10 Surprising Celebrity Appearances in Kingdom Hearts Games
#10: Dan Castallaneta
“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)
Obviously, getting all the famous voice actors of the many Disney films featured in Kingdom Hearts would have been an impossible task both financially and scheduling wise, so some changes had to be made. Filling the shoes of Robert Williams as The Genie from Aladdin is not an easy task, but if anyone was up to the job it was our 10th entry, Dan Castallaneta. Not exactly a recognisable celebrity for many, his voice has most definitely gone through your ears as he has famously voiced Homer Simpson for the last 35 years. His rendition of The Genie is as close to perfect as you can get without being Robin Williams himself.
#9: David Boreanaz
“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)
Today, television audiences are familiar with Boreanaz primarily from his roles in "Bones" and "SEAL Team." But he was likely selected for his Kingdom Hearts role based on his portrayal of Angel, the enigmatic antihero from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." In the first installment of Kingdom Hearts, he lent his voice to Squall Leonhart, the introspective protagonist of Final Fantasy VIII. It’s a tough character to nail down, with brooding cool guy energy, but Boreanaz did a perfect job without ever making it obvious it was him.
#8: Sean Astin
“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)
Kingdom Hearts fans are well aware that Olympus is the series' most frequently revisited world, and its demigod hero is an integral part of its charm. There's no Olympus without Hercules. Given that Tate Donovan reprised his role as Hercules in the Kingdom Hearts sequels, it's odd that he wasn't available for the initial game. What's even more odd is the casting of Sean Astin as his replacement I don’t think you can get further away from Hercules than Samwise Gamgee. And based on the timeline, it's plausible that Astin recorded his lines for this role between takes of The Lord of the Rings.
#7: Lance Bass
“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)
Surprising many fans, one of the optional bosses in the early entries turned out to be Sephiroth, the iconic antagonist from Final Fantasy VII, and ARGUABLY the most well known antagonist Square Enix has ever created. Even more unexpected was the casting choice of Lance Bass from NSYNC to voice him, and no, there was absolutely no time that Sephiroth burst out into song, so it continues to make no sense. Sephiroth doesn't even have any substantial dialogue, only grunts and mid-battle quotes that most players wouldn’t even remember. Nevertheless, Bass proudly acknowledges his brief portrayal of the character, as evidenced by his Twitter declaration of being the "OG Sephiroth”, and honestly, I’d ride that wave just as hard if I were him.
#6: Haley Joel Osment
“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)
We couldn’t do a Kingdom Hearts celebrity list without acknowledging the guy that brings life to our series protagonist Sora, and that is of course the famous “The Sixth Sense” actor, Haley Joel Osment. Dominating as a child actor in films like “Forest Gump” and “Pay it Forward”, in his adult years he has moved more heavily into voice acting work. He is a staple of Kingdom Hearts and we should all take a moment of silence to commemorate him... That’ll do. Moving on.
#5: Mandy Moore
“Kingdom Hearts” (2002)
Umm Mat, you said you wouldn’t be including actors who were reprising their famous disney roles, well shut up for a second! We aren’t here to talk about Mandy Moore in her role as Rapunzel, we’re here to talk about her appearance in Kingdom Hearts that predates Tangled by MANY years. In the inaugural game, Moore contributes her pure voice to Aerith, the beloved flower girl from Final Fantasy VII. Although in the first game she never really got a chance to shine, or show us much more of Aerith than basic lines, she did a phenomenal job of representing a beloved character.
#4: Ariel Winter
“Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep” (2010)
While Birth by Sleep focuses on new Keyblade wielders as a prequel to the original title, it does introduce younger versions of familiar heroes, one of which is the beloved Kairi. Instead of Hayden Panettiere or Alyson Stoner reprising the role, Ariel Winter steps in for this vocal cameo. Winter boasts experience in voice acting, having starred in numerous Disney animated shows and also as a moogle in several Final Fantasy titles. Given the connection with Square Enix, it’s not shocking that she made it over to Kingdom Hearts. It's also amusing to consider that this Modern Family star was also dabbling in JRPGs on the side.
#3: Drake Bell
“Kingdom Hearts III” (2019)
This samurai inspired Keyblade Master was already previously portrayed before Kingdom Hearts III, and portrayed well by a renowned voice, Star Wars and Batman actor Mark Hamill. However, in Kingdom Hearts III's flashbacks to several decades prior, players witness Eraqus and Xehanort as children. Surprisingly, the voice behind Eraqus is none other than Drake Bell. From Drake and Josh! Unsurprisingly, he gives a brilliant performance with just the right amount of youthful energy.
#2: Dylan Sprouse
“Kingdom Hearts III” (2019)
Fans remain perplexed by this character. Initially introduced as a video game within Kingdom Hearts III's Toy Story world, Yozora and his mysterious urban dimension resurface as a boss in the Re Mind DLC. Strangely, he plays a pivotal role in locating the missing Sora and revealing an alternate reality. It's puzzling how Square Enix managed to enlist this former Disney Channel star to voice him, especially considering he’s taken a step back from acting. Additionally, Yozora is so emotionally detached that virtually anyone could have portrayed him. So why Dylan Sprouse? What aren’t we getting? Either way... Great job.
#1: Christopher Lloyd
“Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind” (2020)
When it comes to casting the series' primary antagonist, Nomura consistently turns to sci-fi legends. Initially, Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame lent his voice to the character of Xehanort, until his untimely death. Rutger Hauer, known for his role in Blade Runner, stepped in for the climactic Kingdom Hearts III, only to also pass away shortly thereafter. Enter Christopher Lloyd, renowned for his role in Back to the Future. Lloyd assumed the role of Xehanort in Re Mind and the subsequent entry, Melody of Memory. And he should maybe keep an eye on his health... No reason.
