Why Mimicking Is Sabotaging Your Animation Voice Over Performance
You know that moment when you hear a Disney princess or an iconic animated villain and think, “I’ve got it!”
So you match the voice from start to finish…
But when you listen back? It falls flat. One-note. Forgettable.
That’s because mimicking alone doesn’t work in animation voice over.
As an online voice over coach, I’ve seen this trap over and over again, especially with actors new to animation. They think they need to sound like a character they’ve heard, when what they really need is to become the character.
Why Mimicking Isn’t Enough in Animation Voice Over
Mimicking can help build your range, sure. It’s a useful starting point. But it can’t carry a performance.
Why?
Because characters aren’t made up of just vocal tone. They have:
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Motivations
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Personality quirks
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Emotions
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Point of view
When you mimic, you skip all of that. You focus on sound.
When you embody, you bring the character to life.
And that’s what great animation voice over is all about.
Start with Mimicking, Then Move to Embodying
The trick isn’t to stop mimicking completely. Instead:
Start with mimicking to explore vocal range.
Then shift into embodying the character so your reads feel real, not performed.
Before your next animation audition, ask yourself:
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What is this character’s motivation?
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What personality traits shape how they speak?
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How do they feel right now in this moment?
Are they:
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Curious?
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Stubborn?
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Hopeful?
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Frustrated but trying to hide it?
That emotion, not just the pitch or pacing, is what creates contrast and depth.
Quick Animation Voice Over Practice
Try this today:
Choose one animated line and record it two ways:
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By mimicking a style you’ve heard
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By embodying the character’s truth
Now listen back.
Which one sounds like a copy?
Which one sounds like a real character you want to follow through the story?
That’s the power of moving beyond mimicry.
Let Your Voice Act, Not Just Imitate
If you want to stand out in animation voice over, let your voice act, not just imitate.
Directors and casting agents are looking for performances that feel connected and surprising, not duplicates of something that already exists.
As an online voice over coach, I help students develop this skill every day. And the difference it makes can be night and day!
Want More Support for Your Animation Reads?
If this resonated with you and you’re realizing it’s time to bring more truth and character work into your reads…
Grab my FREE Voice Over Emotion Wheel – a tool designed to help you pinpoint your character’s real feelings and deliver nuanced, memorable reads.
Let’s make your voice unforgettable.
Need more support? I offer a FREE 15-minute Discovery Call where we can identify your strengths, help you determine where your voice might fit in today’s voice over market, and answer any questions you might have. You can schedule that here. Chat soon!