One of the most fascinating characters in history, across all nations, all ethnicities and all religions is the equivalent of the Devil. Pretty much the incarnation of evil on some fronts, the great betrayer on others, or simply a source of vile evil, the devil has fascinated people for generations and he’s snuck into quite a few books, movies and even comics. So let’s stop being coy, many of us have wondered exactly what the devil would actually sound like… and here’s my list of the top 10 voices who would make a very convincing devil.
#10 Robert Loggia
If anyone can sound like a mean spirited bastard, it is the almighty Loggia. And he’s been so ruthless in some movies that to me, the step from his characters to the devil isn’t that large a bridge to gap. Here's a sample from Lost Highway.
#9 Anthony Hopkins
The ability to slither his sentences makes this silver tongue a worthy choice to voice the Prince of Darkness. That he can give a convincing scream or sound downright nasty doesn’t hurt either.
#8 Michael Wincott
Gravelly and just sinister, Wincott has served as villain most times he’s been on the screen and he definitely sounds like he has what is needed to make a convincing Lord of the Underworld.
#7 Tim Curry
He’s already played the devil in Legend and his depiction was excellent to say the least. Actually his devil is one of the best in cinema due to the makeup and the fact that well… he looked and sounded like the real thing. Check a little after the minute mark for the vocal moneyshot.
#6 Keith Richards
One of four musicians to make the list, just listen to an interview with Richards and tell me you can’t imagine him preying on the weak and relishing his job. True, it'd be a trickster devil but since when has the devil not been one to have fun.
#5 Al Pacino
Another actor that has already played the role of papa Diablo, Pacino has the panache and the gusto to deliver his devil with energy, much more energy than most any other devil I’ve ever heard or seen.
#4 Mark Lanegan
The smoke whiskey lushness of Lanegan’s voice would be one of the best vehicles to portray the devil, period. If you don’t believe me, listen to this clip below from a live performance or click the link to see an interview.
#3 James Earl Jones
Quite simply, I can’t think of a more intimidating voice than James Earle Jones. His depiction of Darth Vader shall forever triumph as one of the best voiceover performances ever. And when you hear that deep bass, you know he means business. And sorry, but the Devil isn’t exactly someone you’d want to mess with… and neither is Mr. Jones.
#2 Tom Waits
Another member of this list who has played the Devil in the Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, but I look to his discography and his performance as Renfield in Bram Stoker’s Dracula just to carry through the point that when it comes to sounding sinister, few people can hold a candle to Maestro Waits.
#1 Ginger Baker
Number one on my list is the most subjective selection because every single time I listen to this man speak I can’t help but think of the devil. A cynical, testy, smiling, smoking devil who’s always just at the brink of casting you to the fiery depths or telling you to piss off.
Cheers
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