With animated films finally receiving the credit they deserve, the people behind the scenes are also gaining credit for their hard work. Many celebrities have joined the animation bandwagon with some applauded for their incredible performances, while others failed to grasp how important their roles are.
Even Pixar, revered as one of the best animation studios, has seen both the good and bad sides of voice acting. It's not something every actor can do, but there are some who have shown their talent at Pixar, while others have let the company down.
10 Fell Short: Wall-E: Jeff Garlin Didn't Land As Captain B McCrea
With very few speaking characters, Wall-E's voice actors stood out more than they normally would. Jeff Garlin, who voices Captain B McCrea, has the most prominent speaking role. His character leads the way, not only as the captain of the Axiom but also as the first human to want to return to Earth.
Garlin's voice acting in Wall-E can be emotionally stirring to an extent, but aside from those small moments, he doesn't bring much else. He does succeed at entertaining the audience with a bit of whimsy to his voice, and it's pretty apparent that he had fun with the role. Overall, the voice acting could have been a little better.
9 Nailed It: Finding Nemo: Ellen Degeneres Makes An Unforgettable Performance As Dory
Although Ellen Degeneres found stardom through her stand-up comedy as well as her sitcom Ellen, she proved that voice acting is one of her strong talents. When performing as Dory in the film Finding Nemo, Degeneres wasn't just a silly voice.
Her comedic delivery was top-notch, but she also wowed audiences with her emotional range in voice acting. The scene in Finding Nemo when Dory is crying for Marlin not to leave her is incredibly moving solely because of Degeneres' acting. It's also her ability to jump from one emotion to another and stay true to her character that's made her performance so iconic.
8 Fell Short: Finding Dory: Ty Burrell Doesn't Show Off His Range As Bailey
Granted, Ty Burrell's character Bailey isn't given much screen time throughout Finding Dory, but sometimes that happens. Voice actors can create a character with their vocal skills regardless of how much screen time they have. In Burrell's case, there was a lot of characterization left undeveloped. This is a shame, because his voice acting does have range, as seen in Storks and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
As a beluga whale, Bailey is supposed to be able to use echolocation – but lies about a head injury preventing him from doing so. Normally this would mean there's an emotional block (or perhaps Bailey is just lazy), but that's not conveyed in Burrell's performance. That's not to say that every character has to have a tragic backstory, but a hint of something going on with this character would have provided some needed depth.
7 Nailed It: Inside Out: Richard Kind Brought A Sense Of Childlike Wonder To Bing Bong
If there's anything to learn from Inside Out, it's that Bing Bong is the best character. Granted, his design is incredibly charming and his role in the plot is inspiring and emotional, but Richard Kind's voice acting is what ties it all together.
Kind perfectly acted Bing Bong's lighthearted humor and exceptionally illustrated his loving nature through the slightest changes in his voice. It's in the little details and slight changes that Kind defines Bing Bong as an upbeat, lovable, and friendly character who is willing to do whatever it takes for those he loves. Richard Kind was the perfect choice for Bing Bong, and his performance helps define Inside Out.
6 Fell Short: Ratatouille: Lou Romano Should've Realized That Linguini Isn't From Brooklyn
For any acting job, accents are a key part of building the character as well as supporting the setting, but it's not a talent that every actor has. Lou Romano didn't necessarily need to learn French, but he could've at least toned down his own accent. Hearing a Brooklyn-accented voice try to speak French words cheapens the French setting and the accent confusion distracts from Ratatouille's story.
That being said, Romano had some good moments in his performance as Linguini, bringing in a good balance of insecurity and raw emotion that works for Linguini's character. If he'd toned down his accent just a bit then he would've been a much better fit.
5 Nailed It: The Incredibles: Brad Bird Struts His Stuff As Edna
The Incredibles has some amazing characters supported by talented voice actors, but the standout performance came from the director of the film, Brad Bird. More than just showcasing an impressive talent for voicing a differently gendered character, Bird's performance as Edna was brilliant.
It's not often in film that an older female character gets to steal the spotlight from the heroes, but thanks to Bird's boisterous performance, Edna is a fan favorite. The tones he hit and the style of his voice were the perfect choices for this eccentric character.
4 Fell Short: Cars: Owen Wilson Loses Himself As Lightning McQueen
Cars isn't Pixar's best-reviewed film, and its voice acting plays a part in its reputation. Owen Wilson has been in some wonderful films, but his performance as the film's protagonist, Lightning McQueen, isn't one of his best.
Wilson is entertaining and delivers his lines well enough to more-or-less resonate with the audience, but he doesn't add much to the already bland character. It's also one of those voice-acting performances where you can't help but picture the actor instead of the character. In Cars, Owen Wilson needed to do a lot to compensate for his very recognizable voice, but he decided not to.
3 Nailed It: Soul: Jamie Foxx Brings Soul To Joe Gardener
Everyone already knew Jamie Foxx was a talented actor, but he surprised audiences with his stirring voice performance in Soul. In the 2020 film, Foxx plays Joe Gardner, but unless you're really paying attention, you won't be able to connect the voice to the actor.
Foxx makes minute changes to his voice and matches his character to perfection. His sincere and emotional performance is the heart of the movie. Without it, Soul wouldn't be the success it was.
2 Fell Short: Cars: Larry The Cable Guy Is Sweet As Mater, But His Performance Is Disappointing
Cars 2 is one of Pixar's least well-regarded films. It focuses on Larry the Cable Guy's tow truck, Mater, saving the world when he accidentally becomes a spy. Granted, Mater isn't a terrible character. He has his own charms as a sweet and kind friend, and that is supported by Larry The Cable Guy's voice acting. However, it's hardly a nuanced performance and the comedian's overly-recognizable voice also tends to take audiences out of the film. This was fine when the character played a supporting role but playing a movie's protagonist turned out to be a hefty challenge for an inexperienced voice actor.
1 Nailed It: Coco: Anthony Gonzalez Breathes Life And Song Into Miguel
Every voice actor in Coco gave an immaculate performance, but the film's best performance comes from its youngest cast member, Anthony Gonzalez. Not only is his singing impressive and mature beyond his years, but his acting prowess in voicing Miguel is spectacular.
It's mesmerizing to hear a young actor convey raw emotion through a vocal performance, and Gonzalez's work boosted Coco's success tenfold. Throughout Coco, Gonzalez never misses a beat, adding nuance and emotion to Miguel's character. Audiences hear it when he's hurting, anxious, excited, or scared. Whatever the scene is, Gonzalez is ready with an incredible voice acting performance.