Kevin Michael Richardson is an American actor widely recognized for his extensive and prolific career as a voice artist. Born in the Bronx, New York, he is a classically trained actor who first gained recognition as one of only eight high school students in the United States selected for the National Foundation for the Arts' Arts '82 program. He later earned a scholarship to Syracuse University to further his training. His career spans several decades, encompassing numerous roles in animated television series, films, and video games.

Richardson is particularly known for his distinctively deep and resonant voice, which he has frequently used to portray villainous characters, though his range extends to heroes, robots, and other character types. His filmography includes a significant number of works within the anime and anime-influenced animation genres. Notable examples include his role as Thadeus in the segment The Final Flight of the Osiris, part of the animated anthology The Animatrix, which serves as a prequel to The Matrix Reloaded. He also provided voices for the English adaptation of Studio Ghibli's Tales from Earthsea, taking on the roles of a Ship's Captain and a Slave Trader. In the anime-inspired anthology Batman: Gotham Knight, he voiced Lucius Fox. Another credit in this vein is the animated feature Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic, where Richardson voiced the mythical King Minos. More recently, he voiced the character Kamek in the widely seen The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Beyond these specific titles, Richardson's voice acting portfolio is vast. He is well known for roles such as Captain Gantu in the Lilo & Stitch franchise, the Joker in The Batman television series, and various characters in the Teen Titans series, including Trigon. His work also includes significant roles in shows produced by Seth MacFarlane, such as Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, and American Dad!, as well as characters on The Simpsons. In addition to his television and film work, Richardson has been a prolific voice actor in video games, with credits including Tartarus in Halo 2 and Chairman Drek in Ratchet & Clank.

Throughout his career, Richardson's performances have garnered recognition. He received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for his voice work as the Joker in The Batman. He was also nominated for Voice Actor of the Year by Behind the Voice Actors in both 2012 and 2013. His long-standing presence in the animation industry is marked by frequent collaborations with a wide circle of fellow voice actors and casting directors, solidifying his status as a prominent and influential figure in the field.