All About Joan Van Ark's Daughter Vanessa Marshall (2024)

While she may not be a household name like her mother Joan Van Ark, chances are you’ve probably heard Vanessa Marshall's voice before in some of your favorite animated shows or video games.

Born in 1969, Vanessa is the daughter of Van Ark and her husband, John Marshall. While her mother captivated audiences on-screen over her lengthy acting career, Vanessa found her own path in the entertainment industry through voice acting.

Before she became known as the voice of Hera Syndulla in Star Wars Rebels and The Bad Batch, Vanessa took a different route to stardom. She first majored in English at Princeton University, followed by graduate studies at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Her big break came when a voice acting agent discovered her “on accident” during a solo performance. In an interview with FanFest, Vanessa said of her discovery, “I was actually performing in a sketch comedy one-woman show in which I played about 15 different characters. A voiceover agent saw me in the show and said that I should be doing animation, so, I went into her office and I read for her.”

Outside of her voiceover work, Vanessa was married to fellow voice actor Andrew Kishino for six years in the early 2000s and founded a production company called Marsh-Kish Productions with him. Despite their split, the pair still remain friends and continue to share professional ties.

Here’s everything to know about Joan Van Ark’s only child, Vanessa Marshall.

She was born and raised in Los Angeles

Vanessa was born on Oct. 19, 1969, in Los Angeles.

Growing up in the heart of the entertainment industry, Vanessa was surrounded by the creative world from a young age, thanks to her parents, actress Van Ark and award-winning journalist Marshall. She has continued to reside in L.A. throughout most of her adult life.

She comes from a talented background

Vanessa’s mother, Van Ark, is best known for her role as Valene Ewing on the primetime soap opera Knots Landing. Beyond her television fame, Van Ark's acting career included her Broadway debut in Barefoot in the Park as well as a Tony Award nomination for her work in The School for Wives.

Vanessa's dad, Marshall, is an award-winning journalist who spent two decades as a correspondent at KNBC-TV, with his work earning him both an Emmy and a Golden Mike Award. A skilled pilot and Air Force veteran, John also passed down his love for flight to Vanessa.

Reflecting on how her father’s passion connects to her voice role of Hera in Star Wars, Vanessa told FanBase, “I think I understand the spiritual value of flight and why it means so much to her, as my dad has explained how much it means to him: to get up in the air and get perspective on the Earth and civilization below.”

She studied dialect in school

After earning an undergraduate degree in English from Princeton University, Vanessa continued to study at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she received a master’s degree in acting. During her time at Tisch, she focused on learning various dialects, which played a crucial role in her ability to bring diverse characters to life in voiceover work.

Reflecting on how her education paved the way for her career, Marshall said to FanFest, “I studied all kinds of dialect, so that also came in handy as I pursued voiceover.”

Vanessa got into voice acting on accident

Vanessa’s journey into voice acting was somewhat serendipitous. Originally focused on sketch comedy and standup, she discovered her talent for voice work during a one-woman show where she says she performed about 15 different characters. A voiceover agent happened to be in the audience and immediately recognized her potential in animation.

Recalling the moment, Vanessa shared with FanFest, “A voiceover agent saw me in the show and said that I should be doing animation, so I went into her office and I read for her.” That unexpected opportunity led to her signing with CESD L.A., which was her agency as of 2018. Vanessa credits her sketch comedy and standup background for her ability to switch between different voices, which became the foundation of her successful voice-acting career.

She has acting credits for various TV shows, movies and video games

Vanessa’s voice acting career spans numerous TV shows, movies and video games, first breaking into the industry with roles in video games such as Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and EverQuest II. Her work in animation quickly followed, featuring in series such as Ben 10 and The Spectacular Spider-Man, where she played Mary Jane Watson. According to her website, she is also a gamer and streams regularly on Twitch.

Her voice became a staple for powerful characters like Poison Ivy in Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Black Widow in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. She also voiced Wonder Woman in the animated film Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, highlighting that role as one of her favorites. “Her ethics and her fierce sense of calm have always inspired me,” Vanessa said about the role to Five Questions With.

Her portrayal of Hera Syndulla in Star Wars Rebels was a major highlight, establishing her as a fan-favorite in the Star Wars universe. “There's a lot of me in Hera, and vice versa. It was an honor to play her, and let all the best elements of my personality come out,” she said in her interview with FanFest. Vanessa also brought life to Gamora in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy animated series.

Vanessa was married for six years

The voice actress was married to fellow voice actor and music producer Kishino from 2001 to 2007. The two met through their work in the entertainment industry and quickly bonded over their shared passion for voice acting. Kishino is known for voicing Iron Man in the Iron Man video games.

Despite their marriage ending in divorce, Vanessa and her ex-husband remain on excellent terms. In her interview with Backroom Interviews, Vanessa revealed that their friendship remained strong, calling it “the best version of a divorce.”

The couple co-founded Marsh-Kish Productions, a voiceover production company. Although they eventually pursued separate business ventures, Vanessa chose to keep the company name to honor their collaborative history, saying, “Since we’re such good friends, I don’t mind keeping part of his last name in my company at all.”

She is now a voiceover coach

While still very much involved in the voice acting world, Vanessa is also a voiceover coach, focusing on sharing her expertise with aspiring voice artists. According to her page on SkillsHub, she is passionate about helping students refine their skills, and she hopes to “pay it forward and share all she has learned” in the industry with her students.

Additionally, she has appeared at numerous expos and panels over the years. Her Instagram account remains very active, with her updating fans on her whereabouts and future events.