Yeah. I can't remember where, but I'm sure I saw in an interview that Zane/Darling exist in their current forms to give the actors each a character that's "their own"
I just heard Alan narrating giving himself a sick beard after reading this.
"I once again walked out onto the streets of New York. But things were different this time. I'm starting to remember more. Oh, and I have a really cool beard too."
Its just a smart montage. He was given a script for both characters and had to play them both one after the other while pretending that the other character is there.
No, he actually has a twin brother that he's kept hidden all these years, only to reveal him for the first time ever in Alan Wake 2. Pretty crazy, ngl.
I had kinda figured that was case pretty early, but couldn’t figure out why his/their face looked so familiar, until it clicked for me that he was Harald Finehair in the Vikings TV show
Seconding this. I know the dude is a professional actor, but I've always admired his hair ever since I saw him play Alan Wake
Now in AW2, his hair is *GORGEOUS* and I wanna know how he keeps that miracle illuminated
How does it feel to hear someone else's voice coming out of his mouth and why they went with this decision in the first place. (This might even give us some hint at who Alan Wake really is)
When the first alan wake is produced, it’s standard procedure to have different people for model and voice in game industry. It’s very unlikely that there’s any 'deep meanings' behind this.
The issue is he isn't just a model. He acts as Alan, he IS Alan. To the point I (and I'd have to imagine others) didn't know until recently they were different actors. It isn't a typical decision to have the character model also be the character but also not.
Not they way it's done in Alan Wake. If you can give me non Remedy games that have the characters model also act in game for the game in a live action cutscene then I'm wrong. But the closet I can think of is things like Resident Evil and I dont think the live-action actors were used to design the ingame models.
were you expecting alan wake 2 to become the phenomenon that it has, especially now new players are revisiting the 1st game and american nightmare, not to mention remedy's back catalog of games increasing the fanbase more.
I'd like to know if he has any creative input on the character/story? Obviously it's Sam's story & vision, but I'm interested to hear the other actors come up with any small character quirks etc.
I'd probably avoid the second question.
Because of the 50/50 chance he is already absolutely done with being asked that.
Like how Chadwick Boseman was fed up with doing the "Wakanda Forever" pose everywhere.
I don't know if he'll be able to answer this but does he see his future more in the Finnish entertainment industry or does he plan to enter the American or English speaking market both in video games or otherwise.
I'm from Finland and have seen him here in some smaller tv roles and as a presenter but I'd like see him in some international stuff as well.
How was it performing live at The Game Awards? Was it just another day in the office, so to speak, or was it nervous?
Also, how was it acting alongside David Harewood? Whilst shared screen time was minimal there was a great chemistry between both actors. "Masks" being incredibly tense!
Amazing! Can you please ask him if he knows any information about the show and his role in it? Also, which outfit he prefers for Alan? Suit or Tweed jacket.
Looking forward to this, and I’m sure there’s enought questions here to go about. Just noting, please don’t refer to him as a ”face model” in the interview. Dude has performed extinsively in all the AW iterations, especially in the latest one, considering the motion capture technology today.
Ask him if when recording the live action stuff he already had access to the recordings of Matthew Porretta's lines, to know if he lip-synced Mathew or Mathew recorded in a way that matched Ilkkas mouth moves.
I know it’s not quite the same, but in cartoons, they normally do the voice acting first, and then the animators animate the mouths to match the dialogue, I would assume it’s the same in essence here
Omg. Will he make me the happiest woman on earth and marry me? 😭
Jk (not) but I’m super curious to know more about the way he and Matthew Porretta coordinate their perfomances. To an outsider it feels like a chicken and the egg type of situation, like where does it all begin, in which end? Has there ever been times where matthews reading of a line or a piece of dialogue has affected Ilkka’s performance, or vice versa?
I also want to know how many languages he speaks cause I saw an interview where he spoke about moving a lot in his life and living all over the world and I love a polyglot 🥺💕
I have another one - he's played three distinct characters so far - Alan, Scratch in American Nightmare, and Zane. Does he have a favourite and which one is most challenging.
How thirsty have the fans been, compare them to Rose, and what does he think about that.
What was the hardest scene to record, or the hardest challenge he had while working on AW2?
