Top 30 Pop Stars Who Voice-Acted for Animated Movies

After rising to prominence in the early aughts, Nicki Minaj has been an unstoppable force. Beyond her accolades and legacy on the music industry, the Queen of Rap has also dipped her toe into the film industry, with at least two of her roles hailing from behind the mic. She can be heard in the fourth installment of the “Ice Age” franchise, alongside fellow rapper Drake who plays her character’s mammoth boyfriend. Years later, in 2019, Minaj would also join the cast of “Angry Birds” for its sequel movie, where she plays Pinky.

“UglyDolls” has a crazy-stacked musical cast. Everyone from Lizzo to Nick Jonas can be heard at some point. But we’re going to give credit to Janelle Monáe in the prominent role of Mandy. With their silky-smooth tones, Monáe breathes life into a character that otherwise risks being very two-dimensional – you know, as dolls do. The ten-time Grammy nominee has proven her acting chops in a number of live-action roles, but their skill as a singer means she absolutely excels in voiceover, especially when the role requires singing, like Peg in the 2019 “Lady and the Tramp”. In addition to mastering so many different genres – pop, soul, and funk, just to name a few – the artist is also a talented songwriter and rapper. It truly feels like there’s nothing she can’t do.

Following Dream Street’s split, Jesse McCartney made it big with his debut album “Beautiful Soul”. As it turns out, the heartthrob is no stranger to voice acting, what with his role as Theodore in the live-action “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies. But, since his voice was pitched up, we’re giving this entry to his role as Terence in the “Tinker Bell” film series. We’re not sure how he’s managed it, but McCartney’s voice has barely changed at all since his boyband days. It’s endearingly boyish but still strong and sure, which also makes him perfect for roles like Nightwing in “Young Justice”.

This Canadian singer was put on the map after the mega success of her single, “Scars to Your Beautiful”. With several Junos and a plethora of other awards and nominations under her belt, Cara has certainly carved out her place in the pop scene. In 2020, she starred in Netflix’s “The Willoughbys” as the middle child in a group of siblings trying to replace their parents. Her character, Jane, loves to sing, which means, in addition to hearing Cara try her hand at voice acting, we also got a brand-new original song to fall in love with.

The Voice of a Generation becomes the Dancer of a Generation in this movie. Christina Aguilera plays a “Just Dance” character who’s a stepping stone on the protagonist’s journey forward through the apps. She has exactly the sort of high-energy personality you’d expect, and Christina Aguilera delivers it all beautifully. The first song the emojis dance to is your typical “Just Dance” number, but it’s quickly followed by what else except Aguilera’s own “Feel This Moment”. It’s a sweet way to honor the artist and give her an extra thank-you, while also serving as a hint to viewers who may not have made the connection right away.

Mariah Carey as the Mayor of Gotham City was not on our 2017 bingo card. It’s kind of freaky how well her voice fits the role, and her delivery is even more on point. While the cameo part doesn’t get a ton of space to shine, there are some great sequences involving the character and they’re only made better by Carey’s booming performance. This is someone who knows how to project, after all. While the legendary artist lent her voice to another animation that same year, we wouldn’t say no to some more Mariah Carey V.O. down the line.

Pharrell Williams has been working on animated projects since 2010, when he composed the themes for “Despicable Me”. It was his work on the sequel that really made him a household name; specifically, his original song “Happy”. Since then, Williams has contributed his composing talents to a few other big names, and lent his voice to two in particular. In 2018’s “The Grinch” he can be heard as the narrator, a feat that elevates the movie wonderfully. And, in “Sing 2”, he plays an elephant named Alfonso who, of course, gets to show off his musical prowess.

Being born in Hawaii, Nicole Scherzinger quickly took interest in the new Polynesian princess at the time, saying that she wanted to be part of the project whether through music or something else. We bet the crew was more than ecstatic to have her on board because she absolutely nailed the role of Moana’s mom. As a member of The Pussycat Dolls, Scherzinger knows a thing or two about ensemble numbers, which is more than apparent when you hear how fantastic she is in the village song “Where You Are”. Plus, she also manages to give off totally comforting mom vibes with her speaking lines.

