Top 10 Over the Top Voice Acting Performances
#10: Rob Paulsen Various
Top 20 Over the Top Voice Acting Performances
What do “Pinky and the Brain,” “Animaniacs,” “Jimmy Neutron,” all have in common? If you said, they all feature characters voiced by Rob Paulsen, gold star for you. While this barely scrapes the surface of his lengthy and impressive credits, it tells you all you need to know about the voice actor. He skillfully elevates his characters’ goofiness and heightens their entertainment value while nailing a plethora of accents. Paulsen’s expertise can unite generations, whether you’re a long-time fan of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” or are eager to catch him pop up in newer guest star roles. There’s no doubt he has a tremendous passion for his work; you can hear it in every character he brings to life.
#9: Eddie Murphy “Mulan” (1998) & “Shrek” Franchise (2001-)
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Mushu and Donkey are arguably two of the most hilarious and beloved sidekicks of the 90s and the aughts. And that's thanks in large part to Eddie Murphy's comedic skills. The actor and comedian really lifted the dialogue off the page with his animated expression and overzealous delivery. He's often at his best when bringing comic relief to high-tension scenes or whipping out zingy one-liners. So, it's hardly surprising that Mushu quickly became "Mulan's" breakout character. Meanwhile, we're still waiting on a Donkey-centric full-length feature. Is it entirely unrealistic to hope for a universe crossover? Now, that's a movie we want to see! Both stand out as Murphy's best-animated roles, and we're not ready for him to retire either one quite yet.
#8: Kristen Schaal Various
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This actress has a distinct voice that’s tailor-made for animation; indeed, it’s served her well over the years. Her unique sound can be heard in “Bob’s Burgers,” “Gravity Falls,” and “BoJack Horseman,” among many others. Schaal seamlessly pairs her one-of-a-kind vocals with incredible comedic timing that never fails to breathe new life into her characters. With just a slight change of intonation, she can go from sweet and unassuming to wildly unhinged while still keeping her characters very likable. In fact, her performances are so exceptional that some casting directors are known to put out calls for “a Kristen Schaal type,” which sounds like a huge compliment if you ask us.
#7: Eartha Kitt “The Emperor's New Groove” (2000)
Disney’s given us many unforgettable villains, with Yzma consistently placing high among the ranks. She’s so fabulously extra and, if the content shown in “The Sweatbox” documentary is anything to go by, much of that was due to Eartha Kitt’s performance in the recording booth. Apparently, the actress would perform her scenes, moving like the villainess and making large gestures as she delivered her lines. Much of that enthusiasm translated into her voice and created an antagonist we can’t help but adore. She’s so theatrical and kooky, and always manages to know when the right moment is to remain softly-spoken or scream at the top of her lungs. As far as iconic characters go, Eartha Kitt’s Yzma is the full package.
#6: Gilbert Gottfried Various
Even if his name doesn't ring a bell, you've most certainly heard his voice before. He played Berkeley Beetle in "Thumbelina," Digit in "Cyberchase" and Mr. Mxyzptlk in "Superman: The Animated Series." However, you'll probably best recognize this voice as the angry and sarcastic Iago from "Aladdin." There's perhaps no animated bird more over the top than Jafar's right-hand parrot. Gottfried had this unparalleled ability to make his characters soar, whether following a script or improvising to his heart's content. His naturally quirky voice was perfect for his profession, but he always took roles to the next level with perfectly chosen inflections and a flawless knack for humor. His legacy lives on through his countless memorable characters.
#5: Steve Carell “Despicable Me” franchise (2010-)
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Being an unsuccessful villain isn’t easy. However, with the right charismatic voice to pull off his moody and sarcastic demeanor, Gru quickly became a fan favorite. According to Carell, finding the line between funny and threatening was tricky, but he definitely found the right balance. Reportedly, he tried out several voices on his kids and ultimately chose the one that made them laugh. Like their father, these kids clearly have great judgment for comedic brilliance. And, if we thought Gru was delightfully dramatic, we were in for a treat when “Despicable Me 3” introduced his even more over the top twin brother Dru. He might not be the most despicable villain, but he managed to steal our hearts all the same.
#4: Seth MacFarlane Various
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The “Family Guy” creator is arguably one of the best voice actors of the modern era. Apparently, he had such a strong idea for how he wanted some of the show’s characters to sound that he decided it would just be easier to play them himself. You can hear his exceptionally versatile voice in Peter, Brian, and Stewie Griffin, as well as Glenn Quagmire. He also voices Roger and Stan Smith in “American Dad!” and Mike in “Sing,” among others. These roles are all so different that they require a talented performer who can effortlessly manipulate their voice to animate these larger-than-life individuals. Indeed, MacFarlane’s the perfect man for the job. Plus, have you heard him sing? Chills.
#3: Frank Welker Various
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With more than 860 credits to his name, you’ll most certainly be familiar with Welker’s voice, whether you know it or not. Are you a fan of “Scooby-Doo?” An avid viewer of “Transformers”? Or have a soft spot for Abu from “Aladdin”? Well, you can attribute Fred, Megatron, Soundwave, and Aladdin’s little sidekick to this voice actor. In addition to Abu, Welker brought a ton of other non-verbal animal characters to life through dynamic sound effects and immeasurable ingenuity. He’s also the only remaining original actor from the “Scooby-Doo” franchise. It’s a true testament to the actor that he can take his talents across such a wide range of roles and create so many remarkable characters. His skills truly know no bounds.
#2: Tom Kenny “SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)
Top 10 Over the Top Voice Acting TV Performances
You’ll recognize Kenny's voice from shows like "Rocko's Modern Life," where he played Heffer Wolfe, and in "Adventure Time," where he was Ice King. However, one character in particular floats to the top of his rost, and he lives in a "Pineapple Under the Sea." SpongeBob is splendidly ridiculous, and everything he says or does is insanely excitable. In the same vein, his charm has kept audiences engaged and enthralled for over 20 years. There's something incredibly affable about SpongeBob's naively optimistic personality, which can be credited to Kenny's love for his work. The actor also voices SpongeBob's trusty pet snail Gary, Patchy the Pirate, the French narrator, and others. No wonder he's won two Emmy Awards for his stellar voice acting! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Amy Poehler, “Inside Out” (2015) Any Character Called ”Joy” Naturally Has to Be a Little Overzealous Adam Sandler, “Hotel Transylvania” franchise (2012-) You Can Count on Sandler to Give an Animated Performance You Can Sink Your Fangs Into! Jim Cummings, Various The Actor Charmed Us in “Winnie the Pooh,” “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “The Princess and the Frog,” “Ducktales” & More! Mark Hamill, Various Luke Skywalker Is No Stranger to Some Invigorating Voice Acting for the DC Universe Josh Gad, “Frozen” franchise (2013-) So Many Iconic Characters but Only One Worth Melting For
#1: Robin Williams “Aladdin” (1992)
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The late incomparable Robin Williams has voiced some of our favorite animated characters, such as Lovelace and Ramón from “Happy Feet” and Batty Koda from “FernGully: The Last Rainforest.” However, there’s one character that springs to mind who, above all, is wonderfully and magically over-the-top. Williams went above and beyond bringing Genie to life with his iconic arsenal of impressions and famous improvisation skills. He truly went wild while creating this larger-than-life character, and the payoff is tremendous. To this day, no one can compare to this magical being or the actor who voices him. We guess, after being trapped for 10,000 years, Genie really needed to let his freak flag fly, and Robins Williams was just the guy to help him do it.
