Max Koch

Max Koch—yeah, that’s “Cook,” not like the German thing—is one of those multi-hyphenate, slightly chaotic LA creatives who just kind of does everything. He’s got acting chops, sure, but he’s also scribbling out cartoons and writing on the side. Dude lives with his wife and a pack of dogs, which feels about right for someone in the voiceover biz. If you’ve eaten Cheetos in the last few years, that sly, smooth-talking Chester Cheetah you hear? That’s Max. He’s been the voice behind the orange-fingered mascot since 2017, bringing a sort of laid-back mischief to the character that’s honestly hard not to love. But don’t box him in as just the Cheetos guy—he’s got range for days. Over on Nickelodeon’s “Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness,” Max lent his voice to Master Mantis, plus a laundry list of other zany characters. That show snagged an Emmy, by the way, so it’s not like he’s doing small potatoes work. He’s one of those people who’s always popping up in unexpected places, whether he’s voicing a bug with martial arts skills or doodling weird cartoons in a coffee shop. LA’s full of creative types, but Max? He’s got that slightly offbeat, mad scientist energy. Spend five minutes listening to his characters and you’ll get why casting directors keep calling him back. Somehow, he makes talking cheetahs and Kung Fu insects feel totally real—no easy feat.