Legendary voice actor Chris Ayres, best known for his work as Dragon Ball's most notorious villain Frieza, and for many other anime projects, has passed away at 56. His passing was announced on Twitter by his girlfriend and fellow voice actress Krystal LaPorte in a touching tribute.
Ayres took over the English role of Frieza back in 2010 and voiced the menacing galactic tyrant in all of Dragon Ball's projects since then, including the latest series Dragon Ball Super and the feature animated films. Since taking over for Linda Young, Ayres brought a level of menace to the character that made him beloved by even those that didn't grow up with him, making him synonymous with the character.
Ayres was forced to step down from the role in 2018 after a diagnosis of end-stage cardiac obstructive pulmonary disease that would ultimately require a double lung transplant. However, Ayres still reprised the role for Dragon Ball Super: Broly, his final appearance as the iconic villain.
Outside of Dragon Ball, Ayres was a prolific anime voice actor lending his voice to many popular series throughout the years, including Gantz, Fairy Tale, One Piece, Black Butler, Initial D, and Sengoku Basara. He's even served as the ADR director for a few shows, showcasing his talents beyond simply voice acting. A passionate stage performer, he also appeared in Broadway productions of Peter Pan and directed and choreographed a production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Ayres' final role would be for the short film The Dog Park: Prank Calls as Caller #1 in 2021.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ayres' family and friends. Read Krystal LaPorte's tribute to Ayres below.