my sight.”

"When you are acting, you are always auditioning, you always being listened to, you always being judged."

That is interesting to hear because I feel that a lot of Widowmaker's charm comes from how effortless she comes across compared to the rest of the cast. She is so competent and so powerful but is almost casual about it.

It is as if you shared that same sense of effortlessness because you had no idea you were working on this huge flagship title that would prove to be one of Blizzard’s most important games.

That is probably a good thing, by the way. I don’t think I would have done well if I knew this from the start. I have a tendency to bear my shoulders with pressure, especially because I feel like the older I get the better I am. A few years ago though, it was a very good thing I didn’t know what was coming.



So, I’ve talked to…

That is actually a good lesson, can I go back to the previous question?

Yes, Please!

That is good advice -- focus on the work. Because that is what I was doing at that time. I wasn’t thinking: “oh man, this is going to be huge and if I do this right this will happen and that will happen and I will go to BlizzCon and meet all these fans-- I was just thinking of this line.

That is the best advice you can give to any person because, when you are acting, you are always auditioning, you always being listened to, you always being judged. So if you are thinking about what other people want or what will happen if you get the job and the house you can buy or whatever -- you just aren’t focusing on the things on the character should be focused on.


Well, I speak for myself and probably all the fans when I thank you for focusing on your work at that time. Playing Widowmaker is likely one of the most stressful things the game can offer: she is one of the hardest heroes to play, she is a sniper and aiming is incredibly taxing. At the same time, you are so vulnerable, everyone is trying to kill you and you have a very low health pool.

And yet, you have this very confident, assured voice in your head: even if you aren’t confident, at least Widowmaker is.

That is what is very fun about her to perform. That is why I love acting: I never decided to become an actor to play people I could easily relate to. I like to find ways to relate to people that I don’t naturally relate to at all. What I love about her is how easy it all seems, how confident she is.

For me, even to say “I think I didn’t do bad” that takes a lot. But for her?

*"Not bad, for second best."

She doesn’t even pretend someone can be better than her. No one is better than her. That is nice for me to live, even if it is just for a couple of hours now and then.

*Chloe is referencing Widowmaker's line in response to Ana getting a kill


Take a look at one of Widowmakers' fans most beloved in-game animation. This is a highlight intro that is played whenever the Widowmaker player does very well at the end of the match.

Oh, All right! She goes “come kiss me” and then beats the s*** out of you.


Is this something you’d ever do?

On a daily basis.

[laughter]

No, that is not something I would do. I took karate lessons once and it took me forever to just remember to punch someone back. I would just block, defend, and then think “oh, I’m done” and never hit them back.


We have been talking a lot about Widowmaker, but as you aptly said, a lot of fans are interested in the voice behind the character so I want to understand more about you.

For starters, if we weren’t having this conversation right now bonding over this game, what would you be doing right now? What do you do for fun? How do you pass your time?

Ok!

Well, tonight is Friday, so I would be preparing to go out with some friends. I live in Paris and I love this city, I just love it. I share my day between my writing -- I love to write -- and going to voice acting jobs and castings. I had a singing lesson today because I sing Opera, so that was great.

My social life is very important to me. I have very deep friendships and I like to spend time with my friends; we are all actors so we can go and get coffee together all the time. I love going to the movies, going to museums and traveling.


Let me ask you then, what is the most underrated movie that you think is amazing, but doesn’t get the credit it deserves?

I like these questions!

One thing that I find is really underrated, it's not really a movie but it’s a show. I can’t say underrated because it was a huge success. It was a huge success, but It’s still underrated!

It is Friends! I am a big, terrifying, Friends fan.

The reason why I say it is underrated is that there are like details and details that are just so perfect...the writing is brilliant! Also, it’s underrated because today, I get the feeling most people have moved on, I don’t know why but they have, I have not moved on.

Another movie that is underrated is that comedy Bridesmaids. Do you remember that? It’s kind of a girls movie, you might not have seen it.


Yeah, I saw it. It’s a good movie!

I love that movie, maybe others will.


Say you have people coming to your house, but it’s last minute and they are hungry. They expect you to make them food. What is your go-to, most confident and easiest thing to prepare for people?

Mushroom risotto.

Really? Can I assume then you are pretty good at cooking? Sometimes the answer to this question starts with getting on a phone and ordering pizza.

[laughter]

Well, it’s Paris! We have good food here. Risotto is actually really simple to make and it is delicious. Every single traditional Italian dish was conceived to feed a lot of mouths. So actually it is great, all you need is the stuff: risotto rice, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and you just put it together and you have this amazing dish.

What is one thing you think everyone assumes about you and it’s totally wrong?

The first wrong assumption is that I play Overwatch. Other than that, I don’t know!

It’s not that I feel people “get me” but I am just a very transparent person. I just say what is on my mind and I never try to give answers to satisfy this “idea” of me. I don’t see how anyone can get a wrong idea about me: it’s just all out there. I have no idea how people perceive me, I just do what I do.

"That is why I love conventions now. I get why people wait hours and hours in line..."

Well, I want to thank you as both a Journalist and an Overwatch nerd for a really fun interview. Is there anything you would like to leave to our readers?

The thing that I love about Overwatch is the sense of community I’ve discovered. The way people help each other out, the way people meet, the way people connect either to the characters or to each other, the fact that they become friends or are so friendly to us voice actors. People find a support system through this game that they sometimes can’t find elsewhere.

A really amazing thing happened to me when I was at a convention once. I saw this guy come to me and, it was the biggest guy I have ever seen in my life. He was so big, he was in a wheelchair and he wanted a selfie.

So I go to him, kneel down and take a selfie. As I am touching his shoulder, I realize that this guy probably never gets touched. At all.

That is why I love conventions now. I get why people wait hours and hours in line. A selfie is a hug, an autograph is a conversation. It’s everything that happens around these things that is important. It’s not the actual signature or the picture: it is the context. I am really happy that I get to meet these people, honestly, it is really humbling.

You sometimes see these people that, you can just tell, everything in them is yelling “do not go and speak to Chloé Hollings” but at the same time, everything in them is screaming “You have to speak to Chloé Hollings”. There is this inner fight and there is nothing you can really do except treat it like this little beautiful egg you don’t want to break.

It’s been a great experience because of that sense of connectivity I’ve discovered.

You can follow Chloe on Twitter @hollings_chloe and on Instagram @chloe_hollings. Chloé's book, Fuck les régimes!, is available for purchase on Amazon.