Famous Actors You Might Not Know Are In Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts

By Kenneth Rasmussen

Published Jun 10, 2024

Regarding voice work, the English dub of Kingdom Hearts is no stranger to high-profile talent. The voice of Sora, ostensibly the main character of the series, is Haley Joel Osment, who starred in iconic films such as The Sixth Sense and A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Sora is one of his longest running roles, first voicing the character at age 12, and continuing to reprise the role since.

That said, Osment is far from the only actor Western audiences will recognize in the Kingdom Hearts series. Many notable actors who starred in animated Disney films, returned to their roles for the game. Examples include Chris Sarandon as Jack Skellington, Ming-Na Wen as Mulan, and Idina Menzel as Elsa. However, other famous actors have appeared in the series, lending their voices to characters that they are less recognized for.

A collage of some of the most underrated characters in Kingdom Hearts: Terra, Kairi, Demyx (& Vexen) and Larxene.

Kingdom Hearts: 8 Underrated Characters

Many of the characters in the Kingdom Hearts series are beloved by the majority of the fanbase, but these characters deserve some more love.

6 David Boreanaz

Squall "Leon" Leonhart

Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts 1.5: The Final Mix (archive audio)

David Boreanaz has starred in television shows from the late 90s up until the present. His most well-known role is the ensouled vampire Angel, a major character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who later received a self-titled spin-off series. He is also recognized for starring in Bones as Agent Seeley Booth.

To date, Squall Leonhart (referred to as "Leon" in Kingdom Hearts), originating from Final Fantasy VIII, remains one of Boreanaz's few voice acting roles. In every Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy game since, Squall Leonhart has been dubbed by veteran voice actor, Doug Erholtz.

5 Sean Astin

Hercules

Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts 1.5: The Final Mix (archive audio)

Sean Astin has starred in several well-known films, including The Goonies (1985), Rudy (1993), and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003), in which he played Samwise "Sam" Gamgee. However, he made his voice acting debut in Kingdom Hearts, filling in for Tate Donovan as the voice of Hercules. Astin previously starred alongside Donovan in Memphis Belle (1990).

Although Donovan would return to the role of Hercules in future installments of Kingdom Hearts, Astin would continue his voice acting career in other video games. Notably, he reprised the role of Samwise in numerous Lord of the Rings games, as well as Lego Dimensions.

4 Mandy Moore

Aerith

Kingdom Hearts (Aerith)
Kingdom Hearts 1.5: The Final Mix (archive audio)

Mandy Moore is perhaps one of the few famous actors to lend her voice to a Kingdom Hearts game before starring in an animated Disney film. Moore voiced Aerith Gainsborough from Final Fantasy VII in Kingdom Hearts. Notably, the game was released the same year as one of her most remembered films, A Walk To Remember (2002). In Kingdom Hearts, Aerith was one of a handful of Final Fantasy characters first encountered in Traverse Town, alongside Leon, Yuffie, and Cid.

Like many of her co-stars in the first game, Moore did not voice Aerith in future Kingdom Hearts releases. Despite Rapunzel, a character she voiced in Tangled (2010) appearing in Kingdom Hearts III, Moore did not return for the role. Kelsey Lansdowne provided the character's dialogue instead. Despite this fact, Moore has voiced Rapunzel in other games, such as Disney Infinity and Disney Dreamlight Valley.

3 Mark Hamill

Master Eraqus

Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
Kingdom Hearts III

Mark Hamill is best known for his appearance as Luke Skywalker in the initial Star Wars trilogy (1977-1983). He initially voiced the older Master Eraqus in the prequel game, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep. He later reprized the role in Kingdom Hearts III.

Hamill is a prolific voice actor, having a huge catalog of voice work before ever being cast for Birth By Sleep. Most recently, Hamill was announced once again as the voice of the Joker for the Warner Bros. fighting game, Multiversus.

2 Billy Zane

Ansem, Seeker of Darkness

Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts 1.5: The Final Mix (archive audio)

Billy Zane is no stranger to playing the villain, being perhaps best-known for his performance as Caledon Hockey in Titanic (1997). In Kingdom Hearts, he uses his vocal chops to bring to life the game's final boss: Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. Thus far, it remains Zane's latest role in a video game, preceded only by his appearance in the snowboarding game, SSX Tricky as Brodi Ford.

Zane has not reprised the role since the first game. Veteran voice actor Richard Epcar was the voice of Ansem, Seeker of Darkness in subsequent Kingdom Hearts games featuring the character.

1 Leonard Nimoy, Rutger Hauer, & Christopher Lloyd

Master Xehanort

Leonard Nimoy as Xehanort kingdom hearts

Nimoy:
- Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
- Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
Hauer:
- Kingdom Hearts III
Lloyd:
- Kingdom Hearts III: Re:Mind DLC
- Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory

The elderly Master Xehanort was the primary corrupting force in the Kingdom Hearts series. He is thus far an overarching antagonist in the games, even where he is not the main villain outright. Even other characters who take on the role of the main antagonist, such as Ansem or Xemnas, are simply other forms of him. Such a core character requires a consummate performer, and across the series so far, three veteran actors have taken on the role of Xehanort.

The late Leonard Nimoy was the first to voice the villain in Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, a role he later reprised in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. After Nimoy's passing, Rutger Hauer took over the role in Kingdom Hearts III. Finally, Christopher Lloyd has voiced the character since Hauer passed away, appearing in the Re:Mind DLC for Kingdom Hearts III as well as a rhythm game recounting the series, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.