Voice acting is about as timeless as it gets when it comes to movies, yet it’s often something that gets overlooked by many. For example, the Academy Awards don’t offer up a category for voice acting, meaning that plenty of great performances get ignored. It’s not simply lending a voice to a role because these actors get completely into character and deliver some of their best acting while in the voiceover booth. That’s the case no matter what genre or era you’re looking at.
While every decade has seen its fair share of stellar voice acting performances, the 2010s are kind of a special time to look at. The era was home to some truly spectacular voiceover work, whether it was in blockbuster franchises, one-off animated projects, or even some live-action films. With so many potential options to choose from in terms of great voice acting, picking out the best is more difficult than ever.
Some of the greatest voice acting performances from the 2010s have given birth to iconic characters, others have stolen the show in their respective movies, and many of them have been nominated for and even won the coveted Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production.
10
Nicolas Cage As Spider-Man Noir (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)
The vast majority of voice acting in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse could be in contention for a list like this. In a crowded field of great performances from Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, and more, it was Nicolas Cage who stole every scene he appeared in.
Cage voices Spider-Man Noir, a version of the character from a black-and-white world set in the 1930s. That gave him a fish-out-of-water element that made him hilarious, especially with the running joke that he can’t figure out a Rubik’s Cube. Cage’s raspy voice felt perfect for the gritty detective from a past era.
9
Steve Carell As Gru (Despicable Me)
In a lot of cases, an actor will voice a character and not change the way they sound from their everyday life. That’s not the case with Steve Carell in his work as Gru in the Despicable Me franchise. He debuted as the character in 2010 and has returned to voice Gru in every sequel and nearly all the spin-offs.
Carell gives a slight change to Gru, meaning that you could watch him in an interview as he slips into the character. There’s something of a European accent, and Gru speaks quickly, which makes for some great laughs. Carell has made Gru into one of the world’s most popular supervillains turned good.
8
Ginnifer Goodwin As Judy Hopps (Zootopia)
When you lend your voice to the lead character in one of the biggest animated hits of all time, you had to have done something right. That’s the case with Ginnifer Goodwin, who portrays Judy Hopps in the billion-dollar hit, Zootopia.
Judy is a rabbit who steps up as a police officer, even though others in her line of work are much bigger and tougher animals. Goodwin showcases the spunk and optimism the character needs to succeed. You believe every single word that comes out of her mouth and her chemistry with co-star Jason Bateman’s Nick comes through clearly.
7
Bradley Cooper As Rocket Raccoon (MCU)
The best voice acting done by Bradley Cooper in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came in the 2020s for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 but he’s been strong in the role since day one. Voicing Rocket Raccoon is a difficult role to stand out in because the cast of the franchise is so charismatic.
However, Cooper manages to make sure that Rocket is as memorable as it gets. He shows off the character’s sarcastic side well, while also adding emotional weight in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, where he gets more to do. When you add in that he’s one of the most prominent characters in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame and what he’s done is special.
6
Jay Baruchel As Hiccup (How To Train Your Dragon)
Like Steve Carell’s Gru, Jay Baruchel has made Hiccup completely his. Even now with someone playing the character in the live-action adaptation, it’s hard to think of Hiccup and not hear Baruchel. He was the perfect actor to voice the role.
Baruchel’s voice is unique and it sounds exactly the way you’d expect a guy like Hiccup to sound. He’s a sweet guy with a good heart, yet he’s also a bit awkward and something of an outcast. What really makes Baruchel shine as Hiccup is how you hear his confidence grow with each passing installment.
5
Will Arnett As Batman (The LEGO Batman Movie)
More people need to discuss Will Arnett when they bring up the best actors to portray Batman. He may never don the actual suit like Christian Bale or Michael Keaton, and he might not be as iconic as Kevin Conroy, but he brought something totally new to the character.
After stealing scenes in The LEGO Movie, he got his own spin-off in The LEGO Batman Movie. Arnett’s Batman voice is hilarious, working as both a fitting take and as a parody of the character’s well-known deep tones. The jokes in the film come rapidly and Arnett delivers each one expertly.
4
Idina Menzel As Elsa (Frozen)
If you’re going to voice a Disney princess, there’s a good chance you’ll be singing. All the most iconic voice performances, from Jodi Benson as Ariel to Mandy Moore as Rapunzel, involve the actor singing and Idina Menzel ranks right near the top of that list.
Menzel has a spectacular singing voice, meaning that she can deliver the goods on songs like “Let It Go” and “Into the Unknown,” making for some of Disney’s best tracks. Without her voice, those songs wouldn’t work as well and Frozen likely wouldn’t become the hit it became. Menzel is also great when sharing scenes with Kristen Bell’s Anna, as their sisterly bond is evident.
3
Ben Whishaw As Paddington (Paddington)
People love Paddington Bear for a reason and a big part of that is Ben Whishaw’s performance. The movies are live-action but the titular bear is CGI with Whishaw providing the voice and he does a remarkable job at capturing the character’s personality.
Paddington is basically as pure as soul as you’ll find on the big screen. Whishaw brings both the innocence and the charm that the bear needs to work. It helps that all the films in the franchise, especially the first two, are critical darlings, and Whishaw’s performance is a huge part of that.
2
Amy Poehler As Joy (Inside Out)
When Pixar cast the actors for Inside Out, they got it right. Whether it’s known shouter Lewis Black as Anger or the sympathetic tones of Phyllis Smith as Sadness, it’s perfect. The same goes for Amy Poehler as Joy, because Poehler brings joyful energy to everything she does.
At the time, Poehler was playing an iconic upbeat character on Parks and Recreation, which she brought to Inside Out. Every word Poehler says feels like it comes from someone who is caring and happy. Her voice is the kind of thing that literally brings joy to people, so it’s perfect.
1
Scarlett Johansson As Samantha (Her)
Despite being a massive star, Scarlett Johansson’s voice acting is rather underrated. She has played Ash in Sing, Nutmeg in Isle of Dogs, Elita-1 in Transformers One, and more, yet nothing can top what she did in the live-action film, Her.
The Spike Jonze project follows a lonely man who falls in love with his operating system, whom he names Samantha. Johansson voices Samantha and brings so much life to the character. She’s witty, flirtatious, loving, and curious, making it easy to understand why the protagonist falls in love with her. It’s truly incredible work.