Popular Male Voice Actors

Voice acting is used in so many aspects of the entertainment industry. From voicing 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. Male voice actors have a variety of ranges, abilities, and styles that can help make them better for 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. 1950s-1960s
5. 1970s-1980s
6. 1990s-2000s
7. 2010s-2020s
8. Trends in Casting for the Male Voice for 2023
9. Emotional Intelligence
10. Authenticity
11. Personalization
12. Inclusivity
13. eLearning
14. Audiobooks
15. 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, and playful roles. 
• Countertenor: Countertenor is higher than a tenor. It’s almost otherworldly sounding in voice acting, so 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’re not supposed to take away 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 mostly has to do with 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 they can easily transition without causing strain on their vocal cords with practice. 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 a lot of male voice actors out there, but below, you’ll find 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 now podcasts too. 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. They were used for selling cars, household appliances, and cigarettes, among other things. 

1970s-1980s

The following decade is when you saw a shift in social norms and gender roles. Male voice actors were still the superior advertisement choice, but you saw 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 that 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 age groups, 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 aligning with their company goals and values. 

Trends in Casting for the Male Voice for 2023

Knowing how voice acting trends for males have changed in the last several decades, what does that mean for male voices in 2023? It’s hard to say exactly what we will see as a whole 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 are able to showcase emotions and emotional intelligence, while voice acting is something not everyone can do. In 2023, we’ll see more male voice actors landing roles if they can convey emotional intelligence through their acting. 

When they speak with emotion, companies want it to sound natural and not forced. This will allow them to connect with their audience more authentically. 

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

Inclusivity

We started seeing a trend of inclusivity for male voice actors within the last few decades, 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, but as schools continue to provide eLearning opportunities, we’ll start to 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 for people. 

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.