Pop-Culturalist.com

Gui Agustini ignites the screen with his portrayal of the iconic Roberto Da Costa, also known as Sunspot, in the highly anticipated animated series, X-Men ’97. Set against the backdrop of the beloved 1990s era, the show revitalizes the legendary X-Men, a group of mutants navigating a world fraught with prejudice and danger. As they confront unforeseen threats, Gui’s performance adds a dynamic layer to the timeless saga, promising audiences an unforgettable journey into the heart of heroism and resilience.

Gui shines as Roberto/Sunspot, a young man coming to terms with his abilities and finding his place in the world.

We had the opportunity to chat with Gui about X-Men ’97, how he wanted to honor the character’s heritage, the joys and challenges of voice acting, and more.

PC: You’re one of the stars of X-Men ’97, and being part of such an iconic franchise must be incredible. How did this project come across your desk? Did you feel any nerves heading into the series given that?
Gui: First off, thank you so much for having me. I got the audition through my voice-over (VO) agency CESD. I auditioned for it twice actually. The first time was in the fall of 2021, and then again in the spring of 2022. I didn’t know it was for X-Men because of the codename, and also because I didn’t realize the name Roberto Da Costa was Sunspot. I didn’t put two and two together. So I auditioned like I do for all VO projects.

I felt I had a bit more of a shot here because the character was fully Brazilian. So I did one take with my regular neutral American accent, and then one with a strong, thick Brazilian accent. I think I did that both times, but I don’t remember exactly. However, I do recall the sides being pretty much the same or identical. So I sent them back to my agent, and as it often is the case, I did not hear back and completely forgot about it. That is until I received an email from my agent, two months later, saying: “Congratulations Gui. You will be a superhero.” It was very surreal, and I couldn’t believe it. Especially when I read it was for X-Men ’97.

Yes, I was very nervous about stepping into a major role for this huge iconic franchise, as you said. But I trusted that what I did was what got me the job, plus the team of creators and producers at Marvel were exceptional and fabulous to work with.

PC: You’re playing such a beloved character who has lived in different mediums and iterations. As you brought your interpretation of Roberto/Sunspot to life, what’s something you wanted to make sure honored his legacy? What’s something new that you brought to him?
Gui: I really wanted him to feel and be Brazilian. That was my number one priority. Only in the last live-action movie was he played by a Brazilian actor, Henrique Zaga. So I wanted the accent, plus the Brazilian expressions, to be very authentic. I started with a thicker Brazilian accent, but together with the Marvel team, we decided to neutralize it more and bring a very subtle Brazilian accent at times due to the fact that his mom, Nina, is American. So it is very likely he grew up with both languages—like I did with Portuguese and Spanish—and not have a pronounced accent. I wanted the Brazilian expressions to be very up-to-date and authentic, and they were very supportive of my input on all that. I think, with all that said, and also due to the fact that the writers were amazing in honoring where Roberto is from by including a lot of Brazilian expressions, I brought to him a more authentic Brazilian flavor.

PC: This series does such a fantastic job striking the balance between being nostalgic while also bringing something fresh and new for audiences discovering this franchise for the first time. Was that balance something you were all mindful of during the creation of the series? What do you hope audiences take away after seeing it?
Gui: For me, not really, to be honest, because that is in the writing—which is fantastic. I just focused on bringing my best version of Roberto to the lines and situations he was in. I trusted so much that the team who had the bigger picture in mind would take care of all that. And take care of it they did. The result is astonishing and wonderful. Audiences from all ages are loving it, and it makes me feel so proud and happy to be a part of it.

PC: Roberto has such an emotional journey about identity and coming to terms with himself. As the actor portraying this arc, how did you create the space for yourself to tackle that? How different is that preparation process when it’s just your voice conveying these emotions?
Gui: I think I just trusted a lot that I could relate so much to a similar journey arc in my personal life, even though the details and circumstances are obviously different. As the masterful Meryl Streep has stated: “the differences are given, I look for the similarities”. The preparation process for me is very different than the one on camera because I don’t have to memorize anything. I just need to be familiar with the words and understand very well the text and circumstances. Also, I will repeat each line, or paragraphs multiple times with different rhythms and emotions. So it’s almost like there is way more space and leeway to explore and play. In many ways, for me anyway, it feels there is less pressure.

PC: You’re no stranger to voice acting. What is the strangest technique you’ve developed to convey an emotion of one of your characters?
Gui: This level of animation voice acting is quite new to me. It’s very different from commercial VOs or dubbing, which is what I had mostly done. And I don’t think I developed any strange new techniques to convey emotions. [laughs] I use the techniques I was trained for in on-camera acting, which is mostly about being present in the moment and committing to a choice. I think the biggest thing for voice acting is to commit fully. And of course, the control and range of our voice.

PC: Outside of X-Men ’97, what’s next for you?
Gui: On April 18th, the fifth episode of CBS’ Elsbeth airs, and I have a very fun appearance in it playing a professional tennis player, which was a full-circle moment for me because I grew up playing tennis—it’s the reason why I became an actor and also came to the U.S.—and it was my first dream. Living that in the make-believe world of TV was quite surreal. Also, my short film To the End is waiting to hear back from Tribeca and will enter the film festival circuit this year. And lastly, I’m finishing editing another short called You Are Funny and have just started the post-production process of yet another short I shot in California this past January called West Texas Home.

To keep up with Gui, follow him on X and Instagram. Watch X-Men ’97 on Disney+ today.