Top 10 Pop Stars Who Voice-Acted for Animated Movies
#10: Bruno Mars “Rio 2” (2014)
The sequel to 2011’s “Rio”, “Rio 2” complemented its already stellar voice cast with a host of new and talented people. Leading this new batch of celebrities was Bruno Mars; and Andy Garcia, Amandla Stenberg and Janelle Monáe accompanied him. Mars played Roberto, a childhood friend of the Anne Hathaway-voiced character, Jewel, who much like his real-life counterpart is blessed with an incredible vocal range. Despite a dip in ratings, the sequel managed to rake in even more than its predecessor, leading to discussions about a possible third installment in the franchise. Whether or not Mars will return remains to be seen.
#9: Katy Perry “The Smurfs” franchise (2011-13)
Based on the iconic comic book series of the same name; of which there have been countless adaptations, “The Smurfs” and its sequel took everyone’s favorite little blue creatures on adventures to New York City and Paris. A mixture of live action and animation, the film brought together a slew of incredibly talented celebrities; led by Katy Perry’s Smurfette. According to the 13-time Grammy nominee, the producers had been doing blind tests to see which voices worked best for Smurfette, and selected her voice “without even knowing who it was”. Imagine their surprise when they found out the voice belonged to one of the biggest pop stars on the planet!
#8: Rihanna “Home” (2015)
“Home” is about a young girl named Tip who goes on the run after Earth is invaded by an alien race known as the Boov. Rihanna headlines the film alongside perennial funnyman Jim Parsons. The two make for an unlikely team, but their on-screen chemistry – or on microphone chemistry – is top notch! Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film still managed to pull in just under $400 million at the box office and later spawned the Netflix animated series “Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh”. Unfortunately, neither Rihanna nor Parsons reprised their roles.
#7: Jennifer Lopez “Ice Age” franchise (2002-)
When it comes to all-star voice casts, you’d be hard pressed to find one better than this! “Ice Age: Continental Drift” brought back fan favorites Ray Romano, Queen Latifah and John Leguizamo and complemented them with a host of new voices that included Drake, Aziz Ansari, Rebel Wilson, Peter Dinklage and oh yeah, Jenny from the Block! The chart topping singer and actress played Shira, a now-extinct mammal known as a Smilodon, who falls head over paws for Dennis Leary’s Diego. Lopez would not only appear in the film’s sequel, she’d also nab a role in “Home” alongside Rihanna. It seems her voice acting talents are in high demand!
#6: Miley Cyrus “Bolt” (2008)
Despite being in the middle of her “Hannah Montana” years and fresh off the release of her sophomore album “Breakout,” Miley Cyrus somehow found time to appear in this Disney flick! “Bolt” is about a dog who, upon learning that his owner has been kidnapped, em”barks” – no pun intended – on a cross-country adventure to get her back! Cyrus plays Penny, the dog’s owner who we later learn was never actually in any danger, but simply the victim of her own pet’s delusions. The film picked up a slew of nominations – including one at the 81st Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature – but was constantly bested by another Disney flick: “WALL-E”.
#5: Justin Timberlake “Trolls” (2016)
Justin Timberlake is no stranger to the world of animated movies, having appeared in “Shrek the Third” and “Yogi Bear” respectively. However, one could argue that his turn in “Trolls” is his best voice acting performance to date. The film is about a couple of trolls, played by Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, who must team up in order to save their race from a group of troll-eating monsters called the Bergens. A enthralling musical with no shortage of over-the-top performances; “Trolls” earned Justin Timberlake Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his song “Can’t Stop the Feeling” – as well as a Grammy win – and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
#4: Shakira “Zootopia” (2016)
Yes, even the woman with the most honest hips in the music industry has tested the waters with voice acting! As the title implies, “Zootopia” is about a world in which anthropomorphic animals run the show. Despite only appearing in the small role of Gazelle, the fictional world’s biggest pop star, Shakira must have been pretty happy to have her name in the credits, as “Zootopia” wound up being the fourth highest grossing film of the year! Not only did it rack in more than a billion dollars at the box office, but it also nabbed the award for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. Well played Shakira, well played.
#3: Selena Gomez “Hotel Transylvania” franchise (2012-)
After his wife is killed by a mob of angry humans, Count Dracula opens the world’s first hotel for monsters in Transylvania. But when a human boy accidentally discovers the hotel, it’s up to Dracula to keep him away from his “teenage” daughter Mavis. A wacky comedic romp filled with hilarious voice performances from Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez as Mavis, “Hotel Transylvania” and its sequel were a big time hit with moviegoers. Gomez shines despite being surrounded by a plethora of uber-talented voice actors; making it abundantly clear that singing is not her only strong suit!
#2: Beyoncé “epic” (2013)
Beyoncé’s film roles have been few and far between, so you can imagine how pumped we were when we found out she’d be appearing in an animated movie (her first) alongside the likes of Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried and Christoph Waltz. The film is about a teenage girl who finds herself transported to a magical forest where she is thrust into a battle between good and evil. Beyoncé plays Queen Tara, the forest’s queen, who is searching for an heir to her throne. Despite being one of the film’s smaller roles, Beyoncé straight up kills it; which makes her appearance in Disney’s upcoming “Lion King” remake all the more exciting! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Sia “My Little Pony: The Movie” (2017) Avril Lavigne “Over the Hedge” (2006) Taylor Swift “The Lorax” (2012)
#1: Mandy Moore “Tangled” (2010)
Whoever was in charge of casting for this film, we salute you! “Tangled” stars Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi in a retelling of the classic fairy tale “Rapunzel”. Produced by Disney, the film was a massive critical and commercial success, taking home just under $600 million at the box office en route to an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature. Moore’s performance was a big reason for the film’s success and the singer / actress claimed that by playing a Disney princess, she had achieved her “ultimate childhood dream”. This is one pop star we hope lends her voice to more animated work in the future!