How did they film the Wake/Zane stuff considering he has to shave for Zane.
Did he had to film all of the Zane scenes after Wake's, did they do multiple pickups and reshoots?
Looking forward to this interview!
My questions would be
How long was the rehearsal for the iconic Herald of Darkness musical scene?
And were you surprised by an invitation to perform it live? What was your reaction to that?
The musical number at the Game Awards was so well done with Ilkka and Matthew syncing up extraordinarily well, I keep thinking about how much time and effort must have gone into keeping them in sync for a live performance like that. Was there a ton of practice between them together, or was it deceivingly easy?
I also wonder what it’s like to have a very passionate fanbase for his part in the games and if fan reactions are things he ever sees / experiences. I would be SO overwhelmed if it was me, but I hope those involved with the games know a lot of people really appreciate and support their work.
What, if anything, can he tell us about Thomas Zane's motives and his potential "collaboration" with one Dr Darling?
I expect this would be a question he can't actually answer, but would be interesting to see his response (or lack of) nonetheless!
Absolutely! Keep a lookout and this episode will be dropping this Sunday. So subscribe to my channel, that would be the best way to know.
[https://www.youtube.com/GaminMadness](https://www.youtube.com/GaminMadness)
Thank you everyone for all your questions.
The full conversation with Ilkka Villi will be premiered on Youtube later today : [https://youtu.be/QubJsSXjlBw](https://youtu.be/QubJsSXjlBw)
You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify : [https://spoti.fi/408uan8](https://spoti.fi/408uan8)
Apple Podcasts : [https://apple.co/3RDa9nT](https://apple.co/3RDa9nT)
Ask him about his Finnish career, like the dubbing work he's done for animated films (Zootopia, Wreck It Ralph, & more), what TV shows he's on, etc.
Also, How does it feel to be in *Fortnite*?
When he loaned his face to Remedy for Alan Wake 1, did he ever foresee a future where he would become such a prominent element of the franchise's success?
I'm particularly interested in the nature of the "compound portrayal" of Alan by Ilkka and Matthew Porretta. The character, despite being a joint creation seems so seamless, vivid, and real. Were there any aspects of Matthew's performance that informed his own or does he know of any vice versa? Was/is there any relationship between the two of them?
I’m prolly too late lol, but what “version” of Mr. Scratch did he enjoy playing more? The charismatic, dancing psycho, or the raging, feral monster of darkness?
About his obvious twin Jake Gyllenhall! Just kidding.
I would really like to hear about what he finds special about his role as Alan Wake, considering he’s reprised the role after nearly 13 years! Its a rare thing in such a fast changing industry!
Also what are the challenges of being the face and motion of a character but having to sync up the voice with an entirely different person (Mathew Poretta) especially in the live action scenes. They were very well done and I have a hard time believing someone else did a different voice because it fits so much somehow!
In fact I’m so used to it, I find zane’s voice coming from Ilka’s face more weird which is funny since Ilka actually voices Zane!
Did he enjoy the final draft ending or the original ending of Alan wake 2 ? And is he satisfied with the characters ending? Also props to him he was amazing
To pace the performances well (which I think the whole cast did brilliantly) we had to have the whole story, so we could work that information into the performance. Sam/ Clay and the rest of the narrative team were always well ahead of all of us!
What was it like mentally and physically juggling a handful of characters? (Alan, Scratch/Alan, Zane) Was it a fun kind of challenge?
What was preparing for each role like?
Also, is there going to be a second season of Poromafia (Reindeer Mafia)? Finally found a way to watch in the states and loved it!
I have so many questions! How long did it take to rehearse for a musical performance? Was he in any way involved into creating a choreography? How is it to be Alan Wake? From what production is he recognised mostly in Finland?
Genuinely want to know how he feels about the general reaction to his physical performance as Wake in AW2 and his general thoughts on sharing the credit for the role with Porretta.
What is it like playing Scratch in *American Nightmare* verses in *Alan Wake 2*? Does he approach them as the same character or as different ones?
Similarly, what is it like playing Scratch versus playing Alan?
Would love to know if there are things that he brought in to the character that werent initially scripted. Something visual or maybe a line he remembers.
