Why do movie actors get bit part roles in animations?

noahfrancis98

New member
I watched Horton Hears A Who yesterday and it got me thinking to why some of the cast members bothered.

Ok, there are 3 or 4 main roles that get the big names or actors suited to the role but there then are the lesser roles. I'm not talking cameos, i'm ok with them and maybe the actors did it for free for a laugh. If so why not :)

Jonah Hill and Jamie Pressley had less than a half dozen lines between them and Seth Rogan didn't have much more.


There must be thousanRAB of voice over artists who would love those jobs. It's what they do and they see the big stars take the lead roles and now even smalltime tv/movie actors getting many of the others.
 
Just doing a voice is relatively easy. You pretty much turn up, read the line, and go. It's much easier than appearing on film, where you need costumes and props, you need make-up and hair, you have to wait around for lighting and sound to get their stuff together, and you have to worry more about the physical side of acting. Animations are generally quite a lot of money for not a lot of work, as far as the actors are concerned.

For the producers, they might as well get in some decent actors since so many are happy to do it.
 
I thought it was pretty obvious reasons, from both sides.

For the actor, as already said, it's easy money for a few lines work.

For the Production company, they have more names to put on the poster to draw people in. When the actors are out promoting their main projects later on, probably months and months after they finish recording their lines, they can add a few comments about the animiation into the interview basically. Better than a random voice over actor who can't do any promotion whatsoever for it.
 
Not sure about the poster point. I'm not talking about the leaRAB just the bit parts. I mean, you would be pretty peed off if you went to what Horton just because Jamie Pressley was in it and found that she had about 3 lines. Saying that, you would also be pretty sad :D


I just feel sorry for those voice-over atrists who do a great job on tv shows but don't get a chance in these blockbusters.
 
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