Pixar's new animated movie, Soul, has a multiracial cast including actors, singers and comedians. So who are the faces behind the big screen?
Pixar's new animated movie, Soul, has a multiracial cast including singers, comedians and even some Hollywood newcomers. Like many Pixar classics, the voice actors for the metaphysical movie are multitalented, bringing a variety of skills to the screen. So who are the faces behind the colorful characters?
Soul, set to premiere Dec. 25 on Disney+, has received widespread critical acclaim for its touching story and soundtrack that is both electronic and jazz-infused, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with Jon Batiste on jazz arrangements. The film is set to make history as the first Pixar movie with a Black lead and mostly Black characters, which is a major milestone in the company's efforts to become more diverse. The movie embraces Black culture and artists, casting Hollywood star Jamie Foxx alongside jazz drummer Questlove.
Soul follows the journey of Joe Gardner (Foxx), an aspiring jazz musician and music teacher, as he falls into the afterlife. In one of Pixar's most ephemeral stories, Joe arrives in "The Great Beyond" right after he gets his big break into the jazz music scene. Having just received the opportunity of a lifetime, Joe jumps ship and arrives in "The Great Before," a kind of limbo where souls wait to be transferred into newborn babies. There he meets 22, an indifferent soul who is having trouble discovering her spark. Together, they escape to Earth and get a new perspective on life.
Soul's protagonist Joe Gardner is voiced by triple threat Jamie Foxx, an actor, singer and comedian best known for his roles in Django Unchained and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.. Foxx has earned critical acclaim for his work, winning an Oscar, BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award. In addition to his acting, Foxx has produced four well-received albums and appeared in Annie, the second film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Comedian Tina Fey, known for her work on Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock and Mean Girls, voices 22, a soul with a cynical view of life. Fey's 22 has spent decades trying to find passion with no success, unable to escape from the Great Before and move on and inhabit a newborn. As a comedian, Fey is bound to bring some lightheartedness and wit to the role.
Phylicia Rashad, famous for her role on The Cosby Show, more recently appeared as the grandmother and narrator in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. In Soul, Rashad again assumes a domestic part, voicing Libba Gardner, Joe's mother. Rashad's energy and charisma are sure to steal scenes.
Daveed Diggs of Hamilton fame voices Paul, Joe's frenemy in Queens. Diggs achieved national recognition when he was cast as Thomas Jefferson and Lafayette in the Tony-winning musical Hamilton. Following the show, Diggs co-wrote and starred in the critically-acclaimed film Blindspotting. He has also appeared on TV shows Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Black-ish, and done voice work for BoJack Horseman, Bob's Burgers and Central Park. He's set to voice Sebastian in The Little Mermaid.
Television and film actress Angela Bassett voices Dorothea Williams, a renowned jazz musician and saxophonist. Bassett started her acting career early, first appearing in a minor role on The Cosby Show in 1984. Bassett has since appeared as Ramonda in Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame, as well as in Mission: Impossible - Fallout and on the TV shows American Horror Story and a starring role in 9-1-1.
Graham Norton, an Irish comic known in the United Kingdom for his long-running talk show series, The Graham Norton Show, voices Moonwind. Not much is known about Norton's character aside from the actor's short description. Norton described Moonwind on Twitter as "a spiritual sign twirler."
English comedian Richard Ayoade voices Jerry in Soul, an existential counselor in the Great Before. Ayoade's early work includes British workplace comedy The IT Crowd. He later appeared in TV shows Danger Mouse and Strange Hill High. Ayoade has also done voice work for The Mandalorian and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.
Donnell Rawlings as Dez — Rawling, who plays one of Joe's friends in Soul, is a stand-up comic known on Comedy Central and Netflix. He also recently appeared in the movies Hollyweed and The Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.
June Squibb as Gerel — Squibb is an Oscar-nominated theater and film actress known for her role in the movie About Schmidt. She also held supporting roles in several 1990s movies.
Esther Chae as Miho — Chae has appeared in TV shows NCIS, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The West Wing and ER.
Cora Champommier as Connie — Champommier will make her entree into Hollywood with her role in Soul.
Margo Hall as Melba — Hall is a theater actress who has also appeared in the films Blindspotting and All Day and A Night.
Rhodessa Jones as Lulu — Jones has appeared in the short films Ay Jose! and Out of Order, as well as Nocturnal Jake.
Peggy Flood as Marge — Flood is primarily a voice actress also known for her roles in movies Deja Vu, The Mist and Shooter.
Jeannie Tirado as Principal Arroyo — Tirado is a voice actress known for her roles in anime shows The Promised Neverland and Orange, as well as the video game Doom Eternal.
Dorian Lockett as Dorian — Lockett has voiced characters in several sports video games and has also appeared in TV shows The Walking Dead and 13 Reasons Why.
Elisapie Isaac as Miali — Isaac is known for the animated movie The Legend of Sarila.
Marcus Shelby as Ray Gardner — Shelby is a composer who will be making his first foray into acting with Soul.
Avery Kidd Waddell as Muhammed Ali — Waddell has voiced roles in dozens of video games, in addition to roles in comedic movies The New Guy and Questions.
Ochuwa Oghie as Dancerstar — Oghie was a voice actress in Black Panther and has also held supporting roles in TV show Grey's Anatomy and film Touch.
Cathy Cavadini as Dreamerwind — Cavadini is a well-versed voice actress known for her role as Blossom in Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls, who can also be heard in animated TV shows Kidd Video and Jem, and the movie series American Tail.
Ronnie Del Carmen as Windstar — Del Carmen is a Pixar careerist who worked on the story for animated hits Finding Nemo, Ratatouille and Up, and who co-directed Inside Out.
Alice Braga as a soul counselor in the Great Before — Braga is a Brazilian actress best known in the United States for her roles in the films I Am Legend, The Rite, Elysium. This year saw her in New Mutants. She will also appear in The Suicide Squad in 2021.
Wes Studi as a soul counselor in the Great Before — Studi is a longtime Hollywood star, appearing in the 1990s movies Dances with Wolves and The Last of the Mohicans. Recently, Studi was cast in Call of the Wild and Avatar.
Fortune Feimster as a soul counselor in the Great Before — Feimster is a stand-up comic who has appeared on Conan and Late Night With Seth Meyers Show as well as on Netflix and Comedy Central. She is known for TV shows Chelsea Lately, The Mindy Project and Champions.
Zenobia Shroff as a soul counselor in the Great Before — