Popular Male Voice Actors

Voice acting is used in many aspects of the entertainment industry. From children’s cartoons to movies and even video games, there’s a massive need for voice actors, especially male voice actors. 

There’s more to male voice actors than meets the eye. Their variety of ranges, abilities and styles can help them excel in one role over another.

In this article

1. The Male Voice: Vocal Range, Voice Types and Roles
2. Popular Male Voice Actors
3. The Role of the Male Voice in Advertising Over the Decades
4. Trends in Casting for the Male Voice for 2023
5. Final Thoughts

Let’s examine the vocal range, roles and some famous male voice actors.

The Male Voice: Vocal Range, Voice Types and Roles

Not every male has the same voice. Even two tenors will have different vocal ranges and sounds. There are several different voice types within the male voice, such as: 

• Bass: Bass voices have a deep tone that tends to be used in more serious and dramatic roles. It has a tone of authority that other male voice types don’t typically have. 
• Baritone: Baritone voices are the ones you might hear in a romantic or lighthearted movie. They have a higher pitch register than bass, but still have a “manly” attribute that you might hear heroes and princes have. 
• Tenor: Tenor is one of the highest pitches, higher than a baritone. These have a more youthful tone and are often used for younger, energetic, playful roles. 
• Countertenor: Countertenor is higher than a tenor. It’s almost otherworldly sounding in voice acting, so that you might hear it in unique characters and for more sensitive roles.
• Narrator: Narrator voices have a neutral tone that isn’t extravagant because they are not supposed to distract from the story they’re telling. 
• Character: A character’s voice can be used in any register, but it’s more exaggerated to create a unique personality. Cartoons typically have character voices. 

No matter what type of voice a male has, they will all have a different timbre. For example, two bass vocalists might sound very different thanks to their timbre. Timbre is determined by the size and shape of someone’s vocal cords and how the sound is produced. We can describe the timbre of a voice with words like: 

• Husky 
• Bright
• Warm 
• Nasally 
• Rich 

Some males can change the timbre of their voice with practice, but since it mainly involves their vocal cords, each voice will have its unique timbre. 

In addition to the type of voice and timbre a male can have, there’s the male passaggio (plural passaggi). Passaggio is the transition point between registers and men; they typically have two passagios. 

Even though there are three registers, there are two passaggi: one between the chest voice and one between the head voice. Depending on a male’s voice type, the passagio will differ depending on the notes they can hit. Generally, the passaggio for male voices happens between E-flat and G notes, above the middle C note.

Many males struggle with switching between their chest, middle and head voices, but with practice, they can easily transition without straining their vocal cords. The good news is that when voice acting is strictly speaking and not singing, dealing with passaggio isn’t nearly as important. 

Popular Male Voice Actors

There are many male voice actors, but below are some of the most popular and famous characters they voiced. 

The Role of the Male Voice in Advertising Over the Decades

Advertising has been utilizing voice actors for decades. Voice actors have been the best way to create meaningful advertisements on the radio and podcasts. Male and female voices can be used in advertising, but the role of the male voice is far more prominent. 

Many people prefer to use a male voice actor for advertising because they tend to provide a more authoritative tone, which allows people to feel more confident when purchasing the product they’re advertising. 

That’s why many companies seek male voices over female voices.

Even still, how companies have utilized male voice actors through the decades has changed significantly. 

1950s-1960s

During this time, male voices were used more than female voice actors in advertising because people believed they had a more straightforward and authoritative tone. 

This period strongly impacted traditional gender roles, so using male voices for commercials and advertisements was common. These voices were used to sell cars, household appliances and cigarettes, among other things. 

1970s-1980s

The following decade saw a shift in social norms and gender roles. While male voice actors were still the superior advertisement choice, there were more diverse voices. 

They reflected different demographics, not just the “strong, masculine and authoritative” voice. Male voices in this period were more relatable and conversational. We saw a shift from traditional gender roles to focusing on individualism. 

1990s-2000s

As we entered the digital media age, male voices in advertising started to be more targeted and sophisticated. Companies would find male actors who could tailor their voices to specific marketing messages. 

Male voice actors were using their voices to target specific demographics, which opened doors for voice actors from these demographics. The voices seemed more nuanced and had more range than in previous decades. 

2010s-2020s

Nowadays, male voice actors in advertising have become highly diverse and more inclusive. It’s no longer just authoritative, white men voicing roles, but men from different ages, tones and demographics. 

Even though we cannot see the face behind the voice, companies are placing higher importance on inclusivity and diversity. Instead of hiring an authoritative male voice because they believe it will do better, they hire voice actors who align with their company’s goals and values. 

Trends in Casting for the Male Voice for 2023

Knowing how male voice-acting trends have changed in the last several decades, what does that mean for male voices in 2023? It’s hard to say precisely what we will see within the industry, but we believe a few trends will remain at the forefront through 2023 and the rest of the decade. 

Emotional Intelligence

Voice actors can showcase emotions and emotional intelligence, which is something not everyone can do. In 2023, we’ll see more male voice actors landing roles if they can convey emotional intelligence through acting. 

Companies want it to sound natural and not forceful when speaking with emotion. This will allow them to connect more authentically with their audience. 

Authenticity

Consumers of products and entertainment crave authenticity. We want to hear those promoting products care about what they’re selling, and we want characters we’re watching to sound like they would have a voice behind them. 

We’ll see a significant emphasis on authenticity throughout the year and beyond. For advertising specifically, we think we’ll see a shift in hiring male voice actors that sound less polished and more natural because it feels more conversational than salesy. 

Personalization

Technology is constantly evolving; as it does, we’ll see more personalization in advertising and male voice acting. Companies will start delivering personalized messages based on specific interests. 

Inclusivity

Within the last few decades, we have seen a trend of inclusivity for male voice actors, and we don’t see this slowing down anytime soon. Casting for male voices will emphasize diverse voices representing different races, cultures and backgrounds. 

Continuing to hire voice actors with inclusivity in mind will open up more doors for male voice actors from non-traditional backgrounds, voices and races. 

eLearning

We already see male voice acting in advertisements, TV shows, movies and video games. Still, as schools continue to provide eLearning opportunities, we’ll see the need for more male voice actors to assist with the shift. 

This could include hiring male voice actors to read professor notes in a lecture format, ask questions for tests, or any other aspect of eLearning that will help make it more accessible. 

Audiobooks

Audiobooks are anything but new, but with reading for pleasure on the rise again, the need for male voice actors to read books will continue to rise. Whether it be the whole book or a unique role within the book, we think more people will be seeking male voice actors to assist with publishing audiobooks in 2023. 

Final Thoughts

Male voice actors have been an essential part of society for decades. From helping with advertisements, reading books, voicing some of your favorite cartoon characters and more, these jobs aren’t going anywhere.