Top 10 Actors Who Appeared in Both Marvel and DC Animated Shows
#10: Phil LaMarr
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He may have started out as a “Mad TV” cast member, but Phil LaMarr soon realized his true calling was voiceover work, and he’s appeared as some of Marvel and DC’s most powerful characters. For Marvel, he’s voiced the disastrous Nuke in “Avengers Assemble” and the mysterious Cloak in “Ultimate Spider-Man.” Both of these characters show the vastly different performances LaMarr is able to turn in. DC is where he’s truly shined, though, as the celebrated Green Lantern, John Stewart. On both “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited,” LaMarr’s layered performances gave fans reason to argue why this Lantern was better than the original.
#9: Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
This late great voice actor lent his talents to a plethora of superhero adaptations over his long career. And his roles as both friends and foes showed just how varied his performances could be. His work with Marvel saw him portray corrupt characters like Justin Hammer in “Iron Man” and the nefarious Dr. Octopus in “Spider-Man.” Although, no role gave him more credibility than Alfred on “Batman: The Animated Series.” Bruce Wayne’s butler is nurturing, brave, and humorous. This characterization gave the actor many sides to showcase. And his work demonstrated that Alfred was much more than a simple servant.
#8: Neil Patrick Harris
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Though he may be more well-known for TV roles like Barney Stinson and Doogie Howser, Neil Patrick Harris has proven he’s an excellent voice actor. He’s also proven that he’s one terrific singer and he lent his pipes to “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” as the Music Meister. This devious villain tried to take over the world by controlling others through song and was a perfectly lighthearted baddie for Harris to play. His work with Marvel, on the other hand, saw him voice one of their most popular heroes. His sardonic tone fit wonderfully with Spider-Man’s quips. So much so that he got to reprise the role in the game “Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.”
#7: Grey Griffin [aka Grey DeLisle]
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She’s made a career out of voicing awesome female characters and the same can be said of her work in the world of superheroes. “Avengers Assemble” gave her the opportunity to show how vital a member Captain Marvel is, with the character’s immense power going hand-in-hand with Griffin’s confident delivery. She’s also been given the chance to play things a bit more lightheartedly with DC. “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” saw Griffin take on the role of Black Canary, and she’s portrayed the Amazon warrior Wonder Woman in “DC Super Hero Girls.” Each character Griffin brings to life comes with the poise and self-assuredness one would expect of a hero.
#6: Will Friedle
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Chris Pratt may be film’s definitive Star-Lord, but this “Boy Meets World” alum brings all the sardonic wit and devil-may-care attitude fans have come to love about the character. Just in a more kid friendly environment. He’s voiced the character across several shows, from “Guardians of the Galaxy” to “Avengers Assemble.” Friedle is no stranger to DC either. He brought childlike wonder to Blue Beetle, a massive superhero fan who became one in “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.” Though he’s also shown he can explore darker waters in his role as Terry McGinnis in “Batman Beyond.”
#5: Clancy Brown
This well-known actor has one of the deepest and most intimidating voices out there, so it’s a good thing both DC and Marvel have taken advantage of it. Brown has portrayed the Red Hulk on “Avengers Assemble” with appropriate ferocity, though he’s also brought that intensity to Taskmaster on the same show, as well as on “Ultimate Spider-Man.” The animated role he will most likely forever be linked to, however, is that of Lex Luthor on “Justice League” and “Justice League Unlimited.” Fans of this Superman villain know him to be cunning and ruthless, and Brown nailed everything that makes the character tic in his chilling performance.
#4: Kevin Michael Richardson
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Though not quite as big of a name as others on this list, Kevin Michael Richardson has brought so many fantastic heroes and villains to life on the small screen. And there’s no doubt you’ve heard his voice somewhere. “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” saw him voice numerous villains like Black Manta and Steppenwolf, where his booming voice paired wonderfully with the comedy of the series. More recently, he’s been seen as the villain Trigon in “Teen Titans Go!” and everyone’s favorite walking, talking tree in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avengers Assemble,” and “Ultimate Spider-Man.” Just like Vin Diesel, Richardson has proved it possible to convey a multitude of emotions with three simple words.
#3: J. K. Simmons
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It isn’t often that an actor brings a character to life in live-action so well that they’re asked to reprise it in an animated format. But that’s exactly what happened with J. K. Simmons and his role of J. Jonah Jameson, time and time again. Simmons nailed the arrogant rage of the character in Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy and has reprised the role across various TV shows. While some are superhero oriented like “Ultimate Spider-Man” and “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes,” others are pure parody like “The Simpsons” and “Robot Chicken.” Though not quite as hefty, Simmons has voiced two imposing figures in “Justice League Unlimited:” Wade Eiling and the Apokolips warrior Mantis.
#2: Tara Strong
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This voice actress is one of the most prolific working today. On the Marvel side she’s voiced noteworthy roles like X-23 in “Wolverine and the X-Men,” Mary Jane Watson on “Ultimate Spider-Man,” and many other strong female characters. But she may be bit more well-known for her DC work. She’s voiced Batgirl in numerous movies and video games, as well as the series “The New Batman Adventures.” Her most iconic comic book role, however, is no doubt Raven of the Teen Titans. Strong brings a blend of confidence and darkness to the spooky half-demon, making her one of the more layered heroes on the team. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Tom Kenny Greg Cipes Dee Bradley Baker
#1: Mark Hamill
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No voice actor has become more synonymous with their comic role than Mark Hamill has with the Joker. Playfully balancing along the line of twisted and delightful, Hamill flawlessly embodied the role during his time on “Batman: The Animated Series.” He’s since voiced the character in video games and animated films, but it isn’t the only comic book role he’s taken. He’s also voiced one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains, Hobgoblin. More recently, he portrayed Ulysses Klaw in “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” Both of these Marvel roles have seen him bring the aplomb and wickedness fans have come to expect when Hamill is attached to play a villain.
