# Who has given the best voice performance in a Pixar film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298 "2009-11-29T02:17:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/21 "2009-11-29T22:19:00Z")
I think a special award needs to go to Spencer Fox as Dash in The Incredibles for one very specific bit of voice-work. When he’s running away from the flying-saucer things on the jungle island and unkowningly starts running on top of a body of water, he lets out this little giggle that is absolutely pitch-perfect. It’s the joy of a boy discovering he can do something cool, with just a hint of, “Oh, man, I can really mess with some people with this.” Maybe the credit more properly belongs with the editor or director, but it’s just such a perfect little sound that I’m going to give credit to the voice actor. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/22 "2009-11-29T23:51:39Z")
Hm, interesting. One of my few complaints about Pixar movies is that they use celebrities for voices. I’d much prefer they used proper voice actors. None of the Pixar leads have been bad, per se - but to me it seems like the actors are just giving good reads of their well-established movie personalities. Example - Woody. Tom Hanks doesn’t play “Woody”. Tom Hanks plays Tom Hanks, and Pixar kind of fits the Woody character around him. Ditto on Buzz Lightyear with Tim Allen. Ellen in Nemo was good, but again she was just playing a slightly loopier version of Ellen DeGeneres. Worst offender - Billy Crystal in Monsters inc. Again, it’s not a bad performance - but it’s so clearly just Billy Crystal playing himself. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/23 "2009-11-30T00:36:06Z")
> [@SparrowHawk](#): > > No love for Brad Bird as Edna Mode? She’s my favorite (minor) character. From what I heard, they wanted Lily Tomlin to do the voice, but when she heard Brad Bird speaking the dialogue she said, “What do you need me for?” No capes! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/24 "2009-11-30T01:17:22Z")
I notice a suspicious lack of Kevin Spacey in _A Bug’s Life_. Anyways, I’d choose from: Ellen DeGeneres in _Finding Nemo_ Patton Oswalt in _Ratatouille_ Albert Brooks in _Finding Nemo_ Joan Cusack in _Toy Story 2_ Lou Romano in _Ratatouille_ But I also love: Bob Peterson in _Finding Nemo_ (he played Mr Ray the Science Teacher) Wallace Shawn in _Toy Story_ (playing Rex) Wayne Knight in _Toy Story 2_ (playing the Toy Collector, Al from Al’s Toy Barn) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/25 "2009-11-30T01:22:38Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > None of the Pixar leads have been bad, per se - but to me it seems like the actors are just giving good reads of their well-established movie personalities. Right, because when I think “indestructible superhero” I think Craig T. Nelson. > [@](#): > > Example - Woody. Tom Hanks doesn’t play “Woody”. Tom Hanks plays Tom Hanks, and Pixar kind of fits the Woody character around him. In fairness, they designed Woody then used a clip from _Turner and Hooch_ to do a test, and decided that Hanks worked perfectly. > [@](#): > > Ditto on Buzz Lightyear with Tim Allen. > > Ellen in Nemo was good, but again she was just playing a slightly loopier version of Ellen DeGeneres. > > Worst offender - Billy Crystal in Monsters inc. Again, it’s not a bad performance - but it’s so clearly just Billy Crystal playing himself. The only thing worse than Billy Crystal playing himself is Billy Crystal playing a character. We dodged a bullet there. ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/26 "2009-11-30T01:25:31Z")
Ellen Degeneres in the front; the rest, nowhere. (C’mon, _Ruffian_ here had to make a horse racing reference as part of her answer.) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/27 "2009-11-30T01:27:53Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > She’s my favorite (minor) character. From what I heard, they wanted Lily Tomlin to do the voice, but when she heard Brad Bird speaking the dialogue she said, “What do you need me for?” > > No capes! Supermodels. Ha! Nothing super about them… spoiled, stupid little stick figures with poofy lips who think only about themselves. Feh! I used to design for _gods_! ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/28 "2009-11-30T01:40:56Z")
1. Tim Allen ("Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger) 2. Craig T. Nelson- Mr. Incredible in Incredibles ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/29 "2009-11-30T02:10:58Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > Hm, interesting. > > One of my few complaints about Pixar movies is that they use celebrities for voices. I’d much prefer they used proper voice actors. > > None of the Pixar leads have been bad, per se - but to me it seems like the actors are just giving good reads of their well-established movie personalities. > > Example - Woody. Tom Hanks doesn’t play “Woody”. Tom Hanks plays Tom Hanks, and Pixar kind of fits the Woody character around him. > > Ditto on Buzz Lightyear with Tim Allen. > > Ellen in Nemo was good, but again she was just playing a slightly loopier version of Ellen DeGeneres. > > Worst offender - Billy Crystal in Monsters inc. Again, it’s not a bad performance - but it’s so clearly just Billy Crystal playing himself. While there is truth to what you say consider how much of an actor is represented by timing and voice inflection. Combine that with a writer who can write to that voice. When I saw Nemo I was so tickled by Ellen DeGeneres’ character. The way she talked to the whales was priceless and yes it was Ellen. I actually burst out laughing when I played it again and forgot to hit “play movie” only to hear Ellen saying “choose choose choose”. The creator’s of the movie knew what the were doing. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/30 "2009-11-30T03:52:44Z")
