Each year, we as moviegoers are treated to fantastic voice acting performances in all kinds of films that get unjustly overlooked. To be fair, it’s typically a good thing when a voice actor disappears into the character. When watching a voiced-over character, we don’t want to think about the actor that we’re hearing. When we see Donkey from Shrek, we hear Donkey, not Eddie Murphy. The same goes for Tom Hanks as Woody, James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, and so many others.
That said, because we aren’t thinking about the actor, the performance gets forgotten about. On top of that, when award season rolls around, the Oscars, Golden Globes, and other major associations don’t have a category for voice acting. That means when discussing the best performances of the year, people don’t tend to mention those who provided voice acting work. That’s a shame because of the hard work that goes into the role, especially when a lot of this work comes in some of the biggest films each year.
The past decade has been especially great for animated movies. DreamWorks, Disney Animation, Pixar, Studio Ghibli, Illumination, and several other major animated studios have put out consistently strong movies, including some that rank among the best in the history of the genre. Those films tend to have some tremendous voice acting performances.
10
Will Arnett – The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)
Over the past few decades, we have seen so many actors take on the role of Batman. Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson are just some of the names to do so, yet an argument could be made that Will Arnett does it better than anyone.
He first debuted as Batman in The LEGO Movie and stole the show, getting his own film, The LEGO Batman Movie. It’s a comedic take on the character with some truly hilarious moments, yet Arnett also nails the emotional bits as his Bruce Wayne learns to accept the help of those around him.
9
Nicolas Cage – Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
Like Batman, Spider-Man is a character who we’ve seen so many iterations of. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse truly gave us something different with it though, putting Miles Morales at the forefront. While Shameik Moore’s performance as Miles in both installments is great, there was someone who stole each scene in the first film.
That was Nicolas Cage as Spider-Noir. Cage perfectly captured the essence of a noir detective who lives in a black-and-white world. Every line he delivers is unintentionally hilarious, from “We don’t pick the ballroom, we just dance,” to his inability to solve a Rubik’s Cube. There’s a reason he’s getting his own spin-off show this year.
8
Jack Black – The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossed over $1 billion at the global box office. It was a monster success and despite all it had going for it, the most memorable aspect came from the voice acting of Jack Black as Bowser. Known for his love of music, it makes sense that Black delivered a great original song.
“Peaches” is catchy on its own but when you add in Black’s voice and the comedy behind his affection for the character and the repeated use of her name, it makes for something classic. Black has also done great voice work as Po in Kung Fu Panda, but his efforts as Bowser are legendary.
7
Lupita Nyong’o – The Wild Robot (2024)
Every voice actor in The Wild Robot deserves major credit. Pedro Pascal is lovable as the fox Fink, while Kit Connor is adorable as Brightbill. However, it’s hard to top what Lupita Nyong’o pulled off as Roz.
Roz is designed to be a service robot, yet when she finds herself in the wild and in the care of an orphaned goose, she learns about love and family. The fact that Nyong’o manages to expertly portray those affections while also still feeling like a robot is impressive. That’s layered voice work that deserves recognition.
6
Bradley Cooper – Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Bradley Cooper has always done great work voicing Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy corner of the MCU. He saves his best stuff for last, though, as he delivers the goods like never before in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is fitting since Rocket is the protagonist.
No film has shone a brighter light on Rocket, and Cooper was up to the task. The scene where he lets out an agonizing cry as his friend gets killed brings a tear to the eyes of many audience members. Add in the courage we hear when he steps up late and the sorrow he feels as he nearly dies and it’s captivating stuff.
5
Jenny Slate – Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2021)
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a hidden gem from early in the decade that combines stop-motion animation with live action. Based on the series of shorts centered on the titular character, the incredible Jenny Slate voices Marcel.
Slate is also one of the co-writers of the film, which adds to her performance. This is someone who, as a writer, completely understands this character and it shows. There’s also the added layer of the fact that Marcel doesn’t sound like Jenny typically does, meaning you can get lost in the character.
4
Stephanie Beatriz – Encanto (2021)
Many Disney movies are centered around big musical numbers, meaning that the voice actor has to be able to nail those songs. The lead voice actors are a big reason why the likes of Frozen, Moana, and classics like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin work so well.
Encanto is another in a long line of those movies, anchored by the voice work of Stephanie Beatriz. She brings an earnestness to Mirabel, while also showcasing her vulnerability and insecurities. The songs are also tremendous and Beatriz is almost unrecognizable from her most famous character on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where she sounded totally different.
3
Wagner Moura – Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Every character in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has a strong voice actor. Whether it’s Antonio Banderas as Puss, Salma Hayek as Kitty, Harvey Guillén as Perrito, or Florence Pugh as Goldilocks. That said, Wagner Moura steals the show.
Moura lends his voice to the Wolf, who gets revealed to be Death. He goes back and forth with Puss in the film’s best scenes, managing to come across as both confident and threatening. When he walks away from his final confrontation with Puss, Moura plays that scene to perfection.
2
Maya Hawke – Inside Out 2 (2024)
Inside Out 2 does exactly what a sequel should. It takes what worked the first time around and expands on it. The emotions in Riley’s head were perfect the first time around but as she grows into a teenager, new emotions pop up and the biggest of them all is Anxiety.
Maya Hawke does the voice work for Anxiety and brings a frantic energy to the character, which was needed. You feel the panic and underlying fear in everything she does, even when her actions could be viewed as those of a villain. When her emotional conclusion arrives, we completely feel for her.
1
Hailee Steinfeld – Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)
Hailee Steinfeld is one of the best voice actors around, evidenced by her magnificent performance as Vi in the TV show Arcane. She also did stellar work as Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse but was even better in the sequel. In Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Gwen is something of a co-lead alongside Miles.
She gets more scenes and is the focus of the beautiful opening scene. Each moment with her father is among the best stuff ever put in a Spider-Man movie, and Steinfeld nails them all, while also having clear chemistry with everyone else she comes across.
