Top 10 Best Voice Acting Performances of the Decade So Far

Maya Hawke became a Gen Z superstar on her cool charisma. All that is stripped away in the best way for her voice acting debut in Pixar’s “Inside Out 2”. As the sequel follows Riley Anderson’s sentient emotions into her teens, Anxiety becomes a disruptive newcomer. Hawke plays the role with a fast-talking, on-edge sense of humor about cautionary neuroses. That is, until she projects the chaos of losing emotional control. Despite the story's use of fantasy to express a mind in crisis, she brings authenticity to the concept of anxiety and humanity to its incarnation. “Inside Out 2” handles complicated themes with a mature heart overall, but Hawke assuredly takes over the operation.

Obviously a virtuoso in both comedy and drama, Jamie Foxx really gets them jamming in the role of Joe Gardner. Pixar’s “Soul” follows the jazz musician as he dies right before his big break, then tries to escape the afterlife. Foxx sure knows how to play up the hilarious shenanigans in that adventure. When Joe gains some perspective, however, he brings it down a few keys. Foxx recognizes the depth in his revelations about the beauty of life and its fragility in the universe. It's really heavy stuff for an animated family flick, but the characterization doesn't miss a note. And Foxx’s fun yet hauntingly poignant rendition truly delivers the namesake of “Soul”.

A deadpan breakout on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” represents Stephanie Breatriz’s versatility more than her typical comedic style. She’s much livelier as Mirabel in “Encanto”, in which the only Madrigal without magic must explore difficult family secrets to save her home. Beatriz balances that heroic spirit with more complicated feelings about heritage and identity. It turns out Detective Rosa Diaz is also an enchanting singer. The chameleon performer clearly has vocal range, but her acting range scored an Annie Award nomination and a Voice Arts Award win. She definitely deserves accolades for recording “Waiting on a Miracle” while going into labor. Mirabel has since become an iconic Disney hero, while Beatriz continues to surprise fans as a prolific voice actor.

Rockers and the family crowd at least agree on their love of Jack Black. Still, he was odd casting for the menacing, if bumbling Bowser in Illumination’s “Super Mario Bros.” adaptation. Black wound up nailing the fury of the King of the Koopas, out to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom with Princess Peach as his captive bride. At the same time, his tongue-in-cheek delivery yielded some of the movie’s most memorable gags. The Golden Globe-nominated love ballad “Peaches” is especially iconic. Even the critics who found the film’s unlikely success unqualified praised Black as the highlight. With an Annie Award nomination and meme status, he really breathed fire into “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”.

Geppetto is mostly recognized as a jovial soul, despite having to adopt a living puppet as a son. Guillermo del Toro’s darker tone for “Pinocchio” is set by David Bradley’s heartbreaking portrayal of the carpenter. The veteran character actor is best-known for his domineering presence behind villains and tragic figures. Geppetto is more the latter, as he grieves his true son’s death in World War I. Bradley voices that pain with profound subtlety. His reluctance to accept Pinocchio is more humorous, but is gradually enriched to capture the father’s redemption. This bold dramatic arc stood out from del Toro’s altogether elevated artistry. It also earned Bradley an Annie Award nomination, and even higher praise for his powerful voice.

As far as Bradley Cooper has come from comedy to drama, he didn't have the meatiest role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Rocket Raccoon ended up the heart of the third installment in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series. Flashbacks reveal the horrific experiments and other tragedies that turned an ordinary raccoon into a trash-talking bounty hunter. Cooper’s already unrecognizable voice finally explores the anguish behind the scrappy comic relief. Almost ten years in the making, this arc ultimately captures the significance of Rocket’s identity and bond with the Guardians. It also earned Cooper widespread acclaim and several accolades. As if there was any doubt that he could find a stellar performance in an anthropomorphic raccoon.

For two decades, Antonio Banderas has delighted fans of the “Shrek” franchise as Puss in Boots. His spin-off movie was well-earned, but he really got his claws in us with the sequel. The swashbuckling feline has lost his confidence after spending all but one of his nine lives. Along his journey to renew them with a wishing star, Banderas portrays existential crisis with shocking authenticity. His own heart attack informed the hero’s unlikely shift into a representative for fear and the value of a full life. Of course, Banderas continues to flex his suave charisma and self-aware comedic chops. It's a complete performance, carrying a highlight of a classic franchise and perfectly resolving years of character development.

Growing up is hard enough when you don’t morph into a giant red panda. “Turning Red” tackles a lot of mature allegories for Pixar, with newcomer Rosalie Chiang at the helm. She was just a local kid the filmmakers hired to provide reference vocals. Pixar was so impressed that they forewent an established, likely older actor to give her the lead role of Mei Lee. Being in her early teens at the time, Chiang brought authenticity to Mei’s awkward coming-of-age. But her riotous comedic energy and poignant heart were a true revelation. This incredible breakout was a highlight of “Turning Red”’s widespread acclaim. Chiang has since become a Disney darling, with a bright future in the industry.

“Into the Spider-Verse” successfully animated Miles Morales for the big screen. Much of that was thanks to the chops of Shameik Moore, who especially shined in the sequel. “Across the Spider-Verse” picks up with Miles hitting his stride as a superhero and grappling with his discovery of parallel universes. Moore nails the humorous wit and teenage angst needed for a lovable Spider-Man. What makes him a compelling one is the moral compromise of a hero who threatens all worlds by trying to save them. The adventure is full of sensory overload, yet an equally eclectic lead performance focuses Miles’ complex character arc. With many accolades to his name, Moore is sure to neatly tie that arc up in “Beyond the Spider-Verse”.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Eva Whittaker as Mebh Óg MacTíre, “Wolfwalkers” (2020)
The Child Actor’s Instincts for Fierce Charm & Drama Won Her an Annie Award

Abbi Jacobson as Katie Mitchell, “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (2021)
The Award-Winning Comedian Stands Out From an Underrated Gem’s Top-Notch Ensemble

Kelly Marie Tran as Raya, “Raya and the Last Dragon” (2021)
A Prolific Talent Brings Heroic Heart to Disney’s Buddy Comedy Epic

Chloë Grace Moretz as Nimona, “Nimona” (2023)
Anarchic Humor & Flexible Personality Define a Memorable Antihero

Robert Pattinson as The Gray Heron, “The Boy & the Heron” (2023)
The Dedicated Actor is Creepy, Funny & Unrecognizable in This Masterpiece’s English Dub

Comedic actress Jenny Slate actually proved her talents as a creator with Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. From 2010, she and ex-husband Dean Fleischer-Camp developed the adorable, anthropomorphic mollusk in short films and books. His feature debut was a surprise masterpiece, largely for Slate’s portrayal of the title character. She brings such a sweet, humorously self-aware voice to a mockumentary about Marcel’s day-to-day life. Gradually, however, she explores the woe of a little guy trying to understand the big world. Slate makes you fall in love with Marcel through all the heartbreak and joy of life. If nothing else, her heavily accoladed performance exemplifies the versatile depths of both the actor and voice acting in general.

What are your favorite voice acting performances of the 2020s? Let your voice be heard in the comments.