Top 10 Best Netflix Voice Acting Performances
#10: John Cho as Long “Wish Dragon” (2021)
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When voicing Long, John Cho brings a warmth to the character that is so reminiscent of Robin Williams’ Genie. It also helps that the role also has him playing a genie of sorts. Just swap out the magic lamp for a magic teapot. Cho’s also hilarious and fills every line to the brim with personality. Honestly, we’re not sure if Cho’s delivery could be any more perfect. Every single line has something special to it, whether that’s creative inflection or meaningful feeling. And his great work is paired with stellar animation and a fantastic character design. At the end of the day, we couldn’t have wished for a better performance!
#9: Jason Schwartzman as Jesper Johansen “Klaus” (2019)
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While Jason Schwartzman is best known for his roles in quirky Wes Anderson films, he showed he can handle broad fantasies with his role in Klaus. He goes from being a rich and spoiled son to the man who learns the true meaning of Christmas. It’s incredible that Schwartzman can portray that journey so well with the flexibility of his voice alone. Throughout the film, his jabbering speech and evocative range of emotions make the animated Jesper feel real. Schwartzman’s strong work allows him to hold his own with experienced voice actors like J. K. Simmons and Rashida Jones without an issue. Although a sequel is unlikely, we’d love to hear his Jesper again.
#8: Jeremy Shada as Lance “Voltron: Legendary Defender” (2016-18)
Considering he has a background as the voice of Finn from “Adventure Time”, it was pretty much a given that Jeremy Shada would give a great performance as Lance. His “Voltron” character is very three dimensional. Shada portrays every one of Lance’s different sides with high emotional intelligence. He’s cocky, flirty, smart, earnest, and the group’s goofball all at the same time! You can definitely count on Lance to be the first one to make light of a situation. But he also knows when it’s time to hunker down and get the job done. Although all of the voices in “Voltron” are awesome and exceptionally fitting, it’s undeniable that Shada takes Lance to a whole other level.
#7: Christine Adams as Ivrina “Love, Death & Robots” (2019)
The voice acting in “Love, Death & Robots” constantly blows us away. Although every performance is remarkable, we had to shout out Christine Adams as Ivrina in the first episode. As soon as the character speaks her first line, we instantly understand that she’s a resilient beast fighter that is not to be messed with. Her delivery is extremely raw and real in every scene. While Irvina isn’t a woman of many words, Adams definitely makes the best of every line of dialogue. She perfectly fits in with the dark and depressing world she’s placed in by layering her voice with a sharp edge. Between Irvina’s confident opening and her chilling last lines, we knew Adams was an actress who definitely understood the assignment!
#6: Kristen Schaal as Sarah Lynn “BoJack Horseman” (2014-20)
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Kristen Schaal has such a distinct voice that it’s incredibly easy to tell when she appears in cartoons. Don’t get us wrong though. Her natural voice isn’t the only thing that makes her performances so great. When Schaal plays Sarah Lynn in “BoJack Horseman”, she sounds unlike all the other roles we’ve heard her in. This is partially due because we’re used to the actress playing children. But Schaal also brings a heavy tone to her delivery that makes us empathize with her more. While Sarah Lynn is also hilarious, it’s clear that she’s emotionally stunted from her time in the limelight. The way Schaal navigates the comical and tragic sides of the star made her “BoJack Horseman” character unforgettable.
#5: Eric André as Luci “Disenchantment” (2018-)
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There’s something about Eric André’s voice that just oozes comedic gold. We don’t know if it’s his timing, his delivery, or just his voice, but he just has a talent for delivering dry humor and sarcastic lines. His deep voice is especially fitting for his role as a demon too. On a lighter note, André also knows how to bring lots of emotional depth to his work. He’s a being who’s supposed to be an evil agent of chaos. However, he actually cares a lot about his friends. André totally nails all the dramatic scenes Luci finds himself in. The range he brings to the role is a blessing to our ears.
#4: Maya Rudolph as Connie “Big Mouth” (2017-)
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It’s safe to say that Maya Rudolph is awesome at pretty much everything she does. So, we expected nothing less than excellence when she came on the scene as Connie in “Big Mouth”. Her voice radiates with strength and self-confidence as she helps Jessi navigate the ups and downs of puberty. While Rudolph doesn't mind fully committing the adult dialogue, she also brings a tenderness to the character when required. And we think it might be physically impossible to watch an episode without laughing at her lines at least once. We won’t deny that Nick Kroll occasionally steals the show with his flexible voice work either. (Xref) However, there’s just something special about Rudolph’s Connie that pulls us in like no other character.
#3: Jack De Sena as Callum “The Dragon Prince” (2018-)
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Best known for playing Sokka in “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, the criminally underrated Jack De Sena always gives it his all. That’s why it was a no-brainer that he was chosen to voice Callum on “The Dragon Prince.” He has an energetic and joyful voice that makes him a perfect fit for happy-go-lucky, comic relief characters. At the same time, he’s also a master at conveying sad or heavy dialogue. There’s a super satisfying cadence to his voice that shines through in his roles. Even without the help of the animation, you can clearly hear whatever sentiment he’s trying to convey at any moment. While it’s criminal De Sena isn’t more well-known, we’re still overjoyed he was available to voice Callum.
#2: AJ Michalka as Catra “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power” (2018-20)
You likely know AJ Michalka as half of the pop duo Aly & AJ. But after she blew up in the musical world, she stepped into the voiceover booth to play Catra. Initially, the character is a full-on villain. Michalka’s raspy tones were able to perfectly capture Catra’s intensity, darkness and inner turmoil. The actress also gave the character a definite edge that was felt every time she threatened or intimidated someone. When Catra started to go towards the light side, Michalka brought more vulnerability to the warrior. Hearing the tough character open up more made her arc even more compelling. While all the performances in “She-ra” are amazing, Michalka definitely shined by gracefully capturing the lows and highs of Catra’s complex journey. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Lizzy Caplan as Reagan Ridley, “Inside Job” (2021-22) Caplan’s Sharp Delivery Instantly Made Us Love To Listen to the Intelligent Reagan Mo Collins as Jimmy Fitzsimmons, “F Is for Family” (2015-21) Although Collins Is an Adult Woman, She Embodies a 13-Year-Old Boy Impeccably Bella Ramsey as Hilda, “Hilda” (2018-20) Ramsey Perfectly Captures Hilda’s Adorable & Adventurous Sides Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, “Dragons: Race to the Edge” (2015-18) He’s Great At Delivering Dry Humor & Conveying the Awkwardness of Teen Years
#1: Hailee Steinfeld as Vi “Arcane” (2021-)
Hailee Steinfeld has a knack for portraying hardened and ‘rough-around-the-edges’ characters. But there is something about her work as Vi that stands above all her other tough roles. In the world of “Arcane”, Steinfeld plays a character who had to struggle to survive from a young age. The actress conveys the pain and darkness of her upbringing whenever Vi talks about her past. Despite everything the character’s been through, Steinfeld manages to inject hope and kindness into her voice whenever she gets the opportunity. Thanks to the actresses’ range and delivery, Vi is engaging each and every second she’s on screen. Steinfeld’s superb work makes this character more than just her best voice role: it arguably might be her best performance as an actress period.