History Main / AmateurCast

* Several [[Creator/DicEntertainment DiC Entertainment]] series from the late 90s to mid-2000s, such as ''WesternAnimation/ArchiesWeirdMysteries'', ''WesternAnimation/StreetSharks'', the 2003 incarnation of ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'', ''WesternAnimation/LibertysKids'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Horseland}}'' used voice actors based out of Omaha, Nebraska. The large majority of them were local theater actors supplied by the Omaha Theater Company for Young People, while a few had been local or regional radio/television personalities and had roles in a few films shot in Nebraska beforehand. However, quite a few of them [[OneBookAuthor have no other credits]]. A major exception was future Broadway star (and anime voice actor) Creator/AndrewRannells, who started his career in Omaha.

* The original cast of ''Series/RedDwarf'' had all ''appeared'' on TV and/or film before, but none of them were "proper actors": Creator/ChrisBarrie was an impressionist and voice actor, Creator/CraigCharles was a poet, Creator/DannyJohnJules was a dancer, and Creator/NormanLovett was a stand-up comedian. Likewise, Creator/HattieHayridge was also a stand-up comedian before joining the cast in Series III and recurring cast member Clare Grogan had a few proper acting credits but was best known as the frontwoman for the new wave band Altered Images. However, Creator/RobertLlewellyn and Creator/ChloeAnnett (who joined the cast in Series III and VII respectively) were both "legit" actors.

* The European French dub of ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' was done using French-speaking actors in Brussels, Belgium, many of whom had no prior dubbing experience (though some did have prior experience in theater). Before 1999, Belgium had mainly been used for minor projects, following [[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-12-20-wr-10970-story.html a 1994 voice actors' strike in France]] that forced companies to dub their material elsewhere. Belgium would later rise in popularity as time went on.

* The European French dub of ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' was done using French-speaking actors in Brussels, Belgium, many of whom had no prior dubbing experience. Before 1999, Belgium had mainly been used for minor projects, following [[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-12-20-wr-10970-story.html a 1994 voice actors' strike in France]] that forced companies to dub their material elsewhere. Belgium would later rise in popularity as time went on.

* The original cast of ''Series/RedDwarf'' had all ''appeared'' on TV and/or film before, but none of them were "proper actors": Creator/ChrisBarrie was an impressionist and voice actor, Creator/CraigCharles was a poet, Creator/DannyJohnJules was a dancer, and Creator/NormanLovett was a stand-up comedian. Likewise, Creator/HattieHayridge was also a stand-up comedian before joining the cast in Series III and recurring cast member Clare Grogan had a few proper acting credits but was best known as the frontwoman for the new wave band Altered Images. However, Creator/RobertLlewellyn and Chloë Annett (who joined the cast in Series III and VII respectively) were both "legit" actors.

* With some excpetions, most of the side cast of ''Series/ChappellesShow'' had any further screen credits before or after it's run. Some of them are even {{one book author}}s.

* The original cast of ''Series/RedDwarf'' had all ''appeared'' on TV and/or film before, but none of them were "proper actors": Creator/ChrisBarrie was an impressionist and voice actor, Creator/CraigCharles was a poet, Creator/DannyJohnJules was a dancer, and Creator/NormanLovett was a stand-up comedian. Likewise, Hattie Hayridge was also a stand-up comedian before joining the cast in Series III and recurring cast member Clare Grogan had a few proper acting credits but was best known as the frontwoman for the new wave band Altered Images. However, Creator/RobertLlewellyn and Chloë Annett (who joined the cast in Series III and VII respectively) were both "legit" actors.

* The original cast of ''Series/RedDwarf'' had all ''appeared'' on TV and/or film before, but none of them were "proper actors": Creator/ChrisBarrie was an impressionist and voice actor, Creator/CraigCharles was a poet, Creator/DannyJohnJules was a dancer, and Norman Lovett was a stand-up comedian. Likewise, Hattie Hayridge was also a stand-up comedian before joining the cast in Series III and recurring cast member Clare Grogan had a few proper acting credits but was best known as the frontwoman for the new wave band Altered Images. However, Creator/RobertLlewellyn and Chloë Annett (who joined the cast in Series III and VII respectively) were both "legit" actors.

* Most of the child actors for ''WesternAnimation/PBAndJOtter'' had never acted prior to the show. Somewhat {{Averted}} with most of the adult actors, such as Chris Phillips and Eddie Korbich.

