Novelmore’s Zach LeBlanc brings heart to fan-favorite inventor Dario

Growing up in Moncton, New Brunswick, Zach LeBlanc loved film and television. Like many children his age, he loved cartoons. However, unlike his friends, he found himself studying the characters and mimicking their voices. As he grew, he found himself drawn to the stage, performing in the school plays and practicing improv. The more he immersed himself in that world, he knew he was doing just what he was meant to, and today finds himself as a prominent performing and voice actor, lending his talents to many popular television series and acclaimed films.

Coming full circle, LeBlanc’s resume is filled with voice work on cartoons, now living his childhood dream. As a leader in his industry, he has starred in renowned children’s animated series such as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Beyblade Burst, and most recently Novelmore, which he credits as the highlight of his esteemed career.

“The character of Dario had the most depth of any character I’ve played. His arc was very fulfilling, and getting to build his character through the story was very satisfying. All the cast and crew of the series were amazing to work with, and I loved every minute of it,” he said.

Novelmore is a cartoon series made by Playmobil, based on the toy set of the same name. It tells the legendary tale of the heroic Knights of Novelmore vs the rebellious Burnham Raiders. Secure your kingdom from unwanted visitors with the Wolfhaven Fortress. LeBlanc played one of the three lead characters on the show, Dario Da Vanci. Dario is the brilliant inventor who comes from the prestigious Da Vanci family, who invented the Invincibus, a dangerous and nearly indestructible armor, which is a focal point of the series. While not a warrior like the other two leads, he often saves the day with his intelligence and inventions, while being thrust into situations that are out of his comfort zone. At the end of the first season, it is Dario who figures out a way to save the day.

“Novelmore is a very charming and whimsical universe. Taking place in a world of kingdoms, knights and wizards, it was a very fun experience to be a part of.  Because Dario is not a warrior, he had to battle his own fear and he learned to grow and trust himself in situations beyond his comfort zone. His growth throughout the series, and having the final heroic act of the first season really helped bring the story together, and gave it extra heart. Also, his lack of coordination and somewhat goofy personality made for some great comedic moments in the series,” said LeBlanc.

LeBlanc describes working on Novelmore as “a blast.” Having starred in all 26 episodes of the first two seasons of the show, he took the time to get to know his character, making sure to go through the scripts and study the development of the story, truly bringing the emotion to every line. Even during the production of the second season, which was recorded at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic requiring each actor to go into the studio individually and record every line, he brought his all to the performance without playing off the other actors for support.

“Zach brought a great innocence to the character. Throughout the journey of Dario, his acting followed the arc perfectly, finding the evolution of character within his voice as well as in portraying all Dario’s struggle to find where he belonged,” said Vincent Tong, who plays Arwynn on the show.

Novelmore was a prelay cartoon, where the dialogue is recorded first, and the animation is done to match it afterwards. For LeBlanc, this made it a very enjoyable experience as it allows for more creativity in the voicework. His dedication to the role and evident enjoyment of his character connected with audiences all over the world. The series has been translated to several languages and the toys have heightened in popularity thanks to the show. On top of this, Playmobil is launching a solo Dario toy coming late Spring 2023.

“The series was set in a whimsical fantasy environment, which is such a fun place to play. In a world full of knights, magic, and dragons, three people, Dario, Arwynn and Gwynn, are forced together to overcome a number of threats the kingdom of Novelmore faces. It’s a very wholesome series that brings a lot of excitement and adventure to the audience,” he concluded.