Growing up, I never thought about the voices behind my favorite cartoon characters or audiobook narrators. I saw the characters, not the people who brought them to life.
But as I got older, I began to wonder: Who are these performers? How do they shape their voices to entertain thousands of fans? And their work isn’t limited to cartoons — voice acting extends to video games, commercials and a rapidly-expanding audiobook market.
Audiobooks, in particular, have surged in popularity. According to the Audio Publishers Association, in 2024 sales grew 13% over the previous year, reaching $2.22 billion. Digital audio accounts for 99% of that revenue. More than half of adults in the United States have listened to an audiobook, according to Edison Research, drawn to the convenience — and sometimes the illicit availability — of titles online.
The performers aren’t just reading lines. They’re creating full performances that require acting skill, technical precision and an ability to reach an audience without ever stepping in front of a camera.
Finding the truth in every voice
For audiobook narrator Jeff Hays, known for voicing Matt Dinniman’s "Dungeon Crawler Carl" series, the key to making a story leap off the page is authenticity.
“Truth,” Hays said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s nonfiction or fiction — what you’re trying to get at is truth. Forget yourself, disappear, serve the text, become the characters and speak the truth of whatever it is you’re narrating.”
Voicing Carl, the series’ main character, was instant and instinctive. Hays said Just seeing the character on the book cover gave him a sense of the voice: a “big chill dude” who could mess someone up if provoked.
“I just did my best Patrick Warburton impression and started there,” Hays said. “The best characters voice actors come up with usually start as impressions. Then they develop over time as you get to know the character.”
More than just a funny voice
San Diego native Jon Allen, who voices Mr. Poopybutthole on "Rick and Morty," said versatility is key to building a voice acting career.
“Voice acting is just acting with your voice,” Allen said. “You’re being recorded for commercials, animation, video games — but it’s still acting. You’re still building a character.”
The work can also be physically demanding. Allen sticks to a warmup routine, stays hydrated and structures his schedule around when his voice is at its best. That includes using throat sprays and being well-rested before recording.
Different types of voice work require different approaches, Allen said. For anime, actors often record in ADR sessions, automated dialogue replacement, where they match pre-recorded animation. The footage is already completed, and actors record while watching, syncing their lines to animated “mouth flaps.” Western animation, by contrast, usually records voices first — called a pre-lay — allowing animators to build around the performance.
Building a cast of voices — solo
Audiobooks demand a different skill set. Hays said he often juggles dozens of voices in a single project.
“In a way, I’m a casting director,” he joked. “I have a troupe of actors in my head, and I’ll cast characters based on that. Then I let them develop.”
Both Hays and Allen said the work is rewarding but challenging, especially in a freelance industry where rejection is constant.
“You audition as much as you can because the more you audition, the more chances you have,” Allen said. “But you don’t always know when the next job is coming.”
From unseen to unforgettable
In the end, whether voicing an animated character, a video game role or an entire audiobook cast, it all comes down to one thing: connection. Once a voice actor has their script, it’s their job to bring it to life and make the audience believe.
“You want as real as possible,” Hays said. “If the text is giving you truth, find it and display that. That’s how you reach your audience — even if they never see your face.”
Both Allen and Hays appeared at San Diego at Comic-Con this year for signings and Q&A panels.
