The Best Voice Actors of All Time, Ranked (2025)

Audiences often relate to certain actors or performers and loyally watch their work. Sometimes, audiences can recognize their favorites just by their voices. Certain performers, however, can use their voices to portray multiple characters, and audiences would never know.

Update September 3, 2023: This article has been updated with even more great voice actors and additional updates on upcoming projects for the various stars.

While many studios are moving towards using popular actors for voice-over work, professional voice actors are full of talent and are able to stylize their performances based on the character. Recent high-profile projects like Loki and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts have opted to use iconic voice actors to bring characters to life. There are many talented voice actors, but some stand above the rest. These are the best voice actors.

14 Tara Strong

Tara Strong is the voice of many beloved cartoon characters since she got her first role at 13 in Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater. She is most known for her roles as Timmy Turner in The Fairly OddParents and Batgirl in The New Batman Adventures. She is also very well-known for her work in voicing video game characters. She voices Rikku in the Final Fantasy series and Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Knight. Strong can next be heard in Loki season 2 as the voice of Miss Minutes.

Related: Loki Cast Shines Among IMDb's Most Popular Celebrities

13 Phil LaMarr

Phil LaMarr has a lengthy and strong history of voiceover work. You've heard his voice if you've watched an animated series in the past 30 years. Whether it is in shows that surround superheroes and sitcoms or even in certain video games, LaMarr has had a hand in doing some great voiceover work over the years. He has voiced notable characters in Justice League, Static Shock, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, to name a few.

12 Kevin Michael Richardson

Kevin Michael Richardson is one of the underrated names in voice acting. He has held plenty of roles in animated sitcoms such as Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, American Dad!, and The Simpsons. Recently, Richardson voiced the character of Kamek in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. However, Richardson may very well be best known for his role as Goro in the 1995 animated movie Mortal Kombat. Richardson also voiced an iconic DC character like the next voice actor on the list. He voiced the Joker in The Batman as well as Kilowog in Green Lantern: The Animated Series.

11 Kevin Conroy

Kevin Conroy stands as one of the greatest voice actors of all time, thanks to his work voicing Batman. He originated the role in Batman: The Animated Series and voiced him in Batman Beyond and Justice League, as well as animated films like Batman and Superman: Public Enemies and Batman: The Killing Joke. He also voiced the character in the Arkham trilogy of video games and both Injustice games. Conroy sadly passed away in 2022, but his legacy as the caped crusader will live on forever, as he is, to many, the definitive voice of Batman.

10 Jim Cummings

Jim Cummings has voiced many childhood characters across generations. He is most remembered as the second voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, and the firefly Ray in The Princess and the Frog. However, his voice is well recognized from the almost 600 performances he has done since his debut on The Scooby-Doo Show in 1978. He also became Disney's go-to actor for matching well-known characters' voices for spin-off shows and video game cameos.

9 Seth MacFarlane

Known for his highly successful adult animation series Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane is a master of voices. He started as a writer and storyboard artist on Cartoon Network's Johnny Bravo and, not long after, developed Family Guy with Fox. MacFarlane voices four of the main characters, as well as multiple reoccurring side characters. The show's huge success led to other popular shows being made by MacFarlane, like American Dad! and The Cleveland Show.

8 Billy West

The comedian and impressionist Billy West started in the '80s as a radio comedian. He was a regular on The Howard Stern Show, where he became known for his voice impressions, giving way for a successful voice acting career. He played characters in The Ren & Stimpy Show and Doug. He was also brought in to impersonate the famed Mel Blanc's voices for Looney Tunes characters in Space Jam. In the 1999 show Futurama, West played the characters Philip J. Fry, Professor Farnsworth, Dr. Zoidberg, Zapp Brannigan, Richard Nixon, and many other smaller parts.

7 Casey Kasem

The beloved voice actor and radio DJ Casey Kasem got his start working in broadcasting in the '60s. He was even a children's television show host for a while. He became a popular radio personality before taking on the role of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo: Where Are You! in 1969. He lent his voice talents to Josie and the Pussycats and Super Friends. Then, in 1970, Kasem began hosting the original American Top 40 on weekends. Even after Kasem's passing, reruns of the American Top 40 are replayed for fans to continue listening to their favorite radio personality.

6 Peter Cullen

Peter Cullen took voice acting to a new action-packed level. Starting out as various characters in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, Cullen voiced King Kong in 1978 and K.A.R.R. in the Knight Rider TV series. He took on the voice roles of the Mogwai in Gremlins and the Predator in the 1987 Predator film. He is most recognized as the voice of the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime. Cullen has voiced Optimus Prime since 1986, and continues to do so even in the upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

5 John DiMaggio

John DiMaggio has a cult following for his special characters. He plays the infamous Marcus Fenix in the Gears of War franchise and Dr. Drakken in the Kim Possible series. His fan-favorite role is the robot Bender from the hit show Futurama. DiMaggio caused a storm on the internet when he revealed that his reprise to the role was on hold in 2022 due to contract negotiations. While he did concede to the pay rate that was being asked, he caused enough of a ruckus for the public to be aware of the compensation issue among voice actors.

Related: Here's Every Futurama Main Character, Ranked

4 Mark Hamill

The famed Luke Skywalker,Mark Hamill, is also known for his amazing character work as a voice actor. He played Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender while also playing in shows like Totally Spies and Code Name: Kids Next Door. The most popular role Hamill has lent his voice to is Joker since 1992 in Batman: The Animated Series. He has continued the role in multiple DC series, films, and the ever-popular Arkham video game series. Hamill's version of the Joker character is a favorite among DC fans. He is currently working on Masters of the Universe: Revolutions, where he voices Skelator.

3 Patrick Warburton

Patrick Warburton has one of the most recognizable voices in all of animated film and television. One of his most popular voice-acting roles is that of Joe Swanson from Family Guy. The former Seinfeld supporting actor also had a role alongside Jerry Seinfeld in Bee Movie, where he voiced the role of Ken. Before Chris Evans took over the role of Buzz Lightyear from Tim Allen, Warburton voiced the character on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.

He has also voiced characters in popular films like The Emperor's New Groove, Home on the Range, Chicken Little, Hoodwinked!, Open Season, and Mr. Peabody and Sherman. Warburton has one of the most outstanding voice-acting resumés out there. His delivery is unique, and it is what keeps the audience entertained.

2 James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones might not have a long list of voice acting credits to his name like some of the other actors on this list. However, he might have the two most notable roles out of anyone on this list. In perhaps the greatest voice portrayal of all time, Jones voiced Darth Vader. He also voiced the legendary lion and King of Pride Rock, Mufasa, in both the original and remake of The Lion King. It is fair to say James Earl Jones has one of the most powerful voices in all of film and television. When he speaks, people sit up and listen.

1 Mel Blanc

The man of 1,000 voices himself, Mel Blanc, is still the standard that voice actors are held to. Like many, Blanc began his career in radio broadcasting. At the age of 19, he was noticed for being able to voice multiple characters that sounded nothing alike. Soon after, he became the voice of the Looney Tunes. What started as a couple of characters soon became a plethora of wacky characters. Blanc's work is remembered across generations as voices from our childhoods and the wonderful memories and crazy adventures that went along with them.