Bryan Cranston’s Best Voice Acting Performances

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Bryan Cranston is widely recognized as a cherished actor, particularly for his starring performances in series such as “Breaking Bad” and “Malcolm in the Middle,” along with numerous other roles spanning diverse platforms. Interestingly, while many recognize him primarily from live-action projects, his distinctive voice has also lent itself to various endeavors, including a few anime dubbing roles dating back to the 80s and 90s.

Following his rise to prominence in the 2000s, Cranston has continued to contribute his voice to numerous endeavors, focusing particularly on popular Western animated movies and series. This compilation will showcase the top examples of Cranston’s voice acting throughout his illustrious career.

6. Li Shan

Po’s Father in the Kung Fu Panda Franchise

As a fan, I might rephrase it like this: In the Kung Fu Panda series, it wasn’t just Bryan Cranston lending his voice to Li Shan. Originally, American voice actor Fred Tatasciore brought Li Shan to life at the end of Kung Fu Panda 2, when he simply confirmed that his son was alive, something he discovered even with the distance between them. Later on, in Kung Fu Panda 3, Bryan Cranston took over the role from Fred, possibly because the studios felt they needed a more recognized name to play this expanded character.

Li Shan, Po’s biological dad, is a panda known for his large appetite, just like his son. They reconnect around the time when Po sets a new dumpling eating record. To protect Po from Kai, a villain who steals Chi energy, Li fabricated stories about his expertise in the Chi technique. Though he was deceptive, he eventually tries to mend fences with Po and leads the Panda Village residents into battle. Cranston’s relaxed acting style allows Li Shan to come across as sophisticated and humorous, making it easy to see him and Po as an exceptional father-son pair.

5. James Gordon

The Future Gotham City Police Commissioner in Batman: Year One

Batman: Year One” is a comic book adaptation that follows the events of the 1987 story arc of the same name, often seen as a straightforward retelling focusing on the initial years of Gotham City when Bruce Wayne first donned the cape and cowl as Batman. In this version, Bryan Cranston portrays James Gordon, who is typically associated with Batman across various iterations. However, since the story takes place before the present, Gordon holds the rank of lieutenant rather than commissioner; he is promoted to captain towards the end of the film.

For years, fans had hoped Cranston would be linked with a DC property, but there was a time he nearly didn’t take the role. Despite his extensive voice-acting experience, he confessed that he “wasn’t familiar with this degree of storytelling in animation“. Cranston delivers a commendable performance as Gordon, with his strong delivery reflecting a man determined to establish law and order in a city rife with corruption. Notably, his co-star, Ben McKenzie, who portrays Batman in “Year One“, later played another version of James Gordon for the Batman prequel series, “Gotham“.

4. Vitaly

The Macho Russian Tiger in Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

In the movie titled “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted“, Bryan Cranston plays Vitaly, a Russian Siberian tiger who had once performed tricks in a traveling circus that meets up with the characters from the previous Madagascar movies. Cranston delivers a convincing performance with a mock Russian accent for this role. The group pretends to be circus animals to travel back to New York alongside the troupe, but Vitaly doesn’t trust them due to their deception. Vitaly’s past is shared by his colleague, an Italian sea lion named Stefano (Martin Short), who explains that Vitaly’s previous act of jumping through progressively smaller hoops, coated with olive oil, resulted in his fur being burned and his wife leaving him, also causing the circus to face its current struggles.

Though Vitaly manages to leap through a small hoop by changing the lubricant, the circus workers uncover that they’ve been deceived in this manner. Regardless, they make a daring decision to protect him from execution at the hands of Captain Chantel DuBois (played by Frances McDormand), a tenacious animal control officer who has tracked zoo animals worldwide. In summary, Cranston delivers a delightful, yet understated, portrayal as the Tiger.

3. Stradivarius Cain

Homer’s Imaginary Friend in The Simpsons (E506)

One actor who graced the screen of The Simpsons was Bryan Cranston, making his debut as Stradivarius Cain in the 20th episode of the 23rd season titled “The Spy Who Learned Me”. Cain is a fictional spy character known for his film appearances and resembling James Bond, who’s infamous for his womanizing tendencies. In this episode, a dreamlike version of Cain tries to help Homer Simpson win Marge’s heart. This comes after their relationship took a hit due to Homer’s actions in one of Cain’s films.

Bryan Cranston’s charm perfectly fits the no-nonsense, smoldering confidence needed for such voice roles. Moreover, in a subsequent episode titled “What Animated Women Want,” Cranston reprised his role as Walter White in a live-action cameo for the opening sequence. This unique appearance was heavily influenced by the series “Breaking Bad” and also included Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman.

2. Eddie Barrows

The Obnoxious Police Officer in Armitage III

  • Film: Armitage III
  • Director: Hiroyuki Ochi
  • Studio: AIC
  • Licensed by Universal/Sony in AUS, Crunchyroll in NA

In the series titled “Armitage III“, we follow Naomi Armitage, a sophisticated type of robot referred to as a “third”. She serves as a police officer on Mars, teaming up with Ross Sylibus. Despite being human, Ross harbors deep prejudice towards robots, stemming from the loss of his previous partner at the hands of one. However, thirds are subjected to discrimination once their ability to blend seamlessly with humans is exposed. As Armitage’s true identity is revealed, Ross chooses to assist her. Over time, their partnership evolves into a romantic relationship.

Bryan Cranston lends his voice to Eddie Barrows, another Martian law enforcement officer, in the English version. Known for his laid-back, witty, and humorous demeanor, Eddie can be quite irritating to his fellow officers. Despite Bryan’s history as a comedic actor, this character deviates significantly from many of his prominent roles. This performance incorporates both laid-back and sarcastic traits, creating an acting style that sets it apart from what audiences typically associate with him.

1. Chief

A Dog Distrustful of Humans, But One Who Finds a Big Heart in Isle of Dogs

2018’s “Isle of Dogs” is the second stop-motion animated film directed by Wes Anderson. The movie takes place in a fictional Japanese city called Megasaki, where a cat-loving mayor, Kenji Kobayashi (played by Kunichi Nomura), exiles all dogs to an island called Trash Island due to a dog flu outbreak he uses as an excuse. Bryan Cranston portrays Chief, a stray dog who helps Atari Kobayashi (Koyu Rankin), the mayor’s nephew, in his quest to locate his pet dog, Spots (voiced by Liev Schreiber).

As the story unfolds, it’s uncovered that the outbreak was actually a plot by the mayor and his associates to spread the disease among the dogs, in order to impose a quarantine and eventually eliminate them. However, Atari, Chief, and their comrades manage to tackle the problem and bring dogs back into Megasaki city. During this role, Cranston’s versatile acting skills are showcased, as he seamlessly transitions from a powerful and authoritative tone to a more laid-back and pragmatic one based on the situation. Later, Cranston collaborated with Anderson once more for “Asteroid City” (2023), another live-action production.

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2025-01-13 10:35