Animated holiday movie Klaus features a talented voice cast, including J.K. Simmons, Jason Schwartzman and Rashida Jones. Directed by Spanish filmmaker Sergio Pablos (Despicable Me), the Netflix Original tells a familiar Christmas story, but with a slight twist.
Klaus mostly takes place in Smeerensburg, a grim place where locals barely speak to each and refuse to send their kids to school. When a privileged and exiled postal worker named Jesper arrives, he discovers that two families have been feuding for centuries. Jesper also meets an elderly carpenter named Klaus, who ends up building Christmas toys for children, thus frustrating the Krum and Ellington clans who prefer to live a lifestyle of "resentment and spite" Jesper enlists a woman named Alva to help with his plan to spread joy, relying on the concept that "a true act of goodwill always sparks another.”
J.K. Simmons, whose distinctive voice made him unforgettable as J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man movies, voices the titular character in Klaus, and there plenty of other familiar names in the movie. Here's our guide to Klaus' voice cast and the characters they play.
Klaus' Main Cast
Jason Schwartzman as Jesper Johanssen: A Royal Postal Academy student who is exiled to Smeerensburg. Jason Schwartzman is best known for roles in the Wes Anderson films Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Isle of Dogs.
J. K. Simmons as Klaus: A carpenter who helps create a new tradition in Smeerensburg. J. K. Simmons won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Whiplash. He also portrayed J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films.
Rashida Jones as Alva: A teacher who sells fish because Smeerensburg locals don’t send their kids to school. The daughter of music producer Quincy Jones, Rashida Jones is best known for portraying Ann Perkins in Parks and Recreation and Karen Filippelli in The Office.
Klaus' Supporting Cast
Will Sasso as Mr. Ellington: A grumpy Smeerensburg local. Will Sasso was a MadTV cast member and starred as Curly in the Farrelly brothers’ The Three Stooges.
Neda Margrethe Labba as Margu: A young Saami girl who befriends Jesper and receives a sled. Klaus marks the feature film debut for Neda Margrethe Labba.
Sergio Pablos as Pumpkin and Olaf: Large characters from different families who find love. Aside from creating the Despicable Me franchise, Klaus' director Sergio Pablos is best known for writing Smallfoot, and for animating the films Rio and Treasure Planet.
Norm MacDonald as Mogens: The sarcastic ferryman who takes Jesper to Smeerensburg. A former Saturday Night Live cast member, Norm Macdonald is best known for his stand-up comedy. He’s also the star of Netflix’s Norm MacDonald Has a Show.
Joan Cusack as Mrs. Krum: A Smeerensburg local who seeks a clan truce to stop Jesper and Klaus from spreading joy. Joan Cusack is known for supporting movie roles in Working Girl, Grosse Pointe Blank, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She also portrayed Sheila Gallagher in Shameless.