Irresistible Actor Voices
The actors with the most enticing tones
The world of acting has produced plenty of mesmerising actors, and one of their main tools for keeping us captivated is their instantly recognisable voices. From the deep, soothing tones of Morgan Freeman to the musical lilt of Helen Mirren, actors spend years perfecting their voices to keep us hanging on their every word.
But which actors and actresses have the most irresistible voices? The team at Spin Genie UK has delved into the data to find out, analysing the depth, variance and level of vocal fry of a sample of Hollywood stars.
How have we measured attractiveness in voices?
Looking at more than 100 actors and actresses, we have considered the depth, variance and vocal fry in their voices to formulate our overall irresistible voice score. The depth of one’s voice shows how high or low their average pitch is, measured in Hertz (Hz). Variance is the range between the highest and lowest pitch of someone’s voice, which is also measured in Hertz. Lastly, vocal fry is a deep, creaky, scratchy, or raspy quality that is present in many people’s voices. This can be a natural part of someone’s voice or a conscious alteration. Vocal fry happens when you relax your vocal cords without increasing the air you’re pushing through them, creating a low, raspy and creaky sound.
The actors with the most irresistible voices
1. Liam Neeson Irresistible voice score: 9.27/10
Liam Neeson has a very particular set of skills regarding his voice. The Oscar-winning actor, famous for his roles in Love Actually and Schindler's List, takes second place both for his vocal depth, averaging 58 Hz and 1% vocal fry, giving him a score of 9.27 out of 10 and second place overall.
2. Vin Diesel Irresistible voice score: 9.20/10
Vin Diesel is up next. The Fast and Furious actor and voice behind Guardians of the Galaxy’s Groot shares the top spot for his lack of vocal fry at 0% and second place for his vocal depth of 58 Hz.
3. Bryan Cranston Irresistible voice score: 9.17/10
Rounding out the top three is Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston scoring 9.17 out of 10. He has one of the deepest voices on the list, placing in the top five with 61 Hz. Cranston also has one of the lowest levels of vocal fry at 1% and ranks in the top 10 with 22.04 Hz.
The actors with the deepest voices
1. Russell Crowe 57 Hertz
Russell Crowe also takes the top spot. The Oscar-winning Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind star clocks in at 57 Hz. While not widely known for his singing, Crowe has lent his deep, sonorous baritone voice to the band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts.
2. Liam Neeson, Vin Diesel, and George Clooney 58 Hertz
Three actors, Liam Neeson, Vin Diesel and George Clooney, all tie for second place at 58 Hz. Liam Neeson and George Clooney share the same median vocal frequency, expressed as the musical note A#1, while Vin Diesel’s voice clocks in at D2, the lowest note in the bass register.
3. Peter Dinklage 59 Hertz
A deep voice is often seen as a sign of dominance, strength and masculinity. Peter Dinklage takes third place. The actor, who gained international recognition for playing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, clocks in at 59 Hz.
The actors with the most vocal variance
1. Stephen Merchant 32.11 Hertz
Vocal variance is the range between the highest and lowest tones a voice will reach. The comedian and actor Stephen Merchant has the highest level of variance on the list, at 32.11 Hz, making him seem more expressive and engaging to listeners.
2. Morgan Freeman 28.95 Hertz
Next up is Morgan Freeman, with a variance of 28.95 Hz. The actor is widely known for his distinctive low voice, which he frequently uses to great effect as a narrator in documentaries, as the ability to vary his voice keeps the audience’s attention without distracting from the action on screen.
3. Al Pacino 26.04 Hertz
In third place is the gravelly-voiced Al Pacino, with a variance of 26.04 Hz. This suggests his voice is dynamic and highly expressive as it changes pitch significantly, making it captivating to listen to.
The actors with the least vocal fry
Vocal fry appears in the voice when you relax your vocal cords without increasing the air you’re pushing through them, creating a low, raspy and creaky sound. Many people find this unpleasant to listen to and hard to understand, making it an undesirable quality for actors. It is often suggested that vocal fry can also make you sound bored[1], which can be off putting to listeners, too.
Nine actors on the list have no vocal fry in their voices, with the majority of them being over the age of 50, including Harrison Ford, George Clooney and Matt Damon. This suggests that vocal fry is a social phenomenon more often adopted by young people[2].
