10 Best Voice Acting Performances of All Time, Ranked

With a bunch of major animated movies gracing us over the next couple of years, this is a great time to appreciate the voice acting performances in Hollywood movies and shows. The voice actors can only use their voice to channel everything, from humor to heartbreak and menace to warmth, to their characters. Not every actor can display such unique vulnerability and produce great results on the screen.

In this list, we are ranking the best of the best voice works in Hollywood. To keep it fair, the performances are not limited to animated works or just movies. From Jack Black’s most recent performance as Bowser to Tom Hanks’ soulful pull-string cowboy, here are the 10 best voice acting performances of all time.

10 Jack Black as Bowser

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) & The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is currently nearing the $900 million mark at the box office. Its predecessor earlier crossed the billion-dollar milestone during its theatrical run. Both movies had the presence of one of animation’s most celebrated voice actors, Jack Black. His villainous Bowser arguably outshines even his beloved performance as Po in Kung Fu Panda. Black not only lends his distinctive voice to the Mario villain, but also performs an original song for the movie.

Bowser is the formidable king of the Koopas, who rule over the Dark Lands, and his biggest desire in life is to marry Princess Peach. Bowser calling her “Peaches” in the movie has Black’s signature comedic style written all over it. He delivered on both Bowser’s intimidating nature and his goofiness, earning him a place among the very best in voice acting.

9 Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon

Guardians Of The Galaxy movies (2014-2023)

Few stars in Hollywood are as multifaceted as Bradley Cooper, who has showcased his acting, singing, and comedic skills. Cooper voiced the loud-mouthed intergalactic raccoon Rocket in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies. The pocket-sized dynamite is a huge fan favorite thanks to Cooper’s vocal range. Many fans still aren’t convinced that it is Cooper who voices Rocket in the movies. This video might help you if you are one of those fans.

His voice performance peaked in the third movie, which focused on Rocket’s backstory. He proved that Rocket can not only be hilarious but also heartbreaking. We got the best performance from Cooper when he shed the mask of sarcasm and showed the real side of the genetically modified raccoon.  

8 Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) & Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)

Hailee Steinfeld was a great addition to the voice cast alongside Shameik Moore in the Spider-Verse movies. Her voice roles are just as impressive as her acting roles, which include roles like Vi in Arcane. However, her most stellar voice work was when she took on the role of Spider-Gwen. When Miles Morales has to figure out his newfound powers in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, he has Gwen to help him on his journey. Her role becomes more prominent in the second movie, Across the Spider-Verse.

We get some great emotional moments between Gwen and her father, where Steinfeld’s voice acting definitely does its magic. She has amazing chemistry with Moore in the Miles and Gwen scenes, and Steinfeld’s deadpan humor is absolutely spot on for Gwen. If voice work were to receive an Oscar, both Moore and Steinfeld deserved one for their roles in both these movies.

7 Mako as Uncle Iroh

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)

Mako appeared in several Hollywood productions and was even nominated for an Oscar for his role in 1966’s The Sand Pebbles. He lent his voice to the role of Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender. He was the uncle and mentor of Zuko, who was one of Aang’s main antagonists in the show. Instead of leading Zuko down a path of anger and vengeance, Iroh imparts wisdom to him, leading to his internal moral conflict. Mako’s voice performance gave the character a lot of credibility. 

His soothing voice, which was a surprising shift from his earlier voice roles, reflected the wisdom and kindness that Iroh carried. It is believed that Mako’s personal experience added a layer of authenticity to the character. During the second season of the show, Mako died from esophageal cancer, and Greg Baldwin took on the role from the third season. The episode Tales of Ba Sing Se is dedicated to the actor, where he performed the song Leaves from the Vine.

6 Scarlett Johansson as Samantha

Her (2013)

Long before Scarlett Johansson became the highest-grossing star in Hollywood, she faced rejection for several roles due to her one unique feature. She once revealed to Candis Magazine that her slightly husky voice had cost her many auditions. She shared, “It was quite a disadvantage at the time. I lost count of hearing casting directors ask me if I had a sore throat” (via Daily Mail). However, it later became her biggest asset, even landing her the role of the AI assistant Samantha in 2013’s Her.

In Her, Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Theodore Twombly, develops a romantic relationship with Samantha. Johansson’s character becomes a comforting presence in her owner’s life. The actress fully leans into her smooth husky voice, whether she is offering him support or flirting with him. Spike Jonze wrote her as a fully realized character, and Johansson’s performance is key to making her feel authentic on screen. Samantha Morton, who initially voiced the AI character, was replaced in the post-production stage of the film.

5 Eddie Murphy as Donkey

Shrek movies (2001-2010)

When Shrek returns with its fifth movie after a decade and a half, we are most excited to hear Eddie Murphy’s voice as Donkey. Murphy’s expressive voice was just fitting for the character’s energetic antics. Donkey easily became a fan favorite among a bunch of lovable characters played by talents like Mike Myers, John Lithgow, Antonio Banderas, and Cameron Diaz. His outing earned him several awards, including the People’s Choice Award and the Annie Award, and even a BAFTA nod.

