It has become common practice for American animated films to hire celebrities to voice their characters, and while this choice can sometimes be frustrating, it has also led to some incredible voice performances by Hollywood stars. Voice acting and film acting are two different skills, and just because someone has a compelling screen presence does not mean their voice will fit into an animated family film. It has to be the right actor with the right character to justify not hiring a talented voice-over artist.
A studio will often hire a big name to give a film more publicity and attract older audiences, but this can lead to an awkward performance. Still, projects like 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and 2019’s The Lion King attempt to capitalize on having an all-star cast. In some instances, this approach results in an ensemble that’s ill-equipped to emote using only their voices. However, in other cases, an actor’s comedic or dramatic persona perfectly translates into the world of animation, making it hard to imagine any other voice coming from the character.
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10 Alec Baldwin As The Boss Baby
The Boss Baby
While The Boss Baby movies may not be the most acclaimed children’s films, they are carried by Alec Balwin’s central performance as the title character. Riffing on his roles as powerful men in 30 Rock and Glengarry Glen Ross, Baldwin makes the titular baby sound like a real executive. It’s this that makes The Boss Baby as funny as it is. Baldwin’s performance is central to the film’s concept, and despite the actor not having a background in voice acting, it wouldn’t be the same with anyone else in the role.
9 Steve Carell As Gru
Despicable Me
Illumination has dominated American animation over the last decade, and much of its success can be attributed to the Despicable Me/Minions franchise. The minions may have become the mascot for the animation company, but it is Steve Carell’s performance as supervillain Gru that serves as the heart of the movies. Carell’s undefinable accent and strange tone of voice have made Gru an instantly recognizable character —one it’s hard to imagine anyone else voicing. Gru could easily have been a one-note lead, with humor happening around him. However, Carell threads the needle, giving Gru real pathos.
8 Billy Crystal As Mike Wazowski
Monsters, Inc.
Pixar is no stranger to using celebrities and comedians for voice-over work, but in comparison to other animation studios, it’s are less likely to go after the biggest name, looking instead for someone who fits the character. Billy Crystal is an icon in film and comedy, but by the time Monsters, Inc. came out in 2001, he had been in the industry for decades and wasn’t necessarily the biggest draw for younger audiences. However, he is the definitive Mike Wazowski. Crystal’s anxiety-ridden voice coming out of a one-eyed green eyeball is a bizarre development, but it is impossible to look at the character and not hear his voice.
7 Will Arnett As Lego Batman
The Lego Movie
Several actors have taken on the role of the caped crusader, including many talented voice-over artists, but there is something undeniably hilarious about Will Arnett’s take on Lego Batman. First appearing in The Lego Movie before receiving a spinoff, Arnett’s Batman is a more arrogant and selfish take on the character. He serves as a parody of the iconic hero while still being a mostly faithful adaptation. There have been so many great Batmen in both live-action and animation, so it’s a testament to Arnett that his take on the character stood out in a movie where he wasn’t the central focus.
6 Tom Hanks As Woody
Toy Story
Tom Hanks has been voicing the toy cowboy Woody for nearly 30 years, and with the upcoming Toy Story 5 in the works, it looks like he will still be the character for years to come. For an actor with a filmography as long and praised as Hanks’, it is pretty incredible that a CG toy still stands as one of his best roles. It takes a real movie star to pull off the snarky yet inherently likable aspects of Woody, and Hanks’ performance is a huge reason the franchise has lasted so long and meant so much to generations of fans.
5 Christian Bale As Howl
Howl’s Moving Castle
Even more controversial than casting a Hollywood star as an animated voice is the dubbing of foreign animation with American stars. There is a purity to watching the original versions with subtitles. However, most of the Studio Ghibli dubs done by Disney are pretty spectacular, and Christian Bale’s performance as Howl makes the Howl’s Moving Castle dub worth watching. Using a tone similar to the one he later used for Batman, Bale embodies the grief, pain, and solitude of the character, making it feel like Howl was designed around his star persona when that couldn’t be further from the truth.
4 Albert Brooks As Marlin
Finding Nemo
Comedian, actor, and filmmaker Albert Brooks has one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. From directing timeless comedies like Real Life and Lost in America to his dramatic turns in movies like Drive, Brooks has done almost everything. However, his voice work is still a standout part of his career. While Brooks’ appearances on The Simpsons are fantastic, his performance as the clownfish Marlin in Finding Nemo will forever stand the test of time. He has incredible chemistry with Ellen DeGeneres as Dory but also brings a sense of urgency and heart that makes Finding Nemo one of Pixar’s strongest films.
3 Eddie Murphy As Donkey
Shrek
Shrek was one of the first animated movies to not just have one or two big names but to instead have a full all-star cast. While the precedent this set for animated films, especially those from DreamWorks, had downsides, the decision worked for the film. Eddie Murphy gives a fantastic performance as Donkey. Murphy is one of the greatest comedy leading men of all time, but Donkey is a side character that plays to his strengths and lets him shine. Donkey’s fast talking could easily get annoying in the hands of another actor, but Murphy makes it seem fresh and funny throughout several movies.
2 Jack Black As Po
Kung Fu Panda
Much like Boss Baby, it is clear that the character Po was built around the star voicing him, making the celebrity casting not only excusable but necessary. Jack Black has his own specific brand of humor, and because of that, the character and story naturally flow from Black’s skills and styling as an actor. Kung Fu Panda is a Jack Black vehicle in all the right ways, using his plucky attitude and heartfelt riffing to craft a genuinely exciting and emotional animated film.
1 Robin Williams As Genie
Aladdin
Still the greatest example of a Hollywood star lending their voice to an animated film, Robin Williams’ iconic performance as the Genie in Aladdin is one of the best voice performances of all time. Improving much of the dialogue and having the animators draw around it, Williams’ chaotic energy and brilliant comedic timing make Aladdin stand out in the Disney catalog. Often copied, but never duplicated, Williams’ talents will live on for generations.
