10 Best Characters Voiced by Jason Isaacs, Ranked (2024)

Britain is full of incredibly talented actors, but one that has always been able to stand out is Jason Isaacs. Originally enrolled at Bristol University to study law, he loved the theater and began working in various productions while studying. After graduating, he attended the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and in 1989, he made his film debut in The Tall Guy.

Since then, Isaacs has been featured in film, television, theater, and video games. He has many voice acting credits, including Enver Gortash in 2023's Game of the Year, Baldur's Gate 3. As with his live-action credits, Isaacs usually plays villains, but his versatility as an actor allows him to bring almost any role to life.

10 Dracula

'Monster Family' (2017)

Within his castle in Transylvania, the vampire Count Dracula is overcome with loneliness and longs for a companion. He finds one in Emma Wishbone (Emily Watson), a married woman and mother of two who accidentally called him while trying to reach a costume shop. Smitten by her, Dracula sends the witch Baby Yaga (Catherine Tate) to turn her into a vampire with a soul, though the spell also transforms the rest of the Wishbones into monsters.

Monster Family is a very forgettable and poorly constructed film, but Isaacs' performance as cinema's most famous vampire is its one saving grace. He manages to play up Dracula's charm, which compliments the overall attractive design, while not shying away from villainous acts as he tries to steal a married woman. It's the most memorable aspect of the movie and leaves audiences wondering how Isaacs could play Dracula in live-action.

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9 Sinestro

'Green Lantern: Emerald Knights' (2011)

As a member of the Green Lantern Corps, Sinestro is tasked with patrolling the galaxy and protecting it from all manner of evils. One of these missions saw him and his friend, Abin Sur (Arnold Vosloo), work together to stop a prophetic alien named Atrocitus (Bruce Thomas), who predicted that Sinestro would one day betray the Green Lanterns and build his own corps based on fear. Not one to believe in destiny, Sinestro ignores it and stands with his fellow Green Lanterns to stop the emergence of an anti-matter being called Krona.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights is far from DC's best-animated film, but it does give audiences a chance to see a heroic Sinestro before his fall to villainy. Isaacs does an admirable job of showing this side of Sinestro, especially when he interacts with Abin Sur, showing the depth of their friendship. Unfortunately, his screentime is very limited, but it's enough to make fans pine for a chance for Isaacs to play Sinestro once he has gone to yellow.

Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

PG

Animation

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Superhero

Where to Watch

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Release Date

April 9, 2011

Director

Lauren Montgomery , Jay Oliva , Christopher Berkeley

Cast

Nathan Fillion , Elisabeth Moss , Henry Rollins , Jason Isaacs , Roddy Piper , Arnold Vosloo

Runtime

84

8 Lex Luthor

'Justice League: Gods and Monsters' (2015)

In an alternate universe where the Justice League is more willing to use lethal force to stop criminals, Lex Luthor works closely with the American government to create failsafe programs in case the Justice League ever goes rogue. In time, as his body weakens, he enters into quiet retirement on a ship made from Kryptonian technology. His new passion involves accumulating as much knowledge as possible, but as scientists on Earth are murdered, the Justice League seeks him out for answers.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters offered an interesting what-if scenario for many of DC's most iconic characters, including Lex. Here, he is far more of a heroic character with a more justified reason to fear Superman (Benjamin Bratt), while also rejecting the offer of power. Isaacs' voice does a good job of making Lex sound powerful, even when he's confined to a chair, and captures Lex's passion for the pursuit of knowledge.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters

PG-13

Animation

Action

Fantasy

Superhero

Where to Watch

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Not available

Release Date

July 14, 2015

Director

Sam Liu

Cast

Benjamin Bratt , Michael C. Hall , Tamara Taylor , Paget Brewster , C. Thomas Howell , Jason Isaacs

Runtime

76

7 Ra's al Ghul

'Batman: Under the Red Hood' (2010)

For centuries, Ra's al Ghul has used the rejuvenating powers of the Lazarus Pits to stay alive long enough to return the Earth to a harmonious state. After being repeatedly thwarted by Batman (Bruce Greenwood), he hires the Joker (John DiMaggio) to distract The Dark Knight while he works to destabilize the economy of Europe. However, the Joker takes things too far by killing Robin (Alexander Martella, Vincent Martella, and Jensen Ackles), forcing Ra's to take a risky gamble in an attempt to make things right.

