Tony Hale is an American actor and voice actor born on September 30, 1970, in New York. He is widely recognized for his live-action roles in television comedies such as Arrested Development and Veep, the latter of which earned him two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013 and 2015. This background in comedic performance has translated into a prolific career in voice acting, where he frequently portrays characters that are quirky, anxious, or endearingly odd.

Within the realm of anime and animated projects with a significant anime influence, Hale has taken on distinct and memorable roles. He voiced the titular character in the 2021 animated film Poupelle of Chimney Town, a story about a boy who befriends a magical man made of garbage. In interviews, Hale noted that he was drawn to the film's stunning animation and its heartfelt story, based on a popular Japanese children's book. Critics praised his vocal performance for helping to make the junkyard creation one of the film's most endearing characters.

In a notable departure from his typical passive and quirky characters, Hale provided the voice for the Joker in the 2018 anime film Batman Ninja. In this feature, the iconic villain is transported to feudal Japan along with other Batman rogues. Hale described the experience as fun, allowing him to explore a darker and more unhinged side of his vocal range compared to the subtle comedy of his live-action work. His filmography also includes voice roles in other animated projects that, while not strictly anime, showcase his versatility. He is known for playing Forky in Toy Story 4, Dr. Psycho in the Harley Quinn animated series, and Fear in Inside Out 2, for which he replaced the original actor.

Hale's work in animation often involves recurring collaborations. He has worked extensively with voice director Sam Riegel on multiple projects, including episodes of the series Sanjay and Craig and Hale's own Netflix series, Archibald's Next Big Thing. He also reunited with his Veep co-star Kathy Najimy for the Disney film Hocus Pocus 2. Across his voice acting career, Hale has demonstrated a consistent ability to bring warmth, humor, and vulnerability to a wide array of characters, from sympathetic outcasts to legendary supervillains.