Why isn’t Oswalt among the marquee comics? The guy is original, funny and Charmin-squeezably cute. He’s had a solid career in stand-up, another as a voice actor (for example, in Grand Theft Auto video games) and a long-running supporting role on The King of Queens, but he hasn’t stood front and center in the limelight. Oswalt did, however, thrust stardom upon Remy, the French rodent with dreams of being a chef, in Ratatouille. Outshining such Brit royalty as Peter O’Toole and Ian Holm, Oswalt brought out Remy’s sweetness, intelligence and drive — all the subtle flavors in Brad Bird’s animated banquet.
The Voices of Pixar
Pixar's Toy Story 3 hits theaters June 18, the latest project from the studio to arrive stocked with unusual vocal talent. TIME surveys Pixar's 11 feature films, and the peculiar voices that have helped these unforgettable stories take flight
Patton Oswalt, Ratatouille (2007)
Full List
Mastering the Art of Vocals
- Tom Hanks, Toy Story (1995)
- John Ratzenberger, A Bug’s Life (1998)
- Tim Allen, Toy Story II (1999)
- Mary Gibbs, Monsters, Inc. (2001)
- Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo (2003)
- Brad Bird, The Incredibles (2004)
- Paul Newman, Cars (2006)
- Patton Oswalt, Ratatouille (2007)
- Ben Burtt, WALL-E (2008)
- Bob Peterson, Up (2009)
- Timothy Dalton, Toy Story 3 (2010)