Raya and The Last Dragon is still making waves, and Disney fans can't get enough of this lovable and refreshing story. Additionally, since Raya is the Mouse House's first Southeast Asian princess, this flick is a great dive into a new culture rarely seen in cinema. However, while the character of Raya may be new and fresh, the voice actors that bring this cast of characters to the big screen definitely aren't. Sometimes, some of the biggest names in the industry are hired to voice Disney characters in their latest animated epic, and this flick is no different. These actors may not always resemble their characters though, so it's time to see what they do look like in real life.
Updated on August 17th, 2022, by Shawn S. Lealos: The Raya cast has a lot of bigger names in the movie, taking on roles of both heroes and villains in the Disney animated movie. The movie is now a year old, and while it wasn't the biggest Disney animated movie of 2021 — that would be Encanto — it was still one of the high points for animated movies last year. The Raya cast included a predominantly Asian cast outside one non-human character, Raya's ally Tuk Tuk. With the movie receiving a second life on video and now available on Disney+ for fans who might have missed out on it when it hit theaters early in 2021, the cast delivered great performances from top to bottom and is a movie every animated film fan needs to check out.
Lucille Soong / Dang Hu
Lucille Soong is an 83-year-old Chinese American actor who has been acting since 1959. While she had some minor roles in movies like The Joy Luck Club and the remake of Freaky Friday, she gained her biggest popularity when she starred as Grandma Jenny Huang in Fresh Off the Boat.
Just one year after Fresh Off the Boat ended, Soong took the role of Dang Hu in the Raya cast. Hu was the chieftess of Talon, the floating city that thrived since the Druun can't get to them because of the water.
Alan Tudyk / Tuk Tuk
While he doesn't have any actual lines as a Raya cast member, Alan Tudyk voiced Tuk Tuk, the bug/armadillo/pug hybrid that accompanied Raya as her pet and companion. Tuk Tuk made sounds but didn't actually speak, giving Tudyk a role that anyone could have done in Raya and the Last Dragon.
However, Tudyk is a major star who has become a cult favorite with quirky roles on television and in the movies. He has appeared in movies like A Knight's Tale and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil and most recently took on the role of an alien in the TV show Resident Alien.
François Chau / Wahn
François Chau is a Cambodian American actor who gained his biggest popularity on two science fiction TV shows. In Lost, he was Dr. Pierre Chang, one of the people running experiments on the mysterious island. In The Expanse, he was Jules-Pierre Mao, the owner of Mao-Kwikowski Mercantile.
In the Raya cast, Chau took on the role of Wahn. While he was a minor character in the movie, he played an important role as a soldier in Fang's army.
Tong / Benedict Wong
Benedict Wong has over 80 acting credits to his name, and he's also appeared in a lot of blockbuster hits, like having a pretty big role as Wong in Doctor Strange to also appearing in The Martian and an episode of Black Mirror.
Fans certainly recognize this familiar face, and they will also appreciate his lovable and memorable voice in Raya and the Last Dragon as Tong, a big giant of a man with an even bigger heart.
Benja / Daniel Dae Kim
If fans haven't seen this face on the big screen, they've most likely seen Daniel Dae Kim on television. And aside from starring in New Amsterdam, Hawaii Five-O, The Good Doctor, and Lost, he's also no newbie to voice-acting.
Daniel Dae Kim is a big advocate for Asian rights and opportunities, and he's done a lot of culturally significant voice-acting. His role in Raya and the Last Dragon as Benja is no different, where he plays the honorable role of Raya's dad and the chief.
Little Noi / Thalia Tran
Little Noi is a little toddler that's undeniably adorable, but her Raya cast character is shockingly intelligent and pretty cunning and conniving. She is voiced by Thalia Tran, who is actually 15 years old and is just getting her start in the industry.
Tran was in the film Little, and she also has had a few television roles to her name. For example, she was a recurring character named Charlotte on Council of Dads. Fans probably didn't expect this little toddler to be voiced by a significantly older actress.
Virana / Sandra Oh
If viewers knew they recognized this familiar voice, they should just hop over to Grey's Anatomy or Killing Eve, two roles where she has been extremely popular and a critically acclaimed, Golden Globe-winning actress.
Yet in the Raya cast, she only lends her voice, and she brings the complicated character of Virana to life. If fans can't get enough of her here, they can binge several other shows that star Sandra Oh.
Boun / Izaac Wang
This young actor dazzled the Disney universe with his voice for Boun, and Raya is actually only his fourth acting credit. Besides a small cameo in a television series, the next biggest thing Izaac Wang is known for is the 2019 flick, Good Boys.
Even though he's only 13, it's clear that Wang's acting future is bright and bursting with opportunity, and his powerful personality has made Boun one of Disney Animation's strongest sidekicks in years.
Sisu / Awkwafina
Awkwafina might just be one of the biggest names and one of the most recognizable faces from this cast, but some fans still might not have known that she was the voice behind the likable and memorable Sisu, the water dragon that's all about comedy and saving humanity.
This actress is most well-known for comedy and being an internet influencer, but she's certainly not new to acting. She starred in Jumanji: The Next Level, The Farewell, and also had a role in Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean's 8.
Dang Hai / Sung Kang
Dang Hai is only a minor character in the Raya cast, but real fans certainly remember the former chief of Talon and how his character is a bit traditional and hard to read. He was tactful, a bit vain, and kind of mysterious.
What is no mystery, though, is the recognizable face behind the voice: Sung Kang. This seasoned actor has been on the big screen for a long time, but fans probably know him the best from Fast & Furious franchise, where he plays Han.
Namaari / Gemma Chan
Namaari is the big antagonist in the Raya cast, and she's definitely an intimidating and cunning character. In real life, though, voice-actress Gemma Chan is no such villain, as evidenced by the countless compassionate characters she's played in her career thus far.
Fans will probably recognize her voice (and face) from Crazy Rich Asians, where she plays the independent and fiery Astrid, as part of the main cast. She has dozens of other credits to her name, but this role is certainly where fans would know her from.
General Atitāya / Dichen Lachman
Dichen Lachman is definitely a familiar face in the world of television and has a recurring role in Animal Kingdom, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Altered Carbon. Luckily for fans, she jumped over to the movie world to voice General Atitāya.
General Atitāya is a General of the Fang's army, and she is a pretty likable and interesting character. If fans didn't know her from her voice, they can hop over to the small screen and binge all her thrilling and critically-acclaimed shows.
Raya / Kelly Marie Tran
Kelly Marie Tran has definitely become a fan favorite after bringing this fierce, intelligent, and fresh Disney princess to life. Raya is Tran's first big leading role, although fans might also recognize her from a certain supporting part in the Star Wars universe.
She plays Rose Tico, and she played quite a large part in the new trilogy, starting with The Last Jedi. If fans couldn't pin down where they knew her voice from, it's most likely from this other uber-popular Disney franchise.