Brina Palencia

Brina Michelle Palencia was born on February 13, 1984 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and spent the first four years of her life in La Ceiba, Honduras before moving back and forth between Honduras and Owasso, Oklahoma. Growing up bilingual, she attended Weatherford High School in Dallas, Texas, graduating in 2002, and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of North Texas in 2006. While at UNT, a burgeoning interest in anime—sparked by series such as Dragon Ball Z—steered her toward voice work, and she soon joined Funimation as a voice actress and occasional director. Palencia’s early years in the industry were marked by a rapid accumulation of roles, showcasing her versatility across genres and character types. By 2004, she had begun a professional career that would span both voice‑over and on‑camera performances, establishing herself as a reliable talent for English‑language dubs of Japanese animation.

Since then, Palencia has become a household name among anime fans, lending her voice to iconic characters such as Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece, Touka Kirishima in Tokyo Ghoul, and Ciel Phantomhive in Black Butler. Her filmography also includes standout performances as Juvia Lockser in Fairy Tail, Holo in Spice and Wolf, and Yuno Gasai in Future Diary. Beyond anime, she has appeared on television as Sophia in Star‑Crossed and made guest spots on The Walking Dead and Castle. In video games, Palenda voices Mad Moxxi in the Borderlands series and characters in the Fire Emblem franchise. Outside of acting, she hosted GameStop TV, participated in independent films, and performed a parody song for a Cyanide & Happiness short. Married to Paul Wingo since 2013, the couple resides in Dallas and welcomed a son in 2019, balancing family life with a thriving career in entertainment.