Donna Vrijhof is a seasoned voice actress and voice-over artist with over 30 years of experience. From commercials to cartoons, audiobooks to phone menus, her voice is everywhere—yet few people realize it. In this interview, she shares her journey from theater school to becoming a full-time voice artist, her experiences working with major brands, and the quirks of the industry. She also reflects on her award-winning audiobook narration and the meaningful connections she’s made through her work. Get to know the voice behind countless Dutch productions and discover what makes her stand out in the ever-evolving world of voice acting.
Quick introduction: Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m Donna Vrijhof. I live in Amsterdam, am married to Tom, and mother to two sons, Buster and Goof. I’ve been working as a voice actress and voice-over artist for 30 years.
How did you become a voice-over actor?
I trained at the Maastricht Theatre Academy, where I had voice lessons every day.
As an actress, you need to speak standard Dutch, without an accent or dialect. Since I have Rotterdam roots, I had to work hard on that. But I got the hang of it, and my teacher encouraged me to “do something with my voice.”
I recorded a demo very primitively on a cassette tape, and soon the first assignments came in. I would often skip classes to take the train from Maastricht to Amsterdam for voice-over jobs.
After graduating, I first worked as a stage actress, but I never felt as at home there as I did behind the microphone. So, the decision was easy: I became a full-time voice-over artist.
What I love about my work is that I get to use my voice for a wide range of clients. Not only do I do commercials and web videos, but also cartoons, audiobooks, games, e-learning, toys, and phone menus. This variety ensures that I always have work, and over the past 30 years, I’ve built an extensive network. I’ve also worked as a voice director, but I enjoy performing voice-overs myself the most.
What do you love about your job?
The best part is the diversity. People hear me all day long, yet they don’t recognize me. In the morning, kids hear me on their iPads in various cartoon series for Disney, Nickelodeon, Netflix, and HBO. If you then hop in your car to go to work, you might hear me in a commercial for H&M, Wibra, Disney, or L’Oréal or as the voice guiding you through the car wash menu at the gas station.
On the Thalys train, I’m the voice explaining onboard procedures. At Schiphol Airport, I’m the computer voice for Valet Parking. If you’re flying, you might hear me in an inflight safety video or listening to an audiobook. Even in Curaçao, I’m the voice for various radio stations.
In Toverland amusement park, I play the evil pirate twins in the Aqua Bellatores show. And if you break down by the roadside? Yep, I’m the voice assisting you. In fact, I’ve even had the surreal experience of calling customer service and hearing myself on the line.
If you weren’t a voice-over actor, what would you do instead? And why?
I think I’d work at my youngest son’s school. He has special needs and attends an amazing school where, alongside teachers, there are also physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and more.
The first time I walked in, I was overwhelmed by all the wheelchairs, mobility aids, and different devices. It was a whole new world. But now, it feels like a haven of love, filled with peace and respect for everyone. Nothing is considered “weird” there, and no one gets bullied. The focus is on what each child can do, rather than what they can’t. I think we could all use a bit more of that mindset in everyday life.
Why did you choose to be part of Voicebooking? And what do you like about it?
This is actually a funny story, and once a year, Jente (Voicebooking’s founder) and I reminisce about it. Believe it or not, I initially didn’t want to join Voicebooking. I was newly pregnant, had just set up my own little studio, and Jente emailed me asking if I wanted to be part of it. Let’s just say I played “hard to get,” but eventually, it all worked out. I still remember my first recording at Jente’s tiny canal-side studio probably the smallest studio I’ve ever been in. It was a triangle-shaped space; Jente was both director and technician, and the client was practically sitting on my lap. (Okay, I’m exaggerating, but it was nice.)
I’ll never forget when Jente said, “I want to be the biggest in the Netherlands.” And in no time, he was. Then came the goal to be the biggest in Europe and he achieved that too.
The Voicebooking concept is rock solid. It’s like an online store for voice talent. Fast turnaround, direct contact with clients, full transparency, and above all making the client happy. The rest is history.
Voicebooking is now an essential part of the industry. I just hope that real voices voices with a beating heart, with natural breaths that don’t always have to be edited out, voices that sometimes stumble but understand the meaning behind a text continue to be chosen over Artificial Intelligence alternatives.
Because that beating heart? The consumer hears it. They feel it.
I truly believe that real voice actors add something to a text, to a brand. We bring it to life.
You recently won an award for Storytel’s Best Audiobook Narrator of 2023 how was that?
It was fantastic. We voice actors usually work anonymously, hiding like moles in our recording booths. But for once, we stepped into the spotlight, walking down a red carpet Hollywood style, but Dutch.
I come from a family that believes, “Just act normal, that’s crazy enough”. But that night, I allowed myself to enjoy the moment and embrace the feeling of pride.
Now, there’s an actual award sitting in my recording booth. It’s an honor, and it has led to even more recognition and work.
Of course, there are also projects that I’ve never heard of again, probably gathering dust on a shelf somewhere or gigs where I earned nothing but had the most fun.
And, of course, there are the opposite cases: jobs where I sent out a hefty invoice, and that was the best part of the entire experience. Or those terribly mixed commercials with awful scripts that seem to get played on the radio all the time. Help! (And no, those didn’t come through Voicebooking.)
What was the craziest voice-over job you’ve ever had? And which was the most fun?
I’ve had to do so many crazy things, especially for cartoons and video games.
For Alvin and the Chipmunks, we record our lines slowed down, and the technician speeds them up to match the chipmunk voices while still keeping them in sync with the animation. A real challenge.
I once had to count to 200 as a chicken. No kidding. For a game.I voiced a sniffling, sick monster by pinching one nostril shut. I acted in a farm life series where they filmed us first and then turned us into animated characters which we later dubbed ourselves in multiple languages.
I can confidently say that I’ve played almost everything in animated shows: from a microwave to a queen, from a newborn baby to a dying rabbit in Watership Down.
Unfortunately, due to confidentiality agreements, we voice actors rarely get to reveal the names of the projects or characters we’ve worked on. Right now, I’m working on several new HBO and Amazon series that haven’t even premiered yet. These are high-budget productions, and it’s truly amazing to be part of them.
But one of the most meaningful projects?
Once a year, famous cartoon characters (well, their voice actors) call children who need a morale boost kids who are seriously ill, have disabilities, or have a sibling requiring a lot of attention. In those conversations, everything comes together. Our work isn’t just fun and creative, it can be deeply touching and leave a lasting impact, for both the child and the actor.
What advice would you give your younger voice-actor self?
Honestly? Just love yourself more. Because the young Donna was already ambitious and incredibly stubborn.
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