Ricky Bartlett: A Varied Career in Entertainment

Ricky Bartlett is a SAG-AFTRA actor, SOVAS Voice Arts Award nominee, Danny Award winner, broadcaster, producer, and accomplished voice artist who has worked across many facets of the entertainment industry. His career spans film and television, video games, radio, voiceover, and live performance—a diverse professional journey built over two decades around storytelling and honest performance.

As a bilateral amputee and entertainment industry professional, Bartlett has become a strong advocate for greater inclusion and meaningful representation of disabled performers. His career demonstrates his versatility as an artist while highlighting his commitment to an entertainment industry that recognizes disabled talent for its ability, creativity, and professionalism.

More Than 20 Years in Broadcasting and Media

Ricky Bartlett’s career has been significantly shaped by broadcasting. He began in radio doing late nights before eventually landing a morning show position at KMRY 93.1 FM, where he spent almost 10 years.

Working behind a live microphone gave Bartlett valuable experience that would later support his work in acting and voiceover. Live radio demanded quick thinking, improvisation, timing, storytelling ability, and a direct connection with an audience.

Those skills continue to influence his approach to performance. Whether communicating with thousands of radio listeners, performing a character, or delivering a voiceover, Bartlett focuses on making the audience feel connected to the story and the person delivering it.

Building a Career in Acting and Voiceover

After establishing himself in broadcasting, Bartlett continued expanding his career through acting, voiceover, production, and live performance. His work now encompasses film, television, video games, narration, and character performance.

His professional credits and industry work have brought him into projects and productions connected with major entertainment companies and platforms, including Hulu, NBCUniversal, Amazon MGM, Paramount+, and PressX2Play Games.

This range reflects Bartlett’s ability to move comfortably between different areas of entertainment. His broadcasting background provides a strong foundation in vocal delivery and audience engagement, while his acting experience allows him to bring character, emotion, and authenticity to performance.

Recognition Through the SOVAS Voice Arts Awards and Danny Awards

Among Ricky Bartlett’s professional accomplishments are his 2026 Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS) Voice Arts Award nomination and his Danny Award win. These recognitions reflect different aspects of his development as a performer and acknowledge his dedication to storytelling and creative performance.

For Bartlett, however, professional recognition is only one part of a much larger journey. His career has developed across broadcasting, acting, voiceover, production, video games, and live performance, with each experience contributing to the next stage of his creative growth.

That continued evolution has helped him build a career that is both diverse and deeply connected to storytelling.

Authentic Disability Representation in Entertainment

As a bilateral amputee, Bartlett has built his career within an entertainment industry where authentic disability representation continues to develop. His perspective challenges the idea that disabled performers should be defined primarily by their disability or by narratives of “overcoming” it.

For Bartlett, the quality of the work should ultimately speak for itself.

At the same time, he recognizes the importance of visibility. When disabled performers are seen on screen, heard behind a microphone, featured in video games, or represented on stage, those opportunities can help broaden public perceptions of disability and talent.

His advocacy therefore connects naturally with his professional work. Bartlett demonstrates through his own career that disabled artists can contribute across the entertainment landscape when authentic inclusion is incorporated into the creative process.

Studio b.Vox — Head of Creative Development

Ricky Bartlett is the Head of Creative Development at Studio b.Vox, a voice and audio storytelling studio providing a range of creative services.

As a voiceover artist with Studio b.Vox, Bartlett specializes in character voiceover, video games, audiobooks, podcasts, narration, radio commercials and liners, and digital media production.

In his leadership role, Bartlett combines his experience as a performer with his knowledge of broadcasting and production. His understanding of voice performance, storytelling, audience engagement, and creative development is an asset when developing projects and collaborating with other professionals in entertainment.

Through Studio b.Vox, Bartlett continues to explore opportunities in voice and audio storytelling while working with creators, businesses, and other professionals seeking authentic and compelling performances.

The Lasting Influence of Radio

Although Bartlett’s career has expanded well beyond broadcasting, radio remains an important influence on his creative identity.

