Top 10 Underappreciated DreamWorks Voice Acting Performances
#10: Chloe Bennet as Yi
“Abominable” (2019) Chloe Bennet, who Marvel fans will recognize from “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”, has this really nice quality to her voice. It’s sort of hoarse but in this clear way that makes Bennet perfect for voice work. She becomes a very convincing teenager in “Abominable” as Yi, a girl who befriends a Yeti. Bennet gives a lot of heart to her character, but still manages to embody that awkward, unsure phase that is teenagehood. There’s a lot to love in her performance, from the more grounded exchanges with her family, to the hectic escape scenes with Everest. “Abominable” is a pretty underappreciated movie to begin with, and the awesome performances featured in it don’t get the hype they deserve.
#9: Clark Duke as Thunk Crood
“The Croods” franchise (2013-) With Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, and Ryan Reynolds being the main focus of these films, Clark Duke’s doltish but loveable Thunk is often overlooked. He provides a lot of comedic relief and the higher-pitched tone of his voice works super well for the role. Fans of “The Office” will recognize him as Clark Green in later seasons, but he might also look familiar from movies like “Kick-Ass” or “Bad Moms”. If you’re looking for more of Duke’s unique voice in a role that allows him more range and freedom to play, check out Netflix’s “Inside Job” where you’ll hear him as the excitable Brett Hand.
#8: Larry King as Doris the Ugly Stepsister
“Shrek 2” (2004) & “Shrek the Third” (2007) DreamWorks seemed to have a knack for casting every possible “Shrek” role flawlessly, including that of Doris the Ugly Stepsister. We have to wonder how this partnership came to be – we tend to picture one guy on the team just snickering to himself and asking someone to “get Larry King on the line!” King did an absolutely fantastic job with Doris. His rough and deep voice is incredible for the character, and our first time meeting her is so much better for it. We always remembered King with a rather flat, unenthused voice, but he left that at home for this performance. If that singing clip isn’t enough enthusiasm for ya, we don’t know what is.
#7: Snoop Dogg as Smoove Move
“Turbo” (2013) The Starlight Plaza Snail crew is comprised of so many stellar voices including Samuel L. Jackson as Whiplash, Maya Rudolph as Burn and Ben Schwartz as Skidmark – not to mention Ryan Reynolds in the title role. They all sound great, but the performance we’re most surprised by and impressed with has to be Snoop Dogg’s Smoove Move. He doesn’t have a ton of lines, but he absolutely crushes the ones he does. We’re not sure exactly how the lines were written on paper, but his personality definitely shines through. Combined with the animation, it’s impossible not to smile while Smoove Move is talking, and it isn’t long at all into the movie before you’re trying to place his voice because of just how recognizable it is.
#6: Kate Winslet as Rita Malone
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“Flushed Away” (2006) DreamWorks truly has no shortage of celebrities for casting. Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis all deliver fantastic performances in “Flushed Away”, but it’s Kate Winslet’s Rita who we feel doesn’t get the credit she deserves. “Flushed Away” is one of DreamWorks’s often forgotten fan favorites, and every time we watch it, we’re reminded just how good it is. Winslet does a great job with her character, from Rita’s confident demeanor to the delivery of wry British humor, to the tenser moments requiring more emotion. We shouldn’t be surprised, really – Winslet knocks everything she does way out of the park.
#5: Rihanna as Gratuity "Tip" Tucci
“Home” (2015) For someone who’s not a voice actress – or an actress at all, Rihanna totally nails this role. Opposite the wonderfully eccentric Jim Parsons, you might think it would be difficult to shine, but this is an artist who sings about “diamonds in the sky” so, really, we shouldn’t have been worried. The most interesting thing about this performance is how convincing Rihanna is. We believe her as a teenager who’s just teamed up with an alien, and we believe every emotion her voice conveys. It was also pretty rare at the time to hear someone who sounded and looked like her in the lead role of an animated production, so this is certainly one of the more meaningful and noteworthy performances on our list.
#4: Hugh Jackman as E. Aster Bunnymund / The Easter Bunny
“Rise of the Guardians” (2012) There are few actors out there who have delivery as natural-sounding as Hugh Jackman. And while the actor himself is certainly not lacking any recognition, his role in this movie is. “Rise of the Guardians” is a phenomenal film – it’s well-written, beautifully animated, and wonderfully voiced – but it’s talked about so little. The Easter Bunny is perhaps one of the movie’s most pivotal characters as the one with quite possibly the most character development aside from Jack Frost himself. There’s a moment where he takes a significant hit and, while he’s obviously demoralized by it, there’s still a lot of hilarious lines amazingly delivered by Jackman.
#3: Rosie Perez as Chel
“The Road to El Dorado” (2000) This movie is a bit of a boys club until Chel is introduced. Despite her flirtatious and crafty nature, she’s also endearingly flawed. We see her small moments of panic as she repeatedly tries to get herself, Tulio, and Miguel out of sticky situations. Rosie Perez manages to make Chel so human, despite how capable and cunning the character is. It’s difficult to keep up with the hysterical chaos that is Miguel and Tulio’s dynamic – not to mention the indisputable talent of their voice actors – but Perez as Chel definitely holds her own without a hitch.
#2: Ty Burrell as Mr Peabody
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“Mr. Peabody & Sherman” (2014) This is the most Ty Burrell role you would never even stop to think is actually played by Ty Burrell. If you’re a “Modern Family” fan, it’s hard to see Burrell as anyone other than Phil Dunphy – which is why it’s so impressive that he was able to pull off the role of a genius, overachieving, time-traveling dog. (Man, Phil Dunphy would think that was so cool…) Burrell’s voice works so great with an esteemed lilt to it, and you can just tell he had a great time in the recording booth. Once again, he plays an awesome father-of-the-year character – to absolutely no one’s surprise. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
David Schwimmer as Melman, “Madagascar” franchise (2005-)
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Woody Allen as Z Marion-4195 "Z", “Antz” (1998)
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The Stuttering Adds So Much to His Rambling
Robert De Niro as Don Lino, “Shark Tale” (2004)
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Why Doesn’t Anyone Talk About Just How Funny This Performance Is?!
Ian McShane as Tai Lung, “Kung Fu Panda” (2008)
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McShane’s Got the Whole “Menacing” Thing Down Pat
#1: Jay Baruchel as Hiccup Haddock III
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“How to Train Your Dragon” franchise (2010-) So, we’ve been trying to stay away from protagonists on this list, because they feel like an obvious choice and their performances being underappreciated would probably be a tough sell. With that said, Jay Baruchel's performance as Hiccup is something to be revered – and we’re not hearing enough reverence! From the natural cadence of his voice to the impeccable delivery he gives on every single line, Baruchel gives Hiccup ALL of his personality – and then some! [1] Of course, some of the credit has to go to the writing crew, but Baruchel manages to infuse even the most mundane lines with emotion – even if that emotion is only deadpan attempts at humor. This star cast definitely deserves their fair share of praise, but a better Hiccup could not have been cast.
