Top 10 Voice Acting Performances That Didn't Have to Go THAT Hard
#10: John Cleese as Jean Bob “The Swan Princess” (1994)
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Actor John Cleese lent his own distinctive English accent to King Harold in “Shrek 2”. However, it wasn’t the first time he’d voiced an animated amphibian. Nineties kids may remember his gloriously over the top performance in “The Swan Princess” as Jean Bob the French frog. Princess Odette’s little green side-kick is vain, pompous and convinced that he’s actually a prince. Yes, the character is a total stereotype and the accent leaves a lot to be desired. But Cleese throws absolutely everything at the role. He gives a fast, funny performance that squeezes every joke out of the script. The movie wouldn’t be nearly as fun without him.
#9: Ian McKellen as The Toad “Flushed Away” (2006)
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The cast of Aardman and Dreamworks collaboration “Flushed Away” is chock full of British acting talent, from Kate Winslet to Bill Nighy. But Ian McKellen stands out amongst the greats in that crowd with a bombastic performance as the villainous toad. His Toad has a deep voice that is oozing with evil. Although he lives in a sewer, the character feels more like a regal Bond villain instead of an underground dweller. As the one time pet of the young Prince Charles, the “Flushed Away” antagonist has delusions of grandeur and a devious plan to destroy the city of Ratropolis. As McKellen revels in every bit of the wickedness, we’re completely here for it.
#8: Jeremy Irons as Scar “The Lion King” (1994)
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While British accented villains have become a cliche, Jeremy Irons’ tones were just perfect for Scar. Since “The Lion King” shares quite a few similarities with “Hamlet,” the filmmakers wanted an actor with a Shakesperian pedigree to take on the role. They were also looking for someone with a “patronizing quality” to their voice. Irons’s sardonic tone contrasted perfectly with the rich and warm bass provided by James Earl Jones for Mufasa. Irons switched up the pacing and wording of his lines to make each piece of dialogue stand out. He even damaged his vocal cords during the recording of “Be Prepared.” Ultimately, Irons’ choice to go above and beyond led to the creation of an iconic villain.
#7: Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski “Monsters, Inc.” (2001)
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Billy Crystal’s everyman persona, comedy chops and distinctive voice made him the perfect fit for “Monsters, Inc.’s” Mike Wazowski. This little one-eyed green guy is the movie’s hero and best friend to John Goodman’s Sulley. While Goodman’s kind tones turn the big blue hairy monster into a gentle giant, Crystal gets all the laughs. Unlike most animated movies, the pair acted together in the recording studio. This allowed them to ad lib and bounce off each other. Crystal’s vocal work feels wittier and more authentic as a result. He’s discussed his love for the character in several interviews. It’s safe to say that all the enthusiasm really comes through in his performance.
#6: Steve Carell as Gru “Despicable Me” Franchise (2010-)
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Every good villain needs a distinctive speaking voice. If the accent isn’t British then it has to be…Eastern European? What is Gru’s accent anyway? Whatever he was aiming for, Steve Carell had a lot of fun with the role. The comic actor really hams things up as the movie’s loveable lead. His unusual accent makes even the most basic bits of dialogue sparkle with bizarre humor. And thanks to Carell’s seemingly endless supply of energy, there’s not a single line that falls flat. Carell definitely understood that the assignment was to bring light and shade to a character who remains totally over the top. While he may call himself a villain, it’s hard not to instantly warm up to Gru.
#5: Jack Black as Po “Kung Fu Panda” Franchise (2008-)
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We know that Jack Black will always give everything he’s got to any role he ends up in. However, there’s something special about his role as Po. The “Kung Fu Panda” franchise calls for more than funny dialogue. Since it's filled to the brim with Kung Fu sequences, training montages and furious fight scenes, Black has to make a ton of expressive noises. Plus he has to convincingly sound like a panda - that is, if a Panda could talk and do Kung Fu. On top of all that, Black’s infectious energy makes Po an extremely loveable panda. His enthusiastic vocals made us feel like this unlikely dragon warrior would be a ton of fun to spar with.
#4: Tom Hanks as Woody The “Toy Story” Franchise (1995-)
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Like all the best comedy characters, Andy’s favorite cowboy doll is definitely a flawed hero. When Buzz comes into his life he quickly transforms from a completely nice-guy to a petty, jealous, and angry version of himself. Hanks plays the contrast with great skill and humor. Watching Woody get increasingly frustrated with the unflappable Buzz is always a ton of fun. Luckily, there’s plenty of other issues that stress the cowboy out along the way. Thankfully, Hanks never holds back whenever Woody flies off the handle. He manages to keep the character on the right side of like-able…even when he’s totally in the wrong.
#3: Eartha Kitt as Yzma “The Emperor’s New Groove” (2000)
Eartha Kitt was well known for being the beautiful and raspy voice behind “Santa Baby”. At the turn of the millennium, she added a new iconic performance to her resume when she played Yzma. Kitt plays a wicked and scheming character who’s determined to steal the throne from Emperor Kuzco. During her journey, she gets to aim a lot of her venom at her lovable assistant Kronk. Kitt’s incredible comedic timing made it easy for her to steal every scene she’s in. And the actress made us love how eccentric the character was no matter what sinister act she was trying to get away with. Thanks to Kitt’s commitment to the role, Yzma was one of the most memorable characters in the movie.
#2: Eddie Murphy as Donkey The “Shrek” Franchise (2001-)
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While the “Shrek” franchise is known for its irreverent comedy, one of the best things about Eddie Murphy’s donkey is how adorably earnest he is. Shrek’s annoying traveling companion has more to say than anybody else in the movies and it’s usually at top speed. Murphy’s making us laugh at every turn by having Donkey chatter and sing his way through the story. However, he also gets his share of emotional moments too. Whether we’re laughing with the character or at him, Murphy’s enthusiastic delivery completely wins us over. He’s given us tons of lines that we still quote today. Although we loved Murphy as Mushu, Donkey is arguably his more iconic animated role. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Maui, “Moana” (2016) A Big Personality Like Maui Had The Support of An Energetic & Singing Johnson Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone, “The Incredibles” (2004) In a Small Role, He Made a Cool & Huge Impression Brittany Murphy as Gloria, “Happy Feet” (2006) She Stole Our Hearts as a Penguin with a Heart Song Angela Lansbury as the Dowager Empress Marie, “Anastasia” (1997) Lansbury Brought a Ton of Emotion To Every Line Gary Oldman as Ruber, “Quest for Camelot” (1998) The Actor Really Revels in Ruber’s Madness
#1: Gilbert Gotfried Various
The late Gilbert Gotfried made his mark as a voice actor by putting 1000 percent effort into each and every role he got. He made a Beetle in “Thumbelina” sound like a fully formed character. Additionally, you can count on hearing his voice as an insurance loving duck for years. But Gotfried’s most iconic voice role was Iago. Although he was just meant to be Jafar’s talking parrot sidekick, the comedian went above and beyond to make him so much more than another bird. Outside of Genie’s improvs, Iago gets some of the movie’s best lines. And it’s easy to tell that Gotfried was having a great time going the extra mile to record every single piece of dialogue.
