Film star or voice actor: when marketing is ahead of the artistic

As the latest Super Mario Bros movie was released in early April, the French version played by Pierre Tessier, dubbing actor, was praised, unlike Chris Pratt's VO, which seems to divide people. A new example showing the stakes and the bias that productions can take, namely to privilege the name of a famous actor, at the expense of a professional of the discipline.

A perilous exercise

Looking for famous actors who have dubbed characters, there are many examples. One example is the performance of Robin Williams who lent his voice to the genie in Aladdin in 1992. A performance that will earn him, among other things, a Special Achievement Award at the Oscars, although the disagreements between the directors and the late actor have not been lacking. Three years later, in 1995, the critics are praising Tom Hanks and his incarnation of Woody in Toy Story or even more recently Ellen DeGeneres as Dory in the film series Nemo, in 2003 and 2016. 

And while one might think that they have an easy time as recognized comedians, this is not always the case. In 2017, in the admittedly unacclaimed The Emoji Movie, James Corden's choice was not appreciated by all.

Neither good nor bad choice

Of course, the criticisms are not universal and often stem from those of the film as a whole. And even if the competence and recognition of many dubbing actors are well established, the argument of the marketing choice is quite understandable as it can prove to be beneficial. In addition to being an attractive name in the cast, they have the ability to bring the character to life. On the other hand, they tend to cost more, and rightly so.

On the other hand, dubbing actors are obviously more experienced and expert in the field. Their more accurate and natural vocal performances and wider technical range often make more sense when it comes to choosing voices.

Ultimately, choosing between celebrity actors and dubbing professionals depends on the production goals and creative preferences of each film. It's important to strike the right balance between the appeal of the cast and the quality of the voice performance to create a memorable and successful movie experience.