Voice actor José Santa Cruz has died at the age of 95 and left a long list of iconic characters in fans’ memories
Another legendary dubbing voice leaves us. OR the actor and voice actor José Santa Cruz passed away on April 26th at the age of 95. A veteran of TV and radio, he worked for broadcasters such as the extinct TV Tupi and Manchete, as well as Globo and SBT, participating in programs such as total Zorra AND The square is ours. However, it was in the dub that he truly became eternal.
Owner of a very versatile voice, he has played very varied characters. From a list of hundreds of productions in which he participated, he expressed figures who were not always heroic, but sometimes had a peculiar wisdom, sometimes a simplicity that was more than everyday. It was in this balance, for example, that he gave an entirely Brazilian personality to his man Dino da Silva Sauro in Dinosaur family, coining the eternal “Honey, I’m here!” which is still remembered today.
He was also the official voice of actors such as Ian McKellen and JK Simon, making him the national voice of popular characters. Your Magneto is flawless to the same extent that he created a JJ Jameson as perfect as the original.
That’s why the news of his death seemed so shocking to people who didn’t even know they were his fans. José Santa Cruz was part of a legendary generation of voice actors who were much more discreet in their work. Like this Orlando Drummond AND Isaac Bardavidhe is remembered much more for the excellence of his performances than for the dissemination and exposure of the whole.
Thus, to pay homage to this giant who marked many generations with his different voices, we have selected his most iconic works over the years.
10. Hagrid (Harry Potter)
When actor Robbie Coltrane, the By Hagrid Harry Potter passed away in 2023, an entire generation that grew up with the magician’s films felt orphaned by that half-giant who was almost a father figure for the hero. And, for Brazilians, part of this relationship with the character lay in José Santa Cruz’s dubbing.
The actor managed to convey Hagrid’s simple ways very well, without neglecting the welcoming tone he had in his words. From his care for Harry to his passion for animals in the wizarding world, all of this is more than present in the perfect dubbing done here.
9. Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace)
OR Hatred for Jar Jar Binks was almost a consensus among fans In Star Wars for long years. However, while the original voice actor Ahmed Best suffered greatly from the public’s attacks, the Brazilian Jar Jar remained unscathed, especially thanks to the great interpretation of Santa Cruz, who managed to save the infamous character.
The actor played the gungan in the first dub of the film, made in 1999. To do so, he used all his experience as a comedian to give the creature a little more personality, eliminating the strange Jamaican accent he had in the original to earn something a little less caricatural.
8. Auguste Gusteau (Ratatouille)
Gusteau may not be the most remembered character Ratatouille, which boasts a very large roster of notable and audience-favorite characters. However, José Santa Cruz’s work at the helm of the late French chef is essential to endearing us to Pixar’s animation. This is because it is his voice from Santa Cruz that creates this very important connection between the audience and the character.
In the film, Gusteau appears as a projection made by the protagonist Remy of his greatest idol. For this reason, this more paternal tone presented by the voice actor makes him so remembered and loved, despite him being a very secondary supporting character.
7. Doctor Julius (The Simpsons)
In fact, José Santa Cruz voiced several characters The Simpsons. In the 30-plus years the animation has been on the air, it’s been mobster Tony Gordo, maniac Sideshow Bob and Superintendent Chalmers. However, his most recurring appearance was that of Doctor Julius.
He served as Springfield’s doctor between seasons 14 and 31 – that is, for more than 15 years in the role – and, although the doctor is not such a recurring figure in the series, he always seems to calm the Simpson family and show that, despite everything, they are everyone is fine. And, of course, the welcoming voice of his voice actor helps a lot in this task.
6. Smelly Pete (Toy Story 2)
But José Santa Cruz’s voice didn’t just work for these father figures, and the voice actor occasionally brought some truly disgusting villains to life. One of them is Stinky Pete, the evil doll of Toy story 2.
In addition to bringing a completely different tone of voice, the actor managed to localize the character very well and avoid stereotypes and acting mannerisms, managing to convey this rural tone of the doll, but without becoming a caricature of any region.
5. Megatron (Transformers)
Another villain played by Santa Cruz is Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons in the franchise Transformers. He participated in the first three films of the saga, when the giant robot was voiced by Hugo Weaving in the original.
And, more than any other role on this list, bringing Megatron to life is truly an absurd challenge, as it is necessary to convey all the emotion (in this case, anger and contempt for the Autobots) inside the fairing that is the chassis of the doll. – and the voice actor did it very well.
4. Mr. Omar (Everybody Hates Chris)
The success of Everyone hates Chris in Brazil it is already a fact more than known to everyone, especially after the recent adoption of the actor who played Greg, Vincent Martella, by the Brazilian public. And much of this affection comes from the series’ excellent location.
And obviously there’s a touch of José Santa Cruz in this. The legendary voice actor played Mr. Omar, the protagonist’s neighbor the undertaker. With a somewhat mischievous way of being, he became well remembered thanks to the slogan “Tragic! Tragic!”.
3. JJ Jameson (Spider-Man)
Of all different versions of Spider-Man Over the years, only one thing has remained the same: his nemesis JJ Jameson. More than the poverty and headaches of being a hero sharing his life as a kid in a newspaper, the figure of the gruff editor-in-chief is what all versions of the Spider have in common. And, in the vast majority of them, Santa Cruz was there.
The voice actor was responsible for voicing the domestic version of Jameson in cinemas in both countries Spiderman Tobey Maguire and in the recent version of the MCU. But, even before that, he was already the grumpy journalist of the animation of the sixties and eighties, as well as the Spider-Verse. This means that nowhere in the world has anyone asked for more Spider-Man images than José Santa Cruz.
2.Magneto (X-Men)
Also in wonderSanta Cruz brought to life the villain Magneto, one of the most beloved characters in the entire franchise X-Men. He played the mutant during the Fox era where Sir Ian McKellen played the Master of Magnetism.
But, even before the first feature film hit theaters in 1999, the voice actor was part of the nationwide cast of the classic cartoon. X-Men – the iconic one from the 90s that gained new life with X-Men ’97. And, to prove that he has always been and always will be the definitive voice of Magneto, he has also participated in every season of X-Men: Evolutionanother design that has marked generations.
1. Dino da Silva Sauro (Dinosaur Family)
But, of all the works of José Santa Cruz, none is more iconic and surprising than the one in which he presented Dinosaur family. As in many of his other works, he created such an extraordinary voice for the character that the national version of the protagonist is unique and far superior to the original. Without the voice actor, the character and the series itself turn into something much more boring.
The best example of this is the slogan used in the Brazilian version: “Darling, I’ve arrived!” – is much fuller of personality than the original. The intonation, charisma and life he gives to this rubber doll meant that the phrase became popular and remembered years after the end of the series and used even by those who had never seen the program.
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Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
