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Sam Riegel

Sam Riegel is an American voice actor, voice director, writer, and producer, best known as a founding cast member of Critical Role.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Sam Riegel (born October 9, 1976) is an American voice actor, voice director, writer, and producer. He is best known as a founding cast member of Critical Role and for voicing characters such as Donatello and Phoenix Wright. Riegel won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program for Danger & Eggs in 2018.

Early life and background

Sam Riegel was born on October 9, 1976, in Washington, D.C. Publicly available profiles describe him as an American actor and voice professional.

Career

Riegel is known for extensive work as a voice actor and voice director in animation, anime, and video games. His credits include Donatello, Phoenix Wright, Teddie, Viral, and Flynn Scifo.

Critical Role

Riegel is one of the founding cast members of Critical Role and appears in the flagship campaign and related productions. He also serves as an executive producer on The Legend of Vox Machina.

Awards and recognition

Riegel won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program for Danger & Eggs in 2018. Other profiles also describe him as an Emmy Award-winning voice director.

Key facts

  • Riegel is a founding cast member of Critical Role and has been a major on-screen performer and executive producer within the brand.
  • He received a Daytime Emmy Award in 2018 for directing on the animated series Danger & Eggs.
  • His voice credits include prominent roles in animation, anime, and video games, including Donatello in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Phoenix Wright in Ace Attorney.
  • He has also worked as a voice director on series including DuckTales, Sofia the First, Elena of Avalor, and Wander Over Yonder.
  • Sources describe him as Los Angeles-based and active across television animation and interactive media.
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Canadian context

Sam Riegel has a Canadian audience through Critical Role’s international fan base and the global distribution of his animation and video game work, but no specific Canada-based role or award is identified in the provided sources.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Sam Riegel?
Sam Riegel is an American voice actor, voice director, writer, and producer best known for Critical Role and for many animation and video game roles.
When was Sam Riegel born?
He was born on October 9, 1976.
What is Sam Riegel known for?
He is known for voice acting roles such as Donatello and Phoenix Wright, voice directing, and as a founding cast member of Critical Role.
Did Sam Riegel win an Emmy Award?
Yes. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program for Danger & Eggs in 2018.
What is his connection to Critical Role?
He is a founding cast member of Critical Role and has also worked as an executive producer on The Legend of Vox Machina.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Riegel
    Supports: Birth date, Emmy win, and role in The Legend of Vox Machina/Critical Role-related information.
  2. Wikipedia (French) — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Riegel
    Supports: Birth place, nationality, and overview of his recognition as a voice actor.
  3. Critical Role — https://critrole.com/members/sam-riegel/
    Supports: Biographical summary, Critical Role role, major voice acting and directing credits, and Emmy recognition.
  4. Transformers Wiki — https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Sam_Riegel
    Supports: Voice credits and directing work across animation, anime, and games.