The Star Wars galaxy isn’t just built on lightsabers, starships, and epic battles. It’s also shaped by the voices behind the characters. While many fans know Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano—she’s become a celebrity in her own right through Her Universe and her impact on Star Wars fandom—and Dee Bradley Baker, whose voice work as the clone troopers is iconic, lesser-known actors have quietly defined some of the franchise’s most memorable moments.
Their work often goes unnoticed, but it’s these performances that give depth, personality, and gravitas to the saga’s wide-ranging universe. Here are some unsung heroes of Star Wars voice work. These performers brought to life characters that gave the saga its emotional depth, added personality to minor roles, and even helped define entire storylines in animated series, video games, and expanded media. Their work often goes unrecognized, yet these actors are foundational to the Star Wars experience. Here are some unsung heroes of Star Wars voice work.
Catherine Taber – Padmé Amidala in The Clone Wars
While Natalie Portman is the face of Padmé Amidala in the prequels, Catherine Taber gave the Senator her voice in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Taber voiced Padmé from Season 1 through Season 7, capturing the character’s intelligence, diplomacy, and emotional depth. In addition to the series, she also provided Padmé’s voice in Star Wars: The Clone Wars video games, bringing life to a character who defined much of the prequel era. Taber’s portrayal made Padmé relatable and helped solidify her as a strong female lead in the animated canon.
Phil LaMarr – Bail Organa, Clone Troopers, and Background Characters
Phil LaMarr lent his voice to Senator Bail Organa in The Clone Wars animated series, portraying Leia Organa’s adoptive father with a commanding yet empathetic tone. Beyond Bail, the Yale graduate voiced multiple clone troopers and background characters, including Clone Commander Gree in specific episodes of the series, as well as various alien leaders and Resistance members in video games like Star Wars: Battlefront II. LaMarr’s versatility has allowed him to create a wide range of distinct personalities, ensuring even minor characters felt fully fleshed out.
Nika Futterman – Asajj Ventress, Riyo Chuchi, and More
Nika Futterman is perhaps best known as Asajj Ventress in The Clone Wars, but her contributions to Star Wars extend much further. She voiced Senator Riyo Chuchi, a Mon Calamari leader in multiple episodes, and provided voices for B1 battle droids, female clone troopers, and background alien characters across all seven seasons of Dave Filoni’s hit animated series. Futterman also lent her talents to video games like Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Republic Heroes, giving multiple characters distinctive voices that helped expand the animated universe. Her range—from villainous dark side warriors to calm political figures—has left a lasting mark on Star Wars storytelling.
Corey Burton – Count Dooku, Cad Bane, and Multiple Sith
Corey Burton is a vocal chameleon, portraying characters across animated series and video games. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, he provided the voice of Count Dooku in early promotional materials and various multimedia projects (whenever Christopher Lee wasn’t available), as well as Cad Bane, the fan-favorite Duros bounty hunter. Burton also voiced several minor Sith Lords, Imperial officers, and alien adversaries in games like Star Wars: Empire at War and Star Wars: The Old Republic. His ability to shift tone, accent, and style has long brought authenticity to the galaxy’s villains.
Burton has also done numerous other projects for The Walt Disney Company, including the voice of the Ted Gilbert announcer in Fantastic Four: First Steps, Captain Blackbolt in Young Jedi Adventures, and a variety of characters in Disney Junior’s various Mickey Mouse series.
Jennifer Hale – Lux Bonteri, Mission Vao, and More
Jennifer Hale has voiced key supporting characters in multiple Star Wars projects. She played Lux Bonteri in The Clone Wars, lending a sense of moral ambiguity to the young Separatist leader. In Star Wars video games like Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords and The Old Republic, Hale voiced characters including Mission Vao and various Jedi companions, providing emotional weight and personality that improved the gameplay narrative. Upon rewatches and replays, even characters with smaller screen time feel more alive under Hale’s skilled performance.
Hale has also done other projects for Disney, such as voicing Dory in the Nemo’s Underwater World of Fun video game. She is also the current voice of Cinderella, bringing the Disney Princess to life in Cinderella II: Dreams Do Come True, Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Kingdom Hearts, and other projects.
Robin Atkin Downes – Bounty Hunters, Sith, and Clone Commanders
Robin Atkin Downes has voiced bounty hunters, Sith warriors, and imperial officers across multiple media. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, he portrayed Mandalorian warriors, clone commanders, and agents of the Empire. In The Clone Wars, he provided additional voices for episodes featuring background soldiers and villains. Downes’s ability to give each character a unique identity, even in limited appearances, helped populate the galaxy with rich, immersive voices. Recently, Downes has worked with The Walt Disney Company on Skeleton Crew and on Disney Junior’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, in which he voices Doctor Strange.
Anthony Daniels – Beyond C-3PO
There’s not a serious Star Wars fan alive who doesn’t know that Anthony Daniels is C-3PO, but his contributions extend far beyond the protocol droid. Daniels has long voiced other droids and incidental characters across animated projects, including The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, lending them his unique brand of personality. In promotional materials, commercials, and Star Wars video games, Daniels has occasionally provided narration, character interactions, and subtle character voices, maintaining a consistent tonal bridge between live-action films and the expanded universe. His decades-long presence ensures the galaxy always has some familiarity, even in new media.
Voice actors like these may not appear on movie posters or magazine covers, but their contributions are foundational to the Star Wars experience. From senators to bounty hunters, from droids to clone troopers, these performers have helped breathe life into the galaxy far, far away, giving depth to every corner of the saga and leaving an indelible mark on the franchise.