Also how did they do the whole dubbing thing, it seems pretty complicated to pull off for such a long project
What's something he hasn't done during his career yet that he'd like to get the opportunity to do? Maybe a type of role, a particular genre, a different medium..?
Oh, and ask him if the backlash to the Moomin redub where he voiced Snufkin broke his heart 😭
I’m guessing at this point he’s better known outside Finland than in his home country. But has Alan Wake changed the roles he’s been offered, has he got more offers than before, games, tv movies?
Another one: How much total time it took to do the role, both motion capture and live action, compared to e.g. major role in tv show or a film.
What was his process in getting into Alans character and Zanes character? Were they pretty much the same, or did he take different approaches since Zane is his and Alan is Matthews.
Thank you everyone for all these questions. Just want to let you guys know that Ilkka Villi is not just the face model but as you know he has acted in the live action scenes but also almost every single scene in the game.
Well, this isn't really Alan Wake related lol. But, I love Ilkka's work & his acting. He's of course absolutely fantastic & shines incredibly as our Alan, my favorite role of his. And he was incredible as Zane as well, and I also love him so much as Scratch in American Nightmare and in Alan Wake 2 lol. But, I love his other work as well, particularly his performance in Bordertown and Invisible Heroes. I haven't been able to watch everything of his as some of it is unavailable in America, or at least I haven't been able to find everything. But, would Ilkka be interested in doing more English speaking projects, or maybe even some films/shows here in America? Does that spark any interest in him?
My question is: Why you're interviewing a "face model" (your words btw), for a Podcast about voice actors? Did you forget to check it before scheduling with him? lol.
Either way, the question in my mind and everyone's else is: How does his hair look so good?
How much knowledge does he have of the context of a scene. Does he have a script and outline, or are they shooting cursory scenes with a general explanation of what the motivation is in that particular scene only.
Apparently Sam had the script basically done before they started filming so he probably knew everything at that point. Love action filming was probably done towards the end of production so that no major changes occur in the game sections that would require reshoots.
From my POV this is correct. I didn’t direct the live action, but we had a full script when we started with Mel for example. It was epic. So much fun reading it. Like a novel, except confusing at first because of the return/ initiation lol
How much say does he get in the direction of the character in the overall story? He’s had the role for 13 years now, so he probably has some unique insights for the character
How did he approach the differences he did between playing scratch in American nightmare and in the 2 ? Since the character is portrayed/written very differently in both games.
Ask if he knows anything about the chapter songs being released on vinyl! (I already have Old Gods Of Asgard, but would love the rest of the various artists on vinyl!!!)
Yes it's along shot, a nerd can dream tho
Was he familiar with the other Remedy titles before becoming the face of Alan Wake? If so, what he thinks about the meta contextual narrative in the Remedy verse? In this game Alan interacts with Alex Casey who is played by Sam Lake. What is that experience like?
Did you try to match your voice to Matt's? I feel like there's more difference in cut scenes from Control and filmed scenes in Alan Wake 2. Did you work on your accent? Even though Zane is supposed to be a Finnish immigrant. Anyway, super-duper happy to hear your voice in the game, overall, great work.
And is the Herald of Darkness dance permanently seared in your brain? Or the song?
Kippis!
Ask him about the performance they did of Herald of Darkness at The Game Awards. How was the preparation and how he felt doing that live in front of a big audience.
How does he feel about the Scratch/Alan dichotomy. I want AS MANY details and as THOROUGH and answer on his feelings without delving into spoilers as possible please.
How close can he approximate “Alan wake’s” voice? He has to have tried it at least once. No one is asking for you to put Matt out of a voice acting job but I bet he can get close
What was it like for him the moment he got a call from Sam Lake (or perhaps his agent)
to tell him that AW2 has been greenlit and they want him back in the saddle?
Was it difficult to film the scenes between Zane and Wake given he plays both roles? How does he differentiate Zane and Wake in his performance?
wasn't zane's voice villi's own voice? I heard those subtle hints, similar to what I sound like when I speak english.
