Julie Dolan [Interview]
September 10, 2018 Leave a comment
Hello Folks! We are kicking the week off with an amazing interview with the multi-faceted performer, Julie Dolan! For die hard Star Wars fans, you are going to absolutely love this one! Or if you are just a fan of genuinely talented human beings, you should definitely enjoy this one.
I initially reached out to Julie for a pretty specific purpose. Which would be the fact that she appeared in one of my favorite comedic films that is turning 20 years this year! That film would be BASEketball, in which Dolan portrayed the Beer Barrel Mascot. And as it usually happens, I learned a lot more about her incredible career, especially her work in the beloved Star Wars franchise.
And we are so damn excited that the great Julie Dolan has been kind enough to grace our digital pages! So please enjoy some wonderful words from this amazing performer! Check it out!
When did you first realize that you wanted to join the world of performance? What was it that initially drew you into this world?
I first realized I wanted to join the world of performance when I was 3 years old. I remember watching TV and I saw Shirley Temple and I pointed to the TV, looked at my mom and said “Mama that’s what I want to do.” So at 3 years old I was in ballet, tap, jazz and acrobatic classes. When I was 9, the dance school offered an acting class and I jumped right in. Got my first agent and started going on auditions.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the hilarious film BASEketball, in which you appeared in as the heroes team mascot! I am curious to know what it was like to work on such a zany and hilarious project such as this? Was it as fun to work on as it was for us to watch?
Wow has it been 20 years? I had been doing a lot of costume character work at Universal Studios, in TV shows, Feature Films (I was in Beverly Hills Cop III dancing with Eddie Murphy as “Prescott Pig”, Thank-you-Mom-and-dad-for-the-dance-lessons haha) There was an audition looking for somebody that had experience in a costume work to be the Beer Barrel Mascot for BASEketball. I think they hired some guy and he felt a little claustrophobic in a Beer Barrel so I got the call last minute and ended up working on the whole film. It was a joy to go to work each morning. Trey Parker is a brilliantly funny and clever guy. He kept the cast and crew entertained 24/7 . He and Matt Stone are a great team and Dian Bachar (who played Squeek) and I are still good friends to this day. I had a blast working on that film and being directed by David Zucker was the icing on the cake!
I, of course, saw the first Star Wars movie (A New Hope) back in 1977 when it first premiered, BUT.. I was not a die-hard fan. Not like I am now. In 2010, I got a call from my Voice Over agent who asked me “Can you sound like Carrie Fisher from A New Hope?” My answer was “Ummm I have NO clue”. I was asked to record the Obi Wan Kenobiâ speech. Had no idea what this was for. Disney/Lucasfilms sent me the original recording so I could try and voice match her. I worked on it . . to match her pitch, her gait, her emotion, her rhythm. and then I sent in my recording. I was called into Disney Imagineering with 2 other girls (after they had auditioned about 400 girls and even brought Carrie Fisher in to see if she could reprise her voice but it just wasn’t the right fit.) I ended up booking the job and it is the role of the Princess Leia hologram that you see and hear in the ride “Star Tours: The Adventures Continue” at Disneyland.
A couple of years later, I got a call from Dave Filoni to come in and meet with him and do a small project in-house for Lucasfilms. Then I found out he wanted to use me for Star Wars Rebels so I felt I had a lot of work to do digging deep down to find out who Princess Leia was and what her goals were and what she was all about so I watched all six of the movies over and over (there were only 6 at that time). I read everything I could find about Princess Leia because when you’re playing a character you have to know who she is, what she wants, who her parents are, what her passions are etc. After watching all of the movies, I actually started getting into all the stories and the characters and I think I am officially now a Star Wars nerd. I’m also an honorary member of the 501st which I’m very proud of. It was such an amazing opportunity to be able to reprise the role of Princess Leia for so many different Disney/Lucasfilm projects and I will be forever grateful because it’s opened up a whole new world for me. I have a whole new fan family and when I go on the road to conventions, I get to meet them and they’re absolutely fabulous.
Scrolling through your IMDb credits, I noticed that you were tapped on multiple occasions to portray different variations of a “Lady of the Night” if you will, on various programs hosted by Conan O’Brien. This seems like an interesting and hilarious gig. I am curious to know how that all went down for you? How has your experience been working within the world of Team Coco?
Yes, ha ha for some reason I’ve made my living playing hookers and madams. (and now Princesses hah) I actually started on The Tonight Show when Conan was the host. Then when they moved to Late Night with Conan O’Brien, they brought me along with them. For years I was their Go-to-Gal every time they needed someone to play a hooker/prostitute. It was a blast and a joy every time I got the call. They’d call me the night before (because they are writing and re-writing skits every day and have no idea what’s coming up.) Some skits make it on, some don’t. It’s very last minute. They are even re-writing jokes as the audience is filing into the studio. You get the immediate feedback from a live audience and the crew and Conan are so open to having fun and playing.
What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?
No I’m done. Ha Ha, just kidding! I just finished working on a movie called Chompy and the Girls. It’s a surrealist horror comedy with a great storyline about relationships. It should be released later this year. I start working on a movie called Tiger Within with Ed Asner in a couple of weeks directed by Rafal Zielinski & written by Gina Wendkos who wrote Coyote Ugly & The Princess Diaries among others.
I also play keyboards in a couple of working Tribute/Cover bands.
Tribute to Bryan Adams – Summer of 69: (www.summerof69tribute.com)
Tribute to INXS – INXSIVE (www.inxstributeband.com)
All Female Classic Rock Band – The Under Cover Girls (www.ucgband.com)
We play shows all over the United States and out of the country when we can.
What was the last thing that made you smile?
The last thing that made me smile was this question!! But before that… It was my 11 year old, 110 pound Pitbull named Bosco running through the house shaking his new toy knocking knick-knacks off shelves.
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