The Global Rise of the Voice Actor
By Rudy Gaskins, 12/14/2025
In a city that has long mythologized the power of performance, the spoken word is preparing for an evening of long overdue recognition. On January 18, 2026, inside the Beverly Hilton, the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences will host the 12th annual Voice Arts® Awards, a ceremony that has quietly emerged as one of the most distinctive celebrations in the entertainment landscape. Backed by Audible, with support from United Airlines, Comcast NBCUniversal, Backstage Magazine, SiriusXM, and Telemundo, the event honors the invisible but omnipresent work of voice actors whose performances shape how audiences absorb stories, news, advertising, and culture.
This year’s ceremony will also mark a singular moment in voice acting history. SOVAS™ will present the inaugural James Earl Jones Prize, honoring a world-renowned legend whose work across voice acting, theater, film, and television has defined excellence in the spoken word. It is the kind of moment rarely repeated, one that invites attendees to be present not just for celebration, but for history itself.
The spirit behind that honor runs through the evening itself. A legacy built on clarity, grace, and truth. One of the most trusted voices in American media, finally seen and celebrated.
This year’s honorees reflect both the intimacy and global reach of the art form. Debbe Hirata, who will receive the Voice Arts® Legacy Award, has long been one of the most recognizable voices in American media despite remaining largely unseen. Her work stretches across network television, documentaries, major brand campaigns, and film promotion, each performance marked by a clarity and emotional intelligence that have become her signature. Hirata has earned ten Voice Arts® Awards to date, but her contributions extend beyond the booth: she was an early supporter of SOVAS™ and an advocate for elevating voice acting as a respected artistic discipline at a time when much of the industry remained in the shadows.
If Hirata embodies the steady hum of American broadcast culture, Fabián Toro represents the increasingly global nature of voice performance. Born in Quito, Ecuador, Toro has built a career that spans Latin America, shaping the sonic identity of brands like DIRECTV, Discovery Channel, LATAM Airlines, and Chevrolet. His book, The Voice Life, has become required reading for many aspiring artists who see in Toro a blueprint for blending technical mastery with emotional awareness. For his influence across borders and platforms, he will receive the Voice Arts®Apex Award, which recognizes international excellence in the craft.
A global voice with uncommon heart, shaping stories across borders and reminding the world that voice is both craft and calling.
The Voice Arts® Awards have grown in stature alongside the explosive rise of voice-driven media. Audiobooks now anchor the publishing world. Video games require nuanced performances once reserved for film. Streaming services rely on narration to drive documentary storytelling. Podcasts continue to reshape how audiences engage with journalism, entertainment, and long-form narrative. Across all of it, the human voice remains one of the most powerful storytelling instruments.
SOVAS™, a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the global voice acting community through education, mentorship, and recognition, has positioned itself at the center of this evolution. The annual Voice Arts® Awards ceremony, once a niche gathering, has become a cultural moment that acknowledges the rigor, vulnerability, and artistry of performers who rarely appear on camera yet define the emotional tone of countless media experiences.
When Hirata and Toro accept their honors in Los Angeles, the moment will resonate far beyond the ballroom. Their careers reflect both the roots and the expanding horizon of an industry that is finally being seen and heard for the creative force it is. And as the inaugural James Earl Jones Prize is presented that evening, it will stand as a reminder of what the voice can do at its highest level: command attention, convey truth, and endure long after the final word is spoken. For one evening, at least, the spotlight will shift from the faces we watch to the voices that carry us through the world. ♦︎♦︎♦︎
Rudy Gaskins is the CEO and co-founder of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS™), a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the global voice acting community and the professionals who shape the spoken word across media. A longtime advocate for recognizing voice performance as a serious and essential art form, Gaskins co-created both the That’s Voiceover!™ Career Expo and the Voice Arts® Awards, now widely regarded as the premier platforms for education, celebration, and industry advancement in voice acting.
An Emmy Award–winning television producer and documentary filmmaker, Gaskins’ career spans PBS, ABC News, NBC Sports, Court TV, and Food Network. His background in storytelling and branding led him to serve as Vice President of Creative Services at Court TV before founding Push Creative Advertising, where he developed branding and promotional campaigns for major global brands including American Express, Lexus, NBC Sports, Delta Air Lines, Costco, BET, TV One, and Food Network.
Across his career, Gaskins has earned numerous honors, including multiple Telly and Promax awards. Under his leadership, SOVAS™ has received Special Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress, a Certificate of Merit from the New York State Assembly, a City Council Citation from the Council of the City of New York, and the Barry Cronin Award from the American Council of the Blind for advancing excellence in audio description talent promotion.
Through SOVAS™, Gaskins continues to champion education, accessibility, diversity, and artistic excellence, helping to ensure that the voices audiences hear every day are not only heard, but truly seen.
From the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences
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