Was the inspiration for “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” her character in “Happy Feet” we wonder? After Brittany Murphy’s passing, P!nk was brought in as Gloria’s new voice. Both women have a touch of vocal fry, which makes their timbres quite distinct, and also made the swap more seamless than it otherwise could have been. P!nk, of course, nails every song but she also surprised us by acing the dialogue too. She brings all of Gloria’s strength, patience, and calm to the surface through every line-reading, and also manages to effortlessly adapt the character into her new role as a mother.

Hailee Steinfeld has a handful of pop hits that found huge commercial and airplay success, including “Love Myself” and “Starving”. While she’s also made a name for herself in live-action projects, Steinfeld’s foray into the world of voice acting has also been fruitful. She had big shoes to fill when it came to portraying Gwen Stacy but, fortunately, Steinfeld pulls her off flawlessly. Her voice is at home in Gwen’s protective, resilient nature, with the actress affording the character just the perfect amount of hilarious awkwardness. She has a tough outer shell with a gooey center, something Steinfeld seems to keep in mind with every inflection of Gwen’s voice.

Despite a lack of film credits to her name, this Grammy nominated singer-songwriter still managed to land one of the most iconic roles in pop culture history: Wonder Woman. Halsey voiced the DC heroine in “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies”, which expanded upon the hugely successful “Teen Titans Go!” TV series. Numerous A-list celebrities joined the ranks of the show’s regulars - including Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, and Michael Bolton – and they helped to turn the film into a critical and commercial success. Halsey’s role in the film was a relatively small one, but the fact that she got to play Wonder Woman no doubt allowed her to check off a box on her bucket list!

Will.i.am has lent his voice to a number of animated films and TV shows over the years. However, for this list we’re going with his performance in “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”. The Black Eyed Peas frontman plays Moto Moto, a smooth-talking hippopotamus that all the female hippos can’t seem to get enough of. Naturally Gloria soon finds herself falling for Moto Moto’s charms, and the two even go on a date at one point. Will.i.am stated that he used his “deep dark chocolate voice” for the character, something he describes as being “like Barry White, but cooler.” We’re hard pressed to disagree with him on that one!

The sequel to the 2016 smash hit “Trolls” starring Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, “Trolls: World Tour” was one of the many films affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Released online in April 2020, the film picks up where its predecessor left off, with new queen Poppy setting off on a quest to unite the six Troll kingdoms. During a visit to the Country Kingdom, she and Branch encounter Delta Dawn, Mayor of the Country Trolls. Voiced by Kelly Clarkson, Delta Dawn is a no-nonsense leader, who isn’t afraid to lay down the law. Of course, she also has a fantastic set of pipes worthy of Troll Idol. Clarkson’s joined by a slew of other top-notch musicians in the film, making “Trolls: World Tour” a must-see for all music lovers!

English singer Jessie J is better known for her chart-topping songs than she is for her voice work. Perhaps that’s why she decided to lend her voice to the fifth installment in the “Ice Age” franchise: resume diversification. “Ice Age: Collision Course” sees Jessie J voicing a sloth by the name of Brooke who naturally catches the eye of Sid. Brooke proves an important ally to Manny, Sid, and the gang, helping them with their plan to save the earth from an incoming asteroid. In comparison to the other films in the series, “Collision Course” wasn’t exactly a home run. Still, it gave Jessie J a chance to prove she’s more than a one-trick pony!

Arguably the strangest entry on our list, Shawn Mendes lent his voice to the American dub of this Argentinian animated film from 2013. Titled “Metegol” in Argentina (which translates to Foosball), the film was renamed and redubbed for American audiences, with celebs like Ariana Grande, Nicholas Hoult, and Katie Holmes providing voice work. Mendes, who was just 15 years old at the time, voiced Jake, a foosball player in love with a girl named Laura. The film was a hit in Argentina, but the American version, which was released direct-to-video three years later, was seen as a failure. Seeing as how “Underdogs” is the only film Mendes has appeared in, we wonder if the experience was a positive one for the artist.

