Mike cast me as my first anime villain, The Morrígan in Ancient Magus Bride. When I came out of the booth after the first episode he said, "Yes. I knew you could do it." (No exclamation points because Mike was a very chill guy). I think about that all the time. It was my dream to be big scary people in anime and Mike McFarland believed in me. It rings in my head sometimes when I have doubts about myself. My experience is not unique, every character was important to Mike and he had a way to see that special something in everyone he met. At the end of that season I gave him a golden branch (a gift that's important to The Morrígan). Months later I came in to record for another show of his and noticed the branch was behind him on his shelf. I said, "Hey! You still have it!" He told me, "Yes, although the staff thought it was a Christmas decoration and I had to go find it in the back when they took down all the Christmas decor." I was touched by not only the fact that he kept the gift, but also that it meant enough for him to find it when it went missing. Outside of professional interactions, I was not close to Mike. There are so many other people who know him more deeply. But I know that behind the scenes, he advocated for myself and many other actors who he believed deserved consideration for more roles, and in doing so, changed the course of so many lives. He was a truly great man. I'm eternally grateful for the ways in which he's touched my life personally and the lives of so many of my dear friends. My heart goes out to his close friends and family. 🕯️