Can you think of any performers who have speaking voices that are just wonderful to listen to? Not singing voices, but only speaking. Liam Neeson comes to mind; so does Avery Brooks from Star Trek. Anybody else?
James Earl Jones and Morgan Freeman, definitely.
I heard Peter Coyote doing the voice over announcements for the Oscars one year and I thought he had a great speaking voice.
I also enjoyed Billy Crudup’s voice in the MasterCard “Priceless” commercials.
Patrick Stewart
Denzel Washington
Benedict Cumberbatch
Patrick Stewart, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Cate Blanchett.
Sela Ward.
Helen Mirren
OK, another vote for Captain Picard… oops, I meant Professor X…
Danggit. What was that guy’s name?
Tom Baker. Surprised no one’s mentioned him yet, actually.
Keith David.
He voiced Goliath in the Gargoyles cartoon from the 90’s, and currently does voice-over work for the US Navy commercials.
Sigourney Weaver
Gargyoles had a fantastic voice cast. Another one I’d nominate from the series would be John Rhys-Davies…who, of course, has done many other things since then that are probably better-known. Great voice on that man.
See Narrators and Voice-over Specialists of note for some other names.
Michael Dorn, Worf from Star Trek: TNG and Deep Space Nine
Roscoe Lee Browne, deceased, unfortunately
James Earl Jones, his voice is like melted chocolate!
~VOW
Alan Rickman
George Takei. I win.
I second Alan Rickman.
Alan Rickman. I would listen to that man read proctology exams.
Patrick Stewart. Classically trained for the win, yes please.
Judi Dench. I love the little growly bits in her voice - she’s so very expressive.
Morgan Freeman. That man can make anything sound good.
James Marsters. Very good audio-book narrator, and a lovely smooth expressive voice in general. Also a singer, although I don’t know why I was surprised by this.
For a local set of female voices, I listen to NPR, and there’s a doctorate music student in South Carolina who hosts a program on our local SC ETV / NPR called “Legacy of Opera” - her name is Michelle Wachter, and she has such an interesting voice. I love to listen to her. She drags out all of her consonants and speaks with a very obviously studied smooth inflection with very clear vowel sounds, almost like she’s created this “speaking voice” musical notation and is reciting her words as if she were singing them to an established beat and musical phrasing. Very fun to listen to, and try to imitate.
Likewise there’s another lady who hosts a program called “Your Day” created at Clemson University - her name is Dyana Daniels, and she has the most interesting speaking voice I’ve ever heard in my life. Her inflections and intonation are just freaky, but in a really inviting and strangely attractive way. I really want to meet her, to find out if she talks that way for real, or if it’s put on for the hosting of the show.
Back to people that are actually famous - I’ve always liked Viggo Mortensen’s voice. It’s a little on the reedy side, and a little nasal, but it’s pleasant and easy to listen to in a way that isn’t quite as imposing and “important” as some of the others I’ve listed. Benedict Cumerbatch falls into that category for me as well - not someone I would list as having an objectively ‘beautiful’ or ‘imposing’ voice, but one that I would be perfectly happy to sit and listen to for a long while.