Who Is The 2026 Oscars Announcer? Why Matt Berry’s Voice Sounds So Familiar
Matt Berry is the booming, deep British voice serving as the announcer for the 2026 Academy Awards. Viewers hearing a familiar disembodied voice at key points during the ceremony are hearing him, the actor and comedian whose vocal work and on-screen roles have become widely recognizable.
Why the Voice Sounds Familiar
The announcer for the night is notable for a distinctive, deep, disembodied British tone that is heard more than seen during the broadcast. The Academy chose his talents to supply the announcements, continuing a recent pattern of using well-known voices for that role; Nick Offerman handled announcing duties for the 2025 ceremony. With a presence that stands out even when off camera, he brings a commanding audio identity to Hollywood’s biggest night.
Matt Berry’s Notable Roles
He has acted since the early 2000s, with early appearances in cult television such as The Mighty Boosh and The Sarah Silverman Program. Many contemporary viewers will recognize him as Laszlo Cravensworth from What We Do in the Shadows. He also played Douglas Reynholm in The IT Crowd and led the British series Toast of London, a show he once thought would mark the end of his voice acting work — an expectation that proved incorrect.
Berry has expanded into prominent voice roles across franchises and animated projects. His credits include voicing the palace droid 8D8 in The Book of Boba Fett and providing the voice of Nitwit in last year’s A Minecraft Movie. Additional voice work cited includes characters in The Wild Robot, Krapopolis, Fallout, and Disenchantment. Upcoming credits mentioned include voicing Bane in the game LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight and voicing the Fish in a new adaptation of The Cat and the Hat. He has also appeared in feature films such as Snow White and the Huntsman and Christopher Robin.
What Viewers Should Expect During the Ceremony
During the broadcast, his voice will appear at key transitional points and announcements, offering the kind of recognizable vocal flourishes that often become part of the ceremony’s audio identity. With a long history of both on-screen and voice work, his presence is intended to add a distinct sonic signature to the evening, complementing the host’s on-camera role — this year filled by Conan O’Brien — rather than replacing it.
For viewers keyed into voice performances, his involvement highlights how awards shows increasingly lean on known vocal talents to shape the broadcast experience. Expect to hear that same deep, unmistakable tone whenever the ceremony needs an authoritative, off-camera announcement.
The announcer role is limited to what is heard; his selection follows recent practice of tapping notable performers for the part. As the night unfolds, audiences will repeatedly hear the voice they recognize from cult TV, mainstream films, and a string of animated and franchise projects.
