Whether they’re known for their acting skills or brands they get behind, Hollywood is full of A-Listers who work in commercial voice over. And a quick internet search will turn up more than a few lists to that point. That said, most of these lists only talk about celebrities we didn’t know voiced commercials or the funniest top ten. But none that actually show off some of Hollywood’s most well-known actresses who’ve also worked in commercial voice over.
Household names like Susan Sarandon and Julianna Margulies – Rashida Jones and Leslie Mann – have all captivated audiences by promoting some of the best brands that resonate with their established audiences. These women don’t just shine on the big screen but demonstrate a knack as commercial female voice actors.
So without further ado, here are 15 Hollywood female actors who’ve voiced popular commercials.
1. Leslie Mann
First up on the list, we start with Leslie Mann. She’s not only a talented American actress, famous for her performances in Judd Apatow classics like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and This is 40, but also no stranger to voice over work and commercials. Mann not only starred alongside her daughter for a series of hilarious Jergens commercials, but if you pay close enough attention, she also provided some great voice over narration for LG appliance commercials.
2. Julianna Margulies
In the number two spot, we come to Julianna Margulies – a renowned American actress. Perhaps best recognized for her roles in Ghost Ship and The Good Wife. She’s not only done countless commercials over the years but also performed voice over work for brands like Chase, L’Oreal, and, most famously – Pampers.
3. Allison Janney
Allison Janney is another great American actress who’s worked in commercial voice over in addition to her A-Lister status. While she’s best known for her performances in American Beauty, The Help, and I, Tonya – for which she won an Academy Award – she’s also the familiar voice of a particular healthcare company. If you’ve ever heard a Kaiser Permanente commercial, you’ve probably heard Janney’s voice over – she’s been at it for a while.
4. Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow needs no introduction – decades later, she’s still instantly recognizable for her iconic role as Phoebe Buffet in Friends. In addition to her role on the 90’s hit sitcom, she’s also a writer and the voice from that hilarious Yoplait commercial. With a funny and relatable voice instantly recognizable over 20 years later, it’s no wonder her commercial voice over work found such viral success.
5. Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an accomplished American actress turned icon for her roles in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Thelma & Louise, and Dead Man Walking. She has also lent her voice to various commercials, including Tylenol and an environmental lobbying PSA.
6. Julia Roberts
Virtually synonymous with the film Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts is another household name that’s no stranger to commercial voice over work. Famous for movies like Erin Brockovich and Ocean’s Eleven – among countless others – Roberts has won three Golden Globes, a British Academy Film Award, and an Academy Award for her work on Erin Brockovich. Having lent her iconic voice to more than a few commercials over the years, Roberts has found success in the commercial voice over industry for her work with Lancôme and voicing the Nationwide Insurance commercials.
7. Rashida Jones
Fans of Parks and Recreation and The Office alike all love Rashida Jones. So it should be no surprise that the Hollywood female actor has also found success as the spokesperson for more than a few brands over the years. She’s not only lent her voice to campaigns for Southwest Airlines, Dove, Verizon, and Almay but recently signed on as the face of CitiBank. With everything Jones has going for her, it’s no wonder she’s Maison Kitsune’s first female ambassador.
8. Tina Fey
Almost anyone who has seen Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls, and 30 Rock is probably a huge Tina Fey fan – even if they don’t know how prolific she is. In addition to a hit TV series, and a host of quotable movie roles, she’s also a writer and producer. So it only makes sense that she’d put her voice talents to work for the odd commercial here and there. While she’s done her fair share of commercials and cameo appearances over the years, one of her most notable commercial voice over roles was for American Express.
9. Queen Latifa
Queen Latifah is yet another beloved American actress, singer, and rapper best known for her work in Chicago and Bringing Down the House. Of course, with a voice as distinct and recognizable as hers, a commercial voice over narration career isn’t far behind.
One of her most notable commercial voice over partnerships came in the early 2000s with a line of CoverGirl products. But that’s just the top of the pile – Latifah has been nothing short of prolific in the voice over world, having voiced iconic commercials for Pizza Hut. She not only served as the brand’s spokesperson but became nearly interchangeable with the brand’s name (and voice). Queen Latifah’s solid, confident voice and ability to convey a wide range of emotions make her a popular choice for voice over work, especially in commercials that appeal to a diverse and aspirational audience.
10. Jada Pinkett Smith
Between her film career, talk show, iconic relationship with Tupac Shakur in the 90s – and publicly moderated marriage to Will Smith – Jada Pinkett Smith needs no introduction. The actor, singer, and businesswoman is known for her roles in The Nutty Professor and The Women. And like every other American female actor on the list – commercial voice over narration. While one of her most notable commercial voiceover works was for Mercedes-Benz, she’s been pretty active both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Most recently, she appeared in a viral ad for Jaden Smith’s Just Water. Pinkett Smith uses voice-over narration to demonstrate that despite the bad press surrounding her marriage (and last year’s Oscars), she can still have fun and flex her comedic side.
11. Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson, another American singer and actress made the foray into commercial voice acting. The Dreamgirls star has appeared in several commercials over the years, but she’s perhaps best known as the long-running spokesperson for Weight Watchers. What’s great about her voice over work for Weight Watchers is that she isn’t simply promoting the brand but acting as a testimonial to how well it works. Hudson has publicly discussed her weight loss journey, and her experience helped her to connect with audiences facing similar plights. The commercials were well-received and added a relatable face (and voice) to the health brand.
12. Nathalie Portman
Natalie Portman is an Academy Award-winning actress and director known for her roles in films such as Black Swan, V for Vendetta, and, most recently, the Thor franchise. It may come as no surprise, given this post is all about American female actors who also perform commercial voice over, but she’s found critical success as the face of Miss Dior. She not only appeared on camera for the luxury brand but also lent her voice to a series of commercials where she talked about the inspiration behind the scent and how it makes her feel.
13. Scarlett Johanson
Even if you haven’t seen the Avengers, everyone knows Scarlett Johansson. She’s almost an American icon. She’s also no stranger to the voice over world, having lent her voice to beloved projects like Lucy and Her. So it should go without saying that Johanson has found loads of success as a commercial voice actor. One of her most notable commercial voiceover works was for SodaStream, a brand of home carbonation products, where she served as the brand’s spokesperson. Johansson appeared in a series of commercials for SodaStream, promoting the environmental benefits of using the company’s reusable carbonation bottles as an alternative to buying single-use plastic soda bottles.
14. Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel is another iconic American actress who hasn’t shied away from commercial work. In addition to her acting career, Deschanel is also a successful singer and songwriter – so the transition into commercial voice over narration only makes sense. While she’s best known for 500 Days of Summer and New Girl, she also has a pretty neat iPhone cameo. She not only appears on-screen but uses voice over to sing the Siri, Open Doors jingle. The commercial wasn’t just a hit but helped to raise awareness of the new Siri feature on the iPhone 4s.
15. Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara is a Colombian-American actress and model best known for her role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the hit TV show Modern Family. She has also done commercial work for years, having partnered with Pepsi long before finding sitcom success. Her voice is so instantly recognizable that it’s almost shocking she hasn’t performed more commercial voice over work. Sofia Vergara’s partnership with Pepsi has been as successful as it is enduring. For more than two decades, she’s helped the brand connect with her fans and international consumers in a much more personal way than traditional ads.
So when it comes to finding the perfect voice for your next commercial, there’s no shortage of talented female actors in Hollywood – and female voice actors (like yours truly) with the uncanny ability to sound almost exactly like them.