The best Andrew Rannells movies and TV shows reveal how the talented Broadway performer is a master of many different mediums, with his career progressing from voice acting to making some memorable live-action appearances. With a career stretching back as far as 1995, Andrew Ranells was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1978. His career began on stage, but he quickly found his way into voice acting with DIC Entertainment.
After lending his voice talents to several well-known cartoons and anime dubs, including hits like Pokemon And Yu-Gi-Oh, Andrew Rannells eventually took on increasingly prominent roles. However, it was in the early 2010s that he took his experience on stage to live-action roles behind the camera, appearing in a small role in the 2012 movie Bachelorette Before he got his big break in the 2012 sitcom The New Normal. Since then, Andrew Ranells has become known as a reliable and dependable presence as a voice actor and in live action.
10
How I Met Your Mother (2013-2014)
Andrew Rannells played Darren
How I Met Your Mother is a sitcom created initially for CBS by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. Five friends living in New York City navigate their twenties and thirties as they try to find love, success and purpose. The show is framed through the eyes of one friend, Ted Mosby, as he tells the story of how he met his wife to his children.
- Release date
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September 19, 2005
- Directors
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Carter Bays
- Showrunner
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Craig Thomas
Andrew Ranells’ only appeared in two episodes of how i met your mother But being a part of the groundbreaking and still popular sitcom was an important milestone in his career nonetheless. His role as Darren may have been small, but it was notable, especially since the character was among the more quirky to appear on the show.
In Barney and Robin’s wedding, Darren is described by Tracy (the titular mother of Ted’s children) as a high-functioning sociopath. Despite only a fleeting appearance, Andrew Ranells ensures that Darren is exactly as Tracy described. He is clearly a social manipulator who delights in creating discord. Darren is one of the most memorable guest characters introduced during the wedding, and Andrew Ranells is a highlight of the two episodes of How I Met Your Mother Season 9 he featured in.
9
The New Normal (2012-2013)
Andrew Rannells played Brian Collins
The short-lived NBC comedy The New Normal May have somewhat faded into obscurity after it was canceled after one season in 2013, it remains an important piece of Andrew Ranells’ career. Rannells was one of the main cast members of the new normal, And his performance on the show as one half of same-sex couple Brian and David (played by Justin Barta) still stands as a highlight of his live-action appearances.
The New Normal Focused on Bryan and David, a wealthy couple from LA, and their journey to becoming parents through surrogate mother Goldie (played by Georgia King). It was incredibly unique as a sitcom, and touched on some heartfelt themes and social issues that few shows before or since have managed to address. While it may not be the most critically acclaimed project Andrew Rannells has been involved in, it’s still an important moment for the actor’s career and for LGBTQ+ representation (especially since it was one of the few shows that focused on unique experiences of gay couples beyond coming out stories).
8
One Piece (2005)
Andrew Rannells voiced Bellamy in the English dub
One Piece chronicles the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, an easy-going young pirate with the power to stretch like rubber, obtained from eating a Devil Fruit. Luffy and his diverse crew sail across the Grand Line in search of the ultimate treasure, the One Piece, to become the Pirate King.
- Figure
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Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Kazuki Yao, Chō
- Release date
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October 20, 1999
- Seasons
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20
- Directors
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Kônosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Munehisa Sakai
One piece is one of the most popular anime and manga series of the last decade, and continues to be strong (especially thanks to the live-action Netflix adaptation that arrived in 2023, opening the original to a whole new audience). There were several English dubs of One piece Over the years, they have admittedly received mixed responses from fans.
While the 4Kids English One piece Dub released in 2005 may be divisive, it remains one of the best Andrew Rannells roles from the earlier years of his career. Andrew Rannells portrayed the unfortunate pirate Captain Bellamy in the 2005 film One piece dub, and it was one of his most notable early voice roles as a lead character. He displayed all the range and vocal talents that would come to define his later career, and in retrospect, it’s clear how the performance of the antagonist known as the “Big-Time Rookie” laid the foundation for those roles. He would take in the years that followed.
