Hubbry Logo
Susan BennettSusan BennettMain
Open search
Susan Bennett
Community hub
Susan Bennett
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Susan Bennett
Susan Bennett
Susan Bennett
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Susan Alice Bennett (née Cameron, born July 31, 1949) is an American voice actress and a former backup singer for Roy Orbison and Burt Bacharach.[3] She is best known as the female American voice of Apple's Siri personal assistant, since the service was introduced on the iPhone 4S on October 4, 2011. She was the voice of Siri until the iOS 7 update was released on September 18, 2013.[4]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Bennett was born in Burlington, Vermont, and attended high school at Clinton Central School in Clinton, New York. In 1967, she enrolled in Pembroke College and graduated in 1971 from Brown University after the two schools merged. In college, Bennett focused on the classics, intending to be a teacher. She acted in Sock and Buskin theatrical productions, was a member of the jazz band, Conglomerate, and was a singer with the Chattertocks, an a cappella group.[5]

Career

[edit]

Bennett's career began in 1974 when she was recorded as the voice of First National Bank of Atlanta's Tillie the All-Time Teller.[6] She has recorded messages for the public address system in all Delta Air Lines terminals worldwide, for e-learning software and GPS navigation software,[7] and for telephone systems.[8] Her voice has also been used in numerous local and national television advertisements for companies including Ford, Coca-Cola, Fisher-Price, McDonald's, The Home Depot, Goodyear, Visa, Macy's, Hot Pockets, Club Med, and Cartoon Network. In 2021, she provided the voice of EMMA, an artificial intelligence application, in Persona 5 Strikers by Atlus.[9]

Siri

[edit]

In June 2005, the software company ScanSoft was looking for someone to be the voice for a database project involving speech construction. They inquired with GM Voices and selected Bennett, who happened to be present when the scheduled voice-over artist was absent.[10] She worked in a home recording booth in July 2005, more than four hours each day, reading phrases and sentences. The recordings were then concatenated into the various words, sentences, and paragraphs used in the Siri voice.[8] Bennett became aware she was the voice of Siri when a friend emailed her about it in October 2011.

Apple has never acknowledged or confirmed its use of Bennett, but audio-forensics experts hired by CNN expressed 100% certainty that Bennett was the voice of Siri.[8]

Personal life

[edit]

At Brown University, Bennett met her first husband, professional ice hockey player Curt Bennett.[5] She later married audio engineer and guitarist Rick Hinkle.[11] She now lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

[edit]

On October 4, 2013, she appeared on CNN "New Day" explaining how she was picked to play the part of Siri.[12]

In the March 13, 2015, episode of Adult Swim's The Jack and Triumph Show, titled "Siri", Bennett appeared as herself and was referred to as the "voice of Siri".[13]

In July 2016, Bennett appeared on comedian Anthony Anderson's ABC game show To Tell the Truth, and was revealed as the voice of Siri.[14]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Susan Bennett

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Susan Bennett (born July 31, 1949) is an American voice actress, singer, and public speaker best known for providing the original female U.S. voice for Apple's Siri, which debuted with the in 2011. Her recordings, made in July 2005 for a project by ScanSoft (later ), were licensed to Apple and used until the update replaced the original voices in September 2013. Born in and raised across , Bennett graduated from in 1971 with a degree in classics, where she sang in jazz bands and played piano. She moved to , Georgia, in 1972, launching a career as a backup singer for artists including Roy Orbison and , and recording jingles such as the voice for "Tillie the All-Time Teller," the first U.S. automated teller machine announcement in 1974. Bennett transitioned into voiceover work in the 1970s at Doppler Studios, providing narration for major brands like , , and gate announcements worldwide. She also appeared on-camera in commercials for Ford and , and co-founded the interactive musical group The Interactive Band! with her husband, musician Rick Hinkle, which performed for over 25 years. Bennett learned of her role in in 2011 when colleagues recognized her voice on the device, but she did not go public until 2013 amid media speculation. The revelation brought widespread attention, including interviews on and , and transformed her into a sought-after keynote speaker on , , and . In 2025, she received the Voice Actor Legend of the Year award. As of 2025, she remains active in voiceovers, sings with bands like Boomers Gone Wild, and hosts announcements for the Jones.Show podcast while residing in .

Early life and education

Early life

Susan Alice Cameron, later known as Susan Bennett, was born on July 31, 1949, in . Her father's family had roots in , providing early familial ties to the region. Bennett spent her childhood moving around , which shaped her early experiences and contributed to her developing a distinctive New England accent that she later modified after time in . From a young age, she showed a strong aptitude for , playing the by ear starting at age 4 and subsequently taking classical piano lessons for several years. This early exposure fostered her passion for performance and laid the groundwork for her vocal talents. During her high school years at Clinton Central School in Clinton, New York, Bennett honed her singing skills through active participation in school performances. These experiences marked the beginning of her development as a singer, building on her innate musical abilities and setting the stage for further formal training.

