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Maddie Blaustein: An Introduction
Madeleine Joan “Maddie” Blaustein, born Adam Blaustein, was an American voice actress and comic writer. She was known for her voice acting work for 4Kids Entertainment, DuArt Film and Video, and NYAV Post. She was particularly recognized for her reprising role as the character Meowth from the Pokémon anime series. Blaustein was also a pioneer in the comic industry, introducing one of superhero comics’ first transgender female characters. She was the first intersex and transgender voice artist for many of her respective agencies.
Maddie Blaustein’s Career
In the late 1980s, Blaustein worked for Marvel Comics, as an editor and writer. She wrote assorted comics published by DC Comics in the early 1990s. In 1994, she went to work for Milestone Media as production manager and writer. During this time, she introduced the character Rubber-Band Man and featured transgender female police officer Marisa Rahm, one of the first trans heroes featured in mainstream superhero comics.
Blaustein was a voice actress at 4Kids Entertainment, where she worked on the English dub version of the Pokémon anime. She provided “filler” voices for various characters until episode #31, when she took over from Nathan Price in the role of Meowth, which she played through season 8.
Maddie Blaustein’s Personal Life
Blaustein was born the second oldest of five children in Long Island, New York. She was intersex, and was assigned male at birth before transitioning to female. Her experience as an activist in the transgender community helped her to organize and support groups of people in Second Life.
Maddie Blaustein Cause of Death
According to various sources, Maddie Blaustein passed away on December 11, 2008, at the age of 48. The cause of death was reported to be an untreated stomach virus that she had been suffering from a couple of weeks prior. It was reported that she passed away in her sleep after a short battle with the stomach virus. Her family declined an autopsy, so there’s no official statement on what caused her death.
Conclusion
Maddie Blaustein’s death was a significant loss to the voice acting and comic writing community. Her contributions to the industry, particularly in the representation of transgender characters, continue to be celebrated. Her untimely death serves as a reminder of the importance of accessible healthcare and the challenges faced by the transgender community.