7
Trolls Band Together (2023)
Andrew Rannells played veneer
The third film in the Trolls movie franchise, Trolls Band Together reunites Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake as Poppy and Branch on a new journey. Now together, Poppy and Branch must set out to save a friend while trying to bring back Branch’s brothers to restart their boyband, known as Brozone.
- Director
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Walt Dohrn
- Release date
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17 November 2023
Andrew Ranells’ career is full of voice acting roles, and many of his earliest appearances were lending his vocal talents to the English dubs of various anime series. However, as the actor progressed, he began to play more and more prominently in the world of animation, and one of his best-known voice-acting roles to date was in the 2023 Dreamworks movie Trolls band together, The third entry in the Trolls Trilogy.
Trolls band together was a great role for Andrew Rannells, as it allowed him to flex his impressive vocal talents by playing an antagonist, the secondary villain Vaneer. Despite being a villain, Vaneer was quite shy and clumsy, as well as being notably cowardly. This gave Andrew Rannells plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents as a voice actor, and while the part isn’t as central as some of the other characters in Trolls band togetherHe made the role his own and an incredibly memorable one.
6
Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake (2023)
Andrew Rannells played Gary Prince/Monster Gary
A spin-off of the original series, Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake is an animated adventure-comedy series that follows Fionna the Human and Cake the Cat, originally fan-fiction characters created in the universe, but now embarking on their own adventures . The Multiverse. Together with the reformed Ice King, Fionna and Cake will seek exciting adventures to improve their routine lives.
- Figure
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Madeleine Martin, Rose Ryan, Tom Kenny
- Release date
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August 31, 2023
- Showrunner
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Adam Muto
Adventure Time is one of the most popular and celebrated Cartoon Network shows of all time, and in 2023 fans have to return to its zany and colorful world. But, there was a catch, like Adventure Time: Fiona & Cake It took place in an alternate world that was glimpsed in a handful of episodes of the original show. Andrew Rannells lends his incredible talents as a voice actor to The Adventure Time spinoff, taking on the role of Gary Prince, the gender-swapped version of the original show’s Princess Bubblegum.
It was a role that really allowed Andrew Rannells to shine. He also had some big shoes to fill, as the character was previously voiced by the legendary Neil Patrick Harris. Not only that, but since Princess Bubblegum was one of the most popular Adventure Time Characters, the gender-swapped version in Fiona & Cake Had a lot to live for. However, Andrew Ranells truly made the character his own, and fans responded incredibly well to his performance in the spinoff.
5
Black Monday (2019-2021)
Andrew Rannells played Blair Pfaff
Black Monday is a dark comedy series that follows a group of outsiders who take on Wall Street, leading up to the infamous stock market crash of October 19, 1987. Don Cheadle stars as Maurice Monroe, a veteran stockbroker, alongside Regina Hall and Andrew Rannells. . The show depicts the excess and hubris of the era while exploring the underworld of finance.
- character(s)
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Mo Monroe, Blair Pfaff, Keith Shankar, Don Towner, Tiffany Georgina, Yasir X, Larry Lehman, Wayne
- Release date
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January 20, 2019
- Seasons
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3
Not only did Andrew Ranells take the lead role in Showtime’s short-lived dark comedy black monday, But he also served as one of the producers along with Steven Yell and Regina Hall. Running from 2019 to 2021, the three seasons of Black Monday Followed the workers of a Wall Street firm in the year leading up to the infamous Black Monday stock market crash of 1987.
Andrew Rannells played Blair Pfaff in black monday, And this role stands out among his best movies and TV shows for many reasons. Not only was it one of his best performances, but it was also different from many of his other roles. It was incredibly entertaining to see him play a character in a business-oriented setting, especially since Black Monday was less on the nose with its humor than some of the actor’s other sitcom appearances, and it allowed him to show a different side of his wide comic range.
4
Girls5Eva (2021-2024)
Andrew Rannells played Kev Hamlin
Girls5Eva centers on a ’90s one-hit-wonder band who are given a second shot at fame when their song is sampled by a young rapper. Peacock’s original series premiered in 2021 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2021. The series starred real-life singers Sara Bareilles, Busy Phillips, Paula Pell and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
- Figure
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Renee Elise Goldsberry, Sara Bareilles, Andrew Rannells, Erika Henningsen, Ashley Park, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell
- Release date
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May 6, 2021
- Seasons
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2
One of the last appearances of the actors when it comes to the best roles of Andrew Ranells is the Peacock show Girls 5 Eva, which premieres on the streaming service in 2021. Created by Meredith Scardino, Girls5eva Focuses on the titular fictional all-girl pop band of the same name. The show does not take place during the band’s heyday, and instead they attempt to relive their musical success decades after their most successful single became a one-hit wonder.
