How Jensen Ackles chose Soldier Boy’s voice for The Boys

Alongside a Seth Rogen cameo, Friday’s episode of The BoysFinally, Soldier Boy was unleashed upon the globe. So far he hasn’t done too much beyond walking around, wreaking havoc on his surroundings, or taking vengeance on an old flame. But in typical Jensen Ackles fashion, he’s striking nonetheless. If you’re not admiring the hair (pre- or post-cut; that’s between you and your deity) then you’re hearing his voice, with that old-timey boom.

Soldier Boy’s tone isn’t that far off from Ackles’ regular low voice. But Soldier Boy certainly speaks with a notable affect; it’s grandly confident, resonant even when he’s not speaking all that loudly. It was a tonal quality. Ackles explained that Ackles chose the role after doing research.

“I went back and I actually got a list of old movies and old actors from […] largely the ’50s and the ’60s. And I watched some of those — not even the films, but like, interviews actors would do about their films,” Ackles tells Polygon. Though Ackles stresses that he wasn’t trying to copy any one person in particular, he did point to some of the names that came up He poked about the era, including Robert Mitchum (Edward G. Robinson), and Lee Marvin.

“There was just a different cadence in which they spoke back then. And I wasn’t necessarily trying to copy that, but I just let that influence how I was speaking as Soldier Boy a bit.”

The result is a man that instantly sounds like he’s plucked from the past. He speaks methodically, but not robotically, sonorous and commanding even as he’s saying (possibly) the most batshit things you’ve heardFrom a superhero. You’ve always wanted to hear Robert Mitchum, dressed as Captain America, rap on a variety program. Yes, you do.

Ackles has a reputation for changing his voice to suit a particular role. Although on, SupernaturalAckles talked about the time he used his lower voice to portray Dean. He did this to imitate Jeffrey Dean Morgan, his father, on the show. It’s a choice he admits regretting a bit, given Supernatural’s lengthy tenure.

Whatever the case, Ackles’ voice for Soldier Boy communicates clearly how he asserts his dominance over the culture zeitgeist or his Payback colleagues. Of course, that superiority only extends so far — there are still five episodes left of The Boys season 3, and it’s possible he’ll meet his match.

Soldier Boy will be navigating 2020s in a new world where he does not jibe as much. It’s not just that Soldier Boy has gotten a new job. Oprah Winfrey’s ShowAlthough Soldier Boy has been gone for some time, there was another Soulja Boy that climbed to the top of the Zeitgeist. Of course, whether in-universe Soulja Boy would have changed his name (or whether his name would be an ironic sendup of a long-dead supe), we still don’t know. But suffice it to say: It’ll take more than just some explosive powers to get Soldier Boy back on top.

Pete Volk also reports.