Actors—they’re a fundamental part of the entertainment industry. The acting profession can trace its roots back to ancient times in Greek and Roman amphitheaters and more, with actors being the center of our favorite modern-day TV shows and movies. However, has the profession of voice acting crossed your mind? Many acclaimed and popular animated series exist, but it seems that voice actors are generally overlooked compared to their mainstream peers. Although voice acting is done behind the scenes and does not usually require an actor to perform physically (aside from employing their voice), it is still a difficult art to master. With the talent and the proper training, one voice can transform into millions of different personas.

As the name states, voice acting is acting by providing voice-overs for characters in entertainment or commercial media like shows or advertisements. Voice actors bring life to animated films, TV shows, and video games or serve as narrators for commercials or documentaries. The voice-acting community is fundamental and prestigious, especially in countries like Japan, where the animation industry is immensely successful through anime shows and stylized games. The top voice actor—called Seiyuus—voice many of the most popular characters and are greatly respected for their talents. Like “standard” actors, voice actors often receive training through coaches or classes to refine and develop techniques.

Contrary to popular belief, voice acting isn’t just reading a script—it is learning how to portray a character in a specific way, channel the right emotions, employ the right tones, morph your voice, sync to mouth movements, and more. Lucy Liu (12) insightfully observes how “with the development of culture and the economy, the status of the voice acting industry has become more prominent.” She notes how “the demand for the voice acting in various industries has gradually expanded,” and how the profession is “a difficult and fun thing to do” because of the potential popularity and fun it can bring for those who are successful. As many can see through its recent growth, Lucy believes “it has become an industry pursued and loved by young people.” Many voice actors must also spend time creating portfolios or samples for business purposes and audition for talent agencies that will help them start their careers. Additionally, many voice actors sing professionally or as a hobby, complimenting their pleasant vocal colors or refined control of their voices.

In the Western world, some of the most prominent voice actors include Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson), Yeardley Smith (Lisa Simpson), Bryce Papenbrook (Cat Noir, Eren Yeager, Kirito, Inosuke, Rin Okumura), Tara Strong (Timmy Turner, Bubbles, Twilight Sparkle, Raven), Max Mittelman (Ryuji Sakamoto, Plagg, Saitama, Leo from FE: Fates, Itto), Tom Kenny (Spongebob Squarepants, Patchy the Pirate, Ice King, The Mayor of Townsville), Dante Basco (Zuko), and more. The voice acting community is also quite intense for the English dubs of anime media, with popular video games like Genshin Impact making a recent breakthrough for big and small voice actors for most major animated films, like those of large labels such as Disney and Pixar, celebrity actors are cast to play many main parts. An example would be Toy Story protagonist Woody, played by famed actor Tom Hanks.

Studio Ghibli is another distinguished producer of internationally beloved animated films and casts many “standard” celebrity actors for the localized versions. In particular, Christian Bale—known for playing Batman—demonstrated his acting-turned-voice acting skills in his popular portrayal of Howl Pendragon in the acclaimed Studio Ghibli movie “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004). His performance as the powerful, pretty boy wizard garnered massive praise and depicted the character in an artful way that was unique among anime dubs yet true to the original charm of the character. “Ponyo,” another popular Ghibli film, features esteemed actresses Tina Fey (Lisa) and Cate Blanchett (Granmamare). Surprisingly, the actors’ personal touch and classical acting skills almost give the films a more natural feel than other anime English dubs.

Overall, voice acting is a profession that requires nearly just as much talent as standard acting. Voice actors must possess a high artistic ability to portray colorful characters through their voices alone and provide us with some of the most beloved media throughout childhood and beyond.