Kevin Michael Richardson | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Richardson in 2016 | |
| Born | (1964-10-25)October 25, 1964 (age 61) New York City, U.S. |
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| Alma mater | Syracuse University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | |
| Website | Official website (archive) |
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voicedGoro inMortal Kombat (1995) andMortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020),Captain Gantu in theLilo & Stitch franchise, andDeus Ex Machina inThe Matrix Revolutions (2003). He has also voiced characters onSeth MacFarlane's showsFamily Guy,The Cleveland Show, andAmerican Dad!, as well as several characters onMatt Groening's showsThe Simpsons andFuturama.
Richardson voiced various characters in shows based onDC Comics properties, including theJoker inThe Batman (for which he received twoDaytime Emmy Award nominations) andTrigon,Mammoth, andSee-More in bothTeen Titans andTeen Titans Go!. Additionally, he played Antauri inSuper Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!,Oroku Saki/the Shredder in the 2012 series ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bulkhead fromTransformers: Prime, and Stump Smash and Tree Rex in theSkylanders video game series. His other notable roles includeF Is for Family,Barney Rubble inThe Flintstones: On the Rocks, the Mauler Twins andMonster Girl inInvincible, and Chairman Alonzo Drek in the video gameRatchet & Clank.
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Richardson was born toJamaican immigrant parents on October 25, 1964, inthe Bronx,New York City. He is the youngest of 5 siblings.[1][2]He was inspired to become an actor as a child byFlip Wilson,James Earl Jones andLaurence Olivier. Richardson attended St Francis Preparatory School in Pennsylvania and was selected for theNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities in 1982.[3][4] He earned aBachelor of Fine Arts in theater fromSyracuse University in 1988.[5][6]
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Richardson began his live-action acting career in New York City, where he performed in commercials. His first professional acting job was in anAT&T commercial. He was frequently hired as a voice for television commercials. He later moved toLos Angeles. He has usually portrayed villainous characters due to his deep and powerful voice. In 1995, he obtained his first voice role as Mayor Tilton on the animated television version ofThe Mask. Additionally, early in his career, he appeared in aPBS special directed byJohn Houseman.
Richardson's other credits includeCaptain Gantu inLilo & Stitch and itsfranchise, Shnitzel in theChowderpilot (and was later replaced byJohn DiMaggio),Goro inMortal Kombat, the second voice of Skulker onDanny Phantom,Sarevok in theBaldur's Gate series,Jolee Bindo inStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,Crunch Bandicoot in theCrash Bandicoot games, Sai Sahan inElder Scrolls OnlineMMORPG series,Tartarus fromHalo 2, Chairman Alonzo Drek inRatchet & Clank, Antauri inSuper Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, Openly Gator fromQueer Duck, Doctor Payne and others onThe Proud Family, Dark Laser onThe Fairly OddParents,Maurice fromThe Penguins of Madagascar (replacing Cedric the Entertainer), Slam Tasmanian and Tech E. Coyote onLoonatics Unleashed, and the voice ofExile in the 1990s animated seriesRoad Rovers.
Richardson replacedKeith David as the voice ofTombstone onThe Spectacular Spider-Man. He provided a character voice set forIcewind Dale:Heart of Winter andIcewind Dale II. He was the voice of Heihachi in the PlayStation 2 gameSoul Calibur II, though he is listed in the role as Victor Stone. He also voiced Stump Smash and Tree Rex inSkylanders: Swap Force,Skylanders: Trap Team, andSkylanders: SuperChargers.
In 2001, Richardson voicedBarney Rubble in the animated movieThe Flintstones: On the Rocks. In 2004, he became the first Black actor to portray theJoker, voicing the character on the animated seriesThe Batman, a role for which he was twice nominated for theDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program. In 2005, he voicedTrigon on the animated seriesTeen Titans, taking over the role fromKeith Szarabajka.
In 2006, he appeared in the comedyClerks II in which he plays a cop who notices the words "Porch Monkey 4 Life" written on the back ofRandal Graves' work jacket; he also voiced the elder dragon Terrador fromThe Legend of Spyro game series. In 2008, he performed the voice ofBishop forWolverine and the X-Men. Later, he did the voice ofNick Fury onThe Super Hero Squad Show. He also voiced Tyro inNickelodeon'sAvatar: The Last Airbender in 2004.
Richardson often plays characters based on comedianBill Cosby, such as onFamily Guy ("Brian Does Hollywood"); as Cosby himself onThe Boondocks; and Numbuh 5's father Mr. Lincoln, an homage to Cosby onCodename: Kids Next Door.
His most frequent role onFamily Guy is Jerome, Lois's ex-boyfriend. He was also the voice ofCleveland Brown Jr.,Lester Krinklesac, and numerous others onThe Cleveland Show. He currently voices Principal Brian Lewis onAmerican Dad! and is the current voice forDr. Hibbert replacingHarry Shearer onThe Simpsons. His voice roles in 2011 includedPanthro in theThundercats series,Martian Manhunter onYoung Justice and Bulkhead, one of the Autobots inTransformers: Prime. He playedKilowog inGreen Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters, the video game sequel to the live-action filmGreen Lantern and later reprised the role inGreen Lantern: The Animated Series andYoung Justice.
He was nominated for Voice Actor of the Year by Behind the Voice Actors in 2012[7] and in 2013.[8]
In September 2013, he provided the voice of Mr. Gus on theCartoon Network showUncle Grandpa. In 2015, he did the voice of aNigerian king onThe Simpsons episode "The Princess Guide". Later, he provided the voice of Judge Michaels inTyler Perry's first animated film,Madea's Tough Love. In 2021, he provided the voice of Jimbo inThe Boss Baby: Back in Business (2018), the sequel to the 2017 filmThe Boss Baby.
Richardson lives inLos Angeles with his wife, Monica, whom he married in 2006.[9][10] He is the stepfather of her two sons from a previous marriage.[10]
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Monica.
My boys are grown now. My oldest turned 27. My youngest is 22. ... [M]y kids are from my wife's previous marriage. I have raised them since they were very young, like six and ten.
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