DC: 8 Best Lex Luthor Voice Actors, Ranked

Lex Luthor is one of the most well-known arch-nemesis of our time, and this DC Comics villain has been played by some incredible talent over the years in video games, animated shows, and movies. Where there is Superman, there will be Lex Luthor, constantly watching, scheming, and gloating through his own jealousy of what Superman can do and can’t.

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Over the years, some actors and performers have presented fans with some of the best Lex Luthor roles outside of the live-action portrayals that they would expect, and these talents have provided a voice to a comic book character from DC Comics that makes reading their dialogue all the more believable.

8 Lance Reddick

A Luthor Who Has a Booming Confidence

Featured in: Kite Man: Hell Yeah! (2024)

The late and great Lance Reddick has portrayed some incredible characters, and easily made his own thanks to his booming voice. Whether it’s Commander Zavala in Destiny or Charon in John Wick – Lance Reddick is an icon who brings his talent to Lex Luthor with the Harley Quinn spin-off, Kite Man: Hell Yeah!

While Reddick’s time as Luthor was tragically cut short, he still left a strong impression on the character with a voice that many might not have expected, but one that is well suited for Luthor. Reddick’s posthumous role as Luthor shows the character’s superiority and calculating nature.

7 Anthony LaPaglia

An Older Luthor That Doesn’t Shy Away From Superiority

Featured in: All-Star Superman (2011)

Anthony LaPaglia’s Lex Luthor starts off strong with his impressionable and booming voice, paired with great dialogue and monologues that showcase a Luthor who loves the sound of his own voice and loves to be in the right. This is a Luthor who isn’t afraid of anyone – a Luthor who is wholeheartedly convinced that he is better than everyone.

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LaPaglia’s voice is a great fit for Lex Luthor, who presents a brilliant tonal quality to a man who wants to save humanity but seems so out of touch with it due to how he perceives himself as a savior. It’s ironic, confident, and entirely Lex Luthor.

6 Mark Rolston

A Luthor That Oozes in Wealth and Smugness

Featured in: Young Justice (2010-2022), Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013)

Mark Rolston’s Lex Luthor is a take on the character who shields himself in his finances. Rolston’s Luthor is far more confident than others and exhibits a sickened smugness toward those he sees as beneath him thanks to the army of wealth that Luthor is able to step on.

This Luthor also commits himself to many self-funded experiments to best Superman, and it’s always expected that this version of Luthor will talk down to others and showcase his superiority with a smug expression befitting of an evil and bald billionaire.

5 Corey Burton

A Somewhat Alien Portrayal Due to Exceeding Intellect

Featured in: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (2024)

Corey Burton may have started in the DC Universe as Brainiac, but he used that talent to become Lex Luthor in later years. While Corey’s Brainiac is worthy of discussion, it’s his Luthor that’s more important here, as he provides that same chilling voice that sounds almost alien – which is ironic considering how much Lex Luthor hates aliens.

The voice works great for Luthor, as it shows a cold and calculating man who believes his intellect and wealth are what will save the world. This Lex Luthor harbors incredible intelligence that is squandered by the fact he has to interact with those he knows are less to him.

4 Zachary Quinto

Evil, Arrogant, and Somewhat Alien

Featured in: Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)

Zachary Quinto is no stranger to playing emotionally distant and intelligent characters. After all, this is Star Trek’s Spock. However, Zachary Quinto excels at Luthor by showcasing evil layers with a strengthened arrogance that comes from his own desires and technology.

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Zachary Quinto brings a talented performance to Lex Luthor reminiscent of his Spock thanks to the cold dialogue that shields any hint of emotion. It’s a Lex Luthor who’s always thinking and scheming to ensure the very best outcome for himself.

3 James Marsters

A Seedy and Conniving Luthor Who Seeks Only His Reign

Featured in: Superman: Doomsday (2007), DC Universe Online (2011)

James Marsters has a very distinct portrayal of Lex Luthor, as instead of resorting to a loud and shouty Luthor that exhibits the traits of a spoiled child – Marsters instead holds a certain whispering tone that alludes to Luthor’s true intentions, showcasing how conniving he can be in his planning and mystique.

Marsters’ calmness to his Lex Luthor shows an underlining and seething hatred for Superman, and it’s a voice that wouldn’t surprise if the hand it belonged to found its way with a dagger to the back of his greatest enemies.

2 Rainn Wilson

A Touch of Nerdy Paired With Great Confidence and Distain

Featured in: The Death of Superman (2018), Reign of the Supermen (2019), Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020)

Rainn Wilson’s time in Superman’s sun as Lex Luthor was a great one, and this New 52-inspired Luthor is one that uses Rainn Wilson’s talents to create one of the best portrayals out there. Rainn Wilson’s Lex sounds like a genius and definitely has the aura and voice of a man who knows his billion-dollar net worth and superiority to those not as smart as him.

The sheer disdain and hate he feels for Superman is venomous and comes off as intentional, and the smugness within his voice shows confidence that not even the Man of Steel can replicate with his own mighty powers.

1 Clancy Brown

The Defining Lex Luthor Who Balances Power and Entitlement

Featured in: Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000), Justice League (2002-2003), Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006), Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

Clancy Brown has many iconic roles under his belt, and Lex Luthor is easily one of his greatest. Clancy Brown has voiced Lex Luthor across various projects for decades, and it’s easy to see why. He’s as iconic in the role as Mark Hamill as Joker and is the defining nemesis of Superman in all the right ways.

Clancy Brown’s strong and projected voice can fluctuate from calm to anger within a matter of moments, and Brown’s mixture of this calm and enraged voice proves to be some of the best out there with a seething hatred for Superman and love for just himself.