Top 10 Over the Top Voice Acting TV Performances
#10: Mark Hamill as Joker Various
Top 10 Mark Hamill Voice Performances
For years, Luke Skywalker himself provided the voice for the legendary villain in DC animation. He’s widely hailed as one of the best to portray the Joker, and the sheer number of installments he was brought on for is a testament to that. The sometimes almost silky delivery Hamill employs is perfect for a character as creepy, sinister, and truly deranged as the joker. Other times, his inflection is all over the place, with nasally tones, gruff yells, and maniacal laughter to boot. He’s got range, folks! We can only imagine how much fun Hamill had in the booth with this one.
#9: Grey DeLisle as Azula “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)
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Grey DeLisle has so many iconic roles but perhaps none as over-the-top as Princess Azula. DeLisle has been quoted saying the Princess of the Fire Nation was her favorite to voice, so maybe that has something to do with it. She goes quite high-pitched for this character and at a rather loud volume as well, but nothing is as stellar as the unbridled haughtiness DeLisle manages to employ. If Azula so much as looked at us the wrong way, we might burst into tears, so there’s that. From spine-chilling calm to fits of outrage by the very end of the series, Grey DeLisle makes Azula one scary teenager.
#8: Alex Hirsch as Grunkle Stan, Soos, & Bill “Gravity Falls” (2012-16)
Does the criteria “over-the-top” include the volume of characters one voices because, if so, bonus points to Alex Hirsch! As the creator of the show, we bet he knew exactly what each of his characters should sound like, and it’s wonderful how effortlessly he was able to bring them to life. Not only do Grunkle Stan, Soos and Bill all sound completely different, their voices are also perfect for their character designs. Grunkle Stan sounds as rough-around-the-edges as he looks, Soos is the perfect oddball, and the triangle demon… Now, that is over-the-top.
#7: Kaley Cuoco as Harley Quinn “Harley Quinn” (2019-)
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We’d hardly expect the voice of Penny Hofstadter and Harley Quinn to be one in the same, but stranger things have happened. Plus, Kaley Cuoco is perfectly cast! A modern, liberated Harley feels like she shouldn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks and that’s exactly the route the creators took. This version of Quinn is yelling a good 95% of the time, but she’s got just enough of that classic Brooklyn accent to remind you of her roots. High-pitched, rowdy, and just the right kind of annoying, this character’s voice has all the enthusiasm we could want and is especially endearing in contrast to Poison Ivy’s grounded, deadpan delivery.
#6: John DiMaggio as Dr. Drakken “Kim Possible” (2002-07)
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As far as campy villains go, Dr. Drakken has it all. The unnatural skin tone, the convoluted plans, the considerable incompetence and, most importantly, the evil laugh. Oh, and the catchphrases! We can’t forget the catchphrases. John DiMaggio is responsible for bringing so many of our favorite cartoon characters to life, but Dr. Drakken might just be the one with the most flair. Beyond just the quality of his voice, he puts on an accent that’s intended to be reminiscent of Harvey Korman, and does so with some major melodrama. If there’s one thing that always gets us, it’s when Dr. D starts out low and frustrated before eventually erupting in a giant burst of anger.
#5: Ashley Tisdale as Candace Flynn “Phineas and Ferb” (2007-)
While this entire show is pretty unforgettable, it’s hard to deny that Ashley Tisdale’s Candace is pretty much the star. We bet just mentioning her is enough to conjure up the famed catchphrase. Speaking of famed catchphrases, it’s relatively impossible to talk about over-the-top voice performances without giving a shout out to Dan Povenmire’s Dr. Doofenshmirtz. There’s something so funny about made-up accents and this show’s antagonist does not disappoint. In a series full of colorful voices and even flashier characters, it’s an impressive feat to stand out. Then again, with how frequently Candace is yelling (or freaking out over something), maybe it’s not such a surprise.
#4: Gilbert Gottfried Various
So, admittedly, this one’s not so much about the roles as it is about the man with the voice. Gilbert Gottfried was known primarily for his shrill voice and exaggerated manner of speaking. This made him absolutely perfect for voicing eccentric characters. We could not imagine Jafar’s bird, Iago, would have had quite the same comedic effect if he were voiced by anyone other than Gottfried. The actor would reprise the role in the spinoff series, where he’d get even more space to shine as the primary complainer of the group. The more long-running TV role Gottfried was known for is, of course, PBS’ “Cyberchase” which is still airing today.
#3: Eartha Kitt as Yzma “The Emperor's New School” (2006-08)
All we can say is thank the cartoon gods Eartha Kitt decided to continue her part as Yzma for the spinoff series of Disney’s “The Emperor's New Groove”. She’s absolutely inimitable and it would have not been the same without her. At least once an episode, we were blessed with her phenomenal evil cackle and a brilliant exclamation of “Pull the lever, Kronk!” Kitt certainly went all out for this character and we wonder if she ever lost her voice during the recordings given just how frequently and extensively she was projecting. Even better were her exchanges with Patrick Warburton’s Kronk. A true queen of theatrics, they just don’t make ‘em like Eartha Kitt anymore.
#2: Seth MacFarlane as Half of “Family Guy” “Family Guy” (1999-)
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Seth MacFarlane’s talents seem to know no bounds. Not only is he the creator or co-creator of multiple acclaimed shows, including “Family Guy”, it appears he’s able to make his voice sound however he wants. From Peter to Stewie to Quagmire to Brian, you’d hardly know it was the same man puppeteering them all. Each is just as unique as the last – except for maybe Brian – and they’re all quite exaggerated which is what makes them so great. It also makes their every interaction that much funnier. If you want excessive and boisterous, look no further than the Griffin family. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Nick Kroll as Almost Everyone in “Big Mouth”, “Big Mouth” (2017-) Maurice, Coach Steve, Rick & Last but Certainly Not Least… Lola Ugfuglio Skumpy! Alan Tudyk as Ludo, “Star vs. the Forces of Evil” (2015-19) We Know Where to go for All Our Whiny-Voice or Strange-Accent Needs Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck, “DuckTales” (2017-21) Anyone Who Can Do a Donald Duck Impression Is Legendary in Our Books! Amanda Leighton as Polly Plantar, “Amphibia” (2019-22) Loud, Intense Siblings Rejoice! Tara Strong as Timmy Turner, “The Fairly OddParents” (2001-17) How High in Her Register Do You Think She Has to Go?
#1: Tom Kenny as SpongeBob “SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-)
Top 20 Over the Top Voice Acting Performances
This is it, folks, the cartoon character who shaped a generation. Few voices are as recognizable as that of SpongeBob Squarepants and that’s largely in part to how distinct and extraordinary it is. Tom Kenny is a man of many wonderful voices including “Adventure Time’s” Ice King, Heffer Wolfe from “Rocko's Modern Life”, and the Mayor from “The Powerpuff Girls”. While Ice King closely rivals the over-the-top quality, here, it’s SpongeBob’s laugh that wins the battle in the end. If we’ve learned one thing from this list it’s that big, unique voices are often the ones most cherished when it comes to memorable cartoons.
