The best Andrew Ranells movies and TV shows reveal how the talented Broadway performer is a master of many different mediums, with his career progressing from voice acting through to having several memorable live-action appearances. With a career stretching back as far as 1995, Andrew Ranells was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1978. His career started out on the stage, but he quickly found his way into voice acting with DIC Entertainment.
After lending his vocal talents to several well-known cartoons and anime dubs,including hits likePokemonandYu-Gi-Oh,Andrew Ranells eventually took on increasingly prominent roles. However, it was in the early 2010s that he took his experience on the stage to live-action roles behind the camera, appearing in a small role in the 2012 movieBachelorettebefore getting his big break in the 2012 sitcomThe New Normal.Since then, Andrew Ranells has become known as a dependable and reliable presence both as a voice actor and in live action.
How I Met Your Mother
Cast
How I Met Your Mother is a television series that follows a father telling his children about his past. Released in 2005, it explores his experiences and adventures with four close friends, leading up to meeting their mother, as depicted through a series of flashbacks.
Andrew Ranells' only appeared in two episodes ofHow I Met Your Mother,but being 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.
Appearing atBarney and Robin’s wedding, Darren is described by Tracy (the titular Mother of Ted’s children) as a high-functioning sociopath. Despite only having a fleeting appearance, Andrew Ranells' ensures that Darren appears exactly as Tracy described. He is clearly a social manipulator who delights in sewing discord.Darren is one of the most memorable guest characters introduced during the wedding, and Andrew Ranells emains a highlight of the two episodes ofHow I Met Your Motherseason 9 he featured in.
9The New Normal (2012-2013)
Andrew Ranells Played Bryan Collins
The short-lived NBC comedyThe New Normalmay have somewhat faded into obscurity after it was canceled after one season in 2013, it remains an important piece of Andrew Ranells' career. Ranells' was one of the main cast members ofThe New Normal,and his performance in the show as one half of same-sex couple Bryan and David (played by Justin Bartha) still stands as a highlight of his live-action appearances.
The New Normalfocused on Bryan and David, a wealthy LA couple, 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 heartwarming topics and social issues that few shows before or since have managed to address.While it may not be the most critically acclaimed project Andrew Ranells has been involved in, it still stands as an important moment both for the actor’s career, and for LGBTQ+ representation (especially since it was one of the few shows that focused on the unique experiences of gay couples beyond coming out stories).
One Piece
The One Piece anime began in 1999 and follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with rubber-like abilities, as he embarks on a journey to find the legendary treasure “One Piece.” Inspired by the pirate Shanks, Luffy aims to become the King of the Pirates, accompanied by a diverse crew.
One Pieceis one of the most popular anime and manga series of the last few decades, and continues going strong (especially thanks to the live-action Netflix adaptation that arrived in 2023, opening the original to a whole new audience). There have been several English dubs ofOne Pieceover the years, and they have admittedly received mixed responses from fans.
While the4Kids EnglishOne Piecedubreleased in 2005 may be divisive, it remains one of the best Andrew Ranells roles from the earlier years of his career. Andrew Ranells voiced the nefarious pirate captain Bellamy in the 2005One Piecedub, and it was one of his most notable early voice roles as a main character.He showcased all the range and vocal talents that would come to define his later career, and when viewed in retrospect, it’s clear how voicing the antagonist known as the “Big-Time Rookie” laid the foundations for the roles he’d take in the years that followed.
Trolls Band Together
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 rescue a friend while trying to bring back Branch’s brothers to restart their boyband, known as BroZone.
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 feature more and more prominently in the world of animation, and one of his most prominent voice-acting roles to date was in the 2023 Dreamworks movieTrolls Band Together,the third entry in theTrollstrilogy.
Trolls Band Togetherwas a great role for Andrew Ranells, as it allowed him to flex his impressive vocal talents by playing an antagonist, the secondary villain Veneer. Despite being a villain, Veneer was quite shy and clumsy, as well as notably cowardly.This gave Andrew Ranells a lot of opportunities to showcase his talents as a voice actor, and while the part wasn’t as central as some other characters inTrolls Band Together, he made the role his own and an incredibly memorable one.
Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake
A spin-off from 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-universe but now take on adventures of their own in the multiverse. Together with the reformed Ice King, Fionna, and Cake will seek exciting adventures to spice up their routine lives.
Adventure Timeis one of the most popular and celebrated Cartoon Network shows of all time, and in 2023 fans got to return to its zany and colorful world. However, there was a catch, asAdventure Time: Fionna & Caketook place in an alternate world that had been glimpsed in passing in a handful of episodes of the original show.Andrew Ranells lent his incredible talents as a voice actor to theAdventure Timespinoff, taking on the role as Gary Prince, the gender-swapped version of the original show’s Princess Bubblegum.
