PAW Patrol Voice Actress Snubbed from Premiere: 'It Really Hurts'
Shir Katznel, the voice of Chase in PAW Patrol, was not invited to the film's premiere. The actress publicly expressed her disappointment, calling the oversight a sign of disrespect toward voice actors.
The premiere of 'PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie' was a highly anticipated event for fans of the franchise, which has been delighting children for 13 years. However, the celebration was marred by a disappointing realization: the very people who have given the characters their voices for years were left out of the event. Among them is Shir Katznel, who has dubbed Chase since the series began.
In a Facebook post, Katznel revealed that she was not invited to the premiere of the third film, dubbed by Videofilm. 'I have no idea who organizes these premieres, but I want them to know that it really, really hurt me,' she wrote. In a conversation with mako, she explained why she chose not to remain silent.
'In the past, when the films came out, the studio would contact me and the other voice actors to invite us to the screening,' Katznel explains. 'I was sure it would be handled that way now. I used to receive tickets even for minor roles. But here, I am playing a lead role.' When asked if the invitation might have been lost, she is firm: 'I don't have an agent; contact was always directly with me. No one reached out.'
Katznel suspects the reason lies in a lack of respect for the profession: 'Perhaps we aren't interesting enough. But we are the ones who made these characters speak Hebrew and enter the hearts of so many children.' The actress notes that this is just the tip of the iceberg, as the status of voice actors has significantly declined over the years, marked by lower pay and reduced royalties. 'This was the straw that broke the camel's back,' she adds.
She discovered the premiere by chance while scrolling through Instagram and seeing stories from celebrities at the event. Her attempt to clarify the situation with the studio failed: 'They said they would check, and the next day I saw photos from the premiere.'
'I want to reach the people who make these decisions,' Katznel concludes. 'It is not okay to ignore the people who worked on this film just because we don't attract enough of an audience.'
Tulip Entertainment, the film's distributor, responded: 'Those responsible for screenings for voice actors are the local dubbing studios. We invite Shir and the voice actors to watch 'PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie' on us—with love and willingness!'
