How a former basketball hopeful became the definitive voice of a lemur king

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Danny Jacobs once dreamed of playing in the NBA, but a high school production of West Side Story redirected his path toward the stage and screen. Today, he is best known for his award-winning portrayal of King Julien, a role that brought him more recognition than his predecessor.

Born into a Lebanese-Catholic family, Jacobs initially focused on athletics before discovering a passion for acting in Michigan. His early career was rooted in traditional theater, including a stint originating the role of Chico Fernández in a 1993 comedy and winning regional awards for his performance in Beast on the Moon. Between 2000 and 2002, he managed the Gem and Century Theatres in Detroit, further cementing his theatrical background before moving to Los Angeles to pursue voice work.

Jacobs built his animation career through walla voice acting and commercial spots, eventually finding his niche in impressions. He gained significant attention for mimicking Sacha Baron Cohen, first as Borat in the 2007 film Epic Movie and later as the voice of King Julien in the Madagascar franchise. While he stepped into the role as a substitute, his performance became so iconic that he received multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program in 2011 and 2015.

Beyond his signature lemur role, Jacobs has lent his voice to a diverse array of characters, from the villainous Victor Zsasz in the Batman: Arkham video games to George Washington in Teen Titans Go!. He views animation as a uniquely liberating medium, noting that it allows actors to transcend limitations of age, gender, or ethnicity. This versatility has kept him active across television, film, and gaming, proving that his transition from the basketball court to the recording booth was a masterstroke of creative reinvention.

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