Some actors are full of surprises! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the most unexpected and impactful performances from esteemed dramatic actors, in animated or dubbed roles.
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00:00 "If you only knew the power of the dark side."
00:04 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the most unexpected and impactful performances
00:09 from esteemed dramatic actors in animated or dubbed roles.
00:13 "Well, I take it from your tone that you're challenging me."
00:16 "Maybe because you're curious how I work?"
00:18 Number 10. Ming-Na Wen, Mulan.
00:21 A revelatory performance in the Joy Luck Club launched Ming-Na Wen as a consistent ensemble standout throughout the 90s.
00:28 Her big break as a lead came with the groundbreaking Disney classic Mulan.
00:32 "Graceful, polite, delicate, refined, poised, punctual."
00:43 Wen brings remarkable range to the voice of a quiet young woman who becomes a fearsome warrior.
00:48 She clearly has a lot of fun impersonating crude male egos in the Imperial Chinese Army.
00:53 "Sorry you had to see that, but you know how it is when you get those manly urges and you just gotta kill something.
01:00 Fix things, cook outdoors."
01:04 This humor is still just part of Fa Mulan's stern and occasionally heartbreaking rise to the occasion.
01:09 The uniquely evolved Disney hero earned Wen an Annie Award, then a lucrative voice acting career.
01:15 Disney continues to deliver some of her most memorable roles, including live action.
01:20 Of course, the pathos she brought to Mulan created a timeless icon.
01:24 "You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty."
01:28 Number 9. Bradley Cooper, the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
01:32 Bradley Cooper rose from irreverent comedies to become a prestigious Hollywood star.
01:37 He practically repeated that arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Rocket Raccoon.
01:41 "What's a raccoon?"
01:42 "What's a raccoon? It's what you are, stupid."
01:45 "Ain't no thing like me, except me."
01:47 The anthropomorphic high-tech space outlaw was introduced in the Guardians of the Galaxy as an unhinged comedic highlight.
01:53 Cooper's almost unrecognizable voice is perfectly in sync with Sean Gunn's energetic motion capture performance.
01:59 However, Rocket becomes the heart of the third installment that focuses on his tragic past and self-actualization.
02:05 "You still have a purpose here."
02:07 "A purpose for what? They made us for nothing.
02:12 Just stupid experiments to be thrown away."
02:15 This portrayal won particular renown for the subtle emotion Cooper brought to the volatile action hero.
02:21 It demonstrates the actor's ability to make even a talking raccoon a layered dramatic figure as much as a delightful comedic one.
02:28 "Rocket, we love you very much and we're happy you're alive."
02:31 "Well, that makes you the idiot, Sid."
02:34 Number 8. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mary and Max.
02:37 Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of the most renowned and serious actors of his era.
02:42 Even his sole animated feature was solemn and beautiful.
02:45 "I cannot understand how being honest can be improper.
02:49 Maybe this is why I don't have any friends.
02:55 Of course, except for you."
02:59 The clay-mated Mary and Max follows the relationship between two lonely pen pals over 20 years.
03:04 The title roles demand uniquely layered acting, no matter the format of film.
03:09 Tony Collette gracefully projects Mary's pursuit of love despite personal trauma.
03:13 And of course, Hoffman is remarkably dedicated to the process of emotional connection,
03:18 despite Max's anxiety and Asperger's syndrome.
03:21 "I do not feel disabled, defective, or a need to be cured.
03:25 I like being an Aspie.
03:28 It would be like trying to change the color of my eyes."
03:34 These highly praised performances brought heartbreaking depth to a surreal animation style.
03:39 Mary and Max particularly shows off Hoffman's transformative commitment to a role,
03:43 even when he's off screen.
03:45 "And that we don't get to choose our warts.
03:47 They are a part of us, and we have to live with them.
03:52 We can, however, choose our friends.
03:56 And I am glad I have chosen you."
04:02 Number 7. Ewan McGregor - Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
04:06 Pinocchio's talking cricket conscience has been adapted in many memorable forms.
04:10 Guillermo del Toro's interpretation is one of the more surreal,
04:13 but also one of the most lovable, thanks to the versatile Ewan McGregor.
04:17 "Guide him to be good."
04:20 "I'm not a governess, madam.
04:21 I'm a novelist, a raconteur, currently immersed in writing my memoirs."