Andrew Ranells plays former boy band member Kev girls 5 eva, Who now works as an entertainment reporter. He is the man of summer (busy Phillips), one of the members of girls 5 eva, And the couple has a dysfunctional long-distance marriage. Girls5eva makes full use of Ranells’ talent for playing characters who are comedically cold and distant, and Girls5eva Shows that he remains an incredible presence when it comes to comedy on the small screen.
3
Girls (2012-2017)
Andrew Rannells played Elijah Krantz
Created by Lena Dunham, Girls is a coming-of-age comedy-drama series that follows a group of four twenties-year-old girls now discovering that they are on their own and must find their way through life. Central to the show is Hannah Horvath, who, after graduating from college, is financially separated from her family. Hannah will soon discover that trying to make it as a writer in Brooklyn is much more challenging than she thinks.
- Release date
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April 17, 2012
- Seasons
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6
- Showrunner
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Lena Dunham
Running from 2012-2017, Girls is an incredibly successful HBO sitcom that won many awards, and also stands as Andrew Rannell’s best role when it comes to his work in live-action. Rannells’ started as a recurring presence in the show from seasons 1-3, although he was elevated to a main cast member from season 4 onwards. He played Elijah Krantz, the ex-boyfriend of the central character Hannah (Lena Dunham, who also created the show).
Like many of Andrew Rannells’ characters, sexuality is a key part of Elijah’s narrative arc in girls, And he brings these storylines to the screen with an incredibly heartfelt and sensitive performance that does justice to both the characters and those who can relate to the struggles these stories touch on. While Andrew Ranells may be best known for his voice work when it comes to the small screen, his performance as Elijah in Girls Absolute cannot be overlooked.
2
Invincible (2021-2024)
Andrew Rannells played William Clockwell
The animated superhero show Invincible was an undisputed hit for Amazon Prime Video, and that’s in no small part thanks to its incredibly well-chosen cast. While he doesn’t voice a superpowered character himself, Andrew Ranells plays an incredibly important presence in invincible – William Clockwell, the best friend of the titular character Mark (who becomes the superhero known as Invincible).
William serves as something of a moral guidance for Mark as he learns to accept his identity as a superhero, as well as the difficulties when the discover that his father, Omniman, is actually a villain and global threat. He’s a character that helps keep Mark, and the rest of the show, grounded, and It is thanks to Andrew Rannells’ exceptional talents as a voice actor that William is such a watchable presence (despite the fact that he has no superpowers of his own).
1
Big Mouth (2017-present)
Andrew Rannells played Matthew
Big Mouth follows preteens Nick and Andrew as they begin to experience puberty, discovering that the changes they are undergoing are supported by creatures called hormone monsters. The monsters guide them through the minefield of youth that is the beginning of their journey into adulthood. Big Mouth features the voice talents of Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jason Mantzoukas, Jenny Slate, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph and Jordan Peele.
- Release date
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September 29, 2017
- Seasons
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6
Of every role Andrew Rannells has played, be it live-action or voice work, the most iconic and best use of his talents is inarguably as Matthew in the raunchy animated Netflix comedy Big mouth. Big mouth Focuses on a bunch of teenagers all voiced by adults (and, in many ways, they act like adults too), with each character going through their own struggles to navigate puberty. These struggles are made worse by their individual hormone monsters – literal furry beasts that appear and encourage/force them to act on their most reckless adolescent impulses.
Matthew MacDell, the character voiced by Andrew Ranells, has one of the most heartwarming and hilarious character arcs in all Big mouth. One of the only openly gay teens at his school, the show handles Andy’s storylines incredibly well. however, It’s Andrew Ranells’ voice acting that makes Matthew one of the best characters in big mouth, And the show stands out as the best role in his career so far.