KATV
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Nerds, geeks, and fanboys delight! Arkansas Comic Con is just around the corner.
The fan extravaganza is set to kick off on Sep. 6 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock and will be open at the following hours:
- Friday, Sep. 6: 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday, Sep. 7: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday, Sep. 8: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Like any other con, the event is set to feature a host of celebrity guests, and a diverse group of vendors, artists, and fan groups.
In anticipation of the event, we’ve compiled a list below of all the celebrities you might expect to meet at the con.
Michael Rooker
An Alabama native, Rooker made his acting debut in the 1986, playing the title role in the film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Rooker has made a name for himself in genre fiction and is best known for his fan-favorite roles as redneck hunter Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead and space pirate Yondu Udonta in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
The actor also starred in notable roles in the crime thrillerMississippi Burning, sports dramaDays of Thunder, political thrillerJFK, cult classic westernTombstone, buddy comedyMallrats, horror movieSlither, super hero blockbusterThe Suicide Squad, and in the Fast and the Furious’ ninth installment,F9.
Rooker has also had a successful stint in video games, appearing in the hit Call of Duty series in Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
Charles Martinet
Born in San Jose in 1955, Martinet has a voice so iconic, it’s been mimicked and parodied for generations. The actor rose to fame by providing the voices for some of Nintendo’s most iconic and recognizable characters, including Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi.
Martinet first took on the role of Mario in 1994 and would go on to voice the character for nearly three decades. He retired from playing the famous plumber in 2023. Martinet now serves as an official brand ambassador for the Mario series.
Martinet has also played Mario and Luigi’s father in last year’s Super Mario Bros. Movie, and has had other significant roles in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
James Arnold Taylor
Taylor has built a reputation as one of the best voice actors in the industry and has lent his talents to various animated projects.
He’s earned widespread acclaim and adoration for his portrayal of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in variousStar Wars animated features including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ratchet in the hit video game franchise Ratchet & Clank, the main character Tidus in Final Fantasy X, and the titular character in the Cartoon Network series Johnny Test.
Taylor has also provided the voice of other iconic characters including Fred Flintstone, The Flash, Prince Charming (in the Shrek video game series), and Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, in various animated projects and video games.
Ashley Eckstein
Born in Louisville in 1981, Eckstein rose to cultural prominence by voicing Jedi apprentice Ahsoka Tano throughout the Star Wars franchise, beginning with Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Eckstein has also played Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch in the White House and Muffy in the Disney Channel sitcom That’s So Raven.
Matt Lanter
Lanter was born in 1983 in Massillon, Ohio. After beginning his career in modeling, Lanter transitioned to acting with a breakout role in the biographical film Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius.
He is best known for voicing the iconic Jedi-Knight-turned-Sith-Lord Anakin Skywalker in various Star Wars animated projects and video games, beginning with Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
He has also appeared in the Fox supernatural drama series Point Pleasant, medical dramaGrey’s Anatomy, political drama series Commander in Chief, 90210, and superhero cartoonUltimate Spider-Man.
Ray Park
Park is a Scottish actor, martial artist, and stuntman who rose to fame by physically portraying the Sith Lord Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Park’s skill, speed, and expertise have captured the imagination of fans new and old.
He is a martial artist of great renown, competing in the World Wushu Championships and even for the British national wushu team.
He has also had other action roles such as Toad in X-Men (2000), Snake Eyes in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Edgar in the superhero drama series Heroes.
Brett Spiner
Born in Houston in 1949, Spiner is a character actor best known for portraying the android Data in the Star Trek franchise, beginning with the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Spiner won a Saturn Award (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films) for Best Supporting Actor for playing Data in Star Trek: First Contact, and was nominated in the same category for playing Dr. Brackish Okun in Independence Day.
He is also known for voicing The Joker in the animated television series Young Justice, and has also enjoyed a career in the theatre and as a musician.
Gates McFadden
McFadden was born in 1949 in Akron, and rose to prominence playing Dr. Beverly Crusher in the Star Trek franchise, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation.
After Star Trek, McFadden appeared as Jack Ryan’s wife Catherine in The Hunt for Red October, and also featured in the television series Marker, and the made-for-television movie Crowned and Dangerous.
McFadden has taught at a number of different universities, including the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Brandeis, Harvard, Purdue, Temple, the Stella Academy in Hamburg, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Southern California.
