Meet Marissa Lenti: Voice Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marissa Lenti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marissa, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
In college, I had a professor who taught Finance for Actors, an extremely valuable course. And one innocuous day, he said something that has stuck with me for the rest of my professional life: “You can let them insult you financially, or you can let them insult you artistically, but never let them do both.” Oftentimes in voiceover, there’s a lot of argument about if it’s ever OK to offer your services for free. And personally, I follow this quote whenever I’m unsure. If the job is going to enrich my artistic life and make me full of warmth and fulfillment, I will occasionally work for free. But if it won’t, then it’s important to be paid properly for the services you’re providing. And sometimes, you’ll get a job which does both! But I’ve let that quote be my guiding principal for a long time now, and it’s never led me astray. Since then, I’ve done a few jobs pro bono for causes that really mean a lot to me, or non-financial projects that speak to my soul, but I’ve held firm on my worth and value as a professional when working on anything else. I think any young voice actor who wants to get into this business should remember this quote, too.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Being a voice actor is difficult in its nebulousness. When times are good, you feel affirmation: I am a working voice actor! When times are bad, it can feel like you’re nothing at all. That’s the main challenge all voice actors have to overcome when they get started, I think– feeling like they’re a true member of the industry and community. But, the good news is that it’s a great community to be a part of. Once you find your niche, you become surrounded by peers who will lift you up and help you get where you need to go, and I was certainly no exception. I owe a lot to my colleagues, especially here in Texas, who knew exactly what kind of VO I was meant for, and who I needed to talk to to get started. But even then, it was an uphill climb. Every rejection can be demoralizing, and they never stop, no matter how high you climb up. There will always be a hundred jobs you submitted for and didn’t get for every one where your voice was perfect for the role. But you just have to keep on going! That’s what I’m most proud of, I suppose. I’ve found my way into all sorts of interesting places in this industry, and being able to share in all the different corners of it is really something fun and special. Whenever someone says, “Marissa Lenti?! What’s she doing here?” when they see me in a cast list where I’m not expected– that always gets a smile out of me. As far as what I want the world to take away from this? Well, for new voice actors, I want them to realize that there’s so many different ways to succeed as a voice actor, and everyone’s journey is different. It’s okay if you enter into the industry through a weird side door that no one else has ever even dreamed of. If you started as a streamer first, or a radio jockey, or really anything, and then stumbled into VO later– you’re totally valid. I was a seamstress for a decade before I got into this job! Even if you feel like you’re starting late, it’s OK. You can still carve out your niche.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a bit of a homebody, so I don’t do a lot of “nights out”– shocker, right? But, when it comes to the places that I take visitors to time and time again, there’s plenty just outside of where I work that I keep gravitating back to. Ten minutes outside of Dallas, you can find two little plazas that hold some of the best Asian cuisine you’ll ever have in Texas. Restaurants like Abe Japanese and Kura Sushi, and Snow City or Cocohodo for dessert! And when times are good and crowded places aren’t off the itinerary, it’s almost law that you need to go to Round 1 and karaoke the night away after a meal like that.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe a lot to the teachers who’ve guided me along the way. From my first voiceover coach, Dorothy Gallagher, who told me I had something special, to Phyllis Cicero and Bruce Carey, who welcomed me to Texas with open arms, to Everett Oliver, who pushed me to take my career even further beyond. Not to mention all the wonderful coaches I’ve taken single workshops with who’ve each dropped a nugget of gold into my lap that I’ve picked up and taken with me on my journey. My method today is shaped by all of those coaches and teachers who’ve nudged me along, piece by piece.

Website: www.MarissaLenti.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marissalenti
Linkedin: N/A
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarissaLenti
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marissalenti/
Yelp: N/A
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarissaLenti
Other: twitch.tv/mLenti