15 Surprising Celebrities Behind Iconic Animated Characters You Totally Didn’t Know
Ever watched a cartoon and thought the voice sounded strangely familiar? Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are hiding behind your favorite animated characters, and you never even noticed.
Action heroes, pop queens, and blockbuster icons have been sneaking into animated worlds for decades, adding star power and surprise to every scene. Press play, grab your popcorn, and discover the jaw-dropping celebrity voices behind the characters you thought you knew!
1. Angelina Jolie as Lola in Shark Tale
Hollywood royalty meets the ocean floor! Angelina Jolie voiced Lola, a sly and glamorous fish with serious attitude, in the 2004 animated hit Shark Tale.
Her naturally magnetic voice made Lola one of the most unforgettable characters in the whole film.
If you ever rewatched the movie as an adult, that smooth, confident voice probably started sounding very familiar. Jolie brought real star power to an animated fish, which is honestly impressive just saying!
2. Ellen DeGeneres as Dory in Finding Nemo
Few animated characters have stolen hearts quite like Dory, the forgetful but fiercely loyal blue tang fish from Pixar’s Finding Nemo. Ellen DeGeneres brought her signature humor and warmth to the role, making every scene feel spontaneous and real.
What made the casting so perfect? Ellen’s naturally upbeat personality matched Dory’s bouncy optimism almost effortlessly.
The character became so beloved that Pixar made an entire sequel just for her. Not bad for a fish who can’t remember anything!
3. Christian Bale as Thomas in Pocahontas
Long before he became the Dark Knight, Christian Bale was voicing Thomas, the nervous and loyal sidekick to John Smith in Disney’s Pocahontas back in 1995. Most fans had absolutely no idea Batman once wore colonial-era cartoon boots.
Bale was only a teenager when he recorded the role, and his performance added a genuine youthful nervousness to the character. How wild is it that one of Hollywood’s toughest action stars got his animated start in a Disney love story?
4. Miley Cyrus as Penny in Bolt
Back in 2008, Miley Cyrus was already a massive star thanks to Hannah Montana, and Disney decided to bring her into the animated world too. She voiced Penny, a sweet girl who truly believes her dog Bolt has real superpowers.
Her performance felt genuine and emotionally grounded, which made the film’s heartwarming moments land perfectly. If you grew up watching Bolt and had no idea Hannah Montana was behind Penny’s voice, you are definitely not alone.
Mind officially blown!
5. Rihanna as Tip in Home
Pop superstar Rihanna stepped into animated territory in 2015 by voicing Tip, a resourceful and spirited girl who teams up with a clumsy alien named Oh in DreamWorks’ Home. Her voice brought genuine spunk and heart to the character.
Rihanna also contributed several songs to the soundtrack, making her impact on the film even bigger. Where most might expect her behind a microphone on stage, she proved equally captivating behind one in a recording booth.
Double talent, no question!
6. Robin Williams as Genie in Aladdin
Though this one is slightly more well-known now, audiences in 1992 were genuinely shocked to hear Robin Williams’ voice exploding out of that magical blue Genie. His improvisational comedy completely transformed how voice acting worked in Hollywood animated films.
Williams reportedly recorded hundreds of hours of material, riffing jokes and impressions that animators then built scenes around. That had never been done before at that scale.
His Genie didn’t just make kids laugh; he changed the entire animation industry forever.
7. Beyonce as Queen Atta in The Lion King 2019
Queen Bey voiced Nala in the 2019 photorealistic remake of The Lion King, bringing royal energy to Simba’s childhood friend turned fierce partner. Her voice carried warmth, strength, and unmistakable star presence all at once.
Beyonce also curated and performed on The Lion King: The Gift album, making her contribution far beyond just a few recorded lines. However, many casual moviegoers sat through the whole film without realizing that voice belonged to one of music’s biggest icons.
Iconic, literally!