* A lot of the cast of ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' had very little experience in voiceover, and tend to be chosen partially for [[CastTheExpert musical]] [[TheCastShowoff ability]]. Estelle (Garnet) is a singer best known for her Top 10 hit "American Boy" (which more famously featured Music/KanyeWest), Deedee Magno-Hall (Pearl) and Jennifer Paz (Lapis Lazuli) work primarily in theater, Shelby Rabara (Peridot) works primarily as a dancer, Michaela Dietz's (Amethyst) and Grace Rolek's (Connie) careers, barring Dietz's role as [[SixthRanger Riff]] in ''Series/BarneyAndFriends'', mostly consist of minor characters, and Charlyne Yi (Ruby) is primarily a stand-up comedian. In fact, the only veteran voice actors in the series are Creator/KimberlyBrooks (Jasper), Creator/DeeBradleyBaker (various vocal effects, most notably Lion), Creator/CrispinFreeman (Connie's dad) and Creator/MaryElizabethMcGlynn (Connie's mother) though Zach Callison (Steven), Tom Scharpling (Greg), Matthew Moy (Lars), Erica Lutrell (Sapphire), Creator/KateMicucci (Sadie), and Creator/BrianPosehn (Sour Cream) have also done some voice work.

* The Mexican Spanish dub of ''Manga/LoveHina'', due to the fact the dub was an innocent victim of a voice actor strike caused by ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'''s Mexican voice actors, forcing the studio on rely on this. The only veterans at the time were Naru (Gaby Ugarte), Mei (Georgina "Gina" Sánchez) and Mutsumi (Creator/LilianaBarba)s' voice actors, and it shows.
* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' was one of the first uncut anime dubs to use union voice actors (though it was a non-union project until partway through the second [=OVA=]). As a result most of the original cast were theater actors who hadn't had much voice acting experience beforehand, (the notable exceptions being Jennifer Darling, Ellen Gerstell, and Creator/SherryLynn; all of whom had prior experience in western animation productions) and they had no dub roles at all until that point. Most of them didn't have much success afterward. (Creator/DebiDerryberry is a notable exception, though she's more well known for her western animation and video game roles.)

* ''WesternAnimation/TwelveOunceMouse'''s characters are voiced by the series creator, the producers, a couple of animators, and a musician who worked for the studio. This fits with the rest of the show's [[NoBudget aesthetic]].

* ''Film/StepsTroddenBlack'': The cast's only experience was high school theatre. In spite of this, the film contains some impressive performances.

* Several [[Creator/DicEntertainment DiC Entertainment]] series from the late 90s to mid-2000s, such as ''WesternAnimation/ArchiesWeirdMysteries'', ''WesternAnimation/StreetSharks'', the 2003 incarnation of ''WesternAnimation/StrawberryShortcake'', and ''WesternAnimation/{{Horseland}}'' used voice actors based out of Omaha, Nebraska. The large majority of them were local theater actors supplied by the Omaha Theater Company for Young People, while a few had been local or regional radio/television personalities and had roles in a few films shot in Nebraska beforehand. However, quite a few of them [[OneBookAuthor have no other credits]]. A major exception was future Broadway star (and anime voice actor) Creator/AndrewRannells, who started his career in Omaha.

* In Romania, there are two dubbing centers - the capital Bucharest and the city of Oradea in the Transylvanian sub-region of Crișana. While the Bucharest studios hire professionally-trained talent, the lone studio in Oradea, a Iyuno branch (formerly Zone Studio Oradea, then a Oradea branch of [=BTI=] Studios, then a Oradea branch of Iyuno Media Group), hires local theater actors from the Iosif Vulcan and Arcadia theater troupes in residence at the Oradea State Theatre (also known as the Regina Maria Theater). The Iyuno-SDI studio in Oradea [[https://index.hu/kultur/cinematrix/ccikkek/varad05010/ also does Hungarian dubs]], for which this is zig-zagged, as for Hungarian dubs they hire a mix of local Hungarian-speaking talent and actors from Budapest who commute to Oradea. While most of the Oradea-based talent come and go within a few years (for example, Carina Chereji moved to Bucharest in 2016), some have lasted longer (such as Richard Balint and Alina Leonte).

