Maya Hawke, KJ Apa reveal why 'The Summer Oath' felt like a 'breath of fresh air'

Maya Hawke and KJ Apa have admitted that voiceover work cannot be compared with film and television roles.

For those unaware, Hawke and Apa have signed on to lend their voices in The Summer Oath, an Audible Original inspired by William Shakespeare's classic play Love's Labour's Lost.

Chatting with PEOPLE magazine to promote her project, the Stranger Things actress said, "I love doing this kind of work. I find it really freeing and a great way to test out and experiment with different kinds of characters and identities that maybe you don't always get permission to take on."

She stated that "we all get typecast in one way or another” but lending your voice to a character gives you “so much more freedom,” as it provides you with a great opportunity to “try stuff and learn about the different colors and shades of people whose spirits and minds you occupy.”

Hawke finds it “to be a really wonderful place to wet your instrument,” while what made Apa “excited” was the fact that voiceover work does not take a toll on you.

“Not to say that I didn't take it as seriously, but it was a breath of fresh air to be able to step into a studio and just have fun without the pressure that comes with stepping onto a movie set. I've done voice stuff before, but not this extensive of a storyline. ... It's just a different kind of fun,” the 28-year-old New Zealand actor and musician explained.

As per the official synopsis, The Summer Oath chronicles the story of romance author Livia Gaines, who “escapes to a Hamptons house with friends under a no-romance pact” where not only chaos awaits her but also “rekindled feelings and looming deadlines that force her to embrace the messy reality of her own love story."

It is pertinent to mention that The Summer Oath was released on April 30, 2026 and is available on Amazon.