Victor Joseph Mignogna (born August 27, 1962)[1][2] is an American voice actor and musician known primarily for his extensive contributions to the English dubbing of Japanese anime series and video games, including Edward Elric in the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise, which earned him the American Anime Award for Best Actor in 2007.He has voiced characters in over 100 anime and video game titles, including Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, Code Geass, Shin-chan, and Hell Girl.
In live-action work, he has participated in several Star Trek fan productions, including Star Trek Continues, as Captain James T. Kirk.
In music, he has released eight studio albums and eight audio recordings.
In early 2019, following allegations of sexual harassment from both fans and fellow voice actors amid the #MeToo movement, Mignogna was dismissed from Funimation[3] and Rooster Teeth; Mignogna has denied the accusations.[4][5] Mignogna unsuccessfully pursued defamation cases against Funimation and his accusers.[6] Despite a reduction in public appearances following the harassment allegations, Mignogna has continued to participate in conventions and events.[7][5]
Early life
Mignogna was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania to Barb Myers.[8] He grew up watching cartoons on television.One of his favorites was Speed Racer, a cult classic animated show based on a Japanese comic strip by Tatsuo Yoshida.[9] He was also a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series.[10]
He graduated from Liberty University with a degree in television and film production,[11] and taught English and speech at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida.[12] He was a summer seasonal officer with the Ocean City Police Department.In 1990, Mignogna moved to Houston, Texas, where he was a film and video production instructor at The Art Institute of Houston.
While working in video production with John Gremillion in Houston, Mignogna got involved in voice acting at ADV Films.He debuted as Vega in the video game-based anime series Street Fighter II V.[14][15][16][17] Mignogna started attending anime conventions, where he contacted Funimation and landed the voice role of Broly in the Dragon Ball Z movies, as well as Dragon Ball Super: Broly.[15]
In 2007, the American Anime Awards presented Mignogna with an award for Best Actor for his work on Fullmetal Alchemist.He often gains attention for his role in Alchemist, and at one point attended between 15 and 25 conventions per year.[14] One of Mignogna's career goals was "to record at all of the major places where dubbing is done."He said he was "the first ADV voice actor to record at Funimation in Dallas and then I was the first to go to New York."He has also recorded in Los Angeles; he tried out for Bleach and received the part of Ikkaku Madarame.In non-anime productions, he voiced Qrow Branwen in Rooster Teeth's web series RWBY.
Mignogna appeared in several fan productions, including Fullmetal Fantasy and Star Trek: Phase II.In the latter series, he co-directed the episode "Enemy: Starfleet" and played the Andorian Captain.He directed "KITUMBA" and played Malkthon the Klingon, and was slated to direct the episode "Mindsifter."[14][17] In 2012, Mignogna worked with the Starship Farragut production group.He directed and starred as Captain James T. Kirk in their web series Star Trek Continues.[18][19] Mignogna has received positive reviews for writing, directing, executive-producing, and starring in Star Trek Continues, especially for his portrayal of the character of Kirk, using William Shatner's unique mannerisms and cadence.[20]
In 2021, he founded his own dubbing studio with convention Anime Matsuri in partnership.[21]
In 2024, Mignogna announced he has partnered with UK talent agency 'Davidson & Co. Talent Agents.'[22]
Music
Mignogna has been involved in music, sound, and video production. As of 2024, he has released eight studio albums and eight audio recordings. He has produced hundreds of jingles for commercials, and he was a worship leader with Houston's First Baptist Church.[23] He helped produce and arrange some of the songs on DC Talk's eponymous first album, released in 1989.In 1993, he was a contestant on the American television talent show Star Search, on which he sang "Worth Waiting For."Mignogna has sung the U.S. national anthem at several Houston Astros baseball games.As a musician, he has released several albums, some of which feature English cover versions of anime songs from shows, including the Funimation dub of One Piece and the Dragon Ball series.He also handled some of the ADR direction for the English dub of Claymore, in which he voices Rigaldo.
