Audiobook narrator and producer Jeff Hays has detailed how his approach to voicing the fan-favorite character Princess Donut will change for Peac**k’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Matt Dinniman’s science fiction and fantasy series, Dungeon Crawler Carl. During an interview with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt at New York Comic Con, Hays discussed the unique challenges of translating his established audio performance to an on-set physical production.
The television project brings together a prominent creative team. Christopher Yost, co-writer of Thor: Ragnarok, and Eric Heisserer, creator of Shadow & Bone, serve as co-showrunners. Seth MacFarlane is involved as a producer through Fuzzy Door Productions, alongside executive producers Erica Huggins, Rachel Hargreaves-Heald, and author Matt Dinniman himself.
Adapting the Voice for a Live-Action Set
Hays will retain the familiar voice that millions of listeners recognize from the bestselling audiobook series, which has accumulated over 140 million listening hours on Audible. However, performing alongside a live-action cast requires a fundamental shift in his routine. Rather than recording solo in a sound booth and rapidly switching between dozens of different character voices, Hays will remain immersed in Princess Donut’s personality for extended periods during actual filming.
“Well, I think changing it too much would be a mistake,” Hays stated during the interview. He acknowledged that fan expectations heavily influenced the decision to bring him on board, noting, “Obviously, the reason they hired me is because everyone… all the listeners were saying they would do horrible things to them if they did not, right? So presumably, they want Donut to sound the same.”
Managing Physicality and Facial Expressions
A major difference between audiobook narration and live-action production is physical presence. Hays noted that he must focus closely on his physical movements and facial expressions while on set to avoid unintentionally altering his co-stars’ performances.
“If you watch me narrate Donut or anything, my face is pretty crazy. My eyebrows, especially. People give me lots of flak about it,” Hays explained. “So I need to actually be more conscious of what my face is doing, especially even if they don’t use my facial movements for the animation or anything like that.”
Because he will be interacting face-to-face with human actors on set, Hays wants to ensure his expressions do not distract or incorrectly color their reactions. “I’m gonna be on set with the rest of the actors, and if my face is going crazy while I’m talking to them… that’s gonna color their performance, and I want them to feel like they’re talking to a cat,” he said.
Memorizing Lines and Production Timeline
To achieve this seamless integration, Hays is preparing to learn standard script memorization-a skill he rarely relies on inside the traditional recording booth. By locking down his lines ahead of time, he aims to remain fully present as the tiara-wearing, Persian show cat during principal photography.
The series is based on Dinniman’s hit LitRPG book series, which follows Coast Guard veteran Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s award-winning cat, Princess Donut, as they fight for survival in a sadistic, intergalactic game show after an alien invasion destroys Earth. Peac**k placed a series order for the adaptation, with production updates continuing to roll out as the creative team prepares for shooting.
