Netflix executive producer Adi Shankar felt a sense of excitement to meet the legendary voice actor Kevin Conroy while working on his new anime adaptation of Devil May Cry, and this is quite rare for him. He didn’t feel jittery around Brad Pitt or Ryan Reynolds, Shankar mentioned in a recent interview, but the thought of meeting Kevin Conroy – who has voiced Batman for over twenty years – made him feel nervous.
“With Kevin – it’s just different when someone is so tied to your childhood,” Shankar reflects on collaborating with the actor prior to his passing in 2022. In Shankar’s vibrant take on Devil May Cry, Conroy voices the original character VP Baines. (Without giving anything away, I’m happy to report that Conroy’s performance is impressive).
“It’s similar with [Dante’s voice actor] Johnny Young Bosch,” Shankar adds, “because he was the second Black Power Ranger, and I was a huge fan of Johnny as a child.”
Netflix’s Devil May Cry anime features a stellar cast filled with talent – I am a big admirer of Conroy myself, having grown up with his portrayal in Batman: The Animated Series, and I was thrilled to learn that the series also includes another posthumous performance from the remarkable Tony Todd, known for his role as Candyman.
Regarding both Todd and Conroy, Shankar shares, “These are iconic actors. They’re extraordinary performers. And, I’m just incredibly thankful that they agreed to be part of this, that we were able to have them […] in this universe of the show.”
“For Kevin,” Shankar continues, “posthumously…