Jane Lynch on Her Animated Roles: “Instead of coming up with a funny voice, I let my work on the character inform how I sound, so its grounded”

Even up until a few years ago Jane Lynch was mainly known as one of the most talented improvises in Christopher Guest‘s mockumentaries.  More recently Lynch’s career has really taken off with her starring role on television’s Glee.  Now Lynch finds herself in demand, especially as a voice actor in animated films.

In the last two years alone she has lent her expressive voice to a Toy Story short, the Disney video game film Wreck-It Ralph, and Escape from Planet Earth.  In an interview with The Huffington Post, Lynch talks about this new aspect of her career and why she won’t be watching the Oscars this year.

Lynch confesses that she’s not particularly good at doing different voices, so she takes a character’s personality into account when finding that animated character’s voice.  She explains, “It’s not so much with a different voice, because I’m not so adept at that. But I do think I’m a good actor, so if I’m cast in a role like Sue Sylvester, I’ll do it like that. I’ll find a different place to reach down with each of the animated characters. Instead of coming up with a funny voice, I let my work on the character inform how I sound, so its grounded. There’s differences in the character, of course, but it’s a job I really love to do. I love doing voice over. I love providing voices for characters.”

However, despite the fact that Wreck-It Ralph was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, Lynch admits she won’t be watching.  She says, “No, I don’t like it at all. All awards shows! Yes, I’ve been to them and hosted them, but watching them on television makes me riddled with anxiety. I get embarrassed for people. I totally project my own fears on them. But to be there? It’s not as anxiety provoking. It was less anxiety provoking to host the Emmys than to watch the Emmys. I’m worried about me! I have only me to worry about.”