C. Andrew Nelson
Actor / VFX Artist / Animator
Hercules, CA, USA
See also: Adventurous Ideas
Biography:
An award winning artist, actor, writer, consultant, and motivational speaker, C.Andrew Nelson is best known for having played the character of Darth Vader in the Special Edition re-release of the original Star Wars trilogy as well as in the Rebel Assault II and Dark Forces games from LucasArts. Andrew, who began playing Vader for Lucasfilm in 1994, has portrayed the infamous dark lord for commercials, television shows, print, games, and live appearances. He has managed to spend more time in the official Vader costume than any other actor.
Andrew spent four years as a visual effects artist at Industrial Light & Magic. His VFX credits at ILM include Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Galaxy Quest, Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, The Perfect Storm, Jurassic Park III, The Time Machine, and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Prior to joining ILM, Andrew worked nearly six years at LucasArts Entertainment Company where he served as a visual effects supervisor. At LucasArts he helped create and design such popular games as Dark Forces, Rebel Assault II, Full Throttle, The Dig, Jedi Knight, Curse of Monkey Island, Masters of Teras Kasi, Shadows of the Empire, Rogue Squadron, and Indiana Jones & the Infernal Machine. Andrew has worked extensively with sister companies Lucasfilm Ltd., Lucas Learning, Lucas Licensing, and THX.
Beyond his tenure with the Lucas companies, C. Andrew Nelson has been a consulting VFX supervisor and art director for some of the top effects, animation, and post-production facilities in the world. His credits include Rocky Balboa, The Last Mimzy, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Rush Hour 3, Enchanted, The Kite Runner, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Jumper, and Race to Witch Mountain. Andrew also served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Visual Effects Society.
No stranger to academia, for several years Andrew took on the role of Visual Effects Director for the School of Animation & Visual Effects at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. At the university, he presided over the school's visual effects curriculum and trained the next generation of VFX artists who are now working throughout the industry. Andrew routinely consults for various networks, studios, and developers such as Disney, MTV, Nickelodeon, PBS, Fox, Hasbro, EA, and others.
When not at a workstation conjuring up images for motion pictures and television or speaking on the lecture circuit, Andrew can be found in front of the camera or behind a microphone. Andrew has appeared in numerous feature films, TV series, national commercials, and print ads. He is also a much sought after voice-over artist having lent his vocal talents to many games, animated films, and interactive multimedia projects, even supplying the voice of Luke Skywalker for multiple LucasArts games, which makes him the first actor to officially portray both Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Along with his business partner Jerry Cornell, C. Andrew Nelson is co-founder of entertainment production company Adventurous Ideas, LLC which produces full-cast audio dramas featuring well-known and beloved actors.
Convention Guest Appearances
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2025
- Mouse-Con Bakersfield 2025 - January 28, 2025 in Bakersfield, CA, USA 2024
- Mouse-Con Bay Area 2024 - November 3, 2024 in Concord, CA, USA
- Lodi Comic Con Fall 2024 - September 28, 2024 in Lodi, CA, USA
- Lake Tahoe Comic Con 2024 - September 14-15, 2024 in Stateline, NV, USA
- StocktonCon Summer 2024 - July 13-14, 2024 in Stockton, CA, USA
- Rebel Scum Con 2024 - June 27-30, 2024 in Allen, TX, USA
- Lodi Comic Con Spring 2024 - May 11, 2024 in Lodi, CA, USA
- StocktonCon Winter 2024 - February 24-25, 2024 in Stockton, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con Bakersfield 2024 - January 27, 2024 in Bakersfield, CA, USA 2023
- Mouse-Con Bay Area 2023 - November 5, 2023 in Concord, CA, USA
Beaumont Comic Con 2023 - October 14-15, 2023 in Beaumont, TX, USACancelled Appearance- Lodi Comic Con Fall 2023 - September 30, 2023 in Lodi, CA, USA
- Lake Tahoe Comic Con 2023 - September 23-24, 2023 in Stateline, NV, USA
- Harborough Comic Con 2023 - September 17, 2023 in Market Harborough, UK
- ThunderCon 2023 - September 9-10, 2023 in Thunder Bay, ON
- ToyXpo 2023 - August 18-20, 2023 in Santa Clara, CA, USA
- Heroes for Kids Comic Con 2023 - July 15, 2023 in Perryville, MO, USA
- StocktonCon Summer 2023 - July 8-9, 2023 in Stockton, CA, USA
- The Hero Con 2023 - May 5-7, 2023 in Fort Myers, FL, USA
- Contra Costa Con 2023 - March 12, 2023 in Concord, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con Bakersfield 2023 - January 28, 2023 in Bakersfield, CA, USA 2022