The character appears as a charismatic wisecracker sometimes and a nervous wreck at other times. He runs his mouth a bit too much, annoying the other characters in the movies. Murphy was able to capture this persona and make him an unforgettable character rather than just another sidekick. Murphy’s forever iconic character is one of the funniest voice acting performances ever.

4 Tom Hanks as Woody

Toy Story movies (1995-2019)

One of the best cast roles in animation history. That’s what Tom Hanks’ voice role as the cowboy toy Woody is for many fans. The Pixar movie came to him at a time when he had won back-to-back Oscars for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He jumped at the chance to become part of this movie, which changed animated movies forever. Hanks brings the same childish energy to Woody in every Toy Story movie over the last couple of decades. He and Tim Allen became a strong voice acting duo, voicing Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

When Buzz comes into Andy’s life, Woody turns from a nice guy to a petty jealous toy. However, Woody remained endearing, thanks to Hanks’ balanced voice. Over the years, Woody has had other issues to deal with, and Hanks made sure that he kept the character likeable for fans at every turn. It is no wonder that John Lasseter insisted on Hanks over other big names like Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, and Robin Williams for the role.

3 Idina Menzel as Elsa

Frozen (2013) & Frozen 2 (2019)

Idina Menzel first voiced Elsa in 2013’s Frozen, which became a sensational hit and made the Broadway veteran immensely popular in mainstream Hollywood. Critics and fans unanimously loved the vocal performances of the cast, including Menzel, Kristen Bell, and Josh Gad. A second movie came out in 2019, and Menzel and the others are all set to return for a third movie in 2027 and a fourth movie after that.

No one could have captured Elsa’s journey in Frozen like Menzel. Elsa was unlike any princess/queen that Disney had created. It threw out the typical formula and focused on Elsa’s relationship with her sister Anna. Menzel landed on this list over Bell due to her character’s emotional complexity. And it is Menzel who gave us the all-time hit song, Let It Go. It is her best role and one of the best voice roles of all time.

2 Robin Williams as the Genie

Aladdin (1992)

Robin Williams’ voice acting perfectly complemented the animation style of the Genie in 1992’s Aladdin. Williams, who also voiced Lovelace and Ramón in Happy Feet, also brought a wide range of impressions in his Genie voice, including that of Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, and Rodney Dangerfield. It was a larger-than-life character, and the actor had to go over-the-top to present him on screen. His wide vocal range and distinct comedic style helped bring the electric energy of the character onto the screen. 

His rapid delivery of lines even became a trait of the Genie. He would go on to improvise his lines largely, which the animators would then use to visually animate the character. Williams earned a special Golden Globes award for his voice work in the movie. The movie was an acclaimed hit from Disney, and Williams had a crucial role to play in the enormous success of this movie.

1 James Earl Jones as Mufasa

The Lion King (1994)

The late James Earl Jones had some powerful voice roles in his career. His dominant voice first became iconic in George Lucas’s Star Wars movies, where he voiced the villain Darth Vader. However, he provided a more soulful version of his voice to an all-time favorite animated character, Mufasa, in The Lion King. He lent his voice twice to the character, once in the 1994 movie and again in the 2019 live-action reboot. He had the gravitas to play Simba’s father, who imparts wisdom to him.

Jones’ voice as Mufasa was so uniquely memorable, which is one of the reasons why he was brought back in 2019. Jeremy Irons’s voice of Scar is also considered one of the best voice acting performances in Hollywood. However, Jones is placed No.1 on this list because of his distinguished career behind the microphone.

Rank	Voice performances	Movies/Shows	Where to Stream
1	James Earl Jones as Mufasa	The Lion King (1994)	Disney+
2	Robin Williams as the Genie	Aladdin (1992)	Disney+
3	Idina Menzel as Elsa	Frozen (2013) Frozen 2 (2019)	Disney+
4	Tom Hanks as Woody	Toy Story (1995) Toy Story 2 (1999) Toy Story 3 (2010) Toy Story 4 (2019)	Disney+
5	Eddie Murphy as Donkey	Shrek (2001) Shrek 2 (2004) Shrek the Third (2007) Shrek Forever After (2010)	Hulu & Peacock
6	Scarlett Johansson as Samantha	Her (2013)	Rent on Prime Video & AppleTV
7	Mako as Uncle Iroh	Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)	Paramount+ & Netflix
8	Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy	Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018) Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)	Into the Spider-Verse: Netflix Across the Spider-Verse: HBO Max & Disney+
9	Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon	Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014) Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)	Disney+
10	Jack Black as Bowser	The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)	Peacock (The 2023 film)

Still have questions? Here are a few questions you might want the answers to about these movies.

Which voice performance will you pick up for a rewatch? Do you have any picks from here that you are excited to watch for the first time? Let us know in the comments below!