The 10 Best Characters Voiced by Josh Keaton, Ranked (2025)

Joshua Luis Wiener, better known as Josh Keaton, has been working as an actor since he was a toddler in OshKosh B'gosh commercials. From there, he's appeared in all sorts of projects, from a few live-action roles to even releasing his own music, both in the band No Authority and as a solo artist. However, the brunt of his work involves voice acting in films, television shows, and video games.

Keaton is one of those voice actors who are skilled at making their voice sound youthful. As such, the bulk of his work consists of younger characters, especially teenagers and young adults. However, he's more than capable of branching out into other roles when given the chance, resulting in some truly iconic and unforgettable performances. Keaton's characters are complicated and interesting, but his best creations are outright iconic.

10 Valerian Mengsk

'StarCraft II' (2010-2013)

The son of Emperor Arcturus Mengsk (James Harper), Valerian serves as the heir apparent to the Terran Dominion, an empire of humans struggling to survive in a hostile galaxy. While his father rules through fear and absolute control, Valerian believes that a lighter touch can achieve better results. He also wants to prove to himself and the people that he is worthy of the throne by accomplishing something even his father couldn't, which leads him to an unlikely alliance with his father's most hated enemy, Jim Raynor (Robert Clotworthy).

Valerian is a chance for Keaton to play a more morally dubious character. While he cares about his empire and the safety of his citizens, his attempts to prove his worth lead to a number of risky gambles. He also holds a more traditional sense of honor, which allows him to admire and even empathize with his father's enemies.

9 Darel

'Kulipari' (2016-2023)

Living in a hidden oasis called the Amphibilands, Darel dreams of joining the elite order of his father, the Kulipari. Unfortunately, he was born without poison, which has traditionally been required to be a Kulipari. When an army of scorpions led by the brutal warlord, Marmoo (Keith David), threatens the Amphibilands and the magical spider-queen, Jarrah (Wendie Malick), Darel must find his courage and become the warrior his people need him to be.

Kulipari combines the classic hero's journey with Australian mythology, with Darel as a great protagonist for the audience to latch onto. His self-doubt is understandable, given the legacy he must live up to, and it's very satisfying to watch him grow into the hero that he always dreamed of being. Keaton's voice captures all of this with subtle inflections that hint at the mental battles Darel performs alongside the physical ones. It's a brilliant, comprehensive performance that would receive a lot more attention if only people knew about the show.

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8 Electro

'Marverl's Spider-Man' (2018)

After getting caught in an electrical accident, Maxwell Dillon gained the ability to absorb and control massive amounts of electricity. He became the first superpowered criminal in the career of New York's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man (Yuri Lowenthal) and a recurring antagonist for him over the years. Now known as Electro, his goal shifted into absorbing enough power to transform himself into a being of pure, living energy.

Keaton is no stranger to the Spider-Man franchise, having played Harry Osborn in the video game adaptation of Sam Rami's first Spider-Man film and Spidey himself in the acclaimed Spectacular Spider-Man. Keaton's take on Electro is perfect, combining genuine menace with a hint of humor, making for good banter with Spider-Man and his fellow rogues. Electro is a B-level villain in the Web-Crawler's collection, but Keaton does an admirable job at making him memorable.

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7 Takashi "Shiro" Shirogane

'Voltron: Legendary Defender' (2016-2018)

The leader of the Defenders of the Universe, Shiro pilots the Black Lion, which forms the head of the galaxy-defending robot, Voltron. This task is very personal for Shiro, as he was captured by the Galra Empire and forced to fight as a gladiator for years, where he lost his right arm. Despite his struggles against his inner demons, Shiro tries to be a calm and level-headed leader of the team.

Shiro is a chance for Keaton to play a more mature and level-headed character. His age and experience mean that he takes the role of the team dad, inspiring his fellow Paladins to be their best and reigning in their crazier tendencies. The role allows Keaton to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche, dealing with issues like PTSD and survivor's guilt, resulting in a complex and compelling character.

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6 Black Spider

'Young Justice' (2019-2022)

A member of the League of Shadows, Black Spider is a deadly assassin with a wicked sense of humor. Rather than just kill his marks from a distance, he prefers to make a game out of it, tossing quips and jokes before finishing the job. Thanks to his suit, he has a couple of sider-themed powers, including the ability to crawl on walls and swing from buildings via grappling hooks.

Young Justice's Black Spider is a straight-up evil version of Spider-Man, and Keaton has a ball performing it. From the playful quips to the over-the-top Southern accent, Keaton always adds a bit of levity to the scene through his straightforward and casual delivery. Black Spider might be a gimmicky character, but Keaton elevates it, preventing him from becoming a joke.

