Dear Hollywood (and any other lazy film studio),

Please stop hiring underqualified celebrities to voice act in movies. No, scratch that. I implore you to stop hiring notable names in media where they do not BELONG!

This has been happening since Walt Disney’s feature animation Aladdin released on November 25, 1992 with Robin Williams voicing the Genie. It’s all gone downhill from there. Every single studio saw the success of Aladdin, which grossed 504 million dollars in the box office, according to a film industry data website The Numbers. 

From then on, all the ‘reputable’ and popular production studios we know today, such as Disney, Pixar, etc., basically said, “ ♪ALL ABOARD! The Toxic Profit Train, you’re chugging down soulless films with no inspiration. ♪ – Extra points to those who understand that parodied reference!

Anywho, I can already hear some people whining about, “well, that’s just how some studios make money, wah wah wah.” I would rather not hear it, because these are multi-billion-dollar companies we’re talking about, and not some small side hustle studio staffed by a group of college students.

I have such an issue with this because movies are supposed to make us feel something, to inspire us and make us visualize worlds in more imaginative and complex ways than books can. Actress Nicole Kidman perfectly sums up what a good film is capable of accomplishing when done right: “Because we need that, all of us, that indescribable feeling when the lights begin to dim, and we go somewhere never seen before, not just to be entertained, but somehow reborn together.” Film is much more than something to be used as entertainment for an hour or so but something to escape reality with and be inspired by. Filmmakers should want to create communities around the stories they tell, after all those dedicated fans are who make them money.

Some washed-up, hardly relevant celebrity does not sell films. They often do not know how the hell to appeal to younger audiences or just audiences in general without spouting some brain rot meme. I’m looking at you, Jack Black, and your “chicken jockey” madness that has everyone in an animalistic frenzy at the theaters and throwing their grub and refreshments at the screen for a 1-second meme. I swear that guy is like an icky wine stain that you just can’t get out of your carpet no matter how hard you scrub! He’s just everywhere now. Film industries don’t even bother to do it surreptitiously anymore. Instead of a nice quick Easter egg, the cameo is just blatant and odd, making everything feel out of place and rushed, like a jigsaw puzzle piece that just won’t fit. 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I wish films were given more thought nowadays, as it seems there is a shortage of actually talented people, as they are often overshadowed in favor of, ‘Oh hey, there’s that funny comedian person from the 90’s.’ Not to discredit those athletes, comedians, and live-action actors, as they worked really, really hard to get where they are today, no doubt. But I am just so sick of them getting out-of-place castings for things they should not be involved in. Not to mention it is cheaper to hire a real voice actor instead of blowing away your money to pay for some celebrity’s ego. I also think it is just an insult to people who have been in the voice acting industry for YEARS and know what they’re doing, especially since they have that talent that ordinary actors and comedians do not, as that’s their specialty. It’s what they are literally paid to do. “They’re going to do a better job, be more available, and care a lot more. Because it’s their profession, their livelihood,” a quote from Movie Mortal says. 

Good films should be protected for their life like a good bodyguard protects the president 24/7. A good film/piece of media makes a good impact. And good impacts open doors to lifelong opportunities, which is why celebrities and films should not clash.