When people ask, “Who is thebest documentary narratorof all time?”, chances are you’d hear answers ranging from British presenter, natural historian, and biologist Sir David Attenborough, to French oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau, to American astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson. Recording an informative or dramatic text of any genre is no easy feat, and having a pleasant voice isn’t enough to deliver a convincing read; it takes acting and accent skills, culture, multilingualism, breath control, and years of experience in the industry to be considered the ultimate narrator or voice actor.
After reading so many biographies, listening to so many audiobooks, and watching so manybiopics of historical figures and celebritiesin the entertainment industry, people sometimes catch themselves wondering whom they would personally select to voice their own memoirs. Timbre, tone, inflection, accent, gender, credibility, and above all a deep connection should all be taken into consideration. Perhaps the following selection of movie and TV actors will help you narrow it down to a name or two.
From Manny Montana, to Meryl Streep, James Earl Jones, and Julie Andrews, this is the ultimate list of actors who’d be great for narrating your life story.
17Manny Montana
The Mexican-American TV and movie actorManny Montanahas been active in the industry since 2008. He landed minor roles in single episodes of dramas likeER,Cold Case,Grimm,Lucifer,NCIS: LA, andCSI:NY, as well as in films likeThe Mule. However, he is mostly known for portraying crime boss Christopher/Rio, the main antagonist in the four-season crime dramedyGood Girls, opposite Christina Hendricks as Elizabeth. Rio runs a money-laundering operation and has a complicated relationship with Elizabeth, a suburban housewife who becomes his mule and has intimate encounters with him. Their sizzling dynamic, highlighted by Rio’s catchphrases like, “Hey, mama,” “How ya feelin’, mama?” and “Get in the car, Elizabeth” made audiences swoon and gush over Montana’s convincing street swag, nonchalant determination, and laidback tone.
16Samira Wiley
Samira Wileyhas been performing since 2011, and her two most memorable characters are Poussey Washington in the Netflix prison dramaOrange Is the New Blackand Moira in the Hulu dystopian seriesThe Handmaid’s Tale. She is no stranger to narration and voice-over, as her credits include Netflix’s docuseriesExplained, Netflix’s nature docuseriesNight on Earth, the voice of Michonne in the video gameThe Walking Dead: Michonne, and Alani Davis in the CGI animated television seriesBlade Runner: Black Lotus. She also narrated four audiobooks, includingDr. Seuss’s Horse Museumand the collaborative workGood Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Soft-spoken and articulate, she has a clear, moderate pitch that would render any retelling soothing and relatable.
Related:The Best Voice Actors of All Time, Ranked
15Jeremy Irons
The charismatic English actor and activistJeremy Ironshas won numerous awards, including Best Actor forReversal of Fortune, Best Supporting Actor forElizabeth I, Outstanding Narrator forGame of Lions, and Best Leading Actor in a Play forThe Real Thing. His resonant and gravely tone, British accent, and extensive audio credits, from Paulo Coelho’sThe Alchemist, toThe Lion King’s unforgettable villain Scar, to the poetry of T. S. Eliot on BBC Radio 4, definitely give him enough credibility to narrate any biography.
Per BBC News, “Researchers say they have worked out a mathematical formula to find the perfect human voice. The study, commissioned by Post Office Telecoms, asked people to rate 50 voices then analyzed the results. Alan Rickman and Jeremy Irons did best for the men.”
14Emilia Clarke
VotedGQ’s Woman of the Year in 2015 and one ofTime’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019, the bubbly British actressEmilia Clarkeshot to fame when she portrayed Daenerys Targaryen in the hit HBO fantasy seriesGame of Thrones. Since then, she appeared in romance films likeMe Before YouandLast Christmas, the MCU’s miniseriesSecret Invasion, the science fiction moviesTerminator GenisysandSolo: A Star Wars Story, and the playThe Seagull. Her voice acting credits includeFuturama’s Marianne,Robot Chicken’s Bridget, andAnimals’ Lumpy. Not to mention that she is a decent jazz and blues singer, and she recorded the songFisherman’s Bluesfor the crime dramaDom Hemingway.
13Kristen Bell
The award-winningKristen Bell’s versatile acting credits includeFrozen,Bad Moms,The Good Place,The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window, andPAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Her most memorable narration was in the teen drama sensationGossip Girl, as the titular all-seeing, playful, elusive, and scandal-loving blogger.
“They say misery loves company, but sometimes it’s the company that makes you miserable. But nothing’s worse than company that overstays their welcome. Good luck, B. Have fun being the hostess with the mostest.”
– Gossip Girl narrator
12Tilda Swinton
The Academy Award and BAFTA winner actressTilda Swintonhas made a name for herself in both blockbusters likeDoctor Strange,Avengers: Endgame, andThe Chronicles of Narniafilms, and experimental productions likeMemoria,Faceless, andPossible Worlds. Her nuanced acting, ethereal and androgynous look, and a voice that is both calming and authoritative would make her a suitable candidate to narrate the life of a non-binary person, for example. Not to mention that she has mentioned in a few interviews that she identifies as queer.According to Advocate, “Even when not in queer movie roles, Swinton has a famously androgynous presentation. She’s long been a style icon and a celebrity crush for lesbians and queer women, and she has many gay male fans as well.”
Visions of Heaven and Hell,The Somme,Galápagos, andWhen Björk Met Attenboroughare among her most notable narration credits.
11Michael Dorn
Michael Dornhas been active in the industry since 1976. He may be best known for his portrayal of the dignified, honorable, and socially awkward Worf, the Klingon Starfleet security officer in theStar Trekuniverse, but he is a seasoned voice actor and narrator. His voice credits includeDinosaurs,Fantastic Four,Superman: The Animated Series,Haunted History,Justice League, andDota: Dragon’s Blood.
10Penn Badgley
Between 2007 and 2012,Penn Badgleywas only associated with the obsessive and nerdy Dan Humphrey inGossip Girl, but he has later garnered much praise for his portrayal of the deeply introspective voyeur and serial killer Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s thrillerYou. Along with Nava Kavelin and Sophie Ansari, the actor is also a regular contributor onPocrushed, a podcast where the hosts “read your middle school story and explore the heartbreak, anxiety, and self-discovery of being a teenager.”
9Meryl Streep
Meryl Streephas three Academy Awards and eight Golden Globe Awards under her belt and has received over 400 nominations. Her most memorable film roles includeKramer vs. Kramer,Sophie’s Choice,The Bridges of Madison County,The French Lieutenant’s Woman, andThe Devil Wears Prada, but she has also left her mark in TV series likeAngels in America,The Roosevelts, andBig Little Lies.
The actress not only has an undeniable stage and screen presence, but she also lent her captivating voice toMakers: Women Who Make America,Ocean Voyagers, andTo the Arctic 3D, as well as several audiobooks.
Per Los Angeles Times, “Streep’s voice has been much analyzed by critics for its versatile qualities, especially her facility with accents and her vocally uncanny impersonations of Margaret Thatcher and Julia Child.”
8Johnny Depp
Johnny Deppis a versatile artist who has earned 25 awards. He has performed on stage and recorded several albums with multiple bands as a vocalist, guitarist, bassist, and drummer. He portrayed a quirky pirate, a womanizer, an undercover agent, an 18th-century vampire, a police constable, and a chocolate factory proprietor. He voiced the lead inSherlock GnomesandRangoand Victor Van Dort inCorpse Bride. And he narrated documentaries likeDeep Sea 3D,When You’re Strange, andWhen the Road Bends… Tales of a Gypsy Caravan. Suffice to say he’d add both warmth and edge to your life story.