04:27 As his Sebastian J. Cricket tries to get attention,
04:30 McGregor cleverly balances stuffy formality and self-deprecating humor.
04:34 He also brings a poignant heart as Pinocchio's guide.
04:37 Plus, his vocal performance on the closing number "Better Tomorrows" is well worth the wait.
04:42 "You can make it right, well worth the good fight.
04:46 And if some days have downs and lows, open your arms to better."
04:53 The quirky Mr. Cricket ends up being the ideal vehicle for McGregor's vast talents.
04:58 McGregor, in turn, delivered the spirit of del Toro's rich twist on a classic.
05:02 "Life is such a wonderful gift."
05:06 Number six, Gael Garcia Bernal, Coco.
05:09 The beloved Gael Garcia Bernal has taken his solemn charisma across the world.
05:14 He finally won fans across generations with his lively performance in Pixar's "Coco."
05:19 "No one's ever put up my picture, but you can change that."
05:22 "This is you?"
05:26 The mischievous spirit Hector's vibrant energy drives his and his
05:29 descendants' adventures in the Land of the Dead.
05:32 Bernal really gets to flex his comedic chops in his voice acting breakout.
05:35 He also gets to show off his singing with such numbers as the Oscar-winning "Remember Me."
05:40 "For even if I'm far away, I hold you in my heart.
05:45 I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart."
05:52 Of course, Bernal's portrayals of Hector's more heartbreaking or
05:56 life-affirming turns are no less infectious.
05:58 He skillfully brings that same soul to the movie's Spanish dub.
06:02 However the audience hears Bernal, his award-nominated performance is full of life.
06:07 "Come on, yell! Belt it out!
06:08 Oh, it feels good."
06:14 Number five, Robert Pattinson, The Boy and the Heron.
06:17 "Do you do that a lot?"
06:21 "Just the past couple of months."
06:22 Hayao Miyazaki's animes have drawn huge names for their English dubs,
06:26 from Michael Keaton in Porco Rosso to Christian Bale in Howl's Moving Castle.
06:30 His latest masterpiece boasts such contemporary superstars as Florence Pugh,
06:35 but many are already ranking Robert Pattinson's performance among the most iconic in these ranks.
06:40 "Be a mother. She's awaiting your rescue. I'll be your guide."
06:48 The usually sullen dramatist brings a squawking energy and very
06:51 gravelly voice to a talking gray heron.
06:53 As he leads a child through a magical world, the creature comes to project authority and heart.
06:58 Certainly, Masaaki Suda's more reserved performance deserves credit for shaping that
07:03 role in the original dub of The Boy and the Heron.
07:05 The English dub nevertheless further showcases Pattinson's intense range in voice alone.
07:11 "Say, my dog."
07:13 "What exactly are you?"
07:16 Number 4. Scarlett Johansson - Her
07:19 Scarlett Johansson is known for her dramatic scope,
07:22 and as one of Hollywood's most alluring voices.
07:25 This made her ideal casting in Spike Jonze's daring romance, Her.
07:29 "What do I call you? Do you have a name?"
07:30 "Um, yes. Samantha."
07:33 "Really? Where'd you get that name from?"
07:36 "I gave it to myself, actually."
07:38 "How come?"
07:40 "Because I like the sound of it. Samantha."
07:45 As the sophisticated virtual assistant Samantha,
07:47 Johansson portrays AI with a comforting empathy that creates a chemistry with a lovelorn man.
07:53 As he develops strange and ultimately heartbreaking feelings, so too does Samantha.
07:57 "But the heart's not like a box that gets filled up. It expands in size the more you love."
08:03 "I'm different from you. This doesn't make me love you any less, it actually makes me love you more."
08:12 This tricky love story was celebrated for pulling off the most poignantly human areas of artificial
08:17 intelligence. Johansson's profound voice work was essential to this emotional resonance.
08:21 Besides blurring the lines between humanity and technology,
08:25 her performance in Her created a new argument for placing voice acting on par with live action.
08:30 "It's a place that's not of the physical world.
08:33 It's where everything else is that I didn't even know existed."
08:39 Number 3. Jeremy Irons - The Lion King
08:42 Jeremy Irons brought prestige to a variety of roles throughout the 80s and 90s.
