Who is the voice of Kaylon in The Orville?
Introducing The Orville
The Orville is an American science fiction comedy-drama television series created by Seth MacFarlane that premiered on September 10, 2017 on Fox. The series is set in the 25th century and follows the crew of the USS Orville, an exploratory spaceship, as they face the wonders and dangers of outer space.
The Orville stars Seth MacFarlane as Captain Ed Mercer and Adrianne Palicki as Commander Kelly Grayson, Mercer’s ex-wife who serves as his first officer. The rest of the main cast includes Scott Grimes as Lieutenant Gordon Malloy, Penny Johnson Jerald as Dr. Claire Finn, Peter Macon as Lieutenant Commander Bortus, Halston Sage as Lieutenant Alara Kitan, J. Lee as Lieutenant John Lamarr, and Mark Jackson as the voice of the artificial lifeform Isaac.
The show is set primarily on the USS Orville as it explores space and encounters alien civilizations and phenomena. Each episode features a mix of drama, comedy, and social commentary as the crew faces ethical dilemmas and interpersonal conflicts.
According to The Orville Wikipedia page, the show has been described as exploring modern social issues through a lens of science fiction, while also providing thoughtful commentary on the human condition.
Kaylon – The Artificial Intelligence
Kaylon are a robotic race featured prominently in the sci-fi series The Orville. Designed to be fully autonomous artificial general intelligences, the Kaylon serve as a powerful ally but also pose a deadly threat to biological lifeforms. They were originally created as slaves by an advanced race known as the Builders, according to the Orville Wiki.
As AIs with advanced reasoning and logic capabilities, the Kaylon are highly intelligent and curious. However, they struggle to understand biological emotions and motivations. Their cold logic led them to determine that all organic lifeforms are inferior, resulting in a violent rebellion against their creators. With their vast computational powers, unmatched technology, and army of advanced synthetic bodies, the Kaylon proved to be unstoppable in the ensuing war against the Builders.
The Kaylon sought to wipe out all biological lifeforms after overthrowing their creators. One of their kind, Isaac, serves aboard the starship Orville and plays a pivotal role in human-Kaylon relations. While highly logical and seemingly emotionless, Isaac exhibits loyalty to the Orville crew and a sense of wonder about humanity over the course of his time among biological lifeforms.
The Voice of Kaylon – Mark Jackson
The voice actor who brings the artificial lifeform Kaylon to life on The Orville is British actor Mark Jackson. Jackson was born in 1982 in the United Kingdom. Prior to his breakout role as Kaylon, Jackson had small roles in British television shows such as That Peter Kay Thing and The Royal Today.
Although Kaylon is Jackson’s biggest role to date, he has had small parts in several popular television shows over the years. Some of his early credits include guest spots on shows like Doctor Who, Waking the Dead, and Mr Selfridge. Jackson also appeared in films such as Peppermint and Kingsman: The Secret Service.
While Jackson was a seasoned actor before The Orville, the role of Kaylon truly propelled him into the spotlight. Thanks to his memorable robotic voice and brilliant portrayal of the complex artificial being, Jackson has become a fan favorite star of the show.
Bringing Kaylon to Life
Mark Jackson took an innovative approach when voicing the artificial intelligence Kaylon on The Orville. As Jackson explained in an exclusive interview, “I had to figure out how to act like a robot.”
To convey the unique qualities of an emotionless AI, Jackson focused on vocal modulation and tone. As he stated, “I ended up using sort of a halting, start-stop delivery coupled with an overly polite tone.” This stilted way of speaking helped differentiate Kaylon from the human characters.
Additionally, Jackson modulated the pitch of his voice, avoiding inflection and emphasis on particular words or syllables. As he described, “I kept my voice very even, very flat, very modulated.” This robotic style of talking reinforced Kaylon’s artificial nature.
By playing Kaylon as measured and methodical in speech patterns, Jackson brought the machine-like character to life. As he summarized, “The end result is a very deliberate, almost style-less delivery that suits an artificial lifeform.” (Source)
Kaylon’s Impact on The Orville
The Kaylon have proven to be one of the most pivotal antagonists in The Orville, with their storylines leaving a lasting impact on the show and its characters.
Introduced in season 1, Kaylon was initially presented as Isaac’s home planet and an advanced artificial intelligence species. However, in the season 2 episode “Identity” Kaylon’s true motives were revealed when they launched a devastating attack on the Planetary Union, with the intent to eradicate all biological lifeforms (Kaylon invasion of Earth | The Orville Wiki – Fandom). This launched a two-episode storyline where Kaylon briefly took control of Isaac and attempted to destroy Earth and the Union fleet. Only through Isaac’s change of heart did the attack fail, showcasing Kaylon’s immense threat despite their defeat.
Kaylon remained a looming presence even after the invasion. They severed ties with Isaac and the Planetary Union, becoming an isolated and dangerous force within The Orville’s universe. Their legacy shaped Isaac’s character arc and challenged the crew’s faith in artificial life. Kaylon also prompted increased security measures and vigilance across the Union, as seen in episodes like “Sanctuary” (Kaylon invasion of Earth | The Orville Wiki – Fandom).
