The Many Faces Of Alan Tudyk

Written By Chris Daniel

From space westerns to black comedies, “Supa-Star” Alan Tudyk is no stranger to method acting, learning some of the best skills in the industry while working alongside veterans such as Frank Oz (The Muppets), Joss Whedon (Buffy, The Avengers) and more.

For a lot of actors, it is merely a dream to portray one superhero, but Tudyk went above and beyond that, voicing Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) in Injustice: Gods Among Us, Barry Allen (The Flash) in Batman: The Brave And The Bold and Clark Kent (Superman) in Justice League: War.

Read on to take a look at some of his most-beloved roles ahead of Supanova Comic Con & Gaming Melbourne (21-22 April) and Gold Coast (28-29 April).

Powerless

Vanderveer “Van” Wayne was the younger cousin of Bruce Wayne, a spoilt rich kid in a family of unprecedented power. Powerless breaks the DC canon, introducing Van Wayne as the black sheep of the family and the head of Wayne security. According to Tudyk, he found that portraying this role would be more believable than playing the caped crusader. In the wake of superhero uprising, Powerless was a refreshing take on something that had seemingly been done time and time again.

I, Robot

“Technically I was never alive, but I appreciate your concern.” – Sonny.

In the near future, where robots are part of everyday life, it is contested that robots are unable to cause harm to the human race under the Three Laws that prevent it. For the role, Tudyk squeezed into a motion capture suit to provide the movement and the voice to the role, though it’s hard to recognise a human being bound in the character’s robotics. Not only did it pave the way for voice acting he did later in his career, but it also shone a spotlight on Tudyk’s ability to improvise and adapt to any role.

Rogue One

Initially, Tudyk assumed the reason Rogue One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards wanted to talk was because he wanted advice on motion capture and robotics. Though that was the case to some extent, Tudyk once again squeezed into a motion capture suit to bring the sassy character of K-2SO alive. An enforcer droid accompanying one of the greatest missions in Star Wars canon, Tudyk really proved himself as the breakout character in the film.

Firefly/ Serenity

A smuggling ship captained by Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), the Serenity was first on the scene in Joss Whedon’s space western drama. Forming one of the best bromances in science fiction, Tudyk and Fillion continue working together to this very day. As for Whedon, his relationship with Tudyk grew stronger, casting him as the rogue active known as Alpha in his science fiction series Dollhouse.

The role of Hoban Washburne placed Tudyk onboard one of the greatest ships in history and is partially the reason fans around the globe embrace him with open arms. Admittedly, this list is limited to the world of science fiction and is an understatement to Tudyk’s extensive filmography spanning comedies such as Dodgeball and Death At A Funeral, Disney creations including Wreck-It Ralph and Big Hero 6, and animations such as Rick And Morty, Adventure Time, and Robot Chicken.

Pic: Alan Tudyk in Powerless