Gabrielle Neveah and creators of Apple TV+'s Curses! discuss the new season, representation, and surprise voices

Don't be one of the cursed who hasn't watched season 2 of Apple TV+'s Curses. All ten episodes are now available to stream on the platform!

The premise of the show is as follows: "When a family curse turned Alex Vanderhouven to stone, it's up to his two kids, Pandora and Horus, and wife, Sky, to return all the artifacts stolen by their ancestors to their rightful homes to finally lift the curse for good." Season 1 premiered on Oct. 27, 2023, which means it's been almost a full year since new episodes were released. The show was created by Jeff Dixon and Jim Cooper. Cooper and Dixon serve as executive producers alongside John Krasinski.

The main cast includes Gabrielle Nevaeh (Monster High, Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai), Andre Robinson (The Loud House, Doc McStuffins), Lyric Lewis, Reid Scott (My Adventures with Superman), Rhys Darby (Monsters at Work, Kiff), and James Marsters (Ducktales).

The creators and Navaeh, Pandora's voice actress talk about what makes Curses! a series to watch with the whole family. Read on to find out more about the show before watching season 2!

The Parent Watch: What brought you both to come together and co-create Curses?

Jim Cooper: Well, the interesting thing is that, with my background in animation, Jeff had no background in animation before this.

Jeff Dixon: I had never done animation before.

Cooper: We were talking about this earlier. The weird thing is that I’m accidentally in animation as well. I started in live-action as a feature writer and eventually got into animation. Jeff and I had two completely separate careers, and we met at our kids' school. We literally dropped our kids off for elementary school and walked in the same direction back. We just started talking about writing and everything. Jeff has mostly been in horror throughout his career, with some action and other genres mixed in. We began discussing how it would be really interesting to create a horror-family animation project. So, we are the accidental animators, if you will.

It’s unconventional, but [the series] shows the draw of animation and how it can be multi-generational. It is especially positioned for Halloween since it's October. What makes this show enjoyable for someone to watch all year round with their kids, whether they are caregivers or parents?

Dixon: Well, I’m obviously very biased because I watch horror 365 days a year, but from the beginning, we always said two things. First, we were not making a show exclusively for kids; we were creating a show for everyone that is accessible to kids. As soon as we considered that, we remembered the gateway horror and spooky stuff we grew up with, like The Goonies and Gremlins. We thought, "This is the kind of content we loved then and still love now." We definitely wanted to capture that spirit.

The adventure and animation aspects matter as well. If you look at something like Stranger Things, which premiered in June, it doesn’t really matter what time of year it is; there’s a hunger for spooky and adventurous content all the time. We decided to focus more on family dynamics, and if you concentrate on the relationships within the family, it honestly doesn’t matter if it’s scary, funny, or anything else, because that’s what people connect with.

What I love about this show, too, is that you’re showcasing different cultures. For me, seeing a show like this that incorporates horror from an unconventional point of view with this family is significant. How important was it to highlight this, especially going into season two? How did you amplify or emphasize this aspect?

Cooper: It was very important. One of the nice things about our crew, including the writers' room, is that we literally had people from around the world contributing. Everyone brought interesting experiences to the table. Particularly in writing this season, we noted that season one was heavily influenced by Jeff and me, as it focused on developing the show.

For season two, we wanted to encourage our writers to draw from their backgrounds and share personal stories. Many episodes actually stemmed from the personal backgrounds and interests of the writers. Even the entire art department included people from around the world who authentically understand these elements. It sounds funny, but it’s not hard to do. By encouraging everyone to share their experiences, we aimed to balance the stories and avoid repetition.

Dixon: I would also add that we not only wanted to include voices from everyone, but especially in the second season, we started incorporating input from artists, storyboard artists, and everyone involved. We were very specific about having cultural consultants for every single episode. We put everything—from storylines to artwork—through their guidance. From the very beginning, we wanted this to feel personal and authentic, while also ensuring accuracy. Both of those aspects were a major focus for us.

Speaking of storylines, is there a specific storyline from this upcoming season that you both feel particularly close to or that resonates with you in some way?

Dixon: I will say this, in terms of specific artifacts or episodes, Coop and I often say we love all of them, and it’s true. However, I think one storyline that resonates with both of us as dads is when Alex comes back into the family. He struggles to fit in and observes how his family is doing things better than he is. As our kids grow up and start excelling, we often think, "Okay, where do I fit in as a dad?" Personally, I feel that storyline really connected with me, and I believe I’m speaking for Coop on that one as well.

Cooper: Yes, that’s very true. It’s funny because my favorite episodes change from day to day. That one, I agree. Our kids have gone off to college now, so it’s a matter of figuring out where we fit into the setup. A lot of that dialogue reflects things that have been said in real life. It’s interesting—writing from authentic emotions, even if the scenarios are fantastical. The family might not actually be fighting zombie skeletons, but if the emotions are true, that’s what matters.

That authenticity is what makes this show unique. I remember seeing it described as "Indiana Jones in reverse," which I found fascinating. With the limited time I have, I’d love to know if you’ve received any feedback from fans about specific storylines or characters they love. Have you felt that positivity since the show has premiered?

Dixon: I’ll give you a quick example: I recently saw someone online who got a tattoo of Larry on their wrist. To me, that means we created something significant enough for someone to permanently ink their skin with. That just made me really happy.

