He Never Gave Up… and It Changed His Life: Benjamin Callins' Inspiring Story

In this episode of *Take One with Samantha Fremont*, I’m joined by Benjamin Callins, the 2SLGBTQ+ advocate and voice actor best known for playing Terry in Netflix’s animated series *The Dragon Prince*.Benjamin takes us through his journey into voice acting — from developing his skills in singing and performance to continuing to pursue his craft through incredibly difficult circumstances, including a period of homelessness. Despite the obstacles in his way, Benjamin kept honing his voice and working toward the career he wanted, eventually landing his first major role as Terry in The Dragon Prince.We also look ahead to the future of the series, including Benjamin’s hopes for The Dragon King, the upcoming Dragon Prince spinoff and sequel project. From there, we dive into the wider animation and voice acting industries, the opportunities and challenges facing performers, and what Benjamin hopes to accomplish as he moves forward in his career.Following a period of health struggles, Benjamin is now returning to auditioning and pursuing new opportunities — and we talk about what that next chapter might look like.It’s a conversation about resilience, representation, creativity, and refusing to give up on the thing you love, even when the path to getting there is anything but easy.Land Acknowledgement:This episode of Take One with Samantha Fremont was recorded between Toronto and Vancouver.Samantha’s portion was recorded in Toronto, on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. Benjamin’s portion was recorded in Vancouver, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.We acknowledge the enduring presence, cultures, rights and sovereignty of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, and recognise the ongoing impacts of colonisation and dispossession across these lands.We pay our respects to Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and communities, past and present.Recording Date: 20 April 2026 (Yes, it has been marinating for a while, but I was able to give it some extra attention in the edit)