Education

Bennett attended Clinton Central School in Clinton, New York, where she graduated in 1967 after participating in school productions and singing activities that helped develop her vocal talents. In 1967, she enrolled at Pembroke College, the women's coordinate college of , and graduated in 1971 with a degree in , focusing on liberal arts studies with an initial interest in teaching. During her time at Brown, Bennett continued her musical training, building on her early childhood proficiency with piano. Her university experience significantly influenced her artistic development through extracurricular involvement; she sang in the jazz band Conglomerate, served as a leader of the group the Chattertocks, and acted in productions by the theater society, all of which sharpened her performance and vocal skills.

Career

Music career

After graduating from in 1971, Bennett relocated to , Georgia, in 1972, where she immersed herself in the local music scene by and playing keyboards in clubs and restaurants. Drawing on her classical training from childhood, she adapted her skills to perform in a variety of pop and rock settings, blending formal technique with more improvisational styles common in session work. In the early 1970s, Bennett secured prominent backup singing roles, touring with and later with Roy Orbison, during which she provided vocals for international performances and even featured in a with Orbison. These opportunities highlighted the demands of session musicianship, where she navigated inconsistent gigs and the need to harmonize across genres amid the evolving rock and pop landscape of the decade. By 1974, amid shifts in the recording industry that reduced opportunities for backup singers, Bennett began transitioning toward work after filling in for a missing during a session at Atlanta's Doppler Studios. This pivot marked the end of her primary focus on live and recorded performances.

Voiceover career

Bennett's voiceover career began in 1974 at Doppler Studios in Atlanta, where she was recruited as a last-minute replacement for an absent actor during a recording session, marking her entry into professional voice work after years as a backup singer. She soon built a robust portfolio in commercials, providing voices for national and international brands such as McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Ford, AT&T, Wendy's, Goodyear, IBM, Papa John's Pizza, and Chiquita, often delivering radio, television, and on-camera spots. Her work extended to public address systems, including gate announcements for Delta Air Lines terminals worldwide, which she has voiced for decades to guide passengers. Throughout the to the , Bennett lent her versatile range to character voices in and children's programming, portraying whimsical figures such as a little named Star, the ancient Conifer, the fortune teller Madame Francesca, and the villainous Malicia the . Her skills found a strong outlet in audiobooks, where she delivered engaging performances for titles including Tiger, Tiger by Margaux Fragoso and Becoming Bonnie by Jenni L. Walsh, earning AudioFile Magazine's Earphones Award for exceptional in each. She also narrated corporate videos, e-learning modules, and GPS software, amassing thousands of recordings that underscored her adaptability and endurance in the industry. In 2005, Bennett contributed extensively to speech synthesis projects, spending over four hours daily for a month recording thousands of phrases and sentences for ScanSoft (now ), the leading company at the time, to build voice databases for various applications. This work exemplified her technical precision, involving isolated delivery of neutral, varied intonations in a home studio setup to facilitate digital processing.

Siri

In July 2005, Susan Bennett was contracted by ScanSoft—a speech recognition software company that was later acquired by and rebranded as —to provide voice recordings for a text-to-speech synthesis project. Working from a makeshift home studio in , she dedicated four hours daily over approximately 20 days, totaling about 80 hours of audio capture. During these sessions, Bennett read from detailed scripts consisting of isolated words, phrases, and often nonsensical sentences—such as "Maloy only today" or combinations like "saucy little guy"—intended to isolate specific sounds, phonemes, and intonations without any narrative context or emotional inflection, ensuring a neutral yet approachable delivery suitable for algorithmic assembly. This process yielded roughly 50,000 distinct audio clips, which were compiled into a comprehensive voice database for potential use in systems. In 2009, Nuance licensed its technology, including portions of Bennett's voice database, to the Siri startup. Apple acquired the startup in and used the technology, with Apple engineers selecting Bennett's recordings as the foundation for the default female voice in , concatenating the clips to generate responses for their newly developed virtual . debuted publicly on October 4, 2011, integrated into the as a groundbreaking feature for hands-free queries on weather, navigation, calls, and more, marking a significant advancement in mobile AI interaction. Bennett's voice served as 's primary U.S. persona through iOS 7's release in September 2013, after which Apple replaced it with freshly recorded voices to enhance expressiveness and reduce robotic artifacts. Unbeknownst to Bennett, her voice had been powering one of the world's most ubiquitous digital assistants for nearly two years. She first learned of its use in October 2011, when a colleague emailed her after recognizing her voice on the newly released . Intrigued but skeptical, Bennett tested it herself and confirmed the match; subsequent inquiries led to her identification by media outlets, though she did not go public at the time. On October 4, 2013—coinciding with the second anniversary of Siri's launch— published an exclusive interview verifying Bennett as the original voice, detailing the 2005 sessions and her inadvertent role in Apple's innovation.