- River Cinema Grand Forks Comic Con 2022 - October 8-9, 2022 in Grand Forks, ND, USA
- Covcon 2022 - October 1, 2022 in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, UK
- StocktonCon Summer 2022 - August 13-14, 2022 in Stockton, CA, USA
- Enid Comic Con 2022 - August 6-7, 2022 in Enid, OK, USA
- Salina Comic Con 2022 - July 16-17, 2022 in Salina, KS, USA
- Meadowlark Comic Con 2022 - July 9, 2022 in Grants Pass, OR, USA
- Vaca-Con 2022 - April 2, 2022 in Vacaville, CA, USA
- Capitola Collectacon 2022 - March 4-6, 2022 in Capitola, CA, USA
- Pensacon 2022 - February 18-20, 2022 in Pensacola, FL, USA
- Mouse-Con Bakersfield 2022 - January 30, 2022 in Bakersfield, CA, USA 2021
- Sac Gamers Expo 2021 - December 18-19, 2021 in Sacramento, CA, USA
- Bakersfield Comic-Con 2021 - November 20-21, 2021 in Bakersfield, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con East Bay 2021 - November 7, 2021 in Concord, CA, USA
- Santa Fe Comic Con 2021 - October 22-24, 2021 in Santa Fe, NM, USA
- California Republic Comic Con 2021 - September 18, 2021 in Merced, CA, USA
- Uncanny Comic Expo 2021 - August 28, 2021 in Shawnee, OK, USA
- Contra Costa Con 2021 - July 18, 2021 in Concord, CA, USA
- Lodi Comic Con 2021 - June 27, 2021 in Lodi, CA, USA
Covcon 2021 - May 8, 2021 in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, UKConvention Postponed 2020Mouse-Con East Bay 2020 - November 8, 2020 in Concord, CA, USAConvention CancelledCovcon 2020 - October 3, 2020 in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry, UKConvention Cancelled- StocktonCon Winter 2020 - January 19, 2020 in Stockton, CA, USA 2019
- Sac Gamers Expo 2019 - December 8, 2019 in Sacramento, CA, USA
- San Jose Super Toy & Comic Book Show 2019 - December 7, 2019 in San Jose, CA, USA
- ConEX 2019 - November 16-17, 2019 in Pleastanton, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con 2019 - November 3, 2019 in Concord, CA, USA
- South City Comic Con 2019 - September 15, 2019 in San Mateo, CA, USA
- StocktonCon 2019 - August 3-4, 2019 in Stockton, CA, USA
- Graffiti-Con 2019 - June 23, 2019 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Intergalactic Expo 2019 - May 5, 2019 in West Sacramento, CA, USA
- Grape City Con 2019 - March 24, 2019 in Lodi, CA, USA
- Sac Comic-Con 2019 - March 17, 2019 in Sacramento, CA, USA 2018
- Sac Gamers Expo 2018 - December 9, 2018 in Sacramento, CA, USA
- Central Valley Con 2018 - November 11, 2018 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Central Valley Con 2018 - November 11, 2018 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con 2018 - November 4, 2018 in Concord, CA, USA
- South City Comic Con 2018 - September 16, 2018 in San Mateo, CA, USA
- ToyXpo 2018 - August 24-26, 2018 in Santa Clara, CA, USA
- StocktonCon 2018 - August 18-19, 2018 in Stockton, CA, USA
- Graffiti-Con 2018 - July 1, 2018 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Intergalactic Expo 2018 - May 6, 2018 in West Sacramento, CA, USA 2017
- Central Valley Con 2017 - December 17, 2017 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Bakersfield Comic-Con 2017 - November 18-19, 2017 in Bakersfield, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con 2017 - November 5, 2017 in South San Francisco, CA, USA
- StocktonCon 2017 - August 19-20, 2017 in Stockton, CA, USA
Fandomfest 2017 - July 28-30, 2017 in Louisville, KY, USACancelled Appearance- South City Comic Con 2017 - June 11, 2017 in San Francisco, CA, USA
- Intergalactic Expo 2017 - May 21, 2017 in West Sacramento, CA, USA 2016
- Central Valley Con 2016 - December 4, 2016 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Tracy Comic Show 2016 - November 12-13, 2016 in Tracy, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con 2016 - November 6, 2016 in Concord, CA, USA
- Santa Rosa Toy & Comic Con 2016 - September 24, 2016 in Santa Rosa, CA, USA
- StocktonCon 2016 - August 20-21, 2016 in Stockton, CA, USA
- South City Comic Con 2016 - June 5, 2016 in San Francisco, CA, USA 2015
- Central Valley Con 2015 - December 6, 2015 in Modesto, CA, USA
- Mouse-Con 2015 - November 15, 2015 in Concord, CA, USA
- Santa Rosa Toy Con 2015 - September 26, 2015 in Santa Rosa, CA, USA
- StocktonCon 2015 - August 8-9, 2015 in Stockton, CA, USA
- East Bay Comic-Con 2015 - February 15, 2015 in Concord, CA, USA 2014
- Sac-Con 2014 - December 14, 2014 in Sacramento, CA, USA
- Bakersfield Comic-Con 2014 - October 26, 2014 in Bakersfield, CA, USA
- StocktonCon 2014 - August 9-10, 2014 in Stockton, CA, USA
- Big Wow! ComicFest 2014 - May 17-18, 2014 in San Jose, CA, USA
- East Bay Comic-Con 2014 - February 16, 2014 in Concord, CA, USA 2013
- Sac-Con 2013 - December 8, 2013 in Sacramento, CA, USA 2009
- Hayward Comic-Con 2009 - September 19, 2009 in Hayward, CA, USA 2008
- con-X-treme 2008 - August 29 - September 1, 2008 in San Mateo, CA, USA 2007
- Con-X-Treme 2007 - July 27-29, 2007 in San Jose, CA, USA
84 confirmed guest appearances