15 famous athletes who took up voice acting

Legendary boxer George Foreman lent his voice to the iconic animated series The Simpsons. He appeared as himself in the episode "The Great Louse Detective," joining the long list of famous figures to visit Springfield.

Leave it to J.J. Watt to make a commercial feel like a pre-game locker room speech. In Gatorade's "Make Your Rival Your Fuel" ad, his gritty narration explains that finding a rival is the best motivation an athlete can have to raise their game even higher.

It's the crossover that defined a generation: basketball GOAT Michael Jordan starred as himself in the live-action/animated hybrid film Space Jam. He famously teamed up with Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes for the most important basketball game in cartoon history.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brought his immense charisma to the big screen by voicing the demigod Maui in Disney's animated musical Moana. He perfectly captured the character's blend of strength and humor, and even showed off his singing skills.

Showing a much softer side than his WWE persona, John Cena voiced the titular character in the animated film Ferdinand. He lent his voice to the story of a giant bull with an even bigger heart who would much rather smell flowers than fight.

Beyond his starring role in Space Jam: A New Legacy, King James lent his voice to the 2018 animated film Smallfoot. He played Gwangi, a massive, purple, conspiracy-theorist yeti, proving his vocal talents extend well beyond calling out plays on the court.

The tennis legend is a known superfan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, so it was a dream come true when she got to voice a character in the series. She played Ming, a kind prison guard who befriends Iroh in a small but memorable role that most viewers completely missed.

The legendary quarterback is known for his incredible command of an offense and his deadpan comedic timing in commercials. He put those vocal skills to use in the animated movie Ferdinand, voicing Guapo, a bull who is comically overconfident but secretly terrified of fighting.

Shaq’s larger-than-life personality is perfect for voice acting, but you probably didn't catch him in the 2013 movie The Smurfs 2. The NBA Hall of Famer voiced Smooth Smurf, a new character created for the film, who is naturally the coolest guy in the village.

The late Lakers legend didn't just win on the court; he won an Oscar for his 2017 animated short film, Dear Basketball. Bryant wrote, executive-produced, and narrated the entire movie, a heartfelt love letter to the game that defined his life, turning his iconic voice into a piece of Academy Award history.

While he’s famous for his unfiltered commentary, Charles Barkley has a surprisingly deep voice-acting resume. One of his best roles was on the Cartoon Network show We Bare Bears, where he voiced a fictionalized version of himself in a Season 3 episode. 

The legendary skateboarder is no stranger to the camera, but his voice made a surprising appearance in the early 2000s animated series Max Steel. He didn't play himself, but instead voiced a thrill-seeking, extreme sports-loving villain named Psycho.

In perhaps the most surprising and consistent voice acting role for any athlete, the famously fiery tennis icon is the official narrator of the hit Netflix teen comedy Never Have I Ever. McEnroe’s voice guides viewers through the mind of the show's main character, Devi, with his hilarious and unexpected commentary being a highlight of the series.

In the 2024 "Athletes Get It" campaign for Beats by Dre, basketball phenom Angel Reese served as the primary narrator. Her confident voiceover questions what's stopping others from achieving greatness, setting the tone for a commercial featuring a dozen elite athletes, including Shohei Ohtani.

Serena Williams lent her powerful voice to Nike's "Dream Crazier" commercial, calling out the double standards female athletes face for showing emotion or ambition. The ad flips the script on the word "crazy," turning it from an insult into a rallying cry for women who break boundaries.