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VOICE OVER: Emily - WatchMojo WRITTEN BY: Spencer Sher
#20: Halsey
“Teen Titans Go! To the Movies” (2018)
Despite a lack of film credits to her name, this Grammy nominated singer-songwriter still managed to land one of the most iconic roles in pop culture history: Wonder Woman. Halsey voiced the DC heroine in “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies”, which expanded upon the hugely successful “Teen Titans Go!” TV series. Numerous A-list celebrities joined the ranks of the show’s regulars - including Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, and Michael Bolton – and they helped to turn the film into a critical and commercial success. Halsey’s role in the film was a relatively small one, but the fact that she got to play Wonder Woman no doubt allowed her to check off a box on her bucket list!
#19: will.i.am
“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” (2008)
Will.i.am has lent his voice to a number of animated films and TV shows over the years. However, for this list we’re going with his performance in “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”. The Black Eyed Peas frontman plays Moto Moto, a smooth-talking hippopotamus that all the female hippos can’t seem to get enough of. Naturally Gloria soon finds herself falling for Moto Moto’s charms, and the two even go on a date at one point. Will.i.am stated that he used his “deep dark chocolate voice” for the character, something he describes as being “like Barry White, but cooler.” We’re hard pressed to disagree with him on that one!
#18: Kelly Clarkson
“Trolls: World Tour” (2020)
The sequel to the 2016 smash hit “Trolls” starring Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, “Trolls: World Tour” was one of the many films affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Released online in April 2020, the film picks up where its predecessor left off, with new queen Poppy setting off on a quest to unite the six Troll kingdoms. During a visit to the Country Kingdom, she and Branch encounter Delta Dawn, Mayor of the Country Trolls. Voiced by Kelly Clarkson, Delta Dawn is a no-nonsense leader, who isn’t afraid to lay down the law. Of course, she also has a fantastic set of pipes worthy of Troll Idol. Clarkson’s joined by a slew of other top-notch musicians in the film, making “Trolls: World Tour” a must-see for all music lovers!
#17: Jessie J
“Ice Age: Collision Course” (2016)
English singer Jessie J is better known for her chart-topping songs than she is for her voice work. Perhaps that’s why she decided to lend her voice to the fifth installment in the “Ice Age” franchise: resume diversification. “Ice Age: Collision Course” sees Jessie J voicing a sloth by the name of Brooke who naturally catches the eye of Sid. Brooke proves an important ally to Manny, Sid, and the gang, helping them with their plan to save the earth from an incoming asteroid. In comparison to the other films in the series, “Collision Course” wasn’t exactly a home run. Still, it gave Jessie J a chance to prove she’s more than a one-trick pony!
#16: Shawn Mendes
“Underdogs” (2016)
Arguably the strangest entry on our list, Shawn Mendes lent his voice to the American dub of this Argentinian animated film from 2013. Titled “Metegol” in Argentina (which translates to Foosball), the film was renamed and redubbed for American audiences, with celebs like Ariana Grande, Nicholas Hoult, and Katie Holmes providing voice work. Mendes, who was just 15 years old at the time, voiced Jake, a foosball player in love with a girl named Laura. The film was a hit in Argentina, but the American version, which was released direct-to-video three years later, was seen as a failure. Seeing as how “Underdogs” is the only film Mendes has appeared in, we wonder if the experience was a positive one for the artist.
#15: Bruno Mars
“Rio 2” (2014)
The sequel to 2011’s “Rio”, “Rio 2” complemented its already stellar voice cast with a host of new and talented performers. Leading this new batch of celebrities was Bruno Mars, along with Andy Garcia, Amandla Stenberg and Janelle Monáe. Mars played Roberto, a childhood friend of the Anne Hathaway-voiced character, Jewel, who much like his real-life counterpart is blessed with an incredible vocal range. Despite a dip in ratings, the sequel managed to rake in even more than its predecessor, leading to discussions about a possible third installment in the franchise. Whether or not Mars will return remains to be seen.
