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#10: Emily Blunt as Tempest Shadow
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“My Little Pony: The Movie” (2017) Emily Blunt isn’t exactly a stranger when it comes to fantasy worlds - she’s starred as the beloved Mary Poppins, ventured “Into the Woods,” and even braved “Jungle Cruise.” One of her most surprising roles wasn’t even a human - it was as a little pony. Blunt voiced Tempest Shadow, the second in command to the evil Storm King. Unlike the other little ponies, Tempest Shadow has not had a great experience with the power of friendship, and she’s hoping that the Storm King will repair her broken horn. Blunt’s performance was so good that she actually helped inspire what Tempest looks like. And in case you were wondering, Blunt does sing.
#9: Joaquin Phoenix as Kenai
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“Brother Bear” (2003) Joaquin Phoenix has played some of the darkest characters in modern film. While he’s more known for his portrayal of the Joker, Phoenix has also voiced a Disney character! And the character isn’t even evil - he’s a human who’s turned into a bear. Phoenix voiced Kenai in the film Brother Bear. Kenai kills a bear in revenge for the death of his brother, displeasing the spirits, who turn him into a bear so that he can experience seeing through another’s eyes. He’s even joined by a cub bear, Koda, and the two become - you guessed it - brother bears.
#8: Hugh Jackman as E. Aster Bunnymund
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“Rise of the Guardians” (2012) When you think of Hugh Jackman, the word “Easter Bunny” is not one that usually comes to mind. But in the 2012 film, “Rise of the Guardians”, Jackman voiced E. Aster Bunnymund, aka, the Easter Bunny. The film follows a group of mythical creatures, including Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, who band together to stop the sinister Pitch Black from engulfing the world in darkness. Like Jackson, Bunny is a true Aussie, so Jackson got to speak in his true accent. He even carries around a boomerang rather than an Easter basket.
#7: Jon Favreau as Pre Vizsla
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“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2008-14, 2020) Before he started writing, directing and producing the adventures of a certain Mandalorian in a galaxy far, far away, Jon Favreau was already in the Star Wars universe. Fittingly enough, he voiced a Mandalorian - the ruthless villain Pre Vizsla on David Filoni’s series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” Pre Vizsla led the terrorist organization Death Watch, and was about as tough as they come - crossing sabers with Ahsoka, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Maul. He also wielded the Darksaber, which of course made a return in “The Mandalorian.”
#6: Tim Curry as Nigel Thornberry
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“The Wild Thornberrys” (1998-2004) Tim Curry has been known to play some wild roles, but Nigel Thornberry actually lives in the wild. Curry voiced the patriarch of the Thornberry clan, who travels the world with his family making wildlife documentaries. Despite the dangerous adventures his family would embark on, Nigel was always enthusiastic and did his best to keep his family together, even trying to entertain his bored eldest daughter, Debbie. Nigel was a true British gentleman - not just because of his posh accent, but because of his true love of kippers. Only Curry could voice such an eccentric character.
#5: John Ritter as Clifford
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“Clifford the Big Red Dog” (2000-03) Throughout his career, John Ritter appeared in over 100 films and TV series - but one of his roles was a bit furrier than the others. He voiced the loveable Clifford the Big Red Dog, the gigantic scarlet canine who is best friends with his owner, Emily Elizabeth. Ritter’s upbeat voice fit Clifford’s personality pawfectly, especially when he got into trouble. When Ritter passed away in 2003, no new episodes were made, and “Clifford’s Really Big Movie” served as the series conclusion. Today, singer-songwriter Adam Sanders voices Clifford on the 2019 PBS reboot.
#4: Michael Cera as Brother Bear
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“The Berenstain Bears” (2003-04) Before he became Mr. Manager on “Arrested Development,” Michael Cera voiced Brother Bear on an animated series of “The Berenstain Bears.” Like their literary counterparts, the animated series followed a family of bears and their day-to-day lives in Bear Country. In each episode, the characters learned a lesson such as the importance of saying please and thank you. Like Cera, the series was known for being very sweet and very Canadian. Just be sure not to mix this series up with “The BerenstEIN Bears,” as they are known in a parallel universe.
#3: Bruce Willis as Spike
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“Rugrats Go Wild” (2003) In 2003, for the first and only time, 90s kids had a dream fulfilled: they finally heard Tommy Pickles’ dog, Spike, talk! To make this momentous occasion even better, Spike was voiced by action star Bruce Willis. In Rugrats Go Wild, the Rugrats meet The Wild Thornberrys, and since Eliza Thornberry can talk to animals, she’s able to understand what Spike is saying. Spike explains to Eliza that he’s lost his babies (which she believes are puppies) and agrees to help him. It’s a bit jarring to hear Spike voiced by Willis, but since Spike behaves like a brooding action hero, Willis’s voice works. And the best part of all? You get to hear Spike sing!
#2: Bryan Cranston as Snizzard & Twin Man
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“Power Rangers” (1993) Long before he ran the streets of Albuquerque as Walter White, Bryan Cranston played a giant lizard. He wasn’t a literal lizard, but he did voice Snizzard, a reptilian creature on “Power Rangers”. Snizzard wasn’t the only enemy the Power Rangers faced that Cranston voiced. He also voiced Twin Man, a mirror monster who was the leader of the first ever Evil Ranger team. Cranston was so intertwined in the “Power Rangers'' world that they named one of the Power Rangers after him. The blue Power Ranger’s last name is Cranston. He really brought Snizzard to life in order to achieve that honor. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Scarlett Johansson as Princess Mindy, “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004)
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Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, “The Lion King” (1994)
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George Takei as Kyo Heyerdahl , “Hey Arnold!” (1996-2004)
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Jimmy Stewart as Wylie Burp, “An American Tail: Fievel Goes West” (1991)
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#1: Orson Welles as Unicron
“The Transformers: The Movie” (1986) The late, great Orson Welles, who directed “Citizen Kane”, surprised us all with his final role: voicing Unicron, the villain of “The Transformers: The Movie.” Unicron is the size of a massive planet that can eat other planets. He’s definitely got a big appetite, and his hunger only increases after he makes a deal with Megatron to give him a bigger and better body as long as Megatron destroys the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. It’s not exactly clear if Welles even understood the role he was playing, as he told his biographer that “I menace somebody called Something-or-other.” Even if Welles didn’t understand the intricacies of The Transformers, he did seem to have fun voicing Unicron.