* In Romania, there are two dubbing centers - the capital Bucharest and the city of Oradea in the Transylvanian sub-region of Crișana. While the Bucharest studios hire professionally-trained talent, the lone studio in Oradea, a Iyuno-SDI Group branch (formerly Zone Studio Oradea, then a Oradea branch of [=BTI=] Studios, then a Oradea branch of Iyuno Media Group), hires local theater actors from the Iosif Vulcan and Arcadia theater troupes in residence at the Oradea State Theatre (also known as the Regina Maria Theater). The Iyuno-SDI studio in Oradea [[https://index.hu/kultur/cinematrix/ccikkek/varad05010/ also does Hungarian dubs]], for which this is zig-zagged, as for Hungarian dubs they hire a mix of local Hungarian-speaking talent and actors from Budapest who commute to Oradea. While most of the Oradea-based talent come and go within a few years (for example, Carina Chereji moved to Bucharest in 2016), some have lasted longer (such as Richard Balint and Alina Leonte).

* Nobody in the cast of ''WesternAnimation/{{Bluey}}'' seems to have a strong resume. In particular, Bandit's voice actor David [=McCormack=] is the lead singer of the band Custard, Uncle Stripe and Nana are voiced by the creator's own family members, and all of the child characters are voiced by anonymous children of the production staff.

* The original cast of ''Series/RedDwarf'' had all ''appeared'' on TV and/or film before, but none of them were "proper actors": Creator/ChrisBarrie was an impressionist and voice actor, Creator/CraigCharles was a poet, Creator/DannyJohnJules was a dancer, and Norman Lovett was a stand-up comedian. Likewise, Hattie Hayridge was also a stand-up comedian before joining the cast in Series III and recurring cast member Clare Grogan had a few proper acting credits but was best known as the frontwoman for the new wave band Altered Images. however, Creator/RobertLlewellyn and Chloë Annett (who joined the cast in Series III and VII respectively) were both "legit" actors.

** When Creator/{{Funimation}} began dubbing ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' in-house after losing Saban's funding and being unable to afford Ocean Studios' voice-casting, they hired many at-the-time inexperienced people to replace the Ocean cast (for example, Monika Antonelli, the voice of Puar and Chiaotzu, was a local libarian and had no voice acting experience before), who tried to imitate their predecessors for consistency before developing their own voices for the characters. They would all go on to become veterans in the industry, and have largely [[ThePeteBest displaced the Ocean cast.]]

* A majority of the voice cast of ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer''. A minor exception is Harrison Chad (Boot's original voice actor) who had a few other roles, such as the 2003 direct-to-video sequel to ''WesternAnimation/CharlottesWeb'' called ''Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure'' where he voiced [[SweetSheep Cardigan the Lamb]] and [[WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}} Young Tarzan]] in "Tarzan II". After Season 4 of Dora wrapped up in 2007, he retired from voice acting.

** Around this time L.A.-based recording studio Creator/BangZoomEntertainment tended to use this trope when it lands a dubbing job; they'll cast newer voice actors and prefer to avoid all star casts or union association. The major exception to this is when they're asked to continue a legacy series like ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya''. This was around the time when voice actors like Creator/SteveBlum, Creator/CrispinFreeman, Creator/KariWahlgren, Creator/YuriLowenthal, Creator/TravisWillingham and Creator/LauraBailey stopped appearing in anime regularly; whereas they started having voice actors like Creator/CristinaValenzuela, Creator/ChristineMarieCabanos, Creator/CassandraLeeMorris, Creator/LaurenLanda, Creator/KiraBuckland and Creator/CarrieKeranen just to name a few (all of whom eventually became as prominent as those before them).

* Creator/RoosterTeeth started as this. Creator/JoelHeyman was an actor, but all the other founders and for a while their shows had mostly their acquaintances and relatives who also had no acting background whatsoever. Of course, they managed to pull it off, to point that by 2020 there was a ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' SelfDeprecation video regarding [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJXUNr54oOc amateur voice actors]].

* ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' was one of the first uncut anime dubs to use union voice actors (though it was a non-union project until partway through the second [=OVA=]). As a result most of the original cast were theater actors who hadn't had much voice acting experience beforehand, (the notable exceptions being Jennifer Darling, Ellen Gerstell, and Creator/SherryLynn) and they had no dub roles at all until that point. Most of them didn't have much success afterward. (Creator/DebiDerryberry is a notable exception, though she's more well known for her western animation and video game roles.)