You know that feeling when you're watching an animated movie and a voice sounds so familiar it's actually distracting? You spend half the film trying to place it instead of focusing on the plot. Well, if you’ve sat through Barbie Video Game Hero, you’ve likely had that moment. Released in 2017, this movie was a weird, colorful pivot for the franchise. It swapped the traditional ballgowns for rollerblades and coding skills.
But honestly, the real magic of this era of Barbie movies isn't just the neon aesthetic. It’s the cast. The Barbie video game hero cast is a mix of seasoned voice acting vets and people you’ve definitely heard in your favorite anime or Saturday morning cartoons.
The Voice Behind the Icon: Erica Lindbeck
First off, let’s talk about Barbie herself. By 2017, the legendary Kelly Sheridan had mostly moved on, and Erica Lindbeck had taken the reigns. Lindbeck is a powerhouse. If you're a gamer, you know her as Futaba Sakura from Persona 5 or Jessie from the Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Bringing that "gamer energy" to Barbie actually made sense here. In this movie, Barbie isn't just a fashionista; she’s a legitimate programmer who gets sucked into her own game. Lindbeck gives her a grounded, enthusiastic vibe that doesn't feel like a caricature. It's subtle. It's smart. It's why that era of Barbie felt a little more "modern" to a lot of us.
Meeting the Digital Squad: Bella, Kris, and Cutie
When Barbie gets pulled into the game world, she isn't alone. She meets a cast of digital natives who are basically trying to survive a "glitch" (a mischievous virus) that’s wrecking their world.
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Princess Bella (Rebekah Asselstine)
Rebekah Asselstine voices Bella, the roller-skating princess. Bella starts off a bit insecure because she isn't the fastest skater in the game. Asselstine captures that "second-best" anxiety perfectly. You might recognize her from live-action roles in The Hollow or Supergirl, but her voice work here is what gives the movie its heart.
Kris (Brad Swaile)
Then there’s Kris. If you grew up watching anime in the 2000s, Brad Swaile is a name you should know. He was Light Yagami in Death Note. He was Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam. Having a voice acting legend like Swaile play a supporting character in a Barbie movie is honestly such a flex. He brings a cool, slightly competitive edge to Kris that balances out the more whimsical elements of the story.
Cutie (Michael Dobson)
Every Barbie movie needs a sidekick. In this one, it’s Cutie, a cloud-shaped tutorial bot. He’s voiced by Michael Dobson. Dobson is one of those guys who has been in everything from SpongeBob SquarePants to Dragon Ball Z. He also voices the Video Game Narrator, which is a fun little "meta" touch if you're paying attention to the credits.
The Support System: Gaia, Maia, and the Virus
The world-building in Barbie Video Game Hero is surprisingly dense for a 72-minute movie. The "levels" of the game are guarded or inhabited by characters who all need distinct personalities.
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- Gaia (Nesta Cooper): One of the game's higher-level characters. Nesta Cooper has since blown up in live-action, starring in the series See alongside Jason Momoa and the film The Edge of Seventeen.
- Maia (Shannon Chan-Kent): Shannon is a Barbie veteran. She’s voiced characters in Barbie in A Mermaid Tale and Barbie: Princess Adventure. She also provides the singing voice for Pinkie Pie in My Little Pony, so the girl has range.
- The Virus (Sam Vincent): Every game needs a villain. Sam Vincent (who you might know as Edd from Ed, Edd n Eddy) plays the mischievous Virus. He also voices the squirrels. Yes, the squirrels. That’s the beauty of voice acting—you can be a digital plague and a rodent in the same afternoon.
Why This Specific Cast Worked So Well
Most people think Barbie movies are just fluff, but the casting directors at Mattel and Rainmaker Studios (now Mainframe) were actually pretty savvy. They didn't just hire random actors; they hired people who understood the medium of animation and gaming.
Basically, they chose people who could handle the fast-paced, high-energy dialogue required for a "video game" setting. When Barbie talks about "leveling up" or "debugging," it doesn't sound like a scriptwriter trying to be hip. It sounds natural because Erica Lindbeck is an actual fan of the medium.
The Production Team Behind the Voices
You can't talk about the cast without the people telling them what to do. The movie was directed by a trio: Conrad Helten, Ezekiel Norton, and Michael Goguen.
Helten is a staple in the Barbie cinematic universe. He knows the tone better than anyone. Norton and Goguen brought a more "action-oriented" feel to the production, which was necessary since the movie is essentially one long speedrun through different game genres.
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Where Are They Now?
It’s been nearly a decade since this movie dropped. A lot has changed in the Barbie-verse.
- Erica Lindbeck continues to dominate the voice acting world. She’s one of the most sought-after talents in both anime dubbing and AAA gaming.
- Nesta Cooper has transitioned almost entirely to high-end television and film.
- Shannon Chan-Kent is still a go-to for animation, recently appearing in Sonic Prime and Death Note: Killer Within.
How to Enjoy Barbie Video Game Hero Today
If you're looking to revisit this movie or introduce it to a younger fan, it’s worth paying attention to the credits. It’s a snapshot of a very specific time in animation when Barbie was trying to bridge the gap between "doll brand" and "tech-savvy hero."
To get the most out of the experience, try these steps:
- Watch for the Cameos: See if you can spot Chelsea (voiced by Alyssya Swales) and Teresa (Sienna Bohn) in the real-world scenes before Barbie gets sucked into the game.
- Listen for the Doubling: Many voice actors play multiple roles. Sam Vincent is the best example here—see if you can hear the "Virus" in his squirrel noises.
- Compare the Eras: If you've seen the 2023 Barbie movie, compare the "video game" elements. It’s wild how much the brand's approach to technology evolved in just a few years.
This movie might not have the Oscar buzz of the Greta Gerwig version, but the Barbie video game hero cast delivered a performance that holds up surprisingly well for a direct-to-video release. It’s fun, it’s fast, and the talent behind the mics is top-tier.
To dig deeper into the world of Barbie animation, look for the behind-the-scenes featurettes on the DVD release, which often show the actors in the recording booth. It gives you a whole new appreciation for how much energy goes into voicing a roller-skating digital princess.