The sequel to 2011’s “Rio”, “Rio 2” complemented its already stellar voice cast with a host of new and talented performers. Leading this new batch of celebrities was Bruno Mars, along with Andy Garcia, Amandla Stenberg and Janelle Monáe. Mars played Roberto, a childhood friend of the Anne Hathaway-voiced character, Jewel, who much like his real-life counterpart is blessed with an incredible vocal range. Despite a dip in ratings, the sequel managed to rake in even more than its predecessor, leading to discussions about a possible third installment in the franchise. Whether or not Mars will return remains to be seen.

Canadian singer Avril Lavigne is not known for her acting. In fact, prior to “Over the Hedge” she had only appeared in two films; one of which was a cameo. However, Lavigne did an excellent job in her portrayal of Heather, a Virginia opossum who loves to bicker with her overbearing father Ozzie. Lavigne remarked that director Tim Johnson and screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick were instrumental in making her first voice acting gig a successful one, stating “they made it go so smoothly; they made me feel comfortable.” Avril Lavigne wouldn’t lend her voice to another animated film until 2018’s “Charming,” opposite Demi Lovato…but we’ll get to her in a bit.

This Grammy-winner lent her pipes to this 2016 animated film, which also starred the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, and Scarlett Johansson. The star-studded cast no doubt played a part in the film grossing an eye-popping $634.2 million at the box office. This was Tori Kelly’s first taste of film success, and “Sing” remains her only film acting credit to date. However, Kelly is set to reprise the role of Meena - an elephant with a bad case of stage fright - in the upcoming “Sing 2”, which is set for release in 2021. Meena was a big part of the first film, so we can’t wait to see what she (and by extension Kelly), get up to in the sequel!

Based on the TV series “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”, “My Little Pony: The Movie” follows Twilight Sparkle and the Mane 6 as they attempt to save Equestria from the evil Storm King. Sia’s role in the film is a relatively small one, but that didn’t stop the animators from using her likeness when creating her character. Sia voices Songbird Serenade, a pop star who visits Equestria. In addition to her voice work, Sia also contributed to the soundtrack, coming up with “Rainbow”, an original track that was later released as a single. Both the song and Sia’s voice acting work were well received, and she’s since gone on to lend her voice to a number of other animated films.

Based on the Dr. Seuss novel of the same name, “The Lorax” stars Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, and Taylor Swift. The latter was definitely the outlier, as all three male leads had extensive acting experience under their belts prior to signing on. Swift on the other hand had just one acting credit to her name when she agreed to appear in “The Lorax” – excluding cameos that is. And yet, she gave an excellent performance as Audrey, the love interest to Zac Efron’s Ted. Somewhat surprisingly, Swift did not contribute to the film’s soundtrack, and although she still acts, she has yet to appear in any other animated films.

We told you Demi Lovato would be back! This singer and actress is no stranger to Hollywood, having appeared in a number of films and TV shows. As such, it was hardly surprising when she landed the lead role in 2017’s “Smurfs: The Lost Village”. Lovato plays Smurfette, a female Smurf who rebels against her creator in order to embark on a journey of self-discovery. Lovato’s voice fits the character perfectly, and she even gets to show off her impressive pipes at one point in the film! The experience was clearly a positive one, as Lovato would go on, as mentioned, to lend her iconic voice to “Charming”, another animated flick, in 2018.

And before Demi, there was Katy! Based on the iconic comic book series of the same name; of which there have been countless adaptations, “The Smurfs” and its sequel took everyone’s favorite little blue creatures on adventures to New York City and Paris. A mixture of live action and animation, the original film brought together a slew of incredibly talented celebrities; led by Katy Perry’s Smurfette. According to the 13-time Grammy nominee, the producers had been doing blind tests to see which voices worked best for Smurfette, and selected her voice “without even knowing who it was”. Imagine their surprise when they found out the voice belonged to one of the biggest pop stars on the planet!