08:47 It was definitely a shock when he took on a Disney animated film, albeit one based on Hamlet.
08:52 But all bowed before the might of the Lion King's Scar.
08:55 "We are talking kings, not successions. Even you can't be caught unawares."
09:02 Irons' cool, calculating charisma added a new layer to the villain's vicious pursuit of his
09:07 brother's throne. Scar marked a new low in animated bad guys, with Irons taking such evil
09:13 to Shakespearean heights. "Well as far as brains go, I got the lion's share,
09:17 but when it comes to brute strength, I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool."
09:25 It was the perfect performance to win the very first Annie Award for feature film voice acting,
09:30 and to this day, many rank Irons among the most compelling performances and villains in Disney
09:36 history. "Long live the king."
09:39 Number 2. Ralph Fiennes - The Prince of Egypt
09:43 By the end of the 90s, Ralph Fiennes was one of the UK's most renowned screen actors,
09:48 and the most surprising name in the all-star cast of the Exodus adaptation The Prince of Egypt.
09:53 Less surprising was his commanding portrayal of Ramesses, Moses' adopted brother turned nemesis.
09:59 "Be still. Pharaoh speaks. I am the morning and the evening star. Ramesses, it shall be as I say."
10:10 Underlying the pharaoh's authoritative stature was a vulnerable relationship with his lineage
10:15 and brother. Fiennes realized a uniquely complex antagonist for an animated movie.
10:20 "Ramesses, please, you must listen." "I will not be the weak link!"
10:24 It was the kind of depth that eventually earned The Prince of Egypt recognition as a masterpiece.
10:29 The whole cast has gained glowing reappraisal. Fiennes' Annie Award-nominated performance,
10:34 however, was the instant standout that fans hoped for.
10:38 "Why can't things be the way they were before?"
10:40 Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions.
10:45 James Gandolfini - Where the Wild Things Are
10:47 The captivating Emmy winner finds his inner child in an anxious monster.
10:51 "I just want to talk to him." "You're out of control!"
10:53 "I'm not out of control!" "You were gonna eat him!"
10:57 "No, no, I wasn't gonna... I don't know, I just said it!"
11:02 Brad Duruf - The Child's Play Franchise
11:04 The intense character actor became a horror icon as a serial killer doll.
11:09 "Okay, sport, we're gonna have a little game of Chuck E. Sez."
11:13 Joaquin Phoenix - Brother Bear
11:15 A serious actor brings deep heart to a warrior who meddles with nature.
11:20 "I was transformed into a bear, magically. I was lifted into the sky by my brother."
11:26 "Uh-huh."
11:27 Vincent Price - The Great Mouse Detective
11:31 A distinguished horror icon provided a voice for all generations as Rattigan.
11:35 "Quite an ingenious scheme, eh, Flabberson? Aren't you proud to be a part of it?"
11:42 Douglas Raine - 2001 A Space Odyssey
11:45 A Shakespearean charisma is immortalized in the most villainous AI ever.
11:50 "Do you read me, Hal?"
11:51 "Affirmative, Dave. I read you."
11:54 "Open the pod bay doors, Hal."
11:59 "I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."
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12:19 James Earl Jones - Star Wars The Original Trilogy
12:25 David Prowse gave imposing form to Darth Vader, but the role required an equally
12:30 overpowering voice. James Earl Jones brought much more than that.
12:34 "Don't underestimate the Force."
12:36 The veteran of stage and screen has long been revered for both his massive presence and his
12:42 unmistakable deep tone. Jones still disappears into the Sith Lord with great menace. And,
12:47 as the Star Wars saga reveals the tragic backstory of Anakin Skywalker,
12:51 Jones captures the compromise of a remorseful father.
12:54 "Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes."
13:01 Vader is considered one of the greatest villains of modern fiction, largely for Jones' performance.
13:08 It was just the first of his many iconic voice roles, including Mufasa in The Lion King. Now,
13:14 many consider Jones the ultimate example of what a great actor is capable of off-screen.
13:19 "You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power."
13:25 What are your favorite performances or stunt casting for voice-only roles?
13:29 Let your voice be heard in the comments.
13:31 "Oh, I shall practice my curtsy."
13:33 "Don't turn your back on me, Scar."
13:36 "Oh no, Mufasa. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me."
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