Samuel Brent Oscar Riegel (born October 9, 1976) is an American voice actor. He is best known for his voice roles as Donatello in the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, Phoenix Wright in the Ace Attorney games, and Teddie from Persona 4. He has also worked for Nickelodeon as the voice director for Fresh Beat Band of Spies and Sanjay and Craig, as well as the voice of Riven in the revival of Winx Club. Since 2015, he has been a regular cast member of the web series Critical Role, in which he and other voice actors play Dungeons & Dragons. In 2022, the show's first campaign was adapted into the animated series The Legend of Vox Machina, followed by the second campaign adaptation The Mighty Nein in 2025.
Early life
Samuel Brent Oscar RiegelSam Riegel, during Critical Role program Narrative Telephone Round 2 Ep. 6: Familiar Feywild Fables, time stamp 28:14 was born in Washington, D.C. on October 9, 1976, the son of Lenore and Kurt Riegel. His mother later married author Jerome Charyn. Liam O'Brien and Sam Riegel, AWNP: Unplugged Ep. 1, 16 April 2020 His father works as a radio astronomer, environmental executive, and sailor. Riegel is of Jewish descent, with his grandmother being a Holocaust survivor. He is the older brother of actress Eden Riegel and the younger of filmmaker Tatiana S. Riegel. He grew up in Northern Virginia, where he began performing in local theater at the age of six. He was cast in the touring production of Les Misérables at the age of 11, and performed in The Sound of Music three years later. He also had television roles on Guiding Light and Another World as a teenager, but opted to pursue a career onstage over screen acting as he preferred the live feedback of a theater audience. He joined the Upright Citizens Brigade shortly after graduating from college.
Career
In 2018, Riegel received the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in an Animated Program for his work on Danger & Eggs.
He is also a cast member of the popular web series Critical Role, in which he and other voice actors play Dungeons & Dragons. Critical Role was both the Webby Winner and the People's Voice Winner in the "Games (Video Series & Channels)" category at the 2019 Webby Awards; the show was also both a Finalist and the Audience Honor Winner at the 2019 Shorty Awards. After becoming hugely successful, the Critical Role cast left the Geek & Sundry network in early 2019 and set up their own production company, Critical Role Productions. Soon after, they aimed to raise $750,000 on Kickstarter to create an animated series of their first campaign, but ended up raising over $11 million. In November 2019, Amazon Prime Video announced that they had acquired the streaming rights to this animated series, now titled The Legend of Vox Machina. Riegel reprises his role as Scanlan Shorthalt. He hosts the All Work No Play podcast and spinoff web series with his Critical Role co-star and best friend Liam O'Brien.
Personal life Riegel lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Vietnamese-American cinematographer Quyen Tran, and their two children. Liam O'Brien and Sam Riegel, AWNP: Unplugged Ep. 1, 16 April 2020 Prior to his marriage, he converted to Catholicism.
On September 11, 2001, Riegel and Tran witnessed the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. They were caught in the dust cloud formed by the collapse of the South Tower, but eventually escaped to Battery Park, where they witnessed the collapse of the North Tower; Riegel captured video footage that has since been featured in several documentaries. Shortly after the events, they moved to California when Tran was accepted to UCLA.
In July 2024, Riegel revealed that he had been diagnosed with HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer earlier in the year and was recovering after undergoing six weeks of radiation therapy and surgery to remove his tonsils alongside parts of his tongue and soft palate, leaving him with a seven-inch scar across his throat.
Filmography Anime + List of dubbing performances in anime Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters Tristan Taylor (Ep. 1–10), Rex Raptor (Ep. 2–144), Para, Arkana 1st voice of Tristan and Rex Samurai Deeper Kyo Kotaro Makaora As Jack Lingo Animation Runner Kuromi Nonki Hayama K.O. Beast Wan Derbard As Sam Riegel Space Pirate Mito Aoi Mitsukuni As Jack Lingo Comic Party Kazuki Sendou As Jack LingoAlso specials Gungrave Various characters As Sam Riegel Here is Greenwood Tenma Koizumi, Masato Ikeda Ikki Tousen Chuei Totaku, Student A Marmalade Boy Michael Grant, others As Sam Riegel and Jack Lingo Paranoia Agent Lil' Slugger, others As Sam Riegel R.O.D Criminal #2, Cafe Owner, Young Owner Shaman King Faust VIII, Yohmei Asakura 1st Voice of Faust VIII Texhnolyze Kazuho Yoshii, others As Sam Riegel Daphne in the Brilliant Blue Chang, others As Sam Riegel and Jack Lingo DearS Hikoro 'Oihiko' Oikawa, Assassin, others Di Gi Charat Mishter Manager As Sam Riegel Fafner in the Azure Hiroto Doma, others Ghost Talker's Daydream Souichiro Kadotake, others As Sam Riegel and Jack Lingo Grenadier – The Senshi of Smiles Yajiro Kojima As Sam Riegel Koi Kaze Various characters Kyo Kara Maoh! Gunter As Jack Lingo Le Portrait de Petit Cossette Eiri's Friend As Sam Riegel Leave it to Piyoko! BGG Member C, Store Manager, Various characters Marmalade Boy movie Manager Mermaid Forest Fisherman, Sailor, Toba Islander Naruto Zaku Abumi, Shino