Since its inception, from competing head-to-head with Disney movies with its earliest releases such as Antz, The Prince of Egypt, and The Road To El Dorado, to its work in creating some of the world’s most successful movie franchises including Shrek, How To Train Your Dragon, Boss Baby, Trolls, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks Animation has managed to leave an indelible mark on the world of animation as it continues to put out hit movies.

Update September 21, 2023: With many new DreamWorks Animated film releases like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Ruby Gilman: Teenage Kraken, and the upcoming Trolls Band Together, this article has been updated with even more great voice performances from the animated studio.

Carving out its own niche early on, which involved cutting-edge animation and family-friendly movies that appeal to adults just as much as children, DreamWorks is one of the most highly regarded animation studios in the world. Arguably, one of the most successful aspects of the studio is the almost flawless ability to cast the perfect actors to bring its characters to life. From an extensive alphabet of actors that consists of Hollywood A-listers from Will Smith and Brad Pitt to Patrick Stewart and Ralph Fiennes, we’ve chosen the finest voice performances in DreamWorks Animation Movies and ranked them.

15 Wanda Sykes – Stella (Over the Hedge)

Over the Hedge movie with Wanda Sykes as Stella
Paramount Pictures

Certainly not the most memorable DreamWorks movie, but a commercial and critical hit nonetheless, 2006’s Over the Hedge had an all-star voice cast featuring Bruce Willis, Steve Carell, and William Shatner, among others. It was Wanda Sykes, however, and her portrayal of Stella, the short-tempered and sassy skunk, that really stood out. While not stepping too far out of her comfort zone, as Sykes can certainly be the queen of sass when she wants to, it was a great casting that suited her to a tee and resulted in some of the funniest moments of the movie.

14 Sam Rockwell – Wolf (The Bad Guys)

The Bad Guys
Universal Pictures

Loosely based on a children's book series of the same name written by Aaron Bradley, The Bad Guys is a movie set in a world where anthropomorphic animals and humans coexist together, and there, a notorious robber and pickpocket named Mr. Wolf and his crew comprised of 'scary animals' are infamous criminals who pull off heists. When a change of heart strikes the big bad wolf, he tries to sway his gang to become 'good guys' instead.

Related: Best Movies From DreamWorks Animation, Ranked

The character of Mr. Wolf is voiced by Sam Rockwell, who was really able to pull off his charming and suave persona. The other voice actors in the movie, such as Akwafina (Ms. Tarantula), Marc Maron (Mr. Snake), and Zazie Beetz (Diane Foxington), also did a great job in the movie but being the center of it all, Sam Rockwell's voice as their leader and gateway driver Mr. Wolf really pulled it all together.

13 Mel Gibson – Rocky Rhodes (Chicken Run)

chicken-run-mel-gibson
Aardman Animations / DreamWorks Animations

DreamWorks teamed up with the creators of Wallace and Gromit to create this laugh-out-loud stop-motion masterpiece loosely based on the iconic 1963 movie The Great Escape… except with chickens. Mel Gibson perfectly voices Rocky, an uber-cool American circus rooster who crash-lands on the coop and agrees to help the imprisoned chickens escape. Universally acclaimed, Chicken Run’s meticulous attention to detail, clever humor, and thought-provoking plot make it not only one of Dreamwork’s best titles but one of the best animated movies of all time.

A sequel, titled Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, is set to air on Netflix in December 2023. Yet Gibson will not be reprising his role due to his past controversy. He will instead be replaced by actor Zachary Levi.

12 Sacha Baron Cohen – King Julien (The Madagascar Franchise)

king-julien

One of the most iconic characters who has appeared in most of the movies in the Madagascar franchise is King Julien, a ring-tailed lemur who is also the king of the jungle. He is an eccentric character and has been voiced by multiple actors across movies and series, all with their own unique flare. But the one actor who has left the most lasting impression in the hearts of the audience was Sacha Baron Cohen, who originally gave voice to the character. Cohen helped immortalize the character of King Julien not only in TikTok sounds but also in our hearts.

11 Will Ferrell – Megamind (Megamind)

Megamind
Paramount Pictures

Filled with talented actors such as Brad Pit, Tina Fey, and Jonah Hill, the 2010 movie Megamind stands out among the other movies with the redeemed villain turns hero trope. But the main attraction of the movie is the character of Megamind, a supervillain who turns into a hero when the city needs him to, voiced by none other than Will Ferrell. The character of Megamind is very lovable, even as a villain but especially as a hero. He is charismatic, smart, and dedicated. Not only did Will Ferrell bring such an iconic character to life, but he also immortalized him in the eyes of the audience.

10 Anna Kendrick — Poppy (Trolls)

trolls-poppy-anna-kendrick
DreamWorks Animation

During the '70s, '80s, and '90s, it seemed like every kid owned a whacky haired troll doll, but for many younger children, their first introduction into the world of Trolls would have been via DreamWorks 2016’s animated musical comedy. Starring an eclectic mix of singers and actors, including Justin Timberlake, James Corden, Russell Brand, Gwen Stefani, and John Cleese, it was Anna Kendrick in the lead role of Princess Poppy that really stole the show. The role gave her the perfect opportunity to showcase both her singing and acting abilities and perfectly matched the upbeat and fun vibe of the movie.

9 Annie Murphy – Chelsea (Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken)

Chelsea Van Der Zee and Ruby from Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
Universal Pictures

You might know Annie Murphy from the sitcom Schitt's Creek, in which she played the role of the iconic Alexis Rose. But in the 2023 DreamWorks movie Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, she plays the role of Chelsea, also known as Nerissa, a deranged mermaid who at first appears to be a friend of Ruby the Kraken but reveals her true colors later in the movie.

