Travis Willingham
CEO of Critical Role
Travis Willingham
CEO of Critical Role
Biography
Travis Willingham is a Los Angeles-based voice actor known for his extensive roles in animation and video games, as well as the massively popular hit show and media brand, Critical Role.
Critical Role has become one of the most popular storytelling and world building independent media companies in the world, and Travis plays a pivotal role within the company as the Chief Executive Officer, primary cast member for the flagship show and executive producer of The Legend of Vox Machina animated series which will air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. As the CEO of Critical Role, Travis serves as the north star of the company, helping grow the brand internationally and elevating it into the massive media company it is today.
In addition, Travis has impressively amassed over 300 roles in video games, original animation projects and anime. He’s known for reprising the role of Thor over the past decade in Marvel’s hit original series’ Avengers Assemble, Ultimate Spider-Man, HULK, Agents of SMASH, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Other roles include Superior Man / Guy Gardner in Superman: Red Son, The Heretic in Batman: Bad Blood, Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic Boom and King Roland II in Sofia the First, among others.
He has also starred in some of the biggest video game titles around, voicing Wilson Fisk / The Kingpin in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Thor in Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, Castamir in Middle Earth: Shadow of War, Jaro Tapal in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Harvey Dent / Two-Face in Batman: The Telltale Series, plus countless more.
Travis was named Voice Actor of the Year at the 2017 BTVA Voice Acting Awards. He is also the recipient of four BTVA People’s Choice Voice Acting Awards, a BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting Award and a BTVA Video Game Voice Acting Award.
Speech Topics
CEO for a Creator-Owned Business
Explore the unique challenges and opportunities of leading a creator-owned company like Critical Role—from building a business around passion and the tabletop gaming space, to navigating growth while maintaining artistic integrity. Learn what it takes to balance vision, leadership, and innovation in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
Not Taking No for an Answer
Rejection isn't the end—it's a redirection. This talk covers how early studio rejections sparked a bold pivot to a successful, community-driven crowdfunding campaign. Eventually leading to the hit animated series The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime—produced in collaboration with one of the original studios who first passed. A story of persistence, adaptability, and the power of betting on your audience.
From Actor to Entrepreneur: Building a Multimedia Enterprise
This session traces the evolution from Travis' individual creative career in voice acting to co-founding and leading the thriving multimedia company, Critical Role. Gain insights into scaling personal success into a broader creative business, managing teams, and staying grounded in your roots while embracing growth.
Empowering the Audience Without Sacrificing the Art
How do you honor audience demand without compromising your creative soul? This talk dives into strategies for coexisting with audience expectations—welcoming feedback as fuel, not friction—while staying true to the core of your artistic voice.
The Evolving Business Landscape of Multimedia Content Creation
Media is no longer a one-way street. This session explores the rapid shifts in how content is created, distributed, and monetized. From platforms and partnerships to tech trends and audience behavior—get a look at where content is headed and how to stay ahead of the curve.
The Art of the Creative Gamble
Every leap forward starts with a risk. Learn how to assess your personal and professional risk tolerance when deciding what’s next—whether launching a new project, expanding your business, or pivoting in uncertain times. This talk will provide frameworks for making bold, smart, and creative decisions.
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