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5 Teenage Hercules

'Hercules' (1997)

The son of the Olympian Gods Zeus (Rip Thorn) and Hera (Samantha Eggar), Hercules was stolen by his uncle, Hades (James Woods), to avert a prophecy that said Hercules would thwart his plan to usurp Zeus. His minions Pain (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Panic (Matt Frewer) gave Hercules a potion that made him mortal, but he retained the strength of a God, and they couldn't kill him. Hercules then grows up feeling like an outcast until Zeus explains to him that he can regain his godhood by becoming a true hero.

Keaton's take on young Hercules plays well into Tate Donovan's voice for him as a grown man. He sounds appropriately confused and awkward, especially when trying to control his strength or interact with his fellow citizens. Hercules is among the Disney Renaissance's most underrated movies, although it has experienced a considerable re-evaluation in recent years. Young Hercules' story is crucial to the film, and Keaton does a beautiful job with it.

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4 Jack Darby

'Transformers: Prime' (2010-2013)

Jack Darby had the same concerns as most teenage boys: try to get good grades in school, impress girls, and save up enough money working minimum wage to afford a motorcycle. Things changed when he learned that the Earth was the battleground of two factions of alien robots, known as the Autobots and Decepticons. Jack became a human ally of the Autobots and grew particularly close to Arcee (Sumalee Montano), an Autobot who transforms into a motorcycle and becomes his protector.

Transformers: Prime was made to cash in on the success of Michael Bay's Transformers films, and Jack fills a similar role to Shia LaBeouf's character, Sam Witwicky. However, Jack is a lot more likable than Sam and demonstrates many stronger qualities in leadership, bravery, and self-sacrifice. Keaton's performance is great, giving Jack a lot of heart through his friendship with the female robot Arcee. Unexpectedly, Jack is among Keaton's best characters, a unique and relatable hero who deserves far more praise than he gets.

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3 Hal Jordan/Green Lantern

Various DC Projects

Pilot Hal Jordan's life changed forever when he arrived at the crash site of a dying alien named Abin Sur, who belonged to an intergalactic organization known as the Green Lantern Corps. Abin Sur's power ring chose Jordan, marking him as the first human to be chosen as a Lantern. The ring allows Jordan to turn his thoughts into physical objects, which he uses to battle against criminals both on Earth and in the depths of space.

Keaton first voiced Jordan in Green Lantern: The Animated Series and reprised the role in the Lego DC games and DC Super Hero Girls web series. While others have played Jordan in more serious projects, such as Steve Blum and Nathan Fillion, Keaton's optimism and energy work perfectly for the more silly and child-friendly programs. He still sounds like a focused and dedicated protector, but he also knows when to cut loose and relax a bit. Green Lantern stands out among Keaton's roles because of how well it goes with his style; like Spider-Man, Keaton and Hal Jordan are a match made in voice-acting heaven.

2 Major Ocelot

'Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater' (2004)

The child of two legendary soldiers, Adamska was taken from his parents and raised to be a codebreaker in the NSA before defecting to the Soviet Union. He joined the service of Stalinist GRU Colonel Volgin (Kenji Utsumi/Kenji Utsumi) under the name Major Ocelot while secretly serving as a triple agent for both the KGB and CIA. This resulted in him meeting special operative Naked Snake (Akio Ōtsuka/David Hayter) and the beginning of a very long and complicated relationship.

Keaton's take on the younger Ocelot in the English version of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is as fun and complex as the older version seen in the other Metal Gear Solid games. He gives Ocelot the right amount of youthful arrogance, pride, and honor to sell him as a complex and hard-to-pin-down individual. Coupled with his impressive revolver skills and hilarious gestures, it's not surprising that he became one of the game's highlights. Today, Ocelot remains highly-regarded among fans, with many believing he is among the series' best characters, and it's largely thanks to Keaton's masterful voice performance.

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1 Peter Parker/Spider-Man

Various Marvel Projects

While on a field trip to Empire State University, Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and gained various powers, including superhuman strength, agility, and the power to climb walls. Initially, he tried to use these powers to make money, but after his Uncle Ben's (Ed Asner) death at the hands of a robber he let escape, Peter dedicates himself to fighting crime as Spider-Man. Unfortunately, his success as Spider-Man does little to improve his life as Peter Parker.

Keaton has become as synonymous with Spider-Man as the late great Kevin Conroy is to Batman. He captures everything you want in a good Peter Parker: his unbreakable spirit, frustration at his shortcomings, love for his family and friends, and confident quips as Spider-Man. Even after the unfortunate cancelation of The Spectacular Spider-Man, Keaton's voice can be heard in video games and, most recently, as a cameo in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

The Spectacular Spider-Man is available to rent on Amazon.

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NEXT: 10 Voice Actors Who Play Multiple Characters in the Same Show