Editing Donkey Kong (character) (section)

===Voice===
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| image1 = Grant Kirkhope by Gage Skidmore.jpg
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| footer = [[Grant Kirkhope]] (''left'') voiced Donkey Kong in many games, starting with ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]'' (1999), while [[Seth Rogen]] (''right'') voiced him in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' (2023).}}

In his early animated appearances, Donkey Kong was voiced by the comedian [[Soupy Sales]] and the actor [[Garry Chalk]].<ref name="GRadar: SMBCast">{{cite web |last1=Lauren |first1=Milici |date=December 20, 2022 |title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie voice cast: who plays who? |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/super-mario-bros-movie-voice-cast-chris-pratt-seth-rogen/ |access-date=January 20, 2024 |website=[[GamesRadar+]]}}</ref> [[Richard Yearwood]] voiced Donkey Kong in the ''Donkey Kong Country'' animated series, while [[Sterling Jarvis]] performed his singing voice.<ref name="Voices of Donkey Kong" /> Yearwood reprised the role for a fan-made short film in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|last=Reynolds|first=Ollie|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/05/random-og-donkey-kong-country-tv-series-cast-reunites-for-animated-short|title=Random: OG Donkey Kong Country TV Series Cast Reunites For Animated Short|website=[[Nintendo Life]]|date=May 10, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2023|archive-date=May 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230514172130/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/05/random-og-donkey-kong-country-tv-series-cast-reunites-for-animated-short|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Charles Martinet]], who voiced Mario and other ''Mario'' characters until 2023, also voiced Donkey Kong for Nintendo's "Mario in Real Time" [[trade show]] attraction.<ref name="Mario in Real Time">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Bryn|title=Interview with the Voice of Mario|website=[[GameSpy]]|url=http://archive.gamespy.com/interviews/august02/mario/index2.shtml|access-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041214201633/http://archive.gamespy.com/interviews/august02/mario/index2.shtml|archive-date=December 14, 2004|page=2|date=August 10, 2002}}</ref>

Donkey Kong does not have a consistent voice across games,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Plunkett |first1=Luke |title=Mario Movie's Donkey Kong Voice Is Just Seth Rogen |url=https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-movie-trailer-seth-rogen-donkey-kong-1850046619 |website=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=January 21, 2025 |date=January 29, 2023}}</ref> and generally makes gorilla noises instead of speaking in full sentences.<ref name="GSpot: RogenDK">{{cite web |last1=Makuch |first1=Eddie |title=Seth Rogen On Why He Didn't Give DK A "Weird" Voice In Mario Movie And Just Used His Own |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/seth-rogen-on-why-he-didnt-give-dk-a-weird-voice-in-mario-movie-and-just-used-his-own/1100-6512984/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=January 21, 2025 |date=April 5, 2023}}</ref> When developing ''Donkey Kong Country'', Rare planned to use real gorilla noises and visited the [[Twycross Zoo]] to record them. The composer [[David Wise (composer)|David Wise]] described the visit as "a complete waste of time".<ref name="NLife: MakingOfDKC" /> Outside of feeding times, the gorillas were too quiet, so a Rare staffer, [[Mark Betteridge]], provided Donkey Kong's voice.<ref name="NLife: MakingOfDKC">{{Cite news|last=McFerren|first=Damien|date=February 27, 2014|title=Month of Kong: The Making of Donkey Kong Country|work=[[Nintendo Life]]|url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/month_of_kong_the_making_of_donkey_kong_country|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131130533/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/02/month_of_kong_the_making_of_donkey_kong_country|archive-date=January 31, 2016}}</ref> [[Grant Kirkhope]] provided the voice while composing music for ''Donkey Kong 64''.<ref name="Kirkhope: Website">{{Cite web |last=Kirkhope |first=Grant |title=Donkey Kong 64 Video Game Music Compositions |url=http://grantkirkhope.com/donkeykong64.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926160412/http://grantkirkhope.com/donkeykong64.html |archive-date=September 26, 2013 |access-date=May 28, 2020 |website=Grant Kirkhope}}</ref><ref name="GRadar: SMBCast" /> Kirkhope's voice appeared in games such as ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash]]'' (2003), the [[Game Boy Advance]] port of ''Donkey Kong Country'', and ''Mario vs. Donkey Kong''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liu |first1=Stephanie |title=Grant Kirkhope Will Compose Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope |url=https://www.siliconera.com/grant-kirkhope-compose-mario-rabbids-sparks-of-hope/ |website=[[Siliconera]] |access-date=January 20, 2025 |date=June 13, 2021}}</ref><ref name="HG: MvDK">{{cite web |last1=Spyrison |first1=Sam |title=Mario vs. Donkey Kong Enhances a Handheld Classic with New Worlds, Co-op Gameplay |url=https://hardcoregamer.com/mario-vs-donkey-kong-enhances-a-handheld-classic-with-new-worlds-co-op-gameplay/ |website=Hardcore Gamer |access-date=January 20, 2025 |date=January 15, 2024}}</ref> [[Takashi Nagasako]] is the most prolific Donkey Kong voice actor, having voiced him in 36 games as of 2025. He began voicing Donkey Kong in ''[[Mario Power Tennis]]'' (2004).<ref name="Voices of Donkey Kong">{{cite web |title=Donkey Kong Voices (Donkey Kong Country) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Donkey-Kong-Country/Donkey-Kong/ |website=Behind The Voice Actors |access-date=January 25, 2025 |archive-date=April 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410021450/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Donkey-Kong-Country/Donkey-Kong/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

The actor and comedian [[Seth Rogen]] voiced Donkey Kong in ''The Super Mario Bros. Movie''. Rogen, a fan of ''Donkey Kong'' since childhood,<ref name="IGN: RogenExcited">{{cite web |last1=Burton |first1=Carson |title=Seth Rogen Would Be 'Excited' to Voice Donkey Kong Again After Super Mario Bros. Movie |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/seth-rogen-would-be-excited-to-voice-donkey-kong-again-after-super-mario-bros-movie |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=January 21, 2025 |date=March 30, 2023}}</ref> used his regular speaking voice, as he felt the role did not require an unusual one.<ref name="GSpot: RogenDK" /> He said that, during casting, "I was very clear that I don't do voices. If you want me to be in this movie, then it's going to sound like me and that's it... I think in the film and in the game, all you seem to know about Donkey Kong is that he throws barrels and does not like Mario very much. And that's what I ran with."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jiang |first=Sisi |date=April 3, 2023 |title=Super Mario Bros. Movie Fans Knock Seth Rogen For Barely Trying |url=https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-movie-seth-rogen-donkey-kong-voice-1850293751 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405024843/https://kotaku.com/super-mario-bros-movie-seth-rogen-donkey-kong-voice-1850293751 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=April 4, 2023 |website=[[Kotaku]]}}</ref> The directors gave Rogen freedom to approach the role, and most of his directions were to yell and sound angry.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bullard |first1=Benjamin |title=Super Mario Movie's Seth Rogen on Donkey Kong Advice He Received: 'Yell More!' |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/super-mario-bros-movie-seth-rogen-talks-donkey-kong |website=[[SyFy Wire]] |access-date=January 20, 2025 |date=June 22, 2023}}</ref> Rogen enjoyed the role and expressed interest in reprising it.<ref name="IGN: RogenExcited" />