Emily McGonagle, a 42-year-old mother, has transitioned from a demanding legal career to voice acting, a change she says better accommodates her family life. McGonagle, who previously worked as a lawyer often until 3:00 AM, began questioning the sustainability of her profession. After having children, she sought a more flexible career and pivoted to voiceover work in 2019.
Her career change has led her to voice eight characters in the children's television series 'Spike,' which premiered on Netflix on October 12. The show has become the number one children's program on the platform in the UK. The cartoon originated as a preschool animation on YouTube called 'Fire Spike!' created by Lithuanian company Bored Panda. When McGonagle joined, the channel had fewer than 1,000 subscribers.
"It's insane," McGonagle stated, reflecting on the show's current success. 'Spike' now boasts 1.25 million subscribers and ranked as the seventh most-watched Netflix show globally in its first week.
McGonagle's interest in voice acting was sparked by observing her toddlers watching television. She recalled thinking, "Oh, that'll be such a cool job. I'd love to do that," but initially dismissed the idea due to a lack of acting background. She equipped her home studio with professional audio equipment and, after months of auditions, secured her first voiceover role with Google.
She also pursued commercials, joined acting groups in Colchester, and completed a six-week acting course in London. Three years ago, she auditioned for 'Spike.' McGonagle expressed surprise at her current position, noting, "If you'd have asked me, when I was watching Peppa Pig all those years ago with my kids, that I'd be hearing my own voice on radio and Netflix, it would be beyond my wildest expectations."
Jonas Dovydaitis, head of animation at Bored Panda, shared his enthusiasm on social media about the show's global reach on Netflix. The original YouTube animation, 'Fire Spike!', followed the adventures of a dragon and its friends.