The following is an interview with Mark Meer (Mass Effect, Baldur’s Gate) regarding his addition to the voice cast of The Last Wardens audio drama through Encyclopocalypse. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Meer about what had intrigued him regarding the role of “Worm,” what listeners may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on your addition to the cast of The Last Wardens audio drama! As a veteran voice actor, what intrigued you about tackling the role of Worm?
Mark Meer: I was intrigued by the opportunity to play the grouchy, violent, foul-mouthed member of the team – the Wolverine, if you will… or at least, what Wolverine used to be in X-Men. And the rest of the cast was definitely a draw – I’ve enjoyed their work and have met or become friends with several of these fine folks prior to this project, so doing an audio drama with them was a treat.
BD: Your work in front of the camera and behind the microphone has brought countless characters to life on the large and small screens. What can you tell us about your experience in bringing your character to life, and what did you find to be most dynamic or relatable about the character?
MM: I had a few different takes on Worm that I brought to the recording session, but they pretty much loved the first thing I did, so that’s what we went with. Worm’s voice matches his monstrous appearance, and I tried to convey that his physical alteration via The Drift leaves him in pain. As I mentioned before, I enjoyed that Worm was the cranky one. I’m frankly delighted that I get to swear so much – thanks, Amit and Elliot!
BD: Likewise, what can you share with us about your creative process in working with the team behind the scenes, especially given that the story has been adapted from the sequential art medium?
MM: I’m a comic book fan of long standing, and had the chance to peruse PDFs of the book before I recorded my dialogue, so I found it quite easy to follow the action of the scenes while recording. The audio drama is a pretty faithful adaptation of the comics.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that this story may connect with and impact listeners?
MM: The Last Wardens is set in post-Vietnam, 1970s America – a time when things felt bleak, at a crossroads. It’s probably not too much of a stretch to say that today’s audience might relate. And it’s set in a world that’s being launched in multiple mediums – the graphic novel, its audio drama adaptation, and soon, the tabletop role-playing game. Like all good RPGs, the game gives the audience the chance to engage in collective storytelling set in the same universe, and that opens all kinds of possibilities…
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for readers?
MM: If you’re a fan of horror, you might enjoy my Call of Cthulhu actual plays – Graveyards of Arkham and Bookshops of Arkham. I’m the Keeper of Arcane Lore for those, and they can be found on the Chaosium YouTube channel. I’ll be doing a UK tour of Call of Cthulhu Live with Chaosium in May and June of 2025, playing in Birmingham, Brighton, London, Manchester, and Glasgow. Tickets are available through AEG. If you’d like to play Dungeons & Dragons in a truly fantastic setting with me as your Dungeon Master, I’m frequently a guest DM at the D&D in a Castle event (visit dndinacastle.com for info). I’ll also add a plug for a short film I’m in that’s recently been racking up some wins on the festival circuit – Gordon: A Batman Fan Film. You can watch it on the Creative Forces YouTube channel – I play the Joker!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find out more about The Last Wardens audio drama and your other work?
MM: You can follow me on Instagram at @mr.markmeer or on (the shambling corpse of what used to be) Twitter at @Mark_Meer.
More information regarding The Last Wardens may be find here.