Later career

Following the public revelation of her role as the original voice of in 2013, Bennett continued her voiceover career with a focus on narrations, animations, and commercials. She narrated audiobooks for publishers such as Macmillan Audio, earning an Audie Award nomination in 2021 for her performance in Big Lies in a Small Town by . Her animation work includes voicing characters like the fortune teller Madame Francesca, the villainous Malicia the , the Star, and the ancient tree , demonstrating her range in character-driven projects. Additionally, she serves as the announcer for the Jones.Show hosted by Randall Kenneth Jones, blending her voice acting expertise with ongoing media engagements. The Siri revelation catalyzed Bennett's expansion into public speaking, where she became a sought-after presenter on topics including voice technology, the human element in AI, and through accidental fame. In 2016, she delivered a TEDx talk titled "Accidentally Famous: The Story Behind the Original Voice of " at TEDxFurmanU, sharing insights into the serendipitous nature of her career and the intersection of human voices with digital assistants. Her keynotes often address AI ethics, particularly the implications of synthetic voices, as highlighted in a 2024 where she discussed the rise of AI voicing technologies and their impact on voice actors. Bennett has conducted hundreds of interviews and appeared on television programs such as and The Queen Latifah Show, further establishing her as a commentator on technology and media. As of , Bennett maintains an active presence through her official website, which promotes her services and speaking opportunities, including workshops and events focused on and AI's role in communication. She continues to receive recognition for her narration work, holding Earphones Awards from AudioFile Magazine for exceptional performances. Recent interviews, such as those in early , underscore her ongoing contributions to discussions on ethical AI voice usage and the evolution of artistry.

Personal life

Marriages and family

Susan Bennett's first marriage was to professional ice hockey player Curt Bennett, whom she met while attending ; the couple wed in the early 1970s and relocated to , Georgia, in 1972 after Curt joined the of the National Hockey League. They had one son, Cameron Schuyler Bennett, born in the 1970s, who grew up in Atlanta and later pursued a career as a photographer based in . The marriage ended in divorce. Bennett married her second husband, and Rick Hinkle, in the early ; the couple shares a passion for music, having co-founded and performed with The Interactive Band!, a private event band, for nearly 25 years. This partnership has influenced her professional life, blending her voiceover work with collaborative musical endeavors in their Atlanta home studio. Bennett raised her son primarily in , fostering his independent creative pursuits while maintaining close family ties despite his relocation to the West Coast.

Residence and activities

Susan Bennett has lived in Atlanta, Georgia, since moving there in 1972, establishing a long-term residence in the suburb of Sandy Springs that has provided stability for her personal life amid a changing career landscape. In her Atlanta home, which she shares with her husband, guitarist Rick Hinkle, and their cats, Bennett enjoys a quiet lifestyle surrounded by the area's lush trees and greenery. Bennett's personal interests include music performance, a passion she has pursued since childhood; she began playing at age four and continues to sing and play keyboards in local bands such as Boomers Gone Wild, which covers rock and soul from the and , Canyon Ladies, focusing on singer-songwriter material, and The Interactive Band, which she co-founded with her husband nearly 25 years ago.

Media and legacy

Revelation and public recognition

In October 2011, shortly after Apple's launch of with the , a colleague emailed voice actress Susan Bennett to inform her that her voice was being used as the , marking the first private recognition of her involvement. Bennett, who had recorded the voice samples in July 2005 for ScanSoft without knowing their eventual purpose, chose to keep the information confidential for nearly two years. The public revelation began in September 2013 when The Verge published a video erroneously identifying book editor Allison Dufty as 's voice, prompting widespread speculation and confusion. This catalyst led Bennett to come forward, culminating in her exclusive interview with on October 4, 2013, where she confirmed her role as the original U.S. voice of . Audio forensic expert Ed Primeau analyzed samples and declared a "100% match," further validating her claim. Apple declined to comment on Bennett's disclosure, maintaining its policy of not discussing Siri's development details. The announcement went viral almost immediately, with Bennett receiving between 400 and 500 emails by the end of her appearance day, many expressing surprise and admiration from fans who had interacted with "her" voice unknowingly. Public reaction on and outlets highlighted the shock of discovering a real person behind the technology, with outlets like noting attempts to query directly about Bennett, which yielded evasive responses. The story captivated tech enthusiasts and general audiences alike, amplifying Bennett's profile overnight. Bennett's early media appearances included a segment on CNN's on October 4, 2013, where she detailed the recording process and her initial discovery. She followed this with an interview on on October 10, 2013, during which host engaged her in a lighthearted conversation about the role, expressing astonishment at meeting the "real ." These interviews fueled further buzz, positioning Bennett as a relatable figure in the tech world. The revelation sparked broader discussions on the and of voice actors in technology, as Bennett had not been informed or compensated for Siri's use of her recordings beyond the original session fee. It underscored challenges in the industry, where performers often relinquish control over how their voices are deployed in digital products, raising questions about and recognition in an era of pervasive AI assistants.