Though Ra's al Ghul's screentime isn't very long in Batman: Under the Red Hood, Isaacs' does a wonderful job bringing to life one of Batman's greatest villains. He speaks every word with dignity and class, showing no fear even when Batman is standing right in front of him. It gives Ra's a feeling that he is always in control, which is befitting a man with his advanced wisdom and life experiences.

Batman: Under the Red Hood

PG-13

Animation

Action

Crime

Thriller

Where to Watch

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Release Date

July 27, 2010

Director

Brandon Vietti

Cast

Bruce Greenwood , Jensen Ackles , John Di Maggio , Neil Patrick Harris , Jason Isaacs , Wade Williams

6 The Judge

'Castlevania' (2017)

Born in the town of Lindenfeld, a young boy eventually moved to the capital city, where he gained an education and eventually returned to Lindenfeld as its Judge. He takes his position very seriously and does what he can to keep the town running smoothly, especially with all the monsters who dwell nearby. When monster hunter Trevor Belmont (Richard Armitage) and the sorceress Sypha Belnades (Alejandra Reynoso) arrive in his town, the Judge works with them to take down Sala (Navid Negahban), a local monk who seeks to resurrect the vampire Dracula (Graham McTavish).

At first glance, the Judge seems to be a rough but fair leader committed to upholding law and order, keeping people safe, and even organizing them into a demon-hunting militia. However, beneath his tough but determined exterior is a man who needs to control everything in his community and will do so no matter the cost. Isaacs plays both sides of the Judge masterfully, making him a character that leaves audiences pondering which side he is on until the season 3 finale.

Castlevania

TV-MA

Animation

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Henry Rollins Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight, Family, Wiki 2024

Horror

Fantasy

Drama

Where to Watch

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Not available

Release Date

July 7, 2017

Cast

Richard Armitage , James Callis , Malcolm McDowell , Bill Nighy , Marsha Thomason

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

4

5 Dick Dastardly

'Scoob!' (2020)

While trying to rob the Underworld of its riches, Dick Dastardly is separated from his dog, Muttley (Billy West and Don Messick), when the portal proves to be one-way. Hoping to get Muttley and the treasure back, Dastardly sends his army of robots around the globe to collect the three Skulls of Cerberus, which can be used to open a more stable portal. He also needs to find a special dog who can serve as the key, which leads him to Scooby-Doo (Frank Welker).

While Scoob! proved to be an underwhelming film, Dick Dastardly was easily its best element, thanks in large part to Isaacs. Combined with an overly exaggerated design and some expressive facial animation, Isaacs loses himself in the comedy of his character, while still being able to slip into moments of intimidation. His best moments are when he is talking about or interacting with Muttley, where the comedy is also sprinkled with moments of tender emotion.

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4 The Grand Inquisitor

'Star Wars Rebels' (2014)

Once a Jedi Knight who served as a guard to the Jedi Temple, the Grand Inquisitor fell to the dark side of the Force and joined the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) following the rise of his Galatic Empire. He was tasked with training force-sensitive individuals to become Inquisitors, who were tasked with hunting down any surviving Jedi. When word of Jedi activity on the planet Lothal began to spread, the Grand Inquisitor was tasked with investigating the reports, which brought him into conflict with Jedi Kanan Jarrus (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and his apprentice, Ezran Bridger (Taylor Gray).