8. Demi Moore as Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Demi Moore brought Esmeralda, one of Disney’s most fearless heroines, to life in the 1996 film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Her voice gave the character a grounded, real-world toughness that set Esmeralda apart from other Disney leading ladies of the era.
Interestingly, Moore did not perform the character’s singing parts, those were handled by singer Heidi Mollenhauer. Still, her spoken performance shaped how audiences connected with Esmeralda emotionally.
Two voices, one unforgettable character. Pretty cool teamwork!
9. Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots in Shrek 2
Antonio Banderas turned a swashbuckling cartoon cat into one of the most beloved animated characters of the 2000s. Puss in Boots first appeared in Shrek 2 in 2004, and Banderas’ theatrical delivery made the character an instant fan favorite.
His Spanish accent and dramatic flair gave Puss a hilarious larger-than-life personality that worked perfectly as a comedy foil to Shrek’s grumpiness. The character eventually got his own solo film and Netflix series.
Not bad for a tiny cat in boots!
10. James Earl Jones as Mufasa in The Lion King
That deep, commanding voice that made Mufasa feel like the most powerful king in the Pride Lands? That belonged to James Earl Jones, the same legend who voiced Darth Vader in Star Wars.
Talk about a resume that could shake mountains.
Jones brought a quiet dignity and warmth to Mufasa that made the character’s famous scenes genuinely emotional for both kids and adults. When that voice spoke from the clouds, everyone believed it.
Some voices are just built for royalty, plain and simple.
11. Scarlett Johansson as Kaa in The Jungle Book 2016
Kaa the hypnotic python got a voice upgrade in the 2016 live-action Jungle Book remake, and it came from none other than Scarlett Johansson. Though Kaa only appears briefly, her smooth, whispery delivery made the scene genuinely spine-tingling.
Johansson swapped Kaa’s original male voice for something far more mesmerizing and mysterious. If you blinked during that scene, you might have missed one of the coolest casting choices of the whole film.
Short but absolutely unforgettable!
12. Eddie Murphy as Donkey in Shrek
Without Eddie Murphy’s legendary comedic energy, Donkey would just be a background character in a fairy tale parody. Instead, Murphy turned him into the heart and soul of the entire Shrek franchise, delivering jokes with perfect timing every single time.
Murphy reportedly improvised many of Donkey’s funniest lines, giving the character a spontaneity that felt totally alive on screen. How many animated sidekicks have actually outshone the title character?
Donkey just might be the greatest animated best friend ever created!
13. Cate Blanchett as Hela in Thor Ragnarok Animated Tie-Ins
Cate Blanchett brought terrifying elegance to Hela, the Goddess of Death, in Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, and her voice work carried over into several animated adaptations and tie-in content for the character. Her theatrical delivery made Hela feel genuinely dangerous.
Blanchett’s ability to shift from warmth to menace in a single sentence is rare, and it made Hela one of Marvel’s most memorable villains. Even in animated formats, that voice commands every room it enters.
Royally chilling!
14. Tom Hanks as Woody in Toy Story
Tom Hanks giving voice to a pull-string cowboy toy might sound unusual, but it turned into one of cinema’s most iconic pairings. Woody became the emotional anchor of the entire Toy Story franchise, and Hanks’ earnest delivery is the reason audiences cared so deeply.
Hanks has said the role holds a special place in his heart, and that genuine affection comes through in every line. Across four films spanning 24 years, his voice kept Woody feeling warm, real, and completely timeless.
True friendship, animated!
15. Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi in The Lion King
Shenzi, the sharp-witted leader of the hyena trio in The Lion King, had one of the most recognizable voices in the whole film. Whoopi Goldberg brought her signature wit and timing to the role, making Shenzi funny and menacing at the same time.
Though hyenas are technically the villains’ sidekicks, Shenzi often felt like the smartest character in every scene she appeared in. Goldberg’s quick delivery gave the character a street-smart energy that kids loved and adults quietly admired.
Hyena goals, honestly!