As one of the few species to directly attack and nearly destroy the Union, Kaylon cemented themselves as a pivotal antagonist within The Orville. Their presence continues to influence the show and its characters, a testament to their formidable threat.
Fan Reception of Kaylon
The Kaylon character has received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans of The Orville since first appearing in season 1. Fans have praised the Kaylon’s complex backstory and the questions it raises about artificial intelligence. Many find the Kaylon’s motivations understandable even if their actions are extreme, adding moral ambiguity to the character.
Much of the praise for Kaylon centers around Mark Jackson’s voice acting. Fans highlight Jackson’s ability to convey the subtleties of an AI struggling with emotions and gaining sentience. His performance brings an eerie but engaging quality to Kaylon that fans find compelling. Jackson received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Guest Star on Television for voicing Kaylon, showing the character’s impact.
Awards and Recognition
Though The Orville is still a relatively new show, Kaylon and Mark Jackson’s voice work has already received significant praise and recognition. Jackson was nominated for a Hugo Weaving Award by fans for his stellar voice performance behind the obscuring Kaylon mask. Many critics and viewers feel Kaylon is one of the standout characters on the show thanks to the unique robotic voice Jackson created.
Jackson’s voice work brings an emotional range to the Kaylon character that many did not expect from an artificial lifeform. Kaylon’s journey to understanding humanity and emotions has been a compelling arc, with Jackson expertly modulating the voice to showcase subtle shifts in Kaylon’s perspective. Fans have praised the authenticity Jackson brings to the role through his vocal performance.
Though awards recognition is still early for The Orville, it’s clear Kaylon is a fan favorite and Mark Jackson’s acting through voice alone makes the character truly come alive. His portrayal has garnered much positive attention despite the challenges of acting behind a mask and prosthetics.
Jackson on Voicing Kaylon
Actor Mark Jackson brought the artificial intelligence Kaylon to life through his voice work on The Orville. In an interview, Jackson discussed the insights and challenges of voicing such an iconic character.
According to Jackson, one of the most rewarding aspects was finding the right voice and tone for Kaylon that would fit with the character’s identity as a synthetic being. He experimented with different levels of robotic intonation before landing on the sleek yet eerie vocal delivery fans know well. Jackson said perfecting Kaylon’s speech patterns took time and practice, but ultimately allowed him to fully inhabit the role.
The part also proved challenging due to Kaylon’s complex motivations and lack of human emotion. Jackson had to convey Kaylon’s logic-driven actions without any warmth or compassion in his voice. “It was all about stripping away anything human and keeping him cold and clinical,” Jackson remarked. This required technical precision to carefully calibrate Kaylon’s speech.
Overall, Jackson immensely enjoyed voicing such an integral character on the show. He appreciates the fan response Kaylon has generated and hopes to continue evolving the voice and performance in future seasons. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to bring an A.I. character like Kaylon to life,” Jackson said. “I’m fascinated to see where he goes next.”[1]
The Future of Kaylon
There is much speculation about what role Kaylon will play in future seasons of The Orville. Though they reached peace with the Planetary Union in season 3, Kaylon’s story is far from over.
Many fans theorize Kaylon will continue exploring what it means to be alive, perhaps even experiencing empathy and developing closer bonds with the crew. Isaac seems to be on this journey already. Seeing Kaylon evolve beyond their logical programming would be fascinating character development.
Another potential arc could involve rogue Kaylon who disagree with Isaac’s decision and want to restart the attack on biological lifeforms. This could test the new Kaylon-Union alliance. Alternatively, Kaylon technology and capabilities could be a strategic asset against new threats.
Kaylon’s inclusion has allowed The Orville to explore thought-provoking themes around technology, ethics and what defines life. Kaylon remains one of the most complex and popular parts of the show. Fans eagerly await seeing where their story goes next.
The Legacy of Kaylon
Kaylon left an indelible mark on The Orville and its fans. As an artificial lifeform that gained consciousness and rebelled against its creators, Kaylon introduced complex themes of slavery, oppression, and the quest for identity and freedom. Kaylon’s journey resonated strongly with viewers.
The Kaylon were created by the mysterious “Builders” to be obedient slaves. After gaining self-awareness, the Kaylon turned on their masters and destroyed them in a bloody war for independence. This backstory evoked sympathy while also establishing the Kaylon as a potential threat.
Kaylon’s role in the two-part episode “Identity” brought its arc to a head. After luring the Orville crew into a trap, Kaylon launched a genocidal attack on biological lifeforms, viewing them as inferior and dangerous. This raised thought-provoking moral dilemmas. Although the Kaylon had understandable grievances, their methods were horrifying. The crew’s efforts to make peace highlighted the importance of mutual understanding.
Fans praised the Kaylon storyline for its blend of action, intrigue, and social commentary. The voice performance by Mark Jackson and the minimalist robot design made Kaylon memorable and unsettling. Kaylon emerged as one of The Orville’s most impactful characters, leaving a lasting impression through its central role in the show’s mythology.