Personal life
Relationships
Mignogna was previously married to Seliece Womble from 1995 to 2002,[24] and was in a relationship with actress Michele Specht from 2006 to May 2018.[8] On July 24, 2024, during one of his weekly livestreams on Twitch, he announced to his fans that he had gotten married a few weeks prior.[25] On August 15, 2024, it was later revealed that Mignogna had married television personality Dominique Sachse, whom he had first met in their 20s and had reconnected with in 2023.[26] They share a residence in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.[5]
Legal battles and sexual harassment allegations
In January 2019, allegations of homophobia and sexual harassment against Mignogna emerged on Twitter via the MeToo movement, coinciding with the English release of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which features his voice work.[27][4] The claims, some dating to his 1989 career start, alleged nonconsensual hugging and kissing of fans, including minors.[28][29][30] Voice actresses Monica Rial and Jamie Marchi accused him of harassing them.[1][31]
Filmography
Anime
Animation
Films
Video games
Live action
Documentary
Discography
Studio albums
If These Walls Could Talk (1992)
Selah – Music for the Quiet Time (2004–2005)
Metafiction (2006)
Christmas (2008)
Selah II (2009)
Revix (2010) – a remix album of some of his earlier singles
32.Voice actress tweets: Monica Rial. Dropping in to say this: stop harassing my friends and colleagues. You want the truth? It Happened to Me! I had hoped it wouldn't come to this but here we are. I don't owe you anything but if it'll stop it from happening to someone else, then so be it. February 7, 2019Monica Rial. I am 100% talking about Vic Mignogna. This has nothing to do with him being inappropriate with fans. February 7, 2019Jamie Marchi. I stand with the victims. My experience is minor in comparison to many others; however, having realized this wasn't an isolated incident, I felt compelled to share. February 8, 2019^
34.Funimation. Everyone, we wanted to give you an update on the Vic Mignogna situation. Following an investigation, Funimation recast Vic Mignogna in Morose Mononokean Season 2. Funimation will not be engaging Mignogna in future productions. February 11, 2019^
38.Vic Mignogna. Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude for all the kindness and support that has been shown to me over the last few weeks. I had hoped that my apologies and acknowledgments, both public and private, would be received. But I have now very reluctantly retained a law firm as my last and only recourse to attempt to salvage my reputation and my 20-year career in this industry. A friend expressed a desire to set up a GoFundMe for legal expenses, I approved his kind offer and am so grateful, but I am not managing it, nor will I personally receive any of it. Any surplus will go to the Salvation Army Dallas Domestic Violence Abuse Shelters. I hold no malice towards anyone. I just love my work and the fans, and sincerely wish to continue. February 20, 2019, retrieved February 21, 2019^
163.Funimation. #AttackonTitan Part1 Extras give a 1st glimpse at Vic Mignogna (Eld) & Ian Sinclair (Nile) in their roles. May 17, 2014, retrieved May 7, 2015^
164.Special Operations Squad: Eve of the Counterattack, Part 2 August 16, 2014^
169.Christopher Bevins. Ep 3 of Heroic Legend of #Arslan is up! Please welcome @vicmignogna as Silver Mask & @justinbriner as Elam! Oh, and I'm playing Narsus! June 21, 2015, retrieved June 26, 2015^
194.Kerry Shawcross, Miles Luna, Grey Haddock, Lindsay Jones, Barbara Dunkelman, Kara Eberle, Arryn Zech. RWBY Panel August 7, 2015, retrieved August 8, 2015^
195.Sin (movie) CrystalAcids.com, retrieved December 11, 2016^
On January 22, 2019, Tammi Denbow, executive director of employee relations at Sony Pictures, started an internal investigation based on reports from Rial, two female fans, and a former Funimation employee.[27] The investigation ended a week later with Mignogna's dismissal, and Funimation announced it would not hire Mignogna for future productions.[27] On February 5, Rooster Teeth cut ties with him.[30][33] On February 11, Funimation recast his role as the Executive in The Morose Mononokean.[34][35][3] Multiple anime conventions removed him from their guest lists.[30][33]
At Bak-Anime 2019 and in a Twitter post, Mignogna expressed regret for unintended discomfort and denied malicious intent.[36] His supporters started a crowdfunding campaign called “Vic Kicks Back,” which raised over $262,000 for his legal defense.[1][37] On Twitter, Mignogna confirmed retaining a law firm for legal action and stated surplus funds would go to the Salvation Army Dallas Domestic Violence Abuse Shelters.[38] Mignogna filed a million-dollar lawsuit for defamation, tortious interference, and civil conspiracy against Funimation, Rial, Marchi, and Rial’s fiancé Ron Toye in Tarrant County District Court.[4][39] Funimation denied Mignogna's allegations in a June 12, 2019, response.[40]
Mignogna was deposed on June 26, 2019.[1] In his deposition, he denied kissing Rial or inappropriate behavior, stating interactions were consensual and misinterpreted.[41] On July 1, 2019, Funimation filed an anti-SLAPP motion under the Texas Citizens Participation Act to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming protected free speech.[42] Rial, Marchi, and Toye filed anti-SLAPP motions on July 19, supported by affidavits from voice actress Kara Edwards, Michele Specht,[12][1] and claims of harassing Mari Iijima.[43] On July 30, an affidavit from the two fans in Funimation's investigation was submitted.[1]
On September 6, 2019, State District Judge John Chupp dismissed 7 of 12 claims under the Texas Citizens Participation Act, ordering Mignogna to pay Marchi's legal fees as protected speech.[44][45] On October 4, 2019, the court dismissed the remaining claims under the act's free speech protection.[46] Mignogna appealed on October 24, with a hearing on November 21.[47] The judge ruled Mignogna must pay defendants' attorney fees of $238,042.42, including $15,000 in sanctions.[48]
In a January 2020 livestream, Mignogna reiterated his innocence and denied forced advances.[49] In February 2022, Rial and Marchi hosted a podcast on the case.[50]
On August 18, 2022, the Texas Second Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal and increased attorneys’ fees to Rial and Toye to $282,953.80 from $100,000.[51] The court denied Mignogna's appeal in September 2022.[52] On November 14, 2022, Mignogna filed a petition for review in the Supreme Court of Texas, which denied it on December 30, 2022.[53][54]