Aburame, others 1st voice of Shino Aburame New Getter Robo Lab Staff, Guard As Sam Riegel Rumiko Takahashi Anthology Various characters Saiyuki Reload Impostor Demon, Mob Leader, Gate Guard Samurai Champloo Various characters Scrapped Princess Dennis, Officer, Soldier Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars Toshio Mikami, others As Sam Riegel and Jack LingoAlso Director and Script Adaptation Skyhigh Various characters live-action film As Sam Riegel Tenjho Tenge Masayuki Sanada, Dan Inosato As Sam Riegel The Melody of Oblivion Male Student A, Male Guest, Person of the Cape, Eichi Hikoyama The Twelve Kingdoms Seishou Ultra Maniac Student Zatch Bell! Purio, others The Prince of Tennis Additional voices As Jack Lingo Boys Be... Kyoichi Kanzaki Voice director, scriptAs Sam Riegel Ergo Proxy Pull As Sam Riegel Fate/stay night Shirou Emiya Gun Sword Klatt, others Haré+Guu Ashio Kamichu! Ino, others As Sam Riegel Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Demon, Taizou To Heart Various characters The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Taniguchi, Eijirou Ohmori (Appliance Store Owner), others Mega Man Star Force Tom Dubius 2007–08 The Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye Joey, others Digimon Data Squad Kudamon –09 Lucky Star Minoru Shiraishi, Narration 2008 Code Geass Clovis la Britannia Aika R-16: Virgin Mission Gusto As Sam Riegel Gurren Lagann Viral as Sam Riegel Buso Renkin Madoka Maruyama As Sam Regal 2012 Hellsing Ultimate Wild Geese, Vatican Officers Ep. 6, 8 –13 Persona 4: The Animation Teddie Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan Kiyotsugu Kiyojuji As Sam Riegel –25 Blue Exorcist Mephisto Pheles K Yashiro Isana, Fox Spirit (Current Colorless King) Digimon Fusion BlueMeramon –14 B-Daman Crossfire Reggie Mak, others Sengoku Basara: End of Judgement Motonari Mōri –19 One-Punch Man Metal Bat As Sam Riegel also OVA's Ace Attorney Furio Tigre Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 One Man, Agents, ISAF Officer
Animation
+ List of voice performances in animation Year Title Role Crew role Notes Source –09 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Donatello, Delivery Man, Utrom, Triceraton Guard, Swordsmith, Zippy Lad, Shellectro, Yellow Triple Threat, Dark Donatello, Mr. Hambrath, Dr. Chaplin, –14 Winx Club Riven, Acheron, Sphinx, Lu Wei, Rumpelstiltskin –16 Wander Over Yonder Emperor Awesome, Ship Computer, Something the So and So, Cartoon Awesome, Jimmy, Admiral Admirable, Additional Voices Dialogue Director –17 Doc McStuffins Wilbur, Orville Into the Hundred Acre Wood! –18 Sofia the First Squirrel, Doctor, Smokelee, Royal Builder, Coachman, Yellowbelly, Additional Voices Dialogue Director –16 Sanjay and Craig Voice Director –16 Fresh Beat Band of Spies Mate, Pirate Guard, Curtis, Kid #1 (2), Fan (3), Audience Guy Casting Director and Voice Director –18 Pickle and Peanut Sultry Dog, Chent, Salesman, College Professor, Party Goer, Mayor, Cody, Additional Voices Dialogue Director –18 Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh Trystane Voice Director –18 Future-Worm! Villager #2, Lew Cregger, Carl, Alien Sam Riegel Dialogue Director –2020 Elena of Avalor Additional Voices, Referee Danger & Eggs Phillip's Brother, Lt. Second in Command Casting Director and Voice Director –21 DuckTales Hack, Slash, Tenderfeet / Gavin, Stinky Boot, Two-Toed Jack, Moonlanders, Gilded Man, Pirates Dialogue Director –22 Fancy Nancy Male Announcer, Male Narrator, Dying Old Man, Poor Neighbor, Rabbi Katz, Prison Security Guard –22 Amphibia Ab-Snatchers Actor, Movie Announcer, Blue Frog With Hat, Gary, Janitor, Brown Overalls Frog, Dartboard Frog, Dark Green Male Frog, Glass Artisan, Grub N Go Hirer, Bell Ringer, Chief McClintock, Cop 2, Arrested Civilian, Patrick, Bearded Frog, Neckerchief Betting Frog, Kurt, Neckerchief Frog, Frog DJ, Orange Haired Frog, Vince, Dragonfly Frog, Scared Hat Bittie, Neckerchief Bittie, Brown Slicked Hair Bittie, Bird Seller Trucker, Ushanka Hat Frog, Bartley, Branson, Ant Cream Worker, Gift Shop Worker, Fleafy, Red Eyed Frog, Blue Toad Soldier, Green Frog with Hat, Leander, Tyler, Tyler's Boyfriend, Hat Customer, Bearded Tough Guy Bus Passenger, Glasses Customer, Mitch Harper, Branson, Blair, Butterfly Drone Soldier Prototype, Scared Museum Observer, Worried Amphibians –22 Kid Cosmic PT-SB, Jerry, Feeble Pilot, Travis Casting Director and Voice Director American Dad! Benny, Athletic Spectator –23, 2025 Firebuds Vin Voltage Dialogue Director Season 1 –present The Legend of Vox Machina Scanlan Shorthalt, Death Knight, Cultist, Various voices Executive Producer, Writer, and Casting Director –24 Kiff Voice Director Season 1 –25 Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Dialogue Director –present The Sisters Grimm Casting Director –present The Mighty Nein Nott the Brave Executive Producer, Writer, Casting and Voice Director
Films + List of voice performances in direct-to-video and television films Year Title Role Crew role, notes Source Patlabor the Movie Isao Ota As Sam Riegel Patlabor 2 Redline Miki Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike Flynn Scifo As Sam Riegel Turtles Forever 2003 Donnie Freak Dance Bario Little Big Panda Kung Fucios Sengoku Basara: The Last Party Mori Motonari Back to the Sea Short Seagull Zambezia Hurricanes Khumba Jock Tiger and Bunny: The Rising Mark Schneider K: Missing Kings Yashiro Isana As Sam Riegel
Video games