The Society of Voice Arts & Sciences (SOVAS) has released the nominee list for the 2026 Voice Arts® Awards, marking the organization’s first gala to be permanently held in January. Due to this calendar shift, the 2025 cycle is officially branded as the 2026 awards year. According to SOVAS, this ensures each winner receives the distinction of a complete calendar year tied to their award title.
The Voice Arts® Awards remain one of the most significant honors in the voice acting profession. They recognize outstanding performances across commercial work, narration, animation, dubbing, gaming, and spoken word, along with several production and casting categories. Below is a curated list of the categories most relevant to voice actors, along with the nominees for each.
Commercial
Outstanding Commercial – TV or Streaming – Best Voiceover
- J. Marcell Baker – Guinness On Premise
- J. Marcell Baker – Standis – Make Brands Work
- Jerry Beharry – Bethany White Group Spot
- Ellen Dubin – Amor En La Cesta
- Matt Fogarty – Princess Margaret Cancer Centre / Carry The Fire
- GM Hakim – Hey Son – Apple
- Julia Knippen – CVS: Here For All Of It
- Elsa Levytsky – Nespresso “The Perfect Gift”
- Jeremiah Mullins – IHOP
- Peter Wicks – Plants Made Easy – Patch Plants
Outstanding Commercial – Radio – Best Voiceover
- Charles H. Coats II – Blinds.com – Pool Party – Husband
- John Meissner – (Untitled – listed without title in source)
- Suzie Rai – Tinder Commercial
- Clay St. Thomas – Whitten And Lublin “Leave The Payback To Us”
- Moose Warywoda – Naskila Casino / Mouthful Of Prizes
Narration
Outstanding Narration – TV or Film – Best Voiceover
- Jon Armond – The Icons That Built America
- J. Marcell Baker – Bull Shark Showdown
- Victoria Lynn Carroll – She Is A Shaman
- Debbe Hirata – Hope On The Hill
- Angelo Miller – A Day In The Life Of Mount Pleasant
Outstanding Audiobook Narration – Fiction – Best Voiceover
- Nicholas Corda – The Legend Of Valentine
- Hannah Curtis – I’ll Be Home For Christmas
- Justin Price – Talmadge Farm
- Jesse Vilinsky – Cammy Sitting Shiva
- Jesse Vilinsky – Notes On Surviving The Fire
Outstanding Audiobook Narration – Nonfiction – Best Voiceover
- Jason Culp – Mark Twain
- Arthur Dent III – The Journey: A Memoir
- Krystal Hammond – Shattered Silence
- Anne Marie Lewis – Raising Ricky
- Amanda Turen – Jeddah Bride
Video Game
Outstanding Video Game Character – Best Voiceover
- Harry Frost – Wizard of Legend 2: Hieronymous
- Rae Lim – Wuthering Waves
- Eduardo De Los Reyes – Digimon Time Story Stranger
- Peter Wicks – Among Ashes
- Shel Wyminga – Mechwarrior 5: Clans – Ghost Bear: Flash Storm
Outstanding Video Game Trailer – Best Voiceover
- Path of Exile 2 – Dawn of the Hunt (Voiceover lead not individually credited)
- Weston Heflin – World of Warships – How to Play US Aircraft Carriers
- Devon Irelan – Eve Online: Equinox Expansion Trailer
- Alaina Wis – Tower of Fantasy – Become the Ash That Ignites the Stars
- Kimberly Woods – Wanderstop Trailer
Animation
Outstanding Animation Character – Motion Picture – Best Voiceover
- Auli‘i Cravalho – Moana 2
- James Hare – Fat Chance The Movie
- Dwayne Johnson – Moana 2
Outstanding Animation Character – TV or Web – Best Voiceover
- I-Ling Chen – Hamsters Of Hamsterdale
- Wesley Eagle – Wands Deep
- (Unnamed actor) – Loud & Proud
- Brandon Miller – Paw Patrol: To The Rescue – Mayor Humdinger
- Azman Zulkiply – LK: School Daze
Outstanding Animation Ensemble – Motion Picture – Best Voiceover
Moana 2 – Full Cast
The Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning – Full Cast
Dubbing
Outstanding Dubbing – TV or Motion Picture – English Language
- Mabel Cezar – Latin Blood – The Ballad of Ney Matogrosso
- Joan Giammarco – The Disappearance Of Kimmy Diore
- Paulette Victor Lifton – From Old Country Bumpkin To Master Swordsman
- Fabiola Stevenson – Deep Sea
- Fabiola Stevenson – Escape From Isis
Outstanding Spoken Word or Storytelling – Best Performance
- Gaby Olarieta – New York, A City Of Extremes
- Charles Reese – Speak! – A Spoken Word Odyssey – Volume One
- Carlos Rondon – Bear Bunny Love
- Leonie Schliesing – Troy – Aphrodite
- Sharon Nyree Williams – Lift Every Voice And Sing
SOVAS also honors achievements across casting, sound engineering, direction, radio imaging, podcast production, and multilingual performance. These categories remain part of the official awards structure and can be reviewed on the SOVAS website.
Spotlight on Last Year’s Winners and What to Expect Next
Last year’s winners included standout performances across commercials, narration, and video games. The commercial field delivered strong reads for national brands, while audiobook winners highlighted dramatic depth and long-form consistency. Gaming and animation categories continued to grow, reflecting the expanding global demand for character-driven voice work.
Moving the gala to January gives nominees and winners a full year of branding tied to the award year printed on their official titles. This shift is expected to streamline future awards cycles and offer more clarity for marketing, submissions, and recognition in the wider entertainment industry.
The 2026 nominee roster shows how diverse the voiceover landscape has become, covering everything from blockbuster games to intimate audiobooks and global streaming productions. The Voice Arts® Awards remain a key indicator of excellence, and this year’s contenders represent a wide spectrum of talent across the industry.
