Top 10 Celebs Who Voice Acted Before They Were Famous

#10: Brad Garrett

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The stars of WWE are no strangers to animation. A lesser known addition to the wrestling giant’s animated arsenal, however, is “Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling,” a short-lived CBS series that featured the voice talents of Brad Garrett in the title role rather than ‘The Hulkster’ himself. The series was one of Garrett’s first roles, but certainly not his last. He’d later go on to star as the loveably downtrodden Robert Barone in “Everybody Loves Raymond,” for which he won three Emmys, and voice characters like Gusteau in “Ratatouille.” He’s also performed as Eeyore in both “Christopher Robin” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet.”

Howie Mandel is a man now recognizable enough to play himself - something he has actually done in series like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Harley Quinn.” Before he made a big name for himself as a producer, and game show host though, Howie Mandel was more known for his work behind the scenes. He voiced characters like the lovable Mogwai protagonist, Gizmo, in “Gremlins,” the title character, Bobby, and his dad in “Bobby’s World,” and the animated muppets Skeeter, Animal, and Bunsen in “Muppet Babies.” If these characters have ever sounded strangely similar to you, you now know why - Howie Mandel himself even admits to using the same voice on all three shows!

If you’ve ever watched “Orange is the New Black” and thought that zen inmate “Yoga Jones” sounded a little familiar, you might be a ‘90s kid. Years before she joined the cast of the hit Netflix original, actress Constance Shulman provided the voice of Patti Mayonnaise, Doug Funnie’s object of affection on the animated show “Doug.” The series was unique for its focus on everyday topics like fitting in, self-esteem, and crushes rather than action-based adventures. It was this down to Earth relatability that made its characters so beloved by fans. The series’ onscreen legacy would eventually include seven full seasons, as well as a theatrically released film.

#7: Dave Coulier

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Howie Mandel wasn’t the only actor to give a voice to the iconic Henson characters. Dave Coulier would take on the mantle for Animal and Bunsen as well in 1986! Coulier also provided the voices of Bean Bunny, Statler, Waldorf and Janice. Outside the Muppet stable, he once did the voice of Tom Hanks in a 1996 episode of “Pinky and the Brain.” It’s safe to say that Coulier is better known for his work in front of the camera though, as most will recognize him as Joey Gladstone from “Full House” - who happened to be known for his impressions.

Actor Ernie Hudson is best known for his role as Winston Zeddemore in the 1984 sci-fi comedy “Ghostbusters,” but when it came time to cast the animated spinoff/sequel of the blockbuster hit, he was told he wasn’t “good enough” to voice his own character. Who was good enough? None other than comedian and talk show host Arsenio Hall - although, at the time, he was just starting out. The animated role preceded both Arsenio Hall’s talk show, “The Arsenio Hall Show,” and his break-out role in the Eddie Murphy comedy “Coming to America.” Luckily there seem to be no hard feelings between the two actors, although we’re sure it had to sting that the animated series Hudson lost out on was titled “The Real Ghostbusters.”

It’s always fun to see actors play roles that are completely different from what they were formerly known for. It’s a nice reminder of the work it takes for an actor to step into a new role, and a real testament to their talent. Alexander Gould is a great example of this. His break-out role as Nemo in Disney and Pixar’s animated film “Finding Nemo” could not be more different from his role as Shane Botwin only two years later. Shane is the foul-mouthed son of suburban mom turned weed dealer, Nancy Botwin, in the dark comedy series “Weeds” - a far cry from the sheltered clownfish audiences met in “Finding Nemo.”

Before Fergie became the “Fergalicious” pop star we know her as today, she was Stacy Ann Ferguson, a child with a dream of making it big. She grew up studying dance, and landed a role on the musical children’s show “Kids Incorporated” when she was only 8 years old. Around this time, she also started doing voice work, most notably for the series “The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show” where she voiced Charlie Brown’s sister, Sally, and Patty. The former Black Eyed Peas member later referenced her past voice acting roles when promoting her album “The Dutchess”, saying “I’ve done voiceovers all my life. [...] I like to play with different voices, which is what I’m having a lot of fun doing on this record.”

Canadian-born funnyman Phil Hartman captured the attention of American audiences with his roles on the long-running sketch comedy show, “Saturday Night Live,” where he became known for original characters like the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer and his impressions of various public figures, including former president Bill Clinton. You might also remember him from such iconic “Simpsons” voice roles as Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure. But prior to and during his time on SNL and The Simpsons, Hartman used his comedy chops to give voice to several different cartoon characters, from Henry Mitchell and George Wilson on “Dennis the Menace” to the easily angered air conditioner from “The Brave Little Toaster.” He also did additional voices for popular shows like “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo” and “The Smurfs,” solidifying his place in animation history.

#2: Michael Cera

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From films like “Juno” and “Scott Pilgrim,” Michael Cera has made quite the name for himself since his early days on “Arrested Development.” But did you know that before taking on the role of George Michael, Cera tried his hand at voice acting? That’s right, as a teenager Cera voiced several characters in Canadian cartoon shows, including Brother in “The Berenstain Bears,” Little Gizmo in “Rolie Polie Olie,” and Josh Spitz in “Braceface.” Although the shows aren’t quite as well known in America as they are in the Great White North, if you happened to catch any of them on TV you may have been witness to the beginning of Michael Cera’s career being born.

#1: James Avery

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“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” made its mark on pop culture when it premiered in 1990, telling the story of Will, a teen whose life got flipped and turned upside down when he was sent to live with his Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian in Bel Air. The character of Uncle Phil, portrayed by the late James Avery, was loved by audiences for his equally strict and caring demeanor, and has ranked among the best father figures in television history. What you may not know about “Uncle Phil” is that he also played notorious supervillain Shredder in the 1987 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated series. He even continued to play the character throughout much of his time on “Fresh Prince.” Talk about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!