Ritualistic

Jen Taylor (Jessica Cannon)

Jessica Cannon is voiced by Jen Taylor.

"Most beloved female characters"... I gotta write that one down. I cannot say that I seek out gaming work per se, though I do enjoy it. It's a great challenge to believably place oneself in intense physical situations simply using one's voice. Also, it is delightful to work on a story as opposed to a 30 second cereal commercial (for example). A gamer? Naw, I'm not that cool.

You've played central female action roles before - Cortana is a dame on a mission just like Ms. Cannon, but do your previous characters overlap with Jessica beyond that? What makes Jessica unique? Please talk about the similarities and differences between these characters and Jessica.

Alrighty, let's get down to work with this one. Cortana (of Halo) is certainly on a mission but she's also a computer and has no real physical form. Jessica is obviously not a near omniscient creation but she has a physical life and I'm expecting and hoping to see her kick ass. She also seems to have a finely crafted strategic mind. The fact that she's constantly aiding the player indicates that she has managed to elude the bad guys herself. Smart, sassy and lethal... gotta love that.

Princess Peach, um, not sure how to compare the two there... Princess Peach looks pretty in her cute clothes and plays a mean game of golf - if you let her. I have also voiced "Toad" in those games who, I fear, sounds a lot like Gonzo. Again, no real comparison to Jessica.

I do voice Cate Archer in "No One Lives Forever 2" and she is more comparable than any of my other characters. She's smart and lethal as well. She's living in a different sort of world though and is bit more like a female Bond. Classy, British chick who does damage with flair. Jessica is younger and tougher in a raw street-smart sort of way

Now, could you please tell us something about the production of this game? What differences do you see between this and other game work you have done? Was it interesting to have other actors to work off?

This is the first game where I've actually worked with another actor and that was a thrill and a pleasure. I was in Portland and he was in Seattle but we were connected via ISDN. Remarkable how much easier (and more realistic sounding, I presume) it is to actually talk to someone. In almost every other piece on which I've worked... you simply have your own lines.

You are never positive to what you are responding. With Halo, they gave me a full script (which was a first) and led me through the story but this is the first time I've had a recorded conversation with someone... and I expect it will make a difference.

Finally, Jessica is likely to have many more adventures in the future - where do you see this character going, who do you see her becoming?

Well, I hope she doesn't become a mutant, that's my biggest concern. Though the lady is tough, street smart and wiser than her years - I think she has an inner purity that is lovely. I hope she is able to retain that and not allow it to be polluted by the ugliness around her.