#14: Avril Lavigne
“Over the Hedge” (2006)
Canadian singer Avril Lavigne is not known for her acting. In fact, prior to “Over the Hedge” she had only appeared in two films; one of which was a cameo. However, Lavigne did an excellent job in her portrayal of Heather, a Virginia opossum who loves to bicker with her overbearing father Ozzie. Lavigne remarked that director Tim Johnson and screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick were instrumental in making her first voice acting gig a successful one, stating “they made it go so smoothly; they made me feel comfortable.” Avril Lavigne wouldn’t lend her voice to another animated film until 2018’s “Charming,” opposite Demi Lovato…but we’ll get to her in a bit.
#13: Tori Kelly
“Sing” (2016)
This Grammy-winner lent her pipes to this 2016 animated film, which also starred the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, and Scarlett Johansson. The star-studded cast no doubt played a part in the film grossing an eye-popping $634.2 million at the box office. This was Tori Kelly’s first taste of film success, and “Sing” remains her only film acting credit to date. However, Kelly is set to reprise the role of Meena - an elephant with a bad case of stage fright - in the upcoming “Sing 2”, which is set for release in 2021. Meena was a big part of the first film, so we can’t wait to see what she (and by extension Kelly), get up to in the sequel!
#12: Sia
“My Little Pony: The Movie” (2017)
Based on the TV series “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic”, “My Little Pony: The Movie” follows Twilight Sparkle and the Mane 6 as they attempt to save Equestria from the evil Storm King. Sia’s role in the film is a relatively small one, but that didn’t stop the animators from using her likeness when creating her character. Sia voices Songbird Serenade, a pop star who visits Equestria. In addition to her voice work, Sia also contributed to the soundtrack, coming up with “Rainbow”, an original track that was later released as a single. Both the song and Sia’s voice acting work were well received, and she’s since gone on to lend her voice to a number of other animated films.
#11: Taylor Swift
“The Lorax” (2012)
Based on the Dr. Seuss novel of the same name, “The Lorax” stars Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, and Taylor Swift. The latter was definitely the outlier, as all three male leads had extensive acting experience under their belts prior to signing on. Swift on the other hand had just one acting credit to her name when she agreed to appear in “The Lorax” – excluding cameos that is. And yet, she gave an excellent performance as Audrey, the love interest to Zac Efron’s Ted. Somewhat surprisingly, Swift did not contribute to the film’s soundtrack, and although she still acts, she has yet to appear in any other animated films.
#10: Demi Lovato
“Smurfs: The Lost Village” (2017)
We told you Demi Lovato would be back! This singer and actress is no stranger to Hollywood, having appeared in a number of films and TV shows. As such, it was hardly surprising when she landed the lead role in 2017’s “Smurfs: The Lost Village”. Lovato plays Smurfette, a female Smurf who rebels against her creator in order to embark on a journey of self-discovery. Lovato’s voice fits the character perfectly, and she even gets to show off her impressive pipes at one point in the film! The experience was clearly a positive one, as Lovato would go on, as mentioned, to lend her iconic voice to “Charming”, another animated flick, in 2018.
#9: Katy Perry
“The Smurfs” (2011) & “The Smurfs 2” (2013)
And before Demi, there was Katy! Based on the iconic comic book series of the same name; of which there have been countless adaptations, “The Smurfs” and its sequel took everyone’s favorite little blue creatures on adventures to New York City and Paris. A mixture of live action and animation, the original film brought together a slew of incredibly talented celebrities; led by Katy Perry’s Smurfette. According to the 13-time Grammy nominee, the producers had been doing blind tests to see which voices worked best for Smurfette, and selected her voice “without even knowing who it was”. Imagine their surprise when they found out the voice belonged to one of the biggest pop stars on the planet!
#8: Rihanna
“Home” (2015)
“Home” is about a young girl named Tip who goes on the run after Earth is invaded by an alien race known as the Boov. Rihanna headlines the film alongside perennial funnyman Jim Parsons. The two make for an unlikely team, but their on-screen chemistry – or on microphone chemistry – is top notch! Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film still managed to pull in just under $400 million at the box office, and later spawned the Netflix animated series “Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh”. Unfortunately, neither Rihanna nor Parsons reprised their roles.
