Many French fans of Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy are upset by what they say is poor dubbing of Elliot Page’s character Viktor Hargreeves in the show’s third season.
Viktor Hargreeves presented as a woman in the first two seasons of the show, and for those seasons Jessica Monceau – a cisgender woman – was Page’s voice in French.
Related: “Friends” creator regrets treatment of transgender character
In season 3, which was filmed after Page came out as trans in 2020, Viktor Hargreeves goes on a journey of self-exploration and also transitions in the second episode of the season. Throughout the entire season, he’s voiced by Jean-Baptiste Maunier, a cis man.
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“I’m very proud today to have entered the passionate world of dubbing that I have been dreaming about since childhood,” Maunier wrote on Instagram. “I feel lucky to be the French voice of Elliot Page in The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.”
Fans’ reactions on social media were more mixed. One irate fan said that Netflix didn’t “respect consistency and the voice of the actor.”
@NetflixFR honteux la VF de Vanya. D’une incohérence crasse. Vraiment à vomir ce genre de prise de décision.
Vous gâchez la VF et sortez le spectateur de la série. Alors qu’il n’y avait qu’à respecter la cohérence et la voix de l’acteur. Pourquoi ? 🤮 #UmbrellaAcademyS3 #Shame— Vincent lambert (@vincentlt) June 22, 2022
Several said that the change was too sudden – Maunier was Page’s voice in episode 1 when Viktor Hargreeves transitions in the second episode.
“I think Jessica Monceau could have done it,” one fan wrote.
Bon début de saison pour #UmbrellaAcademyS3
Je suis d'accord, le changement de voix pour Vanya / Victor est trop soudain dès l'épisode 1.
Il y a un problème de synchronisation.
Même si je comprends la raison et l'intention. Je pense que Jessica Monceau aurait pu assurer aussi— Nicolas Virgile (@NicoVirgile) June 22, 2022
La voix de Vanya qui est directement masculine dès l'épisode 1 alors qu'au dernier épisode de la saison précédente était toujours féminine (c'est le même moment entre les deux) ça me sort de l'épisode c'est insupportable #UmbrellaAcademyS3
— Amon Okumura (@MrAmon__) June 27, 2022
One fan just said that Maunier was a bad choice.
Je peux comprendre l'envie de changer la voix de Vanya (mm si en VO c'est toujours la sienne) mais le casting est très mauvais!!! #Netflix #netflixfr #UmbrellaAcademy #UmbrellaAcademyS3
— JackH (@JackHonorious) June 22, 2022
Another questioned other production issues around how Page got dubbed, like how the words got lined up with Page’s lips.
Sérieusement @NetflixFR. Entre la voix choisie qui ne convient pas du tout, la synchro labiale encore moins et là, carrément des morceaux de doublages enlevés/oubliés… En 13min, ça m'a coupé l'envie de regarder (en + des effets qui sont 👎🏻) #UmbrellaAcademyS3 pic.twitter.com/fXEFTGTprm
— GraPeloula (@Grapeloula) June 24, 2022
The third season of the show was already written before Page came out and had to be re-written to include his transition, something that show creator Steve Blackman thinks was handled well.
“We wanted it to not be the story of the season,” he said. “We wanted it to be a story, or a part of the story.”
“We wanted to tell a story that was really pro-trans, authentic, sensitive, and show that families can accept trans people in their lives, and it does not have to be a negative thing, as it’s often portrayed in the media,” he continued. “That was paramount. I talked with Elliot and [writer Thomas Page McBee] through the whole thing, and I’m really proud of how we did it. I thought it came across in a way that we all felt good about.”
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