I’m Rebecca Forstadt and I’ve been a Los Angeles-based professional actor, voice actor, and SAG-AFTRA member since 1981.
I’m best known as a voiceover actor for hundreds of anime films, TV shows, and video games. Other credits include commercials, animation, audiobooks, ADR, on-camera roles, and theater.
My voice is eternally young-sounding, and I specialize in voicing young girls and some boys. Even though over forty years have gone by, my voice hasn’t changed hardly at all. I still sound like a kid and can’t do a mom to save my life.
How I got started as an actress
My love of the theater began in high school and college. (Orange Coast College) I was cast in my first professional acting gig as the heroine in melodramas at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Birdcage Theatre from 1973-1976. We did multiple shows a day. You may not know this, but Dean Jones, Steve Martin, and Lauren Tewes from the “Love Boat” also started there.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1976, I began studying acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
My career and training quickly took a detour when I was hired as a wardrobe mistress for an independent film about Brigham Young. That got me into the union as a wardrobe assistant on the TV series The White Shadow, Hill Street Blues, and Blake Edwards’ feature film SOB.
I was making great money but still had the crazy idea that I wanted to be an actress, so I quit and began studying at the Ossetynski Actors Lab. My teacher, Leonidas Osstynski, taught a combination of Jerzy Grotowski and Michael Chekov’s acting styles. Our troupe also collaborated and received training from Ryszard Cieslak of the Grotowski Theatre at the Los Angeles Music Center.
That led me to perform in Los Angeles Equity waiver theatre productions. I received two Drama-Logue Awards for outstanding performances in the leading role of Josette in Ionesco’s Tales (with playwright Eugene Ionesco in residence) and Leonce and Lena as Lena at Stages Trilingual Theatre, directed by Paul Verdier.
I also earned a best supporting acting mention for my role as Bettina in Wallace Shawn’s Marie and Bruce at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in West L.A., directed by Ron Sossi. Wally came to watch our show.
In 1981, I earned my SAG card as an on-camera actress playing bit parts on Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere. Several years later, I also appeared on L.A. Law.
I starred on-camera in two feature films
My big break as an on-camera actress came when I was cast in a starring role in a film called Mugsy’s Girls, later renamed Delta Pi. I played Karen, a nerdy sorority girl and best friend of singer Laura Branigan. Eddie Deezen was my boyfriend in the film, and the great actress Ruth Gordon was our housemother. Our sorority entered a mud-wrestling competition and fought some of the GLOW girls.
I was cast in another substantial role in Round Numbers starring Kate Mulgrew, Samantha Eggar, Shani Wallis, and Marty Ingles playing a wacky receptionist at a high-end health spa.
How I became a voice actor
My natural child-like voice was perfect to play young girls in dubbed Japanese anime, so I was immediately hired to work at a recording studio called Intersound on the Sunset Strip. Most of the shows I worked on there never saw the light of day until we recorded the TV series Robotech.
I was cast in the leading role of Minmei, a 16-year-old singing sensation. I also sang on the soundtrack. It was produced by Harmony Gold and helped bring the anime genre to the forefront in the U.S. during the 1980s. Over the years, I have built an extensive resume as an anime voice actor and am considered by some to be an anime legend.
You can purchase the Robotech Complete Set DVD, and I would be happy to autograph it for you.
Other notable anime roles include Mihoshi in Tenchi Muyo, Tima in Metropolis, Nunnally in Code Geass, Monomi, in Danganronpa, Batou’s Takikoma in Ghost in the Shell, and Sugar in Snow Fairy Sugar, and hundreds of others. Original animation roles include Miss Giggles in The Mr. Men Show TV series and a guest role in Hey, Arnold for Nickelodeon. I also wrote script adaptations for anime shows for Saban Entertainment, including Digimon and Bang Zoom, among other companies.
I have voiced commercials for Verizon, Mattel, Knott’s Berry Farm, Disneyland, and many other brands. Video games include Danganronpa, .Hack, and Star Ocean. ADR credits for films and TV shows include Ants, Doctor Doolittle, Beverly Hills Cop 3, The Brady Bunch Sequel, Innerspace, Cyborg, Falcon Crest, and McGyver.
I love meeting my fans at anime conventions
Over the years, I have appeared as a special guest at anime and sci-fi conventions throughout the U.S. I love meeting my fans and adore traveling. Convention managers can book me through Celebworx.
I’m a digital content creator
Who says I’m too old to be an influencer? I’ve been a blogger for the over-50 market since 2008, and have promoted brands and created UGC videos for Amazon, Omron Health, Pfizer, CVS, Walgreens, Pala Casino, Warner Bros, The Nature Conservancy, and many others.
I have over 600 product demo videos on Amazon as an Amazon influencer and have two YouTube channels. @RebeccaOver60 and @RebeccainLosAngeles