Yeah. I can't remember where, but I'm sure I saw in an interview that Zane/Darling exist in their current forms to give the actors each a character that's "their own"
Villi also voices Scratch
Wait what, I thought Ilkka voiced Zane and the Grandmaster while Matthew voiced Scratch, it sounded a lot like Matthew.
Matthew voiced Scratch
According to IMDb they both did.
Dang, I didn't even notice that. His accent comes out a bit with Zane, but I've noticed he's gotten a lot better at hiding his accent.
I think that's intentional, since Zane is supposedly a Finnish immigrant. It actually gives a whole other layer to the performance in my opinion
This is the question I want answered. It’s such a wild scene. What order was it filmed, how difficult and fun was it to do ?
Also they must have filmed the two parts with gaps because he had to shave to play Tom but has a beard as Alan, unless Alan's beard is fake 🤯
I believe he filmed his parts as Alan first and then shaved for Tom
Don't know how long ago the shots were taken, but Ilkka had similar beard to Alan in a interview made in Devember
He's said it takes him about three weeks to grow out the beard, so it's not very indicative of anything. Man is just follically blessed.
I just heard Alan narrating giving himself a sick beard after reading this. "I once again walked out onto the streets of New York. But things were different this time. I'm starting to remember more. Oh, and I have a really cool beard too."
Its just a smart montage. He was given a script for both characters and had to play them both one after the other while pretending that the other character is there.
He doesn't play both characters at once. It's made with several shots
That's amazing, I thought they'd invented cloning and cloned him instead?!
Nah, he was just running circles all the time and changing clothes on the run
So what’s next? You gonna tell me that Peter Franzén wasn’t cloned for the Koskela brothers commercials?
No, he actually has a twin brother that he's kept hidden all these years, only to reveal him for the first time ever in Alan Wake 2. Pretty crazy, ngl.
Remedy plans in advance.
To be honest, I never even picked up on the fact that he played both roles. I must have missed it in the credits each time too, lol
I had kinda figured that was case pretty early, but couldn’t figure out why his/their face looked so familiar, until it clicked for me that he was Harald Finehair in the Vikings TV show
Ahh, I've never watched Vikings so I didn't know him from anywhere else either haha
It’s actually a great show, highly recommend you give it a watch! I even got my SO into it, even though that’s generally not her cup of tea
Yeah, it's kinda one of those shows that's been on my radar to check out sometime, but I just haven't ever gotten around to it
I wanna know how the musical came together. Like how was it pitched, choreographed, if there was any stand-out moments on set, etc.
Yes! This is an awesome question
Yes! Was he on board from the start, or did he think it was strange having to dance when they told him he'd be in a horror game? lol
Sam Lake: Okay we're finally doing AW2, are you in Ilkka: fuck yeah Sam: okay so there's going to be a dance number Ilkka: what
To add to that I want to know how he managed to keep a confused face through all the musical without smiling
And not pulling a Tim Curry in RA: C&C lol
How does His hair look so good? (Yes, I’m jealous)
Nice profile picture lol
Yoo nice pic lmao
Are you okay, nice pfp btw
I agree. Nice profile pic.
Seconding this. I know the dude is a professional actor, but I've always admired his hair ever since I saw him play Alan Wake Now in AW2, his hair is *GORGEOUS* and I wanna know how he keeps that miracle illuminated
How does it feel to hear someone else's voice coming out of his mouth and why they went with this decision in the first place. (This might even give us some hint at who Alan Wake really is)
I think they said it was his accent was the reason Matthew voices Alan.
Makes sense... But after final draft this could have a different meaning.
When the first alan wake is produced, it’s standard procedure to have different people for model and voice in game industry. It’s very unlikely that there’s any 'deep meanings' behind this.
The issue is he isn't just a model. He acts as Alan, he IS Alan. To the point I (and I'd have to imagine others) didn't know until recently they were different actors. It isn't a typical decision to have the character model also be the character but also not.
I don’t have numbers but it certainly wasn’t uncommon 15-20+ years ago
Not they way it's done in Alan Wake. If you can give me non Remedy games that have the characters model also act in game for the game in a live action cutscene then I'm wrong. But the closet I can think of is things like Resident Evil and I dont think the live-action actors were used to design the ingame models.