I’d have to go with Holly Hunter in “The Incredibles” for Best Actress, with Ellen Degeneres as a close runner up. For Best Actor, it’s cliche, but I gotta give it to Hanks, with Albert Brooks a close second; his work as Marlin was his finest performance. Actually, Holly Hunter has two Oscars too, so I guess that’s cliche as well. It’s hard, offhand, to think of any BAD performances in a Pixar film. None jump to mind. For supporting parts, I always liked Willem Dafoe as Gill in “Nemo,” (When I first saw the movie, of course, I thought it was Denis Leary) and Jason Lee’s work as Syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/31 "2009-11-30T04:26:33Z")
Second place: I’m gonna go with both leads in “Incredibles” I thought Holly Hunter and Craig T Nelson did FANTASTIC jobs. Winner: Whomever did “Eve” in Wall-e. When she was being concerned for him and simply said “No”, I practically cried. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/32 "2009-11-30T05:41:32Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Winner: Whomever did “Eve” in Wall-e. When she was being concerned for him and simply said “No”, I practically cried. Amazingly, this was another Pixar “promotion from within.” Elissa Knight, who provided Eve’s voice, was a mere assistant working at Pixar when she got the role. Her entire previous filmography consisted of two minor characters in “Cars” and “Ratatouille,” respectively. And yes, her performance in “Wall-E” is heart-wrenching, as is that of Ben Burtt - another non-actor - as the titular robot himself. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/33 "2009-11-30T07:26:04Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > Amazingly, this was another Pixar “promotion from within.” I was watching the extras for _UP_ and one of the artists who visited the Roraima location in Brazil spoke, and I instantly recognised his voice as Linguini from _Ratatouille_, Lou Romano. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/34 "2009-11-30T08:05:10Z")
My favorite major character is Ellen as Dory. My favorite minor character (though not really so minor) is Mary Gibbs as Boo in Monsters, Inc. “Kitty!” ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/35 "2009-11-30T08:47:17Z")
Mike Wazowski wins for me, with “Tuh-Mater, without the Tuh” and Dory a close second and third. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/36 "2009-11-30T13:20:20Z")
John Goodman as Sully. When he had to say goodbye to Boo, he broke my heart. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/37 "2009-11-30T14:27:22Z")
My top 3: John Goodman- Sully in _Monsters, Inc._ Craig T. Nelson- Mr. Incredible in _The Incredibles_ Holly Hunter- Elastigirl in _The Incredibles_ Mary Gibbs gets Honorable Mention 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/38 "2009-11-30T17:30:19Z")
I own the “Ultimate Toy Box” DVD set (a present from my wife, thanks again!) and it has various documentaries about the production process. It is clear that one of the reasons that Pixar’s films work so beautifully is that they are acted out by the writers, story people, directors and animators long before anyone touches a computer. They draw storyboards on cards that they pin up on the walls of rooms lined with corkboards and act out the story. It has to work at that level, and the characterizations are defined before the actors come in to record. So, somebody like Bob Peterson “writes” scenes with Dug by being a great storyteller. A Pixar film works as an “animatic”, a video of the still drawings of the completed storyboards with a soundtrack. If a professional actor could have done a better job as Dug, they would have cast the part. Alpha’s first appearance was, without a doubt, the hardest I have ever laughed in a movie theater. I nearly fell out of my seat, and got an endorphin rush from laughing so hard. Laughing like that, when I had been crying half an hour earlier - Up is not just a great animated film, it is a great film, full stop. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/39 "2009-11-30T23:33:40Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Wayne Knight in _Toy Story 2_ (playing the Toy Collector, Al from Al’s Toy Barn) “I can’t believe I have to drive _all the way to work_ _ **on a Saturday** _! All the way to work!” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298/40 "2009-12-01T00:15:20Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > I think a special award needs to go to Spencer Fox as Dash in The Incredibles for one very specific bit of voice-work. When he’s running away from the flying-saucer things on the jungle island and unkowningly starts running on top of a body of water, he lets out this little giggle that is absolutely pitch-perfect. It’s the joy of a boy discovering he can do something cool, with just a hint of, “Oh, man, I can really mess with some people with this.” > > Maybe the credit more properly belongs with the editor or director, but it’s just such a perfect little sound that I’m going to give credit to the voice actor. Funny, I’ve mentioned that very scene in another thread. You may not have picked up on it, but what I loved about that scene is that Craig T. Nelson mimics that sound perfectly earlier in the movie, right as the first robot cracks his back. Like father, like son. Great moment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-given-the-best-voice-performance-in-a-pixar-film/519298.md?page=3)