A system and method for controlling a synthetic character using a control system displays the character engaged in an activity, receiving a first input from a user, determines whether the input is relevant to the activity, if the input is relevant to the activity, and shows the character react to the input, the character being highly expressive and highly reactive. A system and method for displaying a synthetic character provides speech data, creates modified speech data by modifying at least one of the pitch or duration of at least a portion of the speech data and generates modified speech sounds associated with the character using the modified speech data.