Disney+ and Marvel Studios' X-Men '97 star Jennifer Hale spoke with Bleeding Cool about voicing Jean Grey/Madelyne Pryor and much more!

Jennifer Hale is one of the busiest voice actresses in the industry. While she made her acting debut in live-action in 1988's A Father's Homecoming, it's hard to find an animated and video game franchise she hasn't been a part of from Mass Effect, Marvel, DC, Metal Gear, Star Wars Hanna Barbara, and countless others. With 500 credits to her name including an occasional live-action appearance, Hale isn't slowing down anytime soon. Hale took over the role of Jean Grey/Phoenix in the Disney+ Marvel animated series X-Men '97, a direct sequel to Fox's X-Men: The Animated Series. While she's played the role in other projects, Hale officially took over the role originally played by Catherine Disher in the Saturday morning series. Hale spoke to Bleeding Cool about how this take on Jean differs from other takes, if she discussed the role with Disher, getting to play Jean's clone, Madelyne Pryor – and yes, even a few things about the second season.

X-Men '97 Star Jennifer Hale on Expanding Legacy of X-Men: The Animated Series

Bleeding Cool: How do you describe your approach to Jean Grey for X-Men '97, and how do you distinguish it from the other times you played the character?

Great question, Tom. My approach is grounded in the vision of the [creative] team that is 100 percent how I come to everything because there's so much done with the Marvel Universe and all different aspects. Whether it's animated series, games, or films, every time, what the team brings to the project is unique and special. That's when I start everything. In this instance, I had the work of Catherine Disher as the starting point from the original '90s series. With this team, we brought that style into 2024, in which you update the acting and honor these incredible storylines.

Did you talk with her before recording?

I did not talk with Catherine. What I did have which was valuable was guidance with this team. One of the coolest things about this team creating the show is many of them were fans growing up and even grew up with [X-Men: TAS]. This was a labor of love for many of them.

You've played many Marvel characters over the years. How do you compare Jean to your other characters?

That's a great question. Each iteration of Jean is different, right? This one comes out of the writing. I love this version of Jean because she's the Jean we always know, right? She's the expression of the heart of the team. She's the expression of many of the emotions in the team. She's also the quiet power waiting to be deployed, when necessary, not so "quiet" when it's deployed [laughs]. She represents a particular aspect of humanity in the situation they're in discovering the existence of Madelyne. She's discovering what Mr. Sinister has done, dealing with what she and Scott went through with [their son], Nathan (Chris Potter). This is a whole new piece of the human experience and is singularly represented through Jean's part of the story. I also loved Jean's friendship with Storm (Alison Sealy-Smith), and I want to see that expanded. I want to bring Rogue into the circle because Lenore [Zann] is lovely and great.

One of the biggest mysteries in season one was when the switch between Jean and Madelyne took place. Will it be answered in season two?

I only know what you guys know and anything beyond what you know, I'm not going to say a word. You'll get no spoilers from me [laughs].

Fair enough. What can you say about series writing and the way it played out?

The writing on the show is brilliant. It's a few moments, they slay me when I recorded them, and they slay me when I watch them. There was a moment, I will say briefly in the finale, and I won't give anything away, but there was a moment when Jean helped Scott share something personal with Cable (Nathan), and Scott said these are yours now. That was taken directly from a conversation with the writing team about when my father passed. The way they weave life into this writing, and I remember being shown the way into this writing, is incredible. I remember being at the premiere and blown away by how artfully they wove the issues of our time into these storylines while completely honoring the spirit and vibe of the original. They made it incredibly relevant for the times that we're living in today, which is also part of what's so great about the 'X-Men' in general as a part of the Marvel Universe.

Did you record seasons one and two back-to-back?

We recorded them close together.

Did you do a group recording or record in the booth alone?

Most of my work is remote, so I record from my home studio. We did have a couple of sessions where Ray Chase, who plays Scott Summers/Cyclops, and I recorded remotely, so it was like we were together, which was awesome.

Does the experience of doing a group versus remote recording make a difference in your performance, or is it a sign of the times?

Remote work is a sign of the times. When we can be on simultaneously would be optimal, but when we don't get to do that, we are blessed with a fantastic host, director Meredith Layne. She does what we call "read-ins," where she'll do the scene with us and it's wonderful. Voice actors are some of the industry's unsung heroes and deserve a lot more credit than they get. Meredith is phenomenal.

I want to touch upon the final scene of season one, where you and Ray shared a scene with Gates McFadden, who plays Mother Aksani. What was your reaction to that little twist at the end?

I loved it. I didn't have the pleasure of recording with everyone, but I love sharing space with people of that caliber. That's one of the gifts from voice acting. I get to do things like that.

What can you say to fans looking forward to season two and what to expect?

Buckle up!

X-Men '97, which also features the voices of George Buza, Cal Dodd, Holly Chou, Matthew Waterson, JP Karliak, and AJ Locascio, is available to stream on Disney+.