The movie also stars Lana Condor in the role of Ruby, Toni Collette as Ruby's mother, and Jane Fonda as Ruby's grandmother, who also did a great job in bringing the movie to life. But Annie Murphy's voice really stands out in the movie as she goes from a supportive friend to the main antagonist of the movie. She steals the show in this criminally underrated film.

8 Antonio Banderas — Puss in Boots (Shrek Franchise)

Puss in Boots pointing sword
Paramount Pictures

Shrek was somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, and a sequel was inevitable, but to keep it fresh, DreamWorks decided to throw in a few new characters, the most notable being Puss in Boots. Voiced by Antonio Banderas, Puss quickly became a fan favorite. He was inspired by the title character of the fairy tale Puss in Boots but clearly based on Banderas’ own portrayal of Zorro from The Mask of Zorro, released six years prior.

Related: Best Voice Acting Performances from A-List Actors, Ranked

The character’s success led to a spin-off movie, naturally titled Puss in Boots, which focuses on Puss and his swashbuckling adventures in the land of Far, Far Away. The movie further developed Banderas’ character and gave us a thoroughly enjoyable action adventure comedy movie.

7 Chris Rock — Marty (Madagascar Franchise)

madagascar-marty-chris-rock
DreamWorks Animation

The Madagascar movies have no shortage of talented voice actors to choose from when compiling a list of this nature, including Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Cedric the Entertainer, Bernie Mac, and Alec Baldwin. All are worthy of honorable mentions, but it’s Chris Rock and his high energy, laugh-out-loud portrayal of the hyperactive zebra Marty that really stole the show and provides many of the franchise highlights.

6 Jude Law – Pitch Black (Rise of the Guardians)

Jude Law as Pitch, Rise of the Guardians
Paramount Pictures

One of the most iconic yet often forgotten movies from DreamWorks has to be Rise of the Guardians, which came out in 2012 and had a star-studded cast comprised of Chris Pine, Hugh Jackman, Peter Ramsey, and Alec Baldwin. Even among all of this talent, the main antagonist of the movie Pitch Black, voiced by Jude Law, stood out.

In the movie, Pitch Black is shown as a creature of the darkness who feeds on the fear of people and is able to threaten the existence of other mythical creatures such as the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and Santa Claus. Jude Law's voice was able to cast a shiver down the spine of the audience and truly makes for a great villain.

5 Emma Stone — Eep Crood (The Croods)

The Croods by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco
DreamWorks Animation

Emma Stone’s instantly recognizable husky voice lent itself perfectly to the wayward teenage daughter Eep Crood in 2013 hit prehistoric-based comedy The Croods. Interestingly, Stone has since revealed that despite the difference in character traits, she was slightly inspired by Monica from Friends, being quoted as saying, “Because I realized sometimes my cadence goes a little bit into, ‘I know!’ Like that kind of, sort of sound,” referring to Monica’s catchphrase.

4 Wagner Moura – Wolf/ Death (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish)

Puss-in-Boots-the-Last-Wish-Death

The second wolf in this list is far more dangerous than the first one because he is the embodiment of Death. Appearing in the most recent Puss in Boots movie, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Wolf/ Death is the final antagonist of the film. Wagner Moura, whom you might know from the popular series Narcos, voiced the character of Death and did it so well that he was able to strike fear in the heart of the audience. His marvelous performance was able to set him apart in the eyes of the viewers, even among the talented cast, including Antonio Bandera, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillen, Olivia Colman, and Florence Pugh.

3 Mike Myers — Shrek (Shrek franchise)

Shrek In The Swamp
DreamWorks Animation

Shrek is one of the most well known and iconic animated characters of all time, known for his large green appearance and his distinctive Scottish accent provided by Mike Myers, but the Shrek we all know and love could have been very different had DreamWorks studio had their way. Upon the studio’s request, Myers had delivered the lines in his natural Canadian accent but felt something was missing.

Myers, who is of Scottish heritage, suggested a Scottish accent as he said, “It’s a working people accent.” The actor noted that as someone who grew up working class, he felt that Shrek, an ogre, is more of a working-class being. Reportedly, it was producer Steven Spielberg who gave Myers the green light to re-record in the accent, and the rest, as they say, is history.

2 Jack Black – Po (Kung Fu Panda franchise)

kung-fu-panda-dragon-knight
Dreamworks Animation/Netflix

Another franchise chock-a-block full of fantastic voice performances, including the likes of Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, and the inimitable Jack Black in the lead role of Po. It’s Jack Black’s nuanced blend of high-energy comedy and endearing naivety that brings Po to life so beautifully in Kung Fu Panda, and makes him such a lovable character that has been so monumental in the franchise’s continued success.

1 Eddie Murphy – Donkey (Shrek franchise)

donkey-shrek
DreamWorks Animation

Eddie Murphy has one of the most recognizable voices in the industry, full of character and energy, with perfect comic timing. With his trademark high-speed, high-energy delivery, it would seem the role of the affable but clueless and annoying talking donkey in Shrek is a role Murphy was born for. After a string of box office flops and critical failures in the 90s, Donkey brought Murphy back into the limelight, and with the countless quotable lines, hilarious improvisations and the unforgettable annoying ‘popping sounds’, Donkey and Murphy’s performance is regarded by many as the highlight of the entire franchise.