Cultural depictions and appearances

Bennett has appeared in several television programs as herself, particularly after publicly revealing her role as the original voice of Siri in 2013. On the ABC game show To Tell the Truth in July 2016, she served as a contestant, with celebrity panelists attempting to identify her as the true voice behind the virtual assistant. She also guest-starred as herself in the March 13, 2015, episode of Adult Swim's The Jack and Triumph Show titled "Siri," where the plot revolved around the insufferable insult comic dog Triumph interacting with her iPad's Siri feature. Additional live-action appearances include episodes of The Queen Latifah Show, CNN's New Day, and The Mariah Carey Christmas Special. In voice acting, Bennett has contributed to animated series, films, and video games, often with roles that nod to her Siri persona through sarcastic or assistive AI characters. She voiced the Quest Buy —a sentient, sassy automated voice—in the 2016 episode "Gift of the Card" of Disney's Star vs. the Forces of Evil, a deliberate casting gag highlighting her Siri fame. In the 2022 animated film Do the Universe, she reprised a Siri-like voice for interactions with the protagonists. Other notable roles include EMMA, an AI operative, in the 2021 video game ; the titular AI antagonist in the 2022 horror film Margaux; and the DOS computer voice in the 2020 dystopian thriller . Earlier credits encompass Melsa in the 2008 animated film and various voices in episodes of Adult Swim's (2000–2015) and Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell (2013).

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2683712/
  2. https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/04/tech/mobile/bennett-siri-iphone-voice
  3. https://www.businessinsider.com/original-voice-of-siri-voice-actor-apple-used-her-voice-2023-2
  4. https://susancbennett.com/about/
  5. https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2014-01-07/the-voice-of-siri
  6. https://www.instagram.com/p/DOtoc8XAW1H/
  7. https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/susan-bennett.html
  8. https://www.mynbc5.com/article/original-voice-of-siri-has-ties-to-vermont/22503523
  9. https://www.messynessychic.com/2020/03/12/20-questions-with-the-real-woman-who-voiced-siri/
  10. https://lite987.com/siri-you-talk-to-her-everyday-did-you-know-shes-from-clinton/
  11. https://www.syracuse.com/living/2016/01/woman_behind_apples_siri_found_her_voice_in_central_ny.html
  12. https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2013/10/alum-revealed-as-voice-of-iphone-s-siri
  13. https://www.chattertocks.com/alumni
  14. https://www.asiarealestatesummit.com/speaker/susan-bennett-2021/
  15. https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/27/21155089/siri-voice-apple-iphone-virtual-assistant-susan-bennett-xant/
  16. https://thehustle.co/original-siri-voice-actor
  17. https://www.fox6now.com/news/susan-bennett-says-she-is-the-original-voice-of-siri
  18. https://www.bigspeak.com/speakers/susan-bennett/
  19. https://susancbennett.com/voiceovers/
  20. https://www.amazon.com/Big-Lies-Small-Town-Novel-audio-cd/dp/1250259924
  21. https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/articles/behind-the-mic-becoming-bonnie/
  22. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/10/siri-susan-bennett
  23. https://www.nbcnews.com/technolog/theres-real-human-behind-voice-siri-her-name-susan-8c11337218
  24. https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/Siri-app-makes-Nuance-Communications-big-in-voice-3639518.php
  25. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/2008640/susan-bennett
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cr5zFlr6B8
  27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNo8iWWtGIg
  28. https://susancbennett.com/
  29. https://simplybuckhead.com/voice-everyone-knows/
  30. https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/15/tech/mobile/bennett-siri-voice-follow
  31. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/10/04/229151487/siri-who-are-you-she-wont-say-but-her-ids-been-blown
  32. https://www.cnn.com/videos/tech/2013/10/04/newday-intv-voice-of-siri-susan-bennett.cnn
  33. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-xpm-2013-oct-10-la-et-st-live-chat-susan-bennett-the-voice-of-apples-siri-today-20131010-story.html
  34. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2013-oct-19-la-et-st-conversation-siri-susan-bennett-20131020-story.html
  35. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4524682/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.