Interview with David Bateson (Voice of Agent 47)
David Bateson is a South African actor and comedian. David has his own sound studio in Copenhagen and records everything from corporate presentations to commercials, for clients all over the world. He is best known for providing the voice of Agent 47, the protagonist of IO Interactive’s video game series Hitman, having played the role since the year 2000 in each of the franchise’s eight main games and has also served as a voice for commercials advertising various Lego brands.
Christos Arfanis: Hello David and thank you for your time and the honor! Did you like acting since childhood? As you are both actor and voice actor, what occupation do you prefer more and why?
David Bateson: As a kid we moved around a lot. I went to 9 schools in 12 years. That meant I was always the “new boy” and as a result, spent a lot of my time either trying to fit in with the other kids by trying to reflect the “type” of people they were which made me good at observing people’s behaviours and personalities. Also, by being the class joker, I could make the bullies laugh and not try and beat me up after school. ha ha! All this was good experience in becoming a professional actor later in life. I just love acting — all types of acting. Someone once said to me when I was office temping in London’s Financial district: “I envy you. You get to be other people.” I’d never thought of it like that before but it’s true. I get to “play” every day, and use my imagination. We have no problem doing that as children. It’s a pity that’s been educated out of us as we “grow up”. I think we should “grow back down again” and exercise the brain’s ability to fantasise!
Christos Arfanis: Who has inspired you in your career?
David Bateson: Many people — both directly and indirectly. I believe that quite often, you meet people for a reason — whether consciously or subconsciously. Charlie Chaplin was an inspiration, believe it or not. He developed surreal humour — the ability to take an object and give it another meaning in a totally believable way: An example: he’s standing in behind the counter of a pawnbrokers shop, I think it was. A man come in with an alarm clock. Chaplin inspects it as if it were a human being, checking it for a pulse, opening it with a can opener and sniffing to its contents as if it were a can of tuna — that kind of thing. Pure imagination and playfulness. My voice coach inspired me — later in life! I realised as I was saying words either on a stage or a voice studio, the concept of verbal dynamics. That words have power, not only in their meaning but in the way you say them They have an energy that can altered, and in so doing, the actual meaning can be changed.
Christos Arfanis: What makes you choose a certain role? Is it the overall story, or the character?
David Bateson: Its’ both, actually. The story is vital. It has to be good — for want of a better word. Something that captures my attention and imagination but that is also utterly believable and preferably, universal (in an ideal world). But I will also say yes to a project, whether it be a film, TV or theatre, — if I’m just fascinated by the character and want to find out more. About how they felt, how that character came to make certain decisions and actions in their life. Sometimes, you don’t want to go through the “pain” of certain events that character has gone through — but you know you simply cannot avoid it or trivialise it. You have to be honest with that character and portray him truthfully.
Christos Arfanis: You are the voice of Agent 47. Can you tell us a few things from your experience working on the Hitman Video Games? Do you like them?
David Bateson: I love voicing Agent 47. He has become a real close friend of mine over the years. It’s weird, Agent 47 is an computer generated set of algorithms — but he is real to me! Every time we start a new game’s dialogue recordings — which last about 4–6months, I literally can’t wait to hang out with Agent 47, and when I’m recording his last lines in the final level, I’m genuinely sad that I’m not going to be in his company again — until the game come out, that is. Ha ha! It’s very rare that an actor gets the chance to play the same character over such a long time — 21 years. It’s pretty much unheard of in computer gaming. I have favourite moments from different games: the St Petersburg level from Contracts, I believe it was. The atmosphere of those deserted granite buildings and snow covered streets at night. Brilliant. Blood Money — for lots of reasons. It really felt that the game went up a notch there. I personally love Absolution because it was a great acting exercise. The script and story line was very filmic and intense. The betrayal he felt Diana had carried out. No plot spoilers! Also, Agent 47 was caught off guard as suddenly, he has to look after a young girl — and he definitely doesn’t have any experience in that field. Then the last 3 Games in the franchise to date — covering the arc of the storyline of his background leading to its resolution. Absolutely brilliant storytelling And the graphics just completely went to another level. It’s no wonder people are calling Hitman 3 (the last game to date) one of the best games of 2021. Because it is! Great credit to everyone at IO interactive.
Christos Arfanis: Do you participate on any current and future projects?
David Bateson: I voiced a fabulous character in Tunnel Vision Games’s Lightmatter computer game last year which came out before Christmas, I believe. A crazy genius professor called Virgil who both helps the player through the game but also insults them and is totally paranoid and unstable. Great role. Ha ha! Just finished performing with the National Symphony Orchestra last week on Galaxmphony Strikes Back, in which they play the sound tracks from Sci-fi films while I stand there and quote from these famous films: #galaxymphonystrikesback on YouTube as well as Blade Runner suite The Danish National Orchestra; Star Wars. etc) I have a new TV series coming out next month on Danish TV, called in Danish Orkestret (The Orchestra). A 10 part comedy series in which I play a famous conductor who takes over the symphony orchestra as their new resident conductor, Daniel Mablewood. A very different kind of acting challenge for me — a flamboyant, gay, temperamental man who fires musicians and runs the orchestra like a general in charge of an army! In 6 weeks time I start rehearsals for the english speaking theatre in Copenhagen (London Toast Theatre) annual sold out Christmas show in Tivoli Gardens (Londontoast.dk and all over YouTube). Again, very different from Hitman!This year it is a story based around the mafia in Miami in the 70’s and 80’s. This has become a tradition for Danes to come in and see, while enjoying the Tivoli Gardens Christmas market, restaurants and rides. Its been going for 39 years and I’ve appeared in 29 of them. There are other voice-over plans in the pipeline but I cannot tell you about them just yet….otherwise, I’d have to kill you! Ha ha!
Christos Arfanis would like to thank David Bateson and wish him all the best with his next projects!
David Bateson: Thanks Christos. It was my pleasure. Have a great weekend.
Interview Photos by Kim Matthāi Leland from Galaxymphony Strikes Back Danish National Symphony Orchestra Sci-fi film sound track concert last week.
“Great fun — introducing musical scores by quoting from films while the music plays!”
- David Bateson
INTERVIEW BY CHRISTOS ARFANIS
AUGUST 27 2021