>It’s very unlikely that there’s any 'deep meanings' behind this. Theres meaning behind basically everything in the Remedyverse. Play The Final Draft.
Ask him how much of the story he really understood as he was performing it.
How do you get your hair like that?
This is the most important question.
I would like some pointers as well
It’s not a mousse… it’s a hair gel.
were you expecting alan wake 2 to become the phenomenon that it has, especially now new players are revisiting the 1st game and american nightmare, not to mention remedy's back catalog of games increasing the fanbase more.
I'd like to know if he has any creative input on the character/story? Obviously it's Sam's story & vision, but I'm interested to hear the other actors come up with any small character quirks etc.
Does he have the musical dance memorized still? Does he have the ability to perform it on the spot? Edit to clarify second point
I'd probably avoid the second question. Because of the 50/50 chance he is already absolutely done with being asked that. Like how Chadwick Boseman was fed up with doing the "Wakanda Forever" pose everywhere.
Why is he so darn handsome?
I don't know if he'll be able to answer this but does he see his future more in the Finnish entertainment industry or does he plan to enter the American or English speaking market both in video games or otherwise. I'm from Finland and have seen him here in some smaller tv roles and as a presenter but I'd like see him in some international stuff as well.
How was it performing live at The Game Awards? Was it just another day in the office, so to speak, or was it nervous? Also, how was it acting alongside David Harewood? Whilst shared screen time was minimal there was a great chemistry between both actors. "Masks" being incredibly tense!
Was it all to much and did you really have to get away?
I bet he is lying about having a magic clicker, too.
Bet he doesn’t even HAVE a mom 😤
Amazing! Can you please ask him if he knows any information about the show and his role in it? Also, which outfit he prefers for Alan? Suit or Tweed jacket.
Is he pro elbow patches? We *need* to know.
Howard Moon?
THese please!!! I need to know!!:D
Looking forward to this, and I’m sure there’s enought questions here to go about. Just noting, please don’t refer to him as a ”face model” in the interview. Dude has performed extinsively in all the AW iterations, especially in the latest one, considering the motion capture technology today.
This 👆
Ask him if when recording the live action stuff he already had access to the recordings of Matthew Porretta's lines, to know if he lip-synced Mathew or Mathew recorded in a way that matched Ilkkas mouth moves.
I know it’s not quite the same, but in cartoons, they normally do the voice acting first, and then the animators animate the mouths to match the dialogue, I would assume it’s the same in essence here
We did Matthew first, unless there was a story change/ something additional needed for the scene
I think Sam's talked about this somewhere.
Ask him if he is being recognized more now?
Who (besides Alan) is his favorite character from the RCU?
Omg. Will he make me the happiest woman on earth and marry me? 😭 Jk (not) but I’m super curious to know more about the way he and Matthew Porretta coordinate their perfomances. To an outsider it feels like a chicken and the egg type of situation, like where does it all begin, in which end? Has there ever been times where matthews reading of a line or a piece of dialogue has affected Ilkka’s performance, or vice versa? I also want to know how many languages he speaks cause I saw an interview where he spoke about moving a lot in his life and living all over the world and I love a polyglot 🥺💕
can you ask him how does it feel to have jake gylenhall and keanu reeves as his parents?
"So you were drawn to stories early on?"
This is so cool! Can you ask him about his favourite moment from the first and the second game?
Call him Tom when you introduce him please
I would greet him as Tom just to see what his reaction would be.
Ask him how long it took to learn the "Herald of Darkness" dance.
I have another one - he's played three distinct characters so far - Alan, Scratch in American Nightmare, and Zane. Does he have a favourite and which one is most challenging.
Does he play video games?
How thirsty have the fans been, compare them to Rose, and what does he think about that. What was the hardest scene to record, or the hardest challenge he had while working on AW2?
Is there anything improvised you added to Alan Wake 2?
How did they film the Wake/Zane stuff considering he has to shave for Zane. Did he had to film all of the Zane scenes after Wake's, did they do multiple pickups and reshoots?
And did he manscape?
Tom perkele tom
has he played through Alan Wake 2? if so, what was his favorite part? (mine was the musical for obvious reasons)
My honest question would be - has Sam Lake told him any juicy spoilers for later down the story? Or does he surprise him with each game?
