Top 10 Epic Movie Voices
#10: Christopher Walken
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There's hardly a more distinct noise than a Christopher Walken monologue. His odd, spellbinding cadence and thick Queens’ intonation string sentences together like no other. Once, Walken explained the origins of his speaking style as deeply influenced by the broken English of his immigrant parents. He said they often employed randomly timed pauses to search their vocabularies for the right word. So, when Walken decided to step into acting, his vocal idiosyncrasies set him apart. From one of his breakout roles in “Annie Hall” to his Oscar-clinching performance in “The Deer Hunter,” Walken's delivery is stiff, calm, offbeat, and without parallel.
#9: Whoopi Goldberg
While she's now recognized primarily as the outspoken and — at times — controversial co-host of “The View,” Whoopi Goldberg began her career on Broadway and performing stand-up. Her name and style are iconic enough in their own right, but Whoopi's voice remains an inseparable element of her persona. Expressive, unique and energetic, Whoopi's tone imbues her characters with a sense of command and trustworthiness — whether it's portraying a disingenuous psychic in her Oscar-winning performance in “Ghost” or a choir-directing nun-in-disguise in her iconic casting as Deloris in the “Sister Act” series.
#8: Jeremy Irons
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If ever a voice box was made to deliver lines dripping with Shakespearean melodrama, it’s that of Jeremy Irons. Irons began acting in London, where his voice was quickly put to work on the stage. However, while Irons became known for his beautiful Shakespearean acting, his notoriety ballooned into global recognition with his voiceover of Scar in Disney’s blockbuster, “The Lion King.” His lulling, baritone voice can be described as the epitome of villainy and sophistication. So throughout his film career, Irons has been perfect for characters who spend the bulk of their screen time scheming and belittling inferiors.
#7: Eartha Kitt
Sultry, and in a category all by itself, the voice of Eartha Kitt was as distinctive as it gets. Kitt’s resume spanned theater, music, and television, but her film performances truly highlight her vocal singularity. Unfortunately, her career was complicated and reportedly deliberately suppressed due to her outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War. Still, she received revitalized popularity with her role in “The Emperor's New Groove,” voicing Yzma, the endearingly wicked antagonist hellbent on slaying a llama blocking her path to the throne. Kitt’s voice adorned Yzma with dastardly charm, canonizing her as one of Disney’s most memorable villains.
#6: Sir Sean Connery
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James Earl Jones once claimed, ["Sean Connery is the voice for a man of the ages."] And here at WatchMojo, it's policy not to argue with Darth Vader, especially regarding the greatest voices in film. The thundering Scottish accent defines Connery's lengthy career. Over time, his voice has been endlessly impersonated but never replicated. There's no other way to put it: Sean Connery's voice is in a league of its own. Of course, his most famous role is that of the original 007, but Connery's range was limitless. No matter the character — whether a suave intelligence officer, Franciscan friar, or the last living dragon — Connery's legendary voice provided unyielding gusto to every performance.
#5: Vincent Price
If the horror genre could speak, its voice would probably sound a lot like Vincent Price: smoother than polished marble and as ominous as a full-blood moon. Of course, this destined him for the movies, as his voice made him a casting director's dream to play foreboding, Gothic figures. Although his career crossed into radio and television, his long tour into the horror genre kicked off with “House of Wax,” where he played a homicidal sculptor. And while this list focuses on film legacies, it's impossible to overlook his eternally eerie monologue in Michael Jackson's hit song, “Thriller,” which may be Price's most recognizable lines from his exhaustive list of legendary performances.
#4: Greta Garbo
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Melancholy is a difficult emotion to vocalize, but Greta Garbo managed to make a wildly successful career out of it. Her first vocal performance came in 1930 after building a massive following from silent films. Garbo's voice-acting was instantly successful, receiving Oscar nominations for her first two speaking roles. She excelled at bringing troubled, complex characters to life by leveraging her sunken velvet-like pitch to add dimension to the pain, heartache, and frustration her characters faced. Her voice continues ringing soft and low through the ages, as Garbo is widely remembered as one of the most prominent stars of Hollywood's transition to "talkie" films.
#3: James Stewart
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It's time to give the nod to the film industry's gentlest giant. Jimmy Stewart's historic career began in the mid-thirties and stretched all the way into the early nineties. Throughout every role, Stewart's soft-spoken drawl was at the core of his persona. Although Stewart masterfully portrayed complicated characters dealing with severe moral dilemmas, Stewart's tender and earnest voice endowed each role with genuine concern and lovability. Whether playing a frontier lawyer for John Ford or a troubled lead in one of Hitchcock's film noirs, Stewart's docile hems and haws stole the hearts of audiences for over half of a century.
#2: James Earl Jones
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When comparing voice acting resumes, James Earl Jones has one that’s as impressive as any actor in history. Like many of this list's figures, his work began in the theater, eventually transitioning to film with his debut in Stanley Kubrick's “Dr. Strangelove.” But, of course, his universally recognized role is that of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, where he commanded his bottomless voice to log some of cinema’s most memorable quotes. Jones's imposing and distinguished vocals became the hallmark of his career. And throughout his work of over six decades, he's consistently delivered many of the most mesmerizing voice performances ever recorded with a studio mic. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Gilbert Gottfried The Undisputed Master of Squawk Andy Serkis The Voice Behind Gollum & Many Other Legendary CGI Characters Bette Davis An Actress Who Commanded the Screen With Her Voice Just as Much as She Did With Her Eyes Patrick Warburton With Deep & Dunce-Like Vocals, Warburton Became the Gold Standard for the Role of Clueless Henchman
#1: Morgan Freeman
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Very few could convincingly replicate the voice of god. But it had to be one of us, and we should all be happy the lot fell on Morgan Freeman. Freeman's confident, warm, and cavernous voice is almost synonymous with the act of narration itself. And his long stint in the film industry has cemented his legacy as perhaps the most recognizable voice of all time. Freeman's career is prestigious, awarded, and praised by moviegoers of all stripes and tastes. However, although Freeman is an immensely talented actor, director, and artist — his voice remains his defining characteristic. And he uses his breathtaking narration to elevate many of our most beloved films and documentaries to this day.