Studies have shown that speaking with higher levels of vocal fry makes you appear less confident, educated and attractive. Benedict Cumberbatch and Jason Momoa are the youngest actors who don’t speak with vocal fry, at 48 and 44, respectively.
The actresses with the most irresistible voices
1. Jennifer Aniston Irresistible voice score: 8.24/10
Jennifer Aniston takes the top spot as the actress with the most irresistible voice. The Friends actress has the second-highest variance on the list at 32.21 and the third-lowest amount of vocal fry at 7%. She also ranks just outside the top 10 for vocal depth at an average of 129 Hz. Her dulcet tones give her an overall score of 8.24 out of 10.
2. Cate Blanchett, Emma Thompson Irresistible voice score: 7.94/10
Two actresses, Cate Blanchett and Emma Thompson, share second place for their alluring voices, scoring 7.94 out of 10. Cate Blanchett has the lowest voice on the list, at 92 Hz, placing eighth for her 12% vocal fry and tenth for a vocal variance of 27.42.
Emma Thompson has the lowest vocal fry level on the list, averaging 5%. She also ranks ninth for her vocal depth of 125 Hz and thirteenth for her vocal variance, at 27.13.
3. Angelina Jolie Irresistible voice score: 7.84/10
The Maleficent actress Angelina Jolie is in third place, scoring 7.84 out of 10. Jolie has the fourth lowest level of vocal fry at 8%. She also ranks sixth for her vocal variance of 30.27 and tenth for her 128 Hz vocal depth.
The actresses with the deepest voices
1. Cate Blanchett 92 Hertz
A study by researchers from Penn State University[3] found that men consider women with lower voices more attractive for long-term partners and lower voices more soothing. Cate Blanchett has the lowest voice on our list of actresses, at an average of 92 Hz.
2. Rosamund Pike 111 Hertz
Studies have shown that women’s voices have dropped in pitch over the last eighty years. This could reflect societal changes as women have risen to more prominent societal roles, causing them to project authority and dominance through their voices. Rosamund Pike takes second place with an average of 111 Hz.
3. Kate Winslet 115 Hertz
According to research, women with lower voices are perceived as more sophisticated and mature, adding to their irresistibility. Kate Winslet has the third-lowest voice on the list, clocking in at 115 Hz.
The actresses with the most vocal variance
1. Helen Mirren 37.30 Hertz
Voices with a higher level of variance are considered more engaging and empathetic[4] than monotone speech patterns, reflecting positive personality traits like openness. Helen Mirren tops the list as the actress with the most vocal variance at 37.30 Hz.
2. Jennifer Aniston 32.21 Hertz
More vocal variance makes your speech more memorable, impactful, and signals interest and enthusiasm. Jennifer Aniston has the second-highest level of variance on the list, with 32.21 Hz.
3. Evangeline Lilly 32.08 Hertz
A more dynamic voice makes it easier to get your point across, making it more persuasive. It also fosters a sense of connection, making your speech more engaging. Lost actress Evangeline Lilly is in third place, with a vocal variance of 32.08 Hz.
The actresses with the least vocal fry
Having a small amount of vocal fry in the voice can make you sound more relaxed, but too much will make your voice grating to older listeners. While vocal fry won’t damage your voice in the long term, using this vocal tick could negatively impact how others view you, as it’s traditionally linked with a lack of confidence and indecisiveness.
Unlike their male counterparts, none of the actresses we analysed spoke without vocal fry. Three actresses on our list, Kristen Bell, Emma Thompson and Rosamund Pike, are tied for first place with vocal fry present in just 5% of their analysed speech samples. Emma Thompson and Rosamund Pike are both British, which could explain why they have low levels of vocal fry, as it has been observed as more common among young American women[2].
Methodology
The data for actors’ vocal depth, variance and vocal fry were sourced from Vocular. Each actor’s voice was given a normalised score out of ten for each factor before taking an average of all three factors.
[1]
[2]
https://www.science.org/content/article/vocal-fry-creeping-us-speech
[3]
https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/low-voice-pitch-increases-standing-among-strangers/
[4]
https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/how-can-you-use-vocal-variety-create-empathy-compassion-zzuue
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