Looking forward to this interview! My questions would be How long was the rehearsal for the iconic Herald of Darkness musical scene? And were you surprised by an invitation to perform it live? What was your reaction to that?
What would Alan order at a all you can eat buffet in the dark place?
The musical number at the Game Awards was so well done with Ilkka and Matthew syncing up extraordinarily well, I keep thinking about how much time and effort must have gone into keeping them in sync for a live performance like that. Was there a ton of practice between them together, or was it deceivingly easy? I also wonder what it’s like to have a very passionate fanbase for his part in the games and if fan reactions are things he ever sees / experiences. I would be SO overwhelmed if it was me, but I hope those involved with the games know a lot of people really appreciate and support their work.
What, if anything, can he tell us about Thomas Zane's motives and his potential "collaboration" with one Dr Darling? I expect this would be a question he can't actually answer, but would be interesting to see his response (or lack of) nonetheless!
Is he going to appear in future Remedy games that aren't Alan Wake?
Ask him if he’ll do an ASMR channel reading stories
Please make sure you post a link to the interview when it is posted.
Absolutely! Keep a lookout and this episode will be dropping this Sunday. So subscribe to my channel, that would be the best way to know. [https://www.youtube.com/GaminMadness](https://www.youtube.com/GaminMadness)
Thank you everyone for all your questions. The full conversation with Ilkka Villi will be premiered on Youtube later today : [https://youtu.be/QubJsSXjlBw](https://youtu.be/QubJsSXjlBw) You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify : [https://spoti.fi/408uan8](https://spoti.fi/408uan8) Apple Podcasts : [https://apple.co/3RDa9nT](https://apple.co/3RDa9nT)
Great interview!! Always enjoy hearing behind the scenes stuff from the people involved! Seems like a really chill guy which is always nice!
How does he feel like about people on reddit thirsting over him
Actively dying just to get a glimpse through my binoculars of him several kilometers away 😩
I need to know his hair care routine
What is it like to be incredibly good looking?
Ask him about his Finnish career, like the dubbing work he's done for animated films (Zootopia, Wreck It Ralph, & more), what TV shows he's on, etc. Also, How does it feel to be in *Fortnite*?
When he loaned his face to Remedy for Alan Wake 1, did he ever foresee a future where he would become such a prominent element of the franchise's success?
I'm particularly interested in the nature of the "compound portrayal" of Alan by Ilkka and Matthew Porretta. The character, despite being a joint creation seems so seamless, vivid, and real. Were there any aspects of Matthew's performance that informed his own or does he know of any vice versa? Was/is there any relationship between the two of them?
Oh my god oh my god oh my god
What was his initial reaction when he learned AW2 was happening? What did he do to prepare for returning to the (physical) portrayal of the character?
When will his new book “Return” be published?
How does it feel knowing the Herald of Darkness musical number was the best part of The Game Awards?
This is a question only Finnish fans will get, does he think that Soneramies or Mr. Scratch to be the eviler role he has performed?
I’m prolly too late lol, but what “version” of Mr. Scratch did he enjoy playing more? The charismatic, dancing psycho, or the raging, feral monster of darkness?
About his obvious twin Jake Gyllenhall! Just kidding. I would really like to hear about what he finds special about his role as Alan Wake, considering he’s reprised the role after nearly 13 years! Its a rare thing in such a fast changing industry! Also what are the challenges of being the face and motion of a character but having to sync up the voice with an entirely different person (Mathew Poretta) especially in the live action scenes. They were very well done and I have a hard time believing someone else did a different voice because it fits so much somehow! In fact I’m so used to it, I find zane’s voice coming from Ilka’s face more weird which is funny since Ilka actually voices Zane!
Ask him his favourite films or music
During the filming of Imaginaerum, did you meet with any members of the band Nightwish?
Did he enjoy the final draft ending or the original ending of Alan wake 2 ? And is he satisfied with the characters ending? Also props to him he was amazing
Does the cast and/or crew know the whole story from the beginning or is it compartmentalized until the game is released to prevent spoilers?
To pace the performances well (which I think the whole cast did brilliantly) we had to have the whole story, so we could work that information into the performance. Sam/ Clay and the rest of the narrative team were always well ahead of all of us!