“Home” is about a young girl named Tip who goes on the run after Earth is invaded by an alien race known as the Boov. Rihanna headlines the film alongside perennial funnyman Jim Parsons. The two make for an unlikely team, but their on-screen chemistry – or on microphone chemistry – is top notch! Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film still managed to pull in just under $400 million at the box office, and later spawned the Netflix animated series “Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh”. Unfortunately, neither Rihanna nor Parsons reprised their roles.

When it comes to all-star voice casts, you’d be hard pressed to find one better than this! “Ice Age: Continental Drift” brought back fan favorites Ray Romano, Queen Latifah and John Leguizamo and complemented them with a host of new voices that included Drake, Aziz Ansari, Rebel Wilson, Peter Dinklage and oh yeah, Jenny from the Block! The chart topping singer and actress played Shira, a now-extinct mammal known as a Smilodon, who falls head over paws for Dennis Leary’s Diego. Lopez would not only appear in the film’s sequel, she’d also nab a role in “Home” alongside Rihanna. It seems her voice acting talents are in high demand!

Despite being in the middle of her “Hannah Montana” years and fresh off the release of her sophomore album “Breakout,” Miley Cyrus somehow found time to appear in this Disney flick! “Bolt” is about a dog who is the star of a TV series, only he doesn’t realize it’s just a show and not real life. He accidentally gets shipped across the country, from Hollywood to New York, and then em-barks on an adventure to return and “save” his owner. The film picked up a slew of nominations – including one at the 81st Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature – but was constantly bested by another Disney flick: “WALL-E”.

Justin Timberlake is no stranger to the world of animated movies, having appeared in “Shrek the Third” and “Yogi Bear” respectively. However, one could argue that his turn in “Trolls” is his best voice acting performance to date. The first film is about a couple of trolls, played by Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, who must team up in order to save their race from a group of troll-eating monsters called the Bergens. An enthralling musical with no shortage of over-the-top performances; “Trolls” earned Justin Timberlake Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his song “Can’t Stop the Feeling” – as well as a Grammy win – and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face! And, eventually, of course, came the sequels!

Yes, even the woman with the most honest hips in the music industry has tested the waters with voice acting! As the title implies, “Zootopia” is about a world in which anthropomorphic animals run the show. Despite only appearing in the small role of Gazelle, the fictional world’s biggest pop star, Shakira must have been pretty happy to have her name in the credits, as “Zootopia” wound up being the fourth highest grossing film of the year! Not only did it rack in more than a billion dollars at the box office, but it also nabbed the award for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. Well played Shakira, well played.

Beyoncé’s film roles have been few and far between, so you can imagine how pumped we were when we found out she’d be appearing in an animated movie (her first) alongside the likes of Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried and Christoph Waltz. The film is about a teenage girl who finds herself transported to a magical forest where she is thrust into a battle between good and evil. Beyoncé plays Queen Tara, the forest’s queen, who is searching for an heir to her throne. Despite being one of the film’s smaller roles, Beyoncé straight up kills it; which made her appearance in Disney’s later “Lion King” remake all the more exciting!

Now here’s a singing star who’s always had the acting chops, and who shines as a voice actress, too! After his wife is killed by a mob of angry humans, Count Dracula opens the world’s first hotel for monsters in Transylvania. But when a human boy accidentally discovers the hotel, it’s up to Dracula to keep him away from his “teenage” daughter Mavis. A wacky comedic romp filled with hilarious voice performances from Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez as Mavis, “Hotel Transylvania” and its two sequels were a big-time hit with moviegoers. Gomez shines despite being surrounded by a plethora of uber-talented voice actors; making it abundantly clear that singing is not her only strong suit!

Whoever was in charge of casting for this film, we salute you! “Tangled” stars Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi in a retelling of the classic fairy tale “Rapunzel”. Produced by Disney, the film was a massive critical and commercial success, taking home just under $600 million at the box office en route to an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature. Moore’s performance was a big reason for the film’s success and the singer / actress claimed that by playing a Disney princess, she had achieved her “ultimate childhood dream”. And she continued to kill it in the franchise’s TV sequels!

Which celeb do you think gave the best performance? Let us know in the comments.