It was a role that truly allowed Andrew Ranells to shine. He also had some big shoes to fill, as the character had previously been voiced by the legendary Neil Patrick Harris. Not only that, but since Princess Bubblegum was one of the most popularAdventure Timecharacters, the gender-swapped version inFionna & Cakehad a lot to live up to. However, Andrew Ranells truly made the character his own, and fans responded incredibly well to his performance in the spinoff.
Black Monday
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 June 09, 2025. Don Cheadle stars as Maurice Monroe, a veteran stockbroker, alongside Regina Hall and Andrew Rannells. The show portrays the excess and hubris of the era while exploring the underworld of finance.
Not only did Andrew Ranells take the central role in Showtime’s short-lived dark comedyBlack Monday,but he also served as one of the producers alongside Steven Yell and Regina Hall. Running from 2019 to 2021, the three seasons ofBlack Mondayfollowed the workers of a Wall Street firm in the year leading up to the infamous Black Monday stock market crash of 1987.
Andrew Ranells played Blair Pfaff inBlack Monday,and the 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 notably different from many of his other roles.It was incredibly entertaining seeing him play a character in a business-oriented setting, especially sinceBlack Mondaywas less on-the-nose with its humor as some of the actor’s other sitcom appearances, and it allowed him to show a different side to his wide comedic range.
Girls5eva
Girls5Eva centers on a ’90s one-hit-wonder band that is given a second shot at fame when their song is sampled by a young rapper. The Peacock original series began in 2021 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2021. The series stars real-life singer Sara Bareilles, Busy Phillips, Paula Pell, and Renée Elise Goldsberry.
One of the actors' most recent live-action appearances when it comes to the best Andrew Ranells roles is the Peacock showGirls5eva,which premiered on the streaming service in 2021. Created by Meredith Scardino,Girls5evafocuses on the titular fictional all-girl pop band of the same name. The show doesn’t take place during the band’s heyday, however, and instead finds them attempting to relive their musical success several decades after their most successful single became a one-hit-wonder.
Andrew Ranells plays former boy band member Kev inGirls5eva,who now works as an entertainment reporter. He is the husband of Summer (Busy Phillipps), one of the members ofGirls5eva,and the pair have a dysfunctional long-distance marriage.Girls5evamakes full use of Ranells' talent for playing characters who are comedically cold and distant, andGirls5evashows that he remains an incredible presence when it comes to comedy on the small screen.
Girls
Created by Lena Dunham, Girls is a coming-of-age comedy-drama series that follows a group of four twentysomething-year-old girls now discovering that they’re on their own and must find their way through life. Central to the show is Hannah Horvath, who, after graduating college, is cut-off financially from her family. Hannah will soon discover trying to make it as a writer in Brooklyn is far more challenging than she thinks.
Running from 2012-2017,Girlsis an incredibly successful HBO sitcom that won numerous awards, and also stands as the best Andrew Ranells role when it comes to his work in live-action. Ranells' started as a recurring presence on the show from seasons 1-3, though he was elevated to a main cast member from season 4 onward. He played Elijah Krantz, the ex-boyfriend of central character Hannah (Lena Dunham, who also created the show).
Like many of Andrew Ranells' characters, sexuality is a key part of Elijah’s narrative arc inGirls,and he brings these storylines to the screen with an incredibly heartfelt and sensitive performance that does justice both to the character and those who can relate to the struggles these narratives touch on.While Andrew Ranells' may be mostly known for his voice work when it comes to the small screen, his performance as Elijah inGirlsabsolutely cannot be overlooked.
Invincible
Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father’s legacy isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as he’s been led to believe.
The animated superhero showInvinciblehas been an undisputed hit for Amazon Prime Video, and this is in no small part thanks to its incredibly well selected cast. While he doesn’t voice a superpowered character himself, Andrew Ranells plays an incredibly important presence inInvincible -William Clockwell, the best friend of the titular character Mark (who becomesthe superhero known as Invincible).
William serves as something as a moral guidance for Mark as he learns to accept his identity as a superhero, as well as the difficulties faced when discovering his father, Omniman, is actually a villain and global threat. He’s a character who helps keep Mark, and the rest of the show, grounded, andit’s thanks to Andrew Ranells' exceptional talents as a voice actor that William is such a watchable presence (despite not having any superpowers of his own).
Big Mouth
Big Mouth is an animated comedy series created by Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg. Debuting in 2017, it explores the lives of teenage friends experiencing the challenges of puberty. The series humorously addresses the complexities of adolescence, focusing on the trials and transformations encountered during this formative stage.
Of every role Andrew Ranells 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 comedyBig Mouth.Big Mouthfocuses 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 navigating puberty. These struggles are made all the worse by their individual Hormone Monsters - literal furry beasts who appear and encourage/force them to act on their most reckless adolescent impulses.
Matthew MacDell, thecharacter voiced by Andrew Ranells, has one of the most heartwarming and hilarious character arcs in all ofBig 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 make Matthew one of the best characters inBig Mouth,and the show stands out as the best role in his career so far.
