Jane Lynch has been entertaining audiences for more than 25 years.  She mad her on-screen debut in the 1988 film, Taxi Killer.  Although she had several film and television roles in between, Lynch did not gain her breakthrough role until 2000 when she appeared in the film improvisational comedy Best in Show.  The film focuses on the interactions between five dog owners who have entered their pets in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show.  Since appearing in the film, Lynch has gone on to land several starring roles, and most recently she has become well-known for her role as Sue Sylvester on the popular Fox series, Glee.  For the show’s first four seasons Lynch’s character is a brutal cheerleading coach who is feared by both students and faculty members alike.  However, in the fifth season, Sylvester is promoted to the school’s principal.  For her role in the show, Lynch has received several accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Aside from her typical acting roles, Lynch is also an accomplished voice actress who had used her voice to give life to several animated characters.  In fact, voice acting was Lynch’s main source of income before she came a well-know star.  However, even after establishing herself as an on-screen force to be reckoned with, Lynch has continued to take on voice roles in some of the most popular animated films.  Here are three of the best voice roles by Jane Lynch.

3. Dino Time

2012’s Dino Time is a 3D computer animated children’s film that tells the story of three kids who travel back in time and are subsequently taken by a dinosaur.  In the film, Lynch is the voice of Sue Fitzpatrick, the mother of two of the children characters. When Sue realizes that her children are missing, she enlists the help of Dr. Santiago, whose children are also missing, to build a time machine.  Sue and Dr. Santiago follow their children back in time and help them return to the present. Although the film was originally scheduled for a limited theatrical release, Dino Time, ultimately went unreleased in the United States.  Although the film never made it to the American big screen, it still managed to receive several decent reviews.  Film critic, John Kafka, gave the film a generally positive review, stating that although the film was very simplistic, it may still appeal to younger audiences.  Fellow critic, Marija Loncarevic, gave the film a more favorable review and stated: “The expectations of watching a film that has never been released on the big-screen anywhere else in the world is usually pretty low.  However, in this case, one is pleasantly surprised to see a story with so much vivacity and heart.  Sure, there’s a certain ‘TV-movie’ quality to it and it’s far from the visual excellence we’re all used to, but the drawbacks of its relatively inexpert computerised imagery never divert from the more amusing moments that the story itself brings…All in all, Dino Time is not a blockbuster nor is it a ground-breaking work of art.  However, it does manage to take you back to a much simpler time, when the story actually mattered. Take your youngsters, they will have a blast!”

2. Escape from Planet Earth

The 2013 film, Escape from Planet Earth, featured Jane Lynch in the starring voice role of lo, an alien with anger management issues who once worked as a librarian on her native planet.  The film follows astronaut Scorch Supernova as he goes on a mission to a strange planet (earth). The film was a box office success and grossed more than $74.6 million.  Escape from Planet Earth also received many mixed reviews from viewers and critics alike. Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review stating: “With a bunch of blue animated figures who might be confused with Smurfs (returning this summer), the picture has enough entertainment value to tickle its target audience and even offers a few chuckles for accompanying adults.”

1. Wreck-It Ralph

The 3D fantasy-comedy film, Wreck-It Ralph, starred Jane Lynch in the role of Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun, the lead character in the game Hero’s Duty.  The concept for the movie was originally created in the late 1980s; however, it was repeatedly pushed back for over two decades. Through the movie, the film’s title character, attempts to go from a video game villain to a video game hero.  The film, a box office success, earned more than $470 million at the box office and marked Disney’s most successful opening weekend until the release of Frozen the following year.   Along with financial success, the film received positive reviews and film critic Roger Ebert stated: “More than in most animated films, the art design and color palette of “Wreck-It Ralph” permit unlimited sets, costumes and rules, giving the movie tireless originality and different behavior in every different cyber world. Wreck-It Ralph, who seems not a million miles separate from Shrek, makes a lovable guide through this arcade universe.”

 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)