Ben Schwartz
Voice ActorBen Schwartz is an American actor and comedian best known for Parks and Recreation and the Sonic the Hedgehog films, who voices both the shapeshifting Martian hero Shapesmith and the astronaut-turned-host Rus Livingston in Invincible.
Invincible Role
In Invincible, Schwartz provides two voices: the Shapesmith, a Martian who infiltrates Earth's hero community by disguising himself as a human superhero, and Rus Livingston, an astronaut whose Mars mission leaves him possessed by the parasitic Sequids. The dual casting lets Schwartz shift between a comedic, shape-shifting infiltrator and a more unsettling, body-horror-adjacent character within the same series. It is one of several roles across the show where a single actor voices more than one figure in its expanding cast.
Career and Notable Roles
Schwartz first became widely known playing Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on Parks and Recreation and Clyde Oberholt on Showtime's House of Lies, and he has since voiced Sonic the Hedgehog across the live-action film franchise. His other credits include the Netflix series Space Force, Apple TV+'s The Afterparty, animated work as Dewey Duck on DuckTales, and the turtle Leonardo in the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot, alongside a long-running career as an improv comedian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Ben Schwartz voice in Invincible?
Ben Schwartz provides two voices in Invincible: Shapesmith, a Martian who infiltrates Earth's hero community by posing as a human superhero, and Rus Livingston, an astronaut left possessed by the parasitic Sequids. The dual casting lets him move between a comedic infiltrator and a more unsettling, body-horror role in the same series.
What is Ben Schwartz best known for?
Schwartz first became widely known playing Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on Parks and Recreation. He has since become the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog across the live-action film franchise.
What other voice roles has Ben Schwartz played?
Schwartz voices Dewey Duck on DuckTales and the turtle Leonardo in the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot. Both add to a voice-acting resume built alongside his work as an improv comedian.
What live-action TV shows has Ben Schwartz appeared in?
Beyond Parks and Recreation, Schwartz played Clyde Oberholt on Showtime's House of Lies, and he has appeared in the Netflix series Space Force and Apple TV+'s The Afterparty.
When did Ben Schwartz start his acting career?
Ben Schwartz, born in 1981, has been active in the industry since 2006. That run built the comedic and voice-acting resume he brought to his dual Invincible casting.
Sources & Information
This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Invincible anime series, manga, and official materials. Invincible was created by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley, published by Image Comics / Skybound, and animated by Skybound Animation. All rights to Invincible and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byRobert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley
- Published byImage Comics / Skybound
- Animated bySkybound Animation
All rights belong to their respective owners.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Anime, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Skybound Animation and Image Comics / Skybound.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Image Comics / Skybound and Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley.
- Licensed imagery: Photographs of real people, including creators, voice actors and production staff, are used under licence from the rights holder or the applicable stock provider, or under the terms of a public licence permitting editorial use. Each such image is reproduced in its licensed form and remains the property of its owner.
- Exceptions: Limited exceptions to the practices described above may apply to individual entries. Where an exception applies, it is noted on the entry itself alongside the applicable attribution. Rights holders may contact us regarding any attribution and it will be reviewed promptly.
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