#7: Jennifer Lopez
“Ice Age” Franchise (2002-)
When it comes to all-star voice casts, you’d be hard pressed to find one better than this! “Ice Age: Continental Drift” brought back fan favorites Ray Romano, Queen Latifah and John Leguizamo and complemented them with a host of new voices that included Drake, Aziz Ansari, Rebel Wilson, Peter Dinklage and oh yeah, Jenny from the Block! The chart topping singer and actress played Shira, a now-extinct mammal known as a Smilodon, who falls head over paws for Dennis Leary’s Diego. Lopez would not only appear in the film’s sequel, she’d also nab a role in “Home” alongside Rihanna. It seems her voice acting talents are in high demand!
#6: Miley Cyrus
“Bolt” (2008)
Despite being in the middle of her “Hannah Montana” years and fresh off the release of her sophom*ore album “Breakout,” Miley Cyrus somehow found time to appear in this Disney flick! “Bolt” is about a dog who is the star of a TV series, only he doesn’t realize it’s just a show and not real life. He accidentally gets shipped across the country, from Hollywood to New York, and then em-barks on an adventure to return and “save” his owner. The film picked up a slew of nominations – including one at the 81st Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature – but was constantly bested by another Disney flick: “WALL-E”.
#5: Justin Timberlake
“Trolls” (2016)
Justin Timberlake is no stranger to the world of animated movies, having appeared in “Shrek the Third” and “Yogi Bear” respectively. However, one could argue that his turn in “Trolls” is his best voice acting performance to date. The film is about a couple of trolls, played by Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, who must team up in order to save their race from a group of troll-eating monsters called the Bergens. An enthralling musical with no shortage of over-the-top performances; “Trolls” earned Justin Timberlake Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his song “Can’t Stop the Feeling” – as well as a Grammy win – and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face! And, eventually, of course, came the sequel, “Trolls: World Tour”!
#4: Shakira
“Zootopia” (2016)
Yes, even the woman with the most honest hips in the music industry has tested the waters with voice acting! As the title implies, “Zootopia” is about a world in which anthropomorphic animals run the show. Despite only appearing in the small role of Gazelle, the fictional world’s biggest pop star, Shakira must have been pretty happy to have her name in the credits, as “Zootopia” wound up being the fourth highest grossing film of the year! Not only did it rack in more than a billion dollars at the box office, but it also nabbed the award for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. Well played Shakira, well played.
#3: Beyoncé
“Epic” (2013)
Beyoncé’s film roles have been few and far between, so you can imagine how pumped we were when we found out she’d be appearing in an animated movie (her first) alongside the likes of Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried and Christoph Waltz. The film is about a teenage girl who finds herself transported to a magical forest where she is thrust into a battle between good and evil. Beyoncé plays Queen Tara, the forest’s queen, who is searching for an heir to her throne. Despite being one of the film’s smaller roles, Beyoncé straight up kills it; which made her appearance in Disney’s later “Lion King” remake all the more exciting!
#2: Selena Gomez
“Hotel Transylvania” Franchise (2012-)
Now here’s a singing star who’s always had the acting chops, and who shines as a voice actress, too! After his wife is killed by a mob of angry humans, Count Dracula opens the world’s first hotel for monsters in Transylvania. But when a human boy accidentally discovers the hotel, it’s up to Dracula to keep him away from his “teenage” daughter Mavis. A wacky comedic romp filled with hilarious voice performances from Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg and Selena Gomez as Mavis, “Hotel Transylvania” and its two sequels were a big-time hit with moviegoers. Gomez shines despite being surrounded by a plethora of uber-talented voice actors; making it abundantly clear that singing is not her only strong suit!
#1: Mandy Moore
“Tangled” (2010)
Whoever was in charge of casting for this film, we salute you! “Tangled” stars Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi in a retelling of the classic fairy tale “Rapunzel”. Produced by Disney, the film was a massive critical and commercial success, taking home just under $600 million at the box office en route to an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature. Moore’s performance was a big reason for the film’s success and the singer / actress claimed that by playing a Disney princess, she had achieved her “ultimate childhood dream”. And she continued to kill it in the franchise’s TV sequels!
