Life & Work with Portia Cue of Marietta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Portia Cue.

Hi Portia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey into voiceover actually traces back to my childhood acting dreams. At age five, I was convinced someone would “discover” me, so I’d stand at the end of Lilac Street in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, waiting for my big break. I even insisted my mother never send me out in hair curlers—just in case that “discoverer” happened to drive by!

Like many professionals, the 2020 pandemic became a turning point. I made the leap from customer service representative to pursuing acting and voiceover full-time, despite the uncertainty of leaving steady employment.

Before diving in, I did extensive research to ensure voiceover was truly my calling. I discovered I genuinely enjoyed the technical aspects—audio editing and the constant auditioning that defines this industry. More importantly, I invested heavily in professional coaching, which is absolutely essential for anyone starting out.

I built my business in steps getting all the necessary tools: a quality microphone, audio interface, professional website, CRM system, and streamlined invoicing. Working with well-regarded sound engineer “Uncle” Roy Yokelson, I ensured my audio quality met industry standards.

Education remains ongoing in this field. I regularly attend voiceover, aka ‘VO’ conferences like “That’s Voiceover” and “VO Atlanta,” which provide invaluable networking opportunities and cutting-edge industry knowledge. There are many other great VO conferences, as well.

My father built my first booth, though I eventually upgraded to a professional sound booth—goodbye to pausing for lawnmowers, airplanes, and our cat Socks galloping overhead!

What’s exciting about voiceover is the sheer diversity of opportunities—museum tours, phone systems, documentaries, animation, commercials, podcasts—the applications are endless.

After four years of building my craft and business, I invested in a professional demo—a one-minute showcase with seven to nine segments that displays vocal range and versatility, complete with music and effects that mirror real commercial production.

That demo opened doors to agent and management representation. In voiceover, you can work with multiple agents across different regions which allows us o expand our reach. Through representation, I’ve had the privilege of working with brands like Bath & Body Works, Crate & Barrel, Disney, Publix, Grammarly, Oakley, LinkedIn, Tyler Perry Studios, and Jacksonville University, among others.

LinkedIn has been particularly valuable for building lasting professional relationships that translate into work opportunities. In this industry—as in most—relationships are everything.

Looking ahead, I’m focused on nurturing these connections while building new ones. As we navigate the AI landscape, authentic human relationships become even more critical. The human voice still provides the subtlety, emotion, wit, and nuance that only we can deliver.

I remain humbled, grateful, and thrilled to serve clients worldwide through my voice. While I envision expanding into on-camera work, voiceover has been transformative—allowing me to combine creativity with meaningful service to exceptional clients.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not a smooth road—but I truly believe we’re never being let down, only set up to become our very best. Every challenge has been a growth opportunity in disguise.

My most heart-stopping moments have been technical failures right before live-directed sessions: I’m minutes away from working with a Fortune 500 company, where the client is directing me in real-time to ensure their message perfectly aligns with their brand and experiencing a technical issue resulting in a full-on flop sweat in an already warm booth!

Those moments of panic taught me invaluable lessons about preparation and backup systems. I learned to have multiple contingency plans, test all technology well in advance, and maintain relationships with other professionals who could assist in emergencies and ensure I have any needed paid subscriptions or memberships to ensure I get tech support asap when needed!

The business side presented its own learning curve—understanding contracts, negotiating rates, managing multiple client relationships, and constantly educating myself about new technology and industry trends. Coming from customer service helped, but running your own creative business requires a completely different skill set. Also, in voiceover, you might book one out of every 20-50 auditions, so developing resilience and not taking “no” personally are uber important mindsets to forever have and hold.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a professional voiceover artist specializing in multiple areas including animation, documentary narration, phone system messaging, corporate and medical narration, e-learning modules, audiobook narration, commercial advertising, podcast intros and outros, museum and exhibition tours, video game characters, and brand storytelling content.

As of the past few years, I’ve narrated about half a dozen audiobooks with the most recent being “High Crimes. A Brandy Martini Novel” currently on Audible. It is one I am quite proud of because of the experience and journey of portraying a very experienced and super tough detective who never backs down in the face of extreme danger. Along with her wit and sarcasm, being Brandy was a treat.

As I go, I’ve discovered that clients often select me for projects requiring what I call “conversational gravitas”—that perfect balance of warmth and authority. I’m frequently chosen to narrate anthemic content like corporate milestone celebrations, employee recognition events, and brand heritage stories that need to inspire while maintaining authenticity.

My voice tends to resonate in situations where the message needs to feel both accessible and significant. As many of my fellow VOA (voice over artists) know, mastering the conversational, warm, authentic read is crucial to booking more work. Whether it’s guiding someone through a complex medical procedure, celebrating a company’s achievements, or bringing an animated character to life, I bring a natural conversational quality that doesn’t sacrifice the weight these moments deserve.

What I’m most proud of is being personally selected by Makayla Cain to represent her voice in her documentary “Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World.” This project was shortlisted for an Oscar nomination and won Best Documentary Short at the Tribeca Film Festival. Being entrusted with someone’s deeply personal story—especially one as powerful and important as Makayla’s—represents everything I value about this craft. It wasn’t just about lending my voice; it was about honoring her message and helping amplify something that needed to be heard by the world.

What sets me apart is my combination of technical excellence and emotional intelligence. I understand that behind every script is a human story or business goal that matters deeply to someone. Whether I’m voicing a Fortune 500 commercial or a small business phone greeting, I approach each project with the same level of care and professionalism.

I also bring my customer service background into every client relationship. I don’t just deliver audio files—I deliver solutions, often anticipating needs and providing options that clients hadn’t even considered. That business acumen, combined with creative sensitivity, allows me to serve as both a creative partner and a reliable professional resource.

Ultimately, I’m known for bringing heart to high-impact content—making important messages feel personal and personal stories feel universally important.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Malleability. I am open and ready to let my voice be molded, especially during live-directed sessions. I do the best to maintain a child-like openness to play and willingness to “sound silly”—sometimes you have to cross the silly threshold to reach the heart of what’s needed.

Most importantly, I don’t let ego enter the room. Ego only stifles creativity and breeds defensiveness, which has no place in a service-oriented profession like voiceover. When you’re truly there to serve the client’s vision, magic happens. I approach every session with genuine curiosity about what the client needs, not attachment to what I think sounds best.

That flexibility and ego-free collaboration has been the cornerstone of my success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://portiacue.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portiacue
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/portiacue
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/High-Crimes-Brandy-Martini-Book/dp/B0F7C663S8