Kylie McNeill
Description
Kylie McNeill is an American voice actor and singer who gained prominence for her debut performance as the lead character in the acclaimed animated film Belle. Her career is notably marked by being cast in major anime film productions while still a teenager, establishing her as a emerging talent in the industry.
McNeill's entry into voice acting was the result of a comprehensive search for the English-language voice of Suzu Naito and her online persona, Belle, in Mamoru Hosoda's 2021 film Belle. Discovered through a traditional audition process via her agent, she was selected from over 250 applicants by ADR directors Stephanie Sheh and Michael Sinterniklaas at NYAV Post, along with distributor GKids. At 19 years old and with no prior voice acting credits, McNeill's casting was notable for its focus on finding an authentic teenage voice and emotional resonance over established fame. Her background in musical theater, cultivated at the Professional Performing Arts School in New York, and her experience as a singer-songwriter who posted covers on YouTube were key factors in her securing the dual role, which required both dramatic acting and singing performance. For her work on Belle, McNeill performed the film's English songs, collaborating directly with the original Japanese music team, including Ludvig Forssell, Taisei Iwasaki, and Takayuki Chiyo. She recorded her dialogue and songs over a three-week period, finding the process of dubbing to be a new and distinct challenge from her live performance experience.
Following her debut, McNeill was cast in another high-profile anime feature, The Colors Within, directed by Naoko Yamada. In the 2024 film, she voices Kimi Sakunaga, one of the three lead characters. She initially auditioned for multiple roles in the film, including the protagonist Totsuko, before being cast as Kimi. This role presented a different vocal challenge from her work in Belle, requiring a more grounded and lower-toned speaking voice and a pop-rock style for the character's musical performances. For this project, McNeill also contributed to the localization process by collaborating with director Stephanie Sheh to adapt the lyrics for one of the film's songs, "Amen, I'm Going Somewhere". Outside of her voice work in anime, she has also appeared in on-screen roles, such as in an episode of the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
McNeill has established recurring professional collaborations, particularly with the ADR directors Stephanie Sheh and Michael Sinterniklaas and the dubbing studio NYAV Post, who directed both Belle and The Colors Within. This continued working relationship has allowed for a deepening creative partnership, with McNeill taking on a more involved role in the adaptation process for her second feature. In addition to her acting pursuits, she continues to develop her career as a singer-songwriter, with plans to release original music. Her filmography to date includes the role of Young Maureen in the 2021 short film Who Is Christmas Eve?.
McNeill's entry into voice acting was the result of a comprehensive search for the English-language voice of Suzu Naito and her online persona, Belle, in Mamoru Hosoda's 2021 film Belle. Discovered through a traditional audition process via her agent, she was selected from over 250 applicants by ADR directors Stephanie Sheh and Michael Sinterniklaas at NYAV Post, along with distributor GKids. At 19 years old and with no prior voice acting credits, McNeill's casting was notable for its focus on finding an authentic teenage voice and emotional resonance over established fame. Her background in musical theater, cultivated at the Professional Performing Arts School in New York, and her experience as a singer-songwriter who posted covers on YouTube were key factors in her securing the dual role, which required both dramatic acting and singing performance. For her work on Belle, McNeill performed the film's English songs, collaborating directly with the original Japanese music team, including Ludvig Forssell, Taisei Iwasaki, and Takayuki Chiyo. She recorded her dialogue and songs over a three-week period, finding the process of dubbing to be a new and distinct challenge from her live performance experience.
Following her debut, McNeill was cast in another high-profile anime feature, The Colors Within, directed by Naoko Yamada. In the 2024 film, she voices Kimi Sakunaga, one of the three lead characters. She initially auditioned for multiple roles in the film, including the protagonist Totsuko, before being cast as Kimi. This role presented a different vocal challenge from her work in Belle, requiring a more grounded and lower-toned speaking voice and a pop-rock style for the character's musical performances. For this project, McNeill also contributed to the localization process by collaborating with director Stephanie Sheh to adapt the lyrics for one of the film's songs, "Amen, I'm Going Somewhere". Outside of her voice work in anime, she has also appeared in on-screen roles, such as in an episode of the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
McNeill has established recurring professional collaborations, particularly with the ADR directors Stephanie Sheh and Michael Sinterniklaas and the dubbing studio NYAV Post, who directed both Belle and The Colors Within. This continued working relationship has allowed for a deepening creative partnership, with McNeill taking on a more involved role in the adaptation process for her second feature. In addition to her acting pursuits, she continues to develop her career as a singer-songwriter, with plans to release original music. Her filmography to date includes the role of Young Maureen in the 2021 short film Who Is Christmas Eve?.
All Characters
- EnglishAnime overview: BELLE