The Grand Inquisitor is one of the best villains from Star Wars Rebels thanks to serving a similar role as Dark Vader (James Earl Jones) in the original trilogy. While both are intimidating physical forces that serve unseen masters and push the development of the heroes, the Grand Inquisitor talks more than Vader and specializes in getting inside his opponent's heads. Isaacs' voice is perfect for conveying this, especially when the Grand Inquisitor is battling with Kanan and makes the young Jedi doubt himself.

Star Wars Rebels

Animation

Action

children

Family

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

Where to Watch

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Not available

Release Date

October 3, 2014

Cast

Freddie Prinze Jr. , Vanessa Marshall , Tiya Sircar , Dave Filoni , David Oyelowo , Lars Mikkelsen

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

4

Studio

Disney XD

3 Superman

'Superman: Red Son'

In an alternate world, Superman's escape pod lands in the USSR rather than the United States of America and decides to use his powers to help his country in the aftermath of World War II. As an adult, he works closely with Joseph Stalin (William Salyers) to spread communism around the world, prompting the American government to turn to Lex Luthor (Diedrich Bader) for help in devising a way to stop him. Meanwhile, Superman learns the horrible truth of Stalin's reign and kills him, taking over as the leader of the Soviet Union.

Superman: Red Son is one of the most famous Superman stories, and Isaacs does a worthy job bringing this communist version of the Man of Steel to light. He captures how Superman struggles with spreading his ideals of a perfect world and his core principle of defending the innocent, and his accent isn't too hard on the ears. It's a chance for Isaacs to play a character who is truly flawed while also believing what he does is not only correct but justified.

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2 Zhao

'Avatar: The Last Airbender' (2005-2008)

While studying under Master Jeong Jeong (Keone Young), Zhao came to disagree with his master's philosophy of discipline, believing that he had a great destiny waiting for him. He located the library of Wan Shi Tong (Héctor Elizondo) and learned that the ocean and moon spirits had taken mortal form at the North Pole. Armed with this knowledge, he slowly increased his rank in the Fire Nation military in preparation for an invasion of the north to wipe out water bending, while also making time to track down and capture Avatar Aang (Zachary Tyler Eisen).

Zhao is a phenomenal secondary antagonist in the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender and serves as an effective foil for Prince Zuko (Dante Basco). Both of them wish to capture the Avatar, but while Zuko has only one ship at his disposal, Zhao has an army and political contacts that allow him to one-up the prince. However, Zhao's pride and ambition often leave him blind to the consequences of his own actions, which allow both Zuko and Team Avatar to get the edge over him on more than one occasion.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

TV-Y7-FV

Animation

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Release Date

February 21, 2005

Cast

Dee Bradley Baker , Mae Whitman , Jack De Sena , Dante Basco

Seasons

3

1 SkekSo

'The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance' (2019)

On the alien world of Thra dwell the Skesis, who rule the planet as custodians of the Crystal of Truth. Their leader is SkekSo, the Emperor, who presents himself as a benevolent and kind ruler. However, behind closed doors, SkekSo experiments with the crystal to find ways to increase his power and expand his life, unleashing a plague called the Darkening that threatens to wipe out all life on Thra.

SkekSo is not only Isaacs' best bit of voice acting but is also one of the best examples of voice acting in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Isaacs hits every note of villainy with the character: for the most part, he is cold, calculated, and in control, but he can easily switch into a fit of maniacal laughter when things go his way and a cold fury when he finds his plans thwarted or opposed. He's also a phenomenally written villain, desperate to cling to life to avoid whatever torment lies beyond the world of the living, but in the process, he destroys his body to a point that ultimately seals his fate.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance

TV-PG

Fantasy

Animation

Adventure

Where to Watch

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Not available

Not available

Release Date

August 30, 2019

Cast

Nathalie Emmanuel , Taron Egerton , Mark Hamill , Natalie Dormer , Caitriona Balfe , Lena Headey , Helena Bonham Carter , Eddie Izzard

Seasons

1

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