The latest outing of Gru and the ever-popular Minions, Minions: The Rise of Gru features an all-star voice cast. The animated movie brings back several voices from the previous Minions movie, as well as the Despicable Me series, and introduces some new comedic characters. The voice cast contains everyone from hip-hop artists to legendary action stars.
Minions: The Rise of Gru is the fifth movie in the animated Despicable Me series, which tracks the exploits of would-be supervillain Gru, as well as a direct sequel to the Minions spin-off prequel released in 2015. Set eight years after the original Minions, The Rise of Gru sees a 12-year-old Gru aspiring to join the supervillain group the Vicious 6. After stealing a magical zodiac stone, Gru is kidnapped, leaving the Minions to rescue their leader.
Like other Illumination movies, such as Sing 2, Minions: The Rise of Gru features a cast stacked with recognizable celebrity names. Lead voice actor Steve Carell has received critical praise for his performance as a young Gru, but the film is full of talent from top to bottom. Here's who's who in The Rise of Gru.
Pierre Coffin as The Minions
Pierre Coffin is the creator of the Despicable Me franchise and directed the first four movies, although Kyle Balda is in the director's chair for The Rise of Gru. Coffin also provides every grunt and mutter for all of the Minion characters. This includes the main trio of Minions known as Kevin, Stuart, and Bob, a new character called Otto (who is important to the plot of Minions: The Rise of Gru), and all of the rest. Born in France, Coffin worked in animation before getting his big break on the Despicable Me fmovie ranchise.
Steve Carell as Gru
Steve Carell returns as Gru, the future supervillain who was the protagonist of the Despicable Me series. Carell was a correspondent on The Daily Show before becoming a major comedy star by playing delusional boss Michael Scott on The Office. In the past decade, he has focused on more dramatic roles, such as Mitch Kessler in The Morning Show, but will be bringing all his comedic chops to Minions: The Rise of Gru.
Taraji P. Henson as Belle Bottom
Belle Bottom is the new leader of the Vicious 6 and one of the primary antagonists of Minions: The Rise of Gru. She is played by Taraji P. Henson, who broke out through her TV roles as Joss Carter in Person of Interest and Cookie Lyon in Empire. Henson has since been acclaimed for her performances in films such as the true story biopic Hidden Figures.
Michelle Yeoh as Master Chow
Michelle Yeoh provides the voice of Master Chow, an acupuncturist and kung fu master who serves as a mentor to the Minions in their search for Gru. Yeoh was a star of Hong Kong action movies before appearing in Hollywood films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She is currently having a career resurgence with roles in hit movies such as Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings and Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Jean-Claude Van Damme as Jean Clawed
The voice of lobster-clawed Vicious 6 member Von Clawed is, of course, Jean-Claude Van Damme. The Belgian martial artist became a star of cult action films in the 1980s and '90s, appearing in such video-store favorites as Bloodsport and Kickboxer. More recently, Van Damme movies have included more comedic fare like the Netflix original The Last Mercenary, with van Damme playing a self-aware comedic version of himself, and Minions: The Rise of Gru would certainly seem to fit this trend.
Alan Arkin as Wild Knuckles
Wild Knuckles is the former leader of the Vicious 6 who kidnaps Gru and is a major character in Minions: The Rise of Gru. Arkin is a Hollywood veteran who rose to prominence in movies such as The Heart is a Lonely Hunter in the 1960s. He continues to be a renowned character actor well into the 21rst century, with acclaimed turns in movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Argo.
Lucy Lawless as Nunchuck
Another veteran action star heard in Minions: The Rise of Gru's Vicious 6 is Lucy Lawless, who voices a nunchuck-wielding nun with a self-explanatory name. Lawless is best kn0wn as the star and title character of 1990s syndicated hit Xena: Warrior Princess. She has since had well-received roles in action-driven series like Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Ash vs. Evil Dead.
Minions: The Rise of Gru Supporting Cast
Dolph Lundgren as Svengeance: Swedish action star Dolph Lundgren plays Vicious 6 member Svengeance, who menaces the world on roller skates. Lundgren's breakthrough role was as the villainous Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, and he has since starred in dozens of action movies, as well as supporting roles in movies like Aquaman.
Danny Trejo as Stronghold: Rounding out the Vicious 6 is the metal-handed Stronghold. Trejo is a cult favorite actor who mostly appears in supporting roles in films and TV such as Sons of Anarchy, but he also starred as the title character in Robert Rodriguez's Machete movies.
RZA as Biker: Hip-hop star RZA voices a biker that the Minion Otto befriends while traveling to San Francisco in Minions: Rise of Gru. RZA was a major figure in the legendary Wu-Tang Clan rap group and has also had a successful solo career, in addition to acting in movies such as Nobody.
Julie Andrews as Marlena Gru: Iconic British actress and singer Julie Andrews reprises her role as Gru's perpetually unimpressed mother Marlena. Andrews is best known for appearing in classic musicals such as The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, but today she predominantly does voice roles, such as Lady Whistledown on Bridgerton.
Russel Brand as Nefario: Brand returns to the franchise as a younger version of Gru's future henchman Dr. Nefario, who at the time of Minions: Rise of Gru runs a music store called Criminal Records, and could play a larger role in a possible Minions 3 movie. Brand is a frequently divisive British comedian who has acted in movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Death on the Nile.
Will Arnett as Mr. Perkins: Arnett plays a younger version of his Despicable Me character, before he was a banker at the Bank of Evil. In addition to playing live-action characters such as Gob Bluth in Arrested Development, Arnett has had prominent voice roles including the title character in BoJack Horseman.
Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom: Silas is a government agent in Minions: The Rise of Gru who will later become the director of the Anti-Villain League during the Despicable Me movies. Coogan is a veteran British comedian best known for his Alan Partridge character as well as appearing as himself in The Trip and its sequels.