Arcanehas been full of great performances across its two seasons thanks to its incredible cast, and Ella Purnell’s standout role as Jinx is even more impressive after learning one behind-the-scenes detail. The critically acclaimed Netflix series has been praised for its intense, emotional storytelling alongside its wonderful animation, butArcane’s cast of interesting charactersis one of its most underrated aspects, and the voice actors behind them have done a tremendous job. With Jinx being one of the show’s main characters, Ella Purnell’s voice acting skills have been put to the test, and she has passed with flying colors.
Jinx’s soft yet raspy voice is instantly recognizable, andPurnell’s talent is on full display by providing a full range of emotions and tones that have helped audiences adore Jinx despite her flaws. Given how good season 1 was, the return ofArcanehas only continued Purnell’s positive TV show trend, and the overwhelmingly strong reviews make Jinx one of the best roles of her career. However, while fans and critics alike have all praised her performance in theLeague of Legendsadaptation, one little-known detail confirms just how great Purnell’sArcanepart really is.
Ella Purnell’s Role As Jinx In Arcane Season 1 Was Her First Ever Voice-Over Performance
The Actress Hadn’t Even Auditioned For A Voice Acting Role Until Arcane
Despite doing an absolutely fantastic job of bringing Jinx to life in season 1, Purnell had no prior voice-acting experience asArcanewas her first-ever voice-over role. Although she had already been part of some big projects before joining the Netflix adaptation, the animated show was a new task for her entirely. DuringPurnell’sArcaneinterview with ScreenRant, she revealed that not only was it her debut voice-over role, but she hadn’t even auditioned for this sort of position before, making the performance that followed all the more impressive and it even scored her an Annie award.
She looked completely natural in the role and with Jinx being a major character inArcane, you’d be forgiven for thinking she had plenty of experience in the voice-acting booth. The vast array of characters means it’s hard to crown a true protagonist, but Jinx and her sister Vi’s story was at the forefront of the series, and they both played a huge role inArcaneseason 1’s ending. Still, despite being thrown into the deep end with such a massive part,Purnell nailed her first voice-acting performance and made Jinx an unforgettable TV character.
Ella Purnell’s Performance As Jinx Is Even Better In Season 2
Jinx Continues To Be One Of Arcane’s Highlights In Season 2
After the extremely high standards set in season 1, it felt nearly impossible for Ella Purnell’s performance to improve inArcaneseason 2, but it has. Alongside gaining more voice-acting experience and acting experience in general,Purnell is clearly more familiar with the character this time around and has a stronger feel for her personality as well as the direction of her story.Jinx’s attack on the Piltover Council inArcaneseason 1 was the culmination of her trauma and pain, showing the character’s more unhinged side; however, she is even more complex in season 2, largely thanks to Isha.
Jinx’s reunion with Vi also shows she still has her humanity even after everything she has been through, and Purnell conveys her intense journey expertly.
The aftermath of Jinx’s attack has put Zaun and Piltover at war, with Purnell’s character becoming a symbol for the under-city. Being this worshiped figure while in hiding has been complicated, but essentially adopting a younger sister has added balance to Jinx’s life. Purnell maintains that quirky, playful side to Jinx that has made her so iconic, but the outlaw has also become protective and at times vulnerable, even more so in season 1. Her reunion with Vi also shows she still has her humanity even after everything she has been through, and Purnell conveys her intense journey expertly.
Fortiche’s quality animation blends wonderfully with Purnell’s performance, and the conclusion of season 2’s second arc highlights this perfectly. The pain in Jinx’s face mixed with the actress' subtle yet powerful screams while watching Isha sacrifice herself is a wonderful example of just how great the character has been in season 2, and against all odds, Purnell has managed to surpass her original performance.
What Other Voice Acting Roles Has Ella Purnell Done Since Arcane?
Purnell Has Been Part Of Other Popular Animated Universes
WithArcanehighlighting Purnell’s top-quality voice acting skills, she’s unsurprisingly been in high demand ever since.Shortly after featuring in Netflix’s hit animated show, Purnell joined the cast ofStar Trek: Prodigy, where she plays the role of Gwyn. The actress has been a regular on both seasons of the show and even reprised her role for a video game spinoff titled,Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova. In addition, Purnell had a small cameo role inInvincibleseason 2, as her character Jane had a brief scene during the finale, setting up a potential season 3 appearance.
All 4 Upcoming Ella Purnell Movies & TV Shows Explained
Ella Purnell’s upcoming projects and the details explained. Her projects include new TV shows, new seasons of her popular shows, and movies.
She was also in line to star inArmy of the Dead: Lost Vegas, an animated show based on the movie. While pre-production work was allegedly completed, Netflix scrapped the project during the animation stage, meaning it may never come out. Zack Snyder even mentioned the voice work being finished for the spinoff, but sadly, it doesn’t seem like it will be released any time soon, if at all. Still, this will be unlikely to deter Purnell from pursuing more voice work going forward - especially after the strong response toArcane- making her future extremely exciting.
Arcane
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