His years behind the microphone taught him an enduring lesson about communication: regardless of the size of the audience, effective storytelling should feel personal.

That principle continues to inform his work. Whether narrating an audiobook, performing a character, addressing a live audience, or speaking to radio listeners, Bartlett aims to make the audience feel that the words are being delivered directly to them.

This ability to create a personal connection remains central to his approach to acting, voiceover, broadcasting, and public speaking.

Leadership and Advocacy Through SAG-AFTRA

Alongside his professional performance career, Bartlett serves as a member of the SAG-AFTRA Diversity & EEO Committee, contributing to conversations surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion within the entertainment industry.

His involvement reflects his broader commitment to meaningful disability representation and greater opportunities for disabled performers.

For Bartlett, inclusion should extend beyond simply placing people with disabilities in front of a camera or microphone. Disabled professionals should also have opportunities to participate in the creative and decision-making processes that shape entertainment.

His perspective contributes to a wider industry conversation about ensuring talented actors and artists with disabilities can pursue the full range of characters and professional opportunities—not only roles in which disability is the central storyline.

A Growing Career as a Speaker

Ricky Bartlett is also expanding his work as a speaker, sharing perspectives on entertainment, disability, entrepreneurship, and authentic representation.

His speaking engagements provide opportunities to discuss the entertainment industry and the importance of creating meaningful professional opportunities for people with disabilities.

Bartlett is scheduled to serve as a keynote speaker at the National Disability Institute’s Disability Owned National Convening, an upcoming event that aligns closely with his focus on disability ownership, entrepreneurship, representation, and professional opportunity.

Through his work as a speaker, Bartlett continues to contribute to conversations about how inclusion can become a meaningful part of professional and creative environments.

What’s Next for Ricky Bartlett?

Looking ahead, Bartlett aims to continue growing as an actor, voice artist, producer, broadcaster, and storyteller while helping expand opportunities for performers with disabilities.

One of his key objectives is to see disabled actors considered for roles where disability is not necessarily part of the plot. He envisions disabled performers portraying heroes, villains, executives, parents, detectives, warriors, neighbors, and countless other characters.

Such a vision moves beyond limiting disabled performers to specific types of roles. For Bartlett, authentic representation means allowing talent and performance to determine what is possible.

Growing Studio b.Vox and Creative Collaboration

Bartlett also intends to continue developing Studio b.Vox through collaboration with filmmakers, game developers, authors, publishers, producers, and other storytellers.

His goal is to work with creative professionals who understand that strong performances begin with real voices and authentic storytelling.

Bartlett’s background in broadcasting, acting, voiceover, production, and creative development positions him to contribute to projects across the modern media landscape. His experience allows him to understand both the performance side of a project and the broader creative process behind it.

“Inclusion Is Having a Seat at the Table”

A central philosophy behind Bartlett’s approach to representation can be captured in his own words:

“Inclusion is having a seat at the table—the same table we helped build.”

The statement reflects an important part of his vision for disability inclusion. In Bartlett’s view, inclusion is not simply about inviting people into an existing industry. It is also about giving talented people the opportunity to participate in shaping the future of entertainment.

His career demonstrates that disabled professionals can contribute at every level of the creative process—as actors, voice artists, producers, broadcasters, speakers, and creative leaders.

Creating the Future of Entertainment

Ricky Bartlett’s career brings together performance, broadcasting, voiceover, production, advocacy, and creative development. From his years in morning radio to his work as an actor, voice artist, producer, and creative leader, his professional journey continues to evolve.

While his SOVAS Voice Arts Award nomination and Danny Award recognition are significant accomplishments, Bartlett’s broader impact extends beyond individual accolades. Through his work at Studio b.Vox, his service on the SAG-AFTRA Diversity & EEO Committee, his speaking engagements, and his continued work as a performer, he is contributing to a more inclusive entertainment landscape.

For Ricky Bartlett, the next chapter is about more than securing a place within entertainment. It is about helping build an industry where talented people with disabilities are recognized as an essential part of the creative landscape from the beginning.