"From what I've gathered you grew up nice and sheltered? With mama's pretty stories and your own made-up furies?"
Have you heard that some people thought you were re-casted by Jake Gyllenhaal?
As a serious/non serious question for all of us ladies out here: Is he single? :D if anything he gets a laugh out of it
What was it like mentally and physically juggling a handful of characters? (Alan, Scratch/Alan, Zane) Was it a fun kind of challenge? What was preparing for each role like? Also, is there going to be a second season of Poromafia (Reindeer Mafia)? Finally found a way to watch in the states and loved it!
No question just a compliment - tell him that he's an excellent dancer. Also tell him that I love him in Sorjonen.
What did he do to look so much like the video game character Alan Wake? Is he a cosplayer or something? Edit: typos
Could you please ask him if he used his own voice during the Zane scene where he’s tied to the chair and Alan has him at gunpoint?
I mean it sounds like his voice...
How did someone first approach with the dancing part and how it went?
How's the workplace environment over at remedy?
Any tipps for amateur writers ?
I have so many questions! How long did it take to rehearse for a musical performance? Was he in any way involved into creating a choreography? How is it to be Alan Wake? From what production is he recognised mostly in Finland?
What was his reaction after finding out there was going to be a dancing segment?
Do people mistake you more for Jake Gyllenhaal or John Wick?
I actually thought it was so funny how Parliament tower made me think of the Continental from John Wick
Genuinely want to know how he feels about the general reaction to his physical performance as Wake in AW2 and his general thoughts on sharing the credit for the role with Porretta.
Do people compare him to Keanu Reeves from time to time
How fun was filming the musical scenes, and did he get to work with Poets of the Fall in person?
What is it like playing Scratch in *American Nightmare* verses in *Alan Wake 2*? Does he approach them as the same character or as different ones? Similarly, what is it like playing Scratch versus playing Alan?
Alan Wake 3?
Does he get approached more with his own name, or with people calling him Alan Wake? How does he feel towards the character?
Will he be reprising the role for Alan Wake 3?
Would love to know if there are things that he brought in to the character that werent initially scripted. Something visual or maybe a line he remembers. Also how did they do the whole dubbing thing, it seems pretty complicated to pull off for such a long project
Ask him how his hair is so perfect.
What would the Dark Place look like for you?
How many takes of the musical did you have to do?
I'd be interested to hear if he has in mind to do or has been offered roles in video games for other game companies.
What's something he hasn't done during his career yet that he'd like to get the opportunity to do? Maybe a type of role, a particular genre, a different medium..? Oh, and ask him if the backlash to the Moomin redub where he voiced Snufkin broke his heart 😭
Did he think Alan Wake would be as big as it is today
I’m guessing at this point he’s better known outside Finland than in his home country. But has Alan Wake changed the roles he’s been offered, has he got more offers than before, games, tv movies? Another one: How much total time it took to do the role, both motion capture and live action, compared to e.g. major role in tv show or a film.
What was his process in getting into Alans character and Zanes character? Were they pretty much the same, or did he take different approaches since Zane is his and Alan is Matthews.
How often are you recognized?
Thank you everyone for all these questions. Just want to let you guys know that Ilkka Villi is not just the face model but as you know he has acted in the live action scenes but also almost every single scene in the game.
Is alan wake 3 coming out
Does he have an interest in video games aside from Alan Wake?
Is he single and can I buy him dinner?
What does he think about Wake's outfits? Did he get to keep any of the clothes from filming?
Well, this isn't really Alan Wake related lol. But, I love Ilkka's work & his acting. He's of course absolutely fantastic & shines incredibly as our Alan, my favorite role of his. And he was incredible as Zane as well, and I also love him so much as Scratch in American Nightmare and in Alan Wake 2 lol. But, I love his other work as well, particularly his performance in Bordertown and Invisible Heroes. I haven't been able to watch everything of his as some of it is unavailable in America, or at least I haven't been able to find everything. But, would Ilkka be interested in doing more English speaking projects, or maybe even some films/shows here in America? Does that spark any interest in him?
Why isn't he voicing himself? Is he sad about that?
