21 Celebrities You Had No Idea Voiced Disney Characters

By Jane Asher
Updated: Mar 16, 2017 @ 6:29 am
Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection; Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage

Animated films these days bring quite a bit of star power. From Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel in 2013's Frozen, to Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling in 2015's Inside Out, and even Dwayne Johnson in 2016's Moana, Disney and Pixar definitely have a knack for pulling in the big names. 

And while celebrities lending their vocals to Disney films is nothing new, there was perhaps less buzz surrounding those casting choices back in the day. So, we took a stroll down memory lane to remember the forgotten famous voices who brought Disney characters to life. 

VIDEO: Beauty and the Beast Official U.S. Trailer

RELATED: Who’s the Most Feminist Disney Princess of Them All?

From Minnie Driver as Jane in 1999's Tarzan, to Samuel L. Jackson in 2004's The Incredibles, here, all the stars you totally forgot voiced animated Disney characters.

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1 of 22

Tony Goldwyn as Tarzan

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

Yes, former President Fitzgerald of Scandal was also the man who grew up in the jungle, somehow skimboarding on tree branches.

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Minnie Driver as Jane in Tarzan

Robin Marchant/Getty; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

We wonder how long "You'll Be in My Heart" was stuck in her head after wrapping the movie. Because it's still playing on repeat in ours. 

3 of 22

Emma Thompson as Queen Elinor in Brave

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty; Courtesy Disney Pixar

Honestly, is there anything this woman can't do?

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Tate Donovan as Hercules

Getty; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

Donavan has played many roles over the years, from Joshua on Friends to Jimmy Cooper on The O.C., but we will never be over the fact that he was also the voice of the impossibly strong demi-God from Greek mythology—toned down of course for the movie's audience. 

5 of 22

Danny DeVito as Phil in Hercules

Getty; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

Devito voiced the sarcastic Satyr (half-man, half-goat) who helped the titular character rise from zero to hero. 

6 of 22

Eddie Murphy as Mushu in Mulan

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

Would you rather have Donkey or Mushu as your sidekick? Toughest. Question. Ever. 

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7 of 22

Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story

Getty; Courtesy Disney/Pixar

Buzz in Spanish mode may have made Toy Story 3 for us, but there's no one-liner out there as resonant as "to infinity and beyond!" A total classic.

8 of 22

Tom Hanks as Woody in Toy Story

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic; Courtesy Disney/Pixar

How many times do you think he had to record the phrase, "there's a snake in my boot!" over the course of the three (and now four) movies?

9 of 22

Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski in Monsters Inc. 

Rick Kern/Getty Images; Courtesy Disney Pixar

Our favorite little one-eyed monster.

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10 of 22

Steve Buscemi as Randall in Monsters Inc.

Daniel Zuchnik/WireImage; Courtesy Disney Pixar

Steve Buschemi as the weird, evil, sneaky monster. Pretty perfect casting, if you ask us. 

11 of 22

John Goodman as Sully in Monsters Inc. 

Mike Marsland/WireImage; Courtesy Disney Pixar

Another perfect casting on Disney's part here. Who didn't fall in love with big teddy bear Sully by the end of the movie?

12 of 22

Rosie O'Donnell as Terk from Tarzan

Mike Coppola/Getty; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

In case you forgot, Terk is Tarzan's "older sister" who makes a ruckus at Jane and her father's camp in the jungle. Re-watch the movie and you'll totally have that "wait, that's Rosie O'Donnel!" epiphany moment. 

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13 of 22

Scott Weinger as Aladdin

Frederick M. Brown/Getty; Courtesy Walt Disney Studio

You probably recognize Weinger's face from Full House, as he played D.J.'s long-term boyfriend Steve. He even made a cameo as his animated alter-ego in a Disneyland-based episode of the family show. 

14 of 22

 David Spade as Kuzco in The Emporer's New Groove

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; Alamy

The comedian lent his voice to the Incan Emporer turned llama in this highly underrated Disney movie. 

15 of 22

Mandy Moore as Rapunzel in Tangled

Mike Windle/Getty; Alamy

As soon as Rapunzel broke into her first song of the movie, we knew we recognized that voice from somewhere. Specifically from the song "Stupid Cupid," sung by Moore in The Princess Diaries.  

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Matthew Broderick as Simba from The Lion King

Grant Lamos IV/Getty; Alamy

Broderick may not have lent his singing voice to the movie, but there's no mistaking his speaking voice once Simba transforms from a young cub to a full-grown lion during the Hakuna Matata montage. 

17 of 22

Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone from The Incredibles

Brett Cove/Barcroft/Getty; Alamy

Another highly underrated, but truly exceptional Disney film, Samuel L. Jackson kills it as Mr. Incredible's partner in crime saving the world. We're hoping he comes back for round two, coming in 2018. 

18 of 22

Mel Gibson as Captain John Smith from Pocahontas

George Pimentel/FilmMagic; Alamy

We're just going to say, if it weren't for John Smith, Pocahontas would be much more of a feminist princess. 

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Robin Williams as Genie in Aladdin

Vera Anderson/WireImage; Alamy

The best celebrity to voice the best Disney character. RIP Robin Williams, we still miss you. 

20 of 22

Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen from Cars

Ian Gavan/Getty; Alamy

We'd recognize Wilson's voice pretty much anywhere, especially while out on a drive on an animated version of Route 66. 

21 of 22

Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Young Simba from The Lion King

Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage; Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

We don't know who's cuter here: baby JTT or baby Simba. "Oh, I just can't wait to be king..."

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