Emily Swallow has been a fan-favourite character as Amara in the CW’s Supernatural series, as well as a series regular on hit shows like The Mentalist, SEAL Team and How to Get Away with Murder. Her accolades also included doing video game motion capture and acting as Emily in The Last of Us Part II . We spoke about her wide range of works, from theatre to television to video games—plus the wonderful fan interactions she has had throughout her acting career.
I know you did a whole thing at one of the Fan Expo events, wearing the full Armorer outfit and surprising fans. Could we expect some of these things at Fan Expo Canada or even getting some of your fellow stars to get in on it?
Emily Swallow: Well, I can’t speak to whether anyone else will do it. It’s all contingent on whether or not one has friends who will build one’s costume because the only reason I have that armour—it’s not from the show. There’s no way that Disney would let me use it, at least not for something like that.
It’s because of my friend Brett, who is in the 501st in Ohio. I first met him at a Wizard World before the pandemic, so pre- Fan Expo , and he offered to make my dog an armorer costume. It’s impeccable! And then at some point, he was like, you really need your own, and I was like, ‘No, I don’t need it, I don’t need it.’
And then, he surprised me when I showed up in Cleveland and had it for me. It was actually their idea, he and his wife, Aria. It was their idea to go undercover with the 501st so that I would be with other cosplayers—just to see if anyone figured it out. So, I’ve done it several times since then. Since that was the very first one, I think that one was the most satisfying. But now I constantly have people, when I see them at conventions, they’re like, “Are you going to wear it?” And I have a few times now, but I will never let on when it’s going to happen.
Okay, I’ll be keeping a lookout at Fan Expo Canada then! Delving deeper into the character of the Armorer in The Mandalorian , I think one of the hardest things, especially wearing a mask, is emoting. And I know that you’ve done mask training at NYU (New York University). How did you first navigate that, including acting against someone like Pedro Pascal, who’s also in a mask?
Emily Swallow: It’s such a wonderful challenge. From the start, when I auditioned, I knew that it would be a character. They said that she was a masked character, but I didn’t go into the audition with a paper bag over my head. So, I tried to think, ‘Okay, if this is somebody who does not have access to expressing herself with her face, where else does that come out?’ And so, I tried in the audition to just pay a lot more attention to my body and how I was communicating physically.
It was so much fun to try to find that language of communication with the other characters who were helmeted in those first few episodes. Because we all sort of felt like we were in this giant sandbox together and communicating—trying to see what was coming across in the way that we intended. And then when there were things that were vaguer.
I remember learning very quickly that when you’re wearing a mask or a helmet, and you’re on stage, which is what I was used to, the audience sees your whole body the whole time. But when you’re on camera, if the camera is tight on that helmet, every little movement matters—and it could be overkill.
And now, it feels like this is her. I don’t think of it as an impediment anymore because I’m so comfortable in her space now—and with the way that she communicates—that I don’t even think about it. It’s really so much fun because there’s so much mystery as to what’s actually going on underneath the helmet. It’s really enjoyable!
And I’m enjoying the mystery, and obviously all the fan theories that the internet has been coming up with. Let me preface this question by saying how you have such an amazing voice.
Emily Swallow: Thank you so much!
Of course! And you’ve done things from voice acting in Castlevania or in video games like The Last of Us Part II. Then, you’ve done things in live-action like The Mandalorian, Supernatural or SEAL Team. Do you ever feel like you’re leaning more towards having exclusively more voicework, or do you try to strike a balance between your roles?
Emily Swallow: I like to work! So, if people offer me something that is just my voice, I love that. If they offer me something that’s the whole package, I love that. I joke about that, but there is a level of we do whatever work we get. A lot of us don’t have [the opportunity to say], “Oh, I think I’ll do this, and now I’ll do this, and now I’ll try this.” You audition for a ton of things, and then, if you are fortunate, you get some of them as an actor—even though I love taking on new challenges. That’s how I’ve wound up here.
When I just started out, all I ever wanted to do was theatre. And that quickly changed, and I thought, “Well, okay, motion capture for a video game that sounds kind of cool,” and that’s been really interesting, and it holds within it a unique set of challenges that are fun to try to unravel. And voice acting is so much fun because you don’t have to think at all about what you look like, and your voice can be put into a character that looks nothing like you. There’s the potential for so many exciting things with that.
But if I’m focused on what’s most enjoyable for me as an actor, I love to be in the room with people either shooting something or performing on stage. I love the in-person collaboration. With voice acting increasing, you’re recording your own thing in your own booth. You’re not even with the other people. For me, it’s really obvious that I need to think about what’s going to help me pay my mortgage. But beyond that, it is where the most interesting people are, and that’s who I want to work with.
I had no idea when I started working on The Last of Us , the storytelling potential of video games because I hadn’t really played since I think I was around ten years old. My brother and I would always get a big single-player, point-and-click game. I would play King’s Quest and you would play through that game over many, many hours, but it was so rudimentary compared to what is possible now. The storytelling potential of these games and the messages that someone like Neil [Druckman] can convey through The Last of Us is so exciting.
As Fan Expo Canada 2024 approaches, you’ve obviously had so many great fan interactions, how excited are you to be here in Toronto? And are there any fellow guests you’re excited to meet, re-meet or talking to?
Emily Swallow: Oh my gosh, there always are. I’m always so delighted at the people that I get to meet doing these conventions. But I went to [ Toronto Comic Con ] last year, and so I got to meet [fans there]. The presence of the 501st in Toronto is incredible.
And so, I’m excited to see all of them again because I’m just so in awe of and so grateful to all of the costuming groups for both the care that they take with their artistry, but also, just the humility and the generosity that they have to serve other people either at the conventions with all these elaborate sets that they have that people can play on, and then going into hospitals. And that’s also somewhere where I’ve gotten to go undercover in my armour. And the fact that they let me come hang out and just include me in the family is so much fun.
Well, that’s lovely. Thank you so much again, Emily Swallow!
Emily Swallow: Thank you, it was nice to talk with you!
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