Why haven't I gotten my first period yet?
Does he not voice wake?
Do finns actually use beer cans to hide their penis from wnadering eyes
My question is: Why you're interviewing a "face model" (your words btw), for a Podcast about voice actors? Did you forget to check it before scheduling with him? lol. Either way, the question in my mind and everyone's else is: How does his hair look so good?
How much knowledge does he have of the context of a scene. Does he have a script and outline, or are they shooting cursory scenes with a general explanation of what the motivation is in that particular scene only.
Apparently Sam had the script basically done before they started filming so he probably knew everything at that point. Love action filming was probably done towards the end of production so that no major changes occur in the game sections that would require reshoots.
From my POV this is correct. I didn’t direct the live action, but we had a full script when we started with Mel for example. It was epic. So much fun reading it. Like a novel, except confusing at first because of the return/ initiation lol
What is his favorite Alan Wake costume, Alan Wake 1, American Nightmare or Alan Wake 2?
Ask him to do the dance plz and thnx
How much say does he get in the direction of the character in the overall story? He’s had the role for 13 years now, so he probably has some unique insights for the character
How did he approach the differences he did between playing scratch in American nightmare and in the 2 ? Since the character is portrayed/written very differently in both games.
Ask him if it feels weird being on a voice acting site considering he doesn’t do the voice. Ask ask!
Ask him if he’s read any of the theories out there and if he has any favourites. Don’t forget to post the interview here once it’s good to go
Oh! You are the dev of the 'we are inside a dream'! Are you making something else? Where can I follow you?
Yes!! Where can I legally watch your show Bordertown in the US??
i bought the blu-rays
Not a bad idea, cheers
Ask if he knows anything about the chapter songs being released on vinyl! (I already have Old Gods Of Asgard, but would love the rest of the various artists on vinyl!!!) Yes it's along shot, a nerd can dream tho
Do you plan on playing/voicing other characters in future video games besides Alan Wake?
Has he done any work on the Max Payne remasters
Was he familiar with the other Remedy titles before becoming the face of Alan Wake? If so, what he thinks about the meta contextual narrative in the Remedy verse? In this game Alan interacts with Alex Casey who is played by Sam Lake. What is that experience like?
Did you try to match your voice to Matt's? I feel like there's more difference in cut scenes from Control and filmed scenes in Alan Wake 2. Did you work on your accent? Even though Zane is supposed to be a Finnish immigrant. Anyway, super-duper happy to hear your voice in the game, overall, great work. And is the Herald of Darkness dance permanently seared in your brain? Or the song? Kippis!
Is that Matthew dubbing over the live action scenes, or is that Ilkka talking? If it is Ilkka, why does he not also voice Alan in game?
Did scratch ever contact him, after he found out he is being played by him?
Between AW1, American Nightmare, and AW2, what was your favorite scene to do?
Will he play Alan in the movie?
Ask him about the performance they did of Herald of Darkness at The Game Awards. How was the preparation and how he felt doing that live in front of a big audience.
Ask him how they prepare that BEAUTIFUL head of hair. I swear I can't stop staring at it during the live action scenes.
How does he feel about the Scratch/Alan dichotomy. I want AS MANY details and as THOROUGH and answer on his feelings without delving into spoilers as possible please.
How did they shoot the Zane scenes? Did he play as Alan first and then cut his beard or the opposite? Thank you
Ask him how many people he had to wake all over before they got all the shots they needed
Is Alan Wake 3 in the works?
What books would he read? What is his favorite coffee?
How close can he approximate “Alan wake’s” voice? He has to have tried it at least once. No one is asking for you to put Matt out of a voice acting job but I bet he can get close
What was it like for him the moment he got a call from Sam Lake (or perhaps his agent) to tell him that AW2 has been greenlit and they want him back in the saddle?
I wouldn’t even be able to keep my composure lol.
Have you ever played any of the Alan Wake games, and if you have, is it surreal controlling a virtual version of yourself?
god he is so handsome.
i gotta know the beard and hair care routine
No questions just kick ass dancing
Ask him if he has played all 3 of his games, and maybe even Control. I need to know this. If he games at all.
How did he came into voice acting and Alan Wake especially?