John de Lancie
Born in 1948 in Philadelphia, de Lancie is best known for portraying the extra-dimensional being Q in the Star Trek franchise, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation.
De Lancie had his first television role in Captains and Kings in 1976. He has also had roles in the television series Days of Our Lives, Stargate SG-1, Breaking Bad, Torchwood, and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
He is also a successful writer and documentarian and has provided narration for a number of major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the National Symphony Orchestra, among others.
Scott Innes
Innes was born in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, in 1966. He is best known for voicing several flagship characters in different Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera animated films, television shows, and video games.
Most notably, he has provided voices for Scooby-Doo, Popeye the Sailor, Fred Flintstone, Bugs Bunny, Yogi Bear, Shaggy Rogers, Scrappy-Doo, Barney Rubble, Foghorn Legorn, Muttley, and Captain Caveman.
In between voice acting gigs, Innes has worked as an air personality on different radio stations in Louisiana, including WYNK-FM/Baton Rouge, and nearby station WRKN.
Tara Strong
Strong is a Canadian-American voice actor known for working on a host of revered Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon animated television shows.
She has appeared in Loki,The New Batman Adventures, Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go!, Rugrats, The Powerpuff Girls, The Fairly OddParents, The Proud Family, Ben 10, Chowder, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Mortal Kombat X, Jak and Daxter, Final Fantasy X, and Batman: Arkham.
Well revered, Strong has earned numerous plaudits for her work, including multiple Annie Award and Daytime Emmy nominations.
Skeet Ulrich
Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Ulrich is known to horror fans far and wide for portraying the iconic serial killer Ghostface, or Billy Loomis, in the Scream franchise.
Nicknamed Skeet by his Little League coach due to his small stature, Ulrich has appeared in several popular 1990s films, including The Craft and As Good as It Gets.
Fans might also recognize Ulrich from his roles as Forsythe Pendleton “F.P.” Jones II in The CW’s Riverdale and a Marine veteran in the Law and Order franchise.
Jamie Kennedy
Kennedy is an American actor and comedian well known to horror fans for his role in the Scream franchise, portraying the character Randy Meeks in Scream, Scream 2, and Scream 3.
He has had lead roles in Malibu’s Most Wanted, Son of the Mask, Kickin’ It Old School, Finding Bliss, and Trick, and has had notable supporting roles in Romeo + Juliet, Enemy of the State, and Ad Astra.
A comedian at heart, Kennedy also hosted a hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that ran for three seasons, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.
Amir Talai
An Iranian-American actor, singer, voice artist, and writer, Amir Talai is a man of many talents.
He is known for voicing Alastor in the 2024 musical series Hazbin Hotel, as Crane in Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, and both Skidmark and Tito in the movie tie-in series Turbo FAST.
Talai has also appeared in smaller roles in The Pursuit of Happyness, NCIS, Gilmore Girls, Family Guy, Hannah Montana, and Modern Family.
Erika Henningsen
A singer and actress, Henningsen is best known for her work on stage, having starred as Cady Heron in the 2018 Tony-nominated Broadway musical Mean Girls. Henningsen received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for her performance.
Outside of the theater, Henningsen has also begun a career as a television actor, appearing on Saturday Night Live, Blue Bloods, and most recently in the animated musical comedy seriesHazbin Hotel as Charlie Morningstar.
Blake Roman
Roman is a stage and voice actor who rose to prominence for his performance in Harmony on Broadway.
Currently, he voices Angel Dust and Egg Boiz in Hazbin Hotel.
He has also appeared in the long-running police procedural drama television seriesBlue Bloods.
Joel Perez
Born in Boston, Perez is an actor, singer, and dancer known for his work on the theater and the small screen.
He mostly works in musicals and has a long history of collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, having featured in a 2010 stage production of In the Heights and the 2021 film Tick, Tick… Boom! He currently stars as Valentino in Hazbin Hotel.
Perez won the Goddard Rhetorical Prize in 2008 and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in Musical for his work in the musical Sweet Charity.
Cherami Leigh
Native to Dallas, Leigh is a voice actor who has provided English-language voice work for a number of different anime series and video games.
A few of her most notable credits include work in One Piece, Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Fairy Tail, Pokemon Journeys: The Series, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Borderlands, Persona 5, and Cyberpunk 2077.
Leigh was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Performer in a Leading Role for her work as the female version of the protagonist V in the action role-playing gameCyberpunk 2077.
Johnny Yong Bosch
Anyone who grew up watching Power Rangers as a kid should be delighted by Bosch’s appearance at Arkansas Comic Con.
From a young age, Bosch was inspired by Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, and began practicing Kung Fu. This interest paid off when the actor earned a role in the Power Rangers franchise, starring as the second on-screen Black Power Ranger, the Green Zeo Ranger and the first Green Turbo Ranger.
Bosch is also known for his voice-acting roles as Ichigo Kurosaki in Bleach, Yu Narukami in Persona 4, and Nero in Devil May Cry.
Michelle Ruff
A graduate of Michigan State University, Ruff is an experienced voice actress known for her work in anime and video games.
She is known for playing Fujiko Mine in Lupin the Third, Rukia Kuchiki in Bleach, Sinon in Sword Art Online, Jill Valentine in the Resident Evil series, Yukari Takeba and Sadayo Kawakami in the Persona series, Cream the Rabbit in Sonic the Hedgehog, and Crimson Viper in the Street Fighter series.
Ruff received a nomination for Best Actress and a nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy for her work in Bleach and Lupin the Third respectively. In 2009, she was awarded a Best Voice Actress Award by the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation for her work in Bleach.
Paul Freeman
An acclaimed British actor, you probably recognize Freeman best for playing opposite Harrison Ford as the antagonistic French archaeologist Rene Belloq in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Freeman’s career began in the theater where, after studying at the Royal Shakespeare Company, he appeared in productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet.
On-screen, he is widely known for playing the lead role in the romance series Yesterday’s Dreams, the evil wine baron Gustav Riebmann in Falcon Crest, the supervillain Ivan Ooze in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, and Rev. Philip Shooter in the buddy-cop comedy Hot Fuzz.
Butch Patrick
A California native, Patrick began his acting career at just seven years old, landing the role of child werewolf Eddie Munster in the CBS comedy series, The Munsters.
He appeared in numerous different television series across the sixties, taking roles that had him appear alongside Judy Garland, Burt Lancaster, and Sidney Poitier.
After The Munsters, Patrick appeared in a number of different television series, including I Dream of Jeannie, Death Valley Days, Gunsmoke, The Monkees, Daniel Boone, and Adam-12.
He left acting in 1975 to begin a career as a musician.
Jeff Hardy
Regarded as one of the best professional wrestlers of all time, Hardy is beloved for his tenures in WWE and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
The North Carolina native is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), where he is a former three-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion.
Hardy is beloved for his high-flying, risk-taking style of wrestling. He formed The Hardy Boyz with his brother Matt, which is considered by some to be the greatest tag team in professional wrestling history.
Matt Hardy
Like his brother Jeff, Matt Hardy is also an acclaimed professional wrestler. While he is currently signed to TNA, Hardy is best known for his tenures in WWE and AEW.
He is a whopping 14-time world tag team champion, having competed with his brother Jeff on The Hardy Boyz team. The Hardy Boyz is considered by some to be the greatest tag team in professional wrestling history.
As a singles wrestler, Hardy has won three world championships, including one ECW Championship and two TNA World Heavyweight Championships.
Jerry Lawler
A Memphis native, Lawler is a color commentator and professional wrestler currently signed to the WWE under a Legends Contract.
After a long, successful stint in professional wrestling, Lawler first joined the WWE in 1992 and went on to win multiple World Heavyweight Championships throughout his career. We was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
The wrestler is also known for his public feud with comedian Andy Kaufman, and would go on to play himself in a 1999 Jim Carrey film about Kaufman, Man on the Moon.
Kane
Another WWE Hall of Famer, Kane first joined the competition in 1995. Randy Orton is the only performer to have headlined more WWF/WWE pay-per-view cards than Kane.
A three-time world champion, Kane is a masked wrestler who acts as the personification of fire and is the juggernaut younger half-brother of The Undertaker.
Outside of the ring, Kane is known by the name Glenn Jacobs. He was elected as the Republican mayor of Knox County, Tennessee in 2018, and was reelected for a second term in 2022.
Matt Riddle
Riddle is a professional wrestler famous for his successful stints in the UFC and WWE.
The current AAA Cruiserweight Champion, Riddle first rose to prominence by appearing on SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 7.
He was formerly an Evolve Champion, WWN Champion, PWG World Tag Team Champion, and two-time Progress Atlas Champion.
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