In an industry where versatility is often seen as a badge of honor, many of Hollywood’s biggest stars have done voice-over work for animated movies and TV shows. From Oscar winners to action heroes, actors frequently lend their voices to help bring animated characters to life. Since the turn of the 21st century, the animation genre has experienced rapid growth, becoming one of the Box Office kings.
However, despite the booming success of animated projects and the prestige increasingly associated with them, few major A-list actors have never lent their voices to animation. Whether early in their careers or as part of a star-studded ensemble voice cast, these actors have somehow never been cast in a voice role. Here are 7 famous actors who have yet to take on a voice-over animation project.
Jennifer Lawrence
Although she had her acting debut in 2006, Jennifer Lawrence’s big break came after she played Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games film series. A year earlier, she had portrayed the iconic Raven Darkhölme/Mystique in X-Men: First Class (2011), a role first played by Rebecca Romijn. Four years later, in 2015, she was named the world’s highest-paid actress.
With her work cut across action film franchises and indie dramas, Jennifer Lawrence’s movies have successfully grossed over $6 billion at the worldwide Box Office. Yet, with a growing list of credits and expanding her work, Jennifer Lawrence has yet to take on any voice-over work in animation. So far, Lawrence’s only narration project was the 2016 IMAX Entertainment documentary A Beautiful Planet.
Tom Hardy
English actor Tom Hardy has long earned a reputation for his intense performances and transformative roles. Hardy’s career skyrocketed in the 2010s, beginning with Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010). By the end of that decade, Hardy’s filmography included The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Peaky Blinders (2014–2022), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), The Revenant (2015), Dunkirk (2017), and Venom (2018). Although he’s yet to work in animation, Tom Hardy has lent his voice as the narrator of two TV documentary series, All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (2020) and Falklands War: The Untold Story (2022).
Leonardo DiCaprio
Academy Award-winning Leonardo DiCaprio is one of Hollywood’s most famous names and faces. With a career spanning three decades, DiCaprio’s films have raked in over $7.5 billion. Designated a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2014, DiCaprio is as passionate about his activism as he is about acting. The actor, who first gained international recognition for portraying Jack in James Cameron’s Titanic, has only lent his voice as narrator for a few documentaries. DiCaprio is a surprising entry in the list, as his close pals and colleagues have all done voice-over work at one point in their careers.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is one of the few living cultural icons in the film industry. He’s one of the industry’s biggest and most bankable movie stars. Cruise rose to fame in the 1980s with standout roles in films such as Risky Business (1983) and Top Gun (1986), which established him as a leading man. Over the years, Tom Cruise has become known for his work in action films, especially the Mission: Impossible franchise. While he has little time away from performing his own stunts, Cruise never took any voice-over role in his early career. Besides three documentary projects where he served as the narrator, Tom Cruise’s career is marked by live-action roles.
Daniel Day-Lewis
The highly respected and critically acclaimed English actor Daniel Day-Lewis is known for his intense dedication to his roles and method acting style. He’s often considered one of the greatest actors of his generation and possibly of all time. The three-time Oscar winner is also known for his selective filmography, having taken on only a few roles throughout his career. Being selective with roles, it’s unsurprising he has never worked on a voice-over project in animation. Unlike the others on the list, Daniel Day-Lewis has also never narrated a documentary. So far, he has retired twice from acting: first, from 1997 to 2000, to become a shoemaker’s apprentice, and again from 2017 to 2024.
Al Pacino
With an acting career spanning five decades, Al Pacino is considered one of the greatest of all time. He rose to fame in the early 1970s and is best known for his intense, powerful performances. Pacino’s breakout role was portraying Michael Corleone in The Godfather films. His portrayal of the quiet yet ruthless mob boss is still regarded as one of the greatest performances in cinema. Yet, with over 60 acting credits in film and television, Al Pacino has never voiced an animated character or even narrated a documentary.
Mark Wahlberg
American actor Mark Wahlberg is best known for his tough-guy roles and intense screen presence. However, he has avoided being typecast, with his credits spanning across action, comedy, and drama genres. Wahlberg is one of Hollywood’s leading men, with several box-office hits to his name.
From the 1997 Boogie Nights to big-budget franchises like the Transformers film series to comedy hits like Ted, Daddy’s Home, and the dramatic Arthur the King (2024), Mark Wahlberg has long carved a niche for himself in Hollywood. Yet, despite his prolific acting, Wahlberg had yet to take on a voice-over role in animation. However, he’s one actor who would soon exit the list with the upcoming Ted: Animated Series, where he’ll voice his character, John Bennet.