Cooper: And thematically, what amazed me is that when we talked to cultural consultants or people at museums, they mentioned that this show reflects conversations they have often. It’s surprising because it initially seemed like just an interesting idea for an animated show. Once we delved deeper, we realized it was more timely than we expected. Literally every week, there’s something in the news that makes me glad we’re tackling these themes. It’s wonderful to hear from fans who enjoy the show for what it is, but it’s also gratifying to know that professionals in related fields approve of it, which is unexpected.

Now that Curses has entered its second season, I want to go back and ask you: what made you say yes to this voice role?

Gabrielle Neveah: What really made me say yes was Pandora, right? I remember very early on thinking, "Wow, this is really, really fun," because they were encouraging me to improvise, and many of Pandora's lines were punchy and quirky. She didn’t take the danger too seriously, which I really enjoyed. We had a lot of personality similarities, but she is much more inclined to jump into danger than I am, and I think that’s a lot of fun to portray. So, what drew me to Curses was really the role of Pandora.

You’re quite proficient in voiceover—you have other roles. Specifically, what sets Pandora apart from the other characters you've played?

Neveah: Technically, if we’re talking about vocal qualities, Pandora’s voice is very pinched and clenched. That fits with the fact that we’re doing an animated horror comedy, so things are very heightened and intense a lot of the time. Pandora is also a little bit younger than I am, so pitching my voice up slightly in certain places was a bit different for me.

I’m also a part of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, and that character is very different; her voice is very low. So, Pandora is on the opposite end of that spectrum. But what makes her different as a character is that she’s much more childlike and open to the world, ready for adventure, than a lot of my other characters.

There’s such a huge emphasis in this show on family, loyalty, and problem-solving. As an actor, what have you gleaned from the process of working on this? What lessons have you learned?

Neveah: Specifically with Pandora, I’ve learned that it’s okay to have secrets and to try to protect the people you love, but those things can weigh on you and be very heavy. While you’re trying to support the people you care about, it’s also important to take care of yourself. I think that’s something I’ve learned through Pandora, especially in Season 2, as we explore her relationship with Devi and what it means for her not to tell Devi about being cursed. So, I’ve realized that it’s not necessarily your job to save the world—though it is Pandora’s job to save the world—but it’s not Gabrielle’s job to do so.

I’m a big voiceover nerd! For this show, do you do ensemble recordings, or are they individual recording sessions?

Neveah: We love to do ensemble recordings, but it’s always been individual for me. I remember very early on, there was a Zoom meeting where I got to work with another actor, but it’s never been in person. Being in person adds a different layer; as actors, we feed off each other’s energy. It can be quite restrictive and difficult to just stand in front of a microphone with your script and be directed. Often, you don’t know what direction you’re heading in because you don’t know what the other actor has done in their performance, but yes, it’s always been solo, and I would love to do an ensemble session one day.

When actors, especially voice actors, get to work together, it seems to elevate the project. I also interviewed the executive producers, Jim and Jeff. I’d love to hear about your relationship with the creators and how you feel part of the process of bringing Season 2 to life, if you had any input at all.

Neveah: Jim and Jeff have been wonderful, and I’m so grateful they felt I was the right choice for Pandora. During our whole process, we discovered certain aspects of Pandora together. I really appreciate that they were open to my ideas and collaborative in their approach. I feel my job is always to be a vessel for the creators or writers of a project. It’s never just about my work; it’s about telling the story they want to convey. They were very adamant about making sure I was having fun and enjoying my work while feeling that I had a stake in the process. I remember they had me do a recording session at the DreamWorks studio. At the end of that session, they took me upstairs to show me storyboards and various ideas for Curses. It was surreal to be included in that way, to meet the animators, writers, and producers, and to get a look behind the scenes, because you really don’t get that opportunity in voiceover.

In live-action, you get a little bit of that because the crew is usually on set with you, but it’s rare in voiceover. That’s what made my experience with Jim and Jeff so unique: they were very inclusive in showing me how things worked behind the scenes.

They also talked about the second season with Alex rejoining the family and how it touches upon family loyalty and coming back together after being apart. Do you resonate with that in any way, or have you heard feedback from fans who connect with this storyline?

Neveah: Absolutely. I think the family dynamics are very relatable. Life isn’t always neatly resolved; sometimes problems come back and bite you when you feel you’ve addressed them. I think we portray that in a unique way with Curses. Sure, people in real life don’t get turned to stone, but there’s something relatable about curses. As for the family being biracial, it’s not necessarily a plot point, but I think it’s beautiful. They’re just a family; it doesn’t have to be a big deal like, "Oh, hey, look, we’re an interracial family." It’s about representation, and I think that’s unique to our show. That’s also something that drew me to Pandora—she’s a biracial girl, and I don’t often get to play that in voiceover. Those are a few relatable touchpoints regarding the family.

There are some really cool voices in the cast—aside from the leads, there’s Phylicia Rashad, Rhea Perlman, and some big players. What was your reaction to seeing them join the cast?

Neveah: I learned about them joining the cast alongside everyone else. In voiceover, we don’t get to work with anyone, so I was like, "Rhea Perlman? What? Phylicia Rashad? Where? Who? Doing what?" It’s hard because sometimes we do what’s called ADR sessions, where we record lines that might not have sounded right or are added later. Occasionally, other actors’ voices will be included. But it’s difficult to pinpoint an actor by their voice if you’re not expecting them.

For instance, if I hear Beyoncé’s voice in an ADR session, I’m not going to think, "That’s Beyoncé." I’ll just think, "Oh, that’s a lady with a cool voice." So, as for all the wonderful guest stars we have—some really heavy-hitting actors—I learned about their involvement just like everyone else, and I feel very honored to be part of a project with them.

All ten episodes of Season 2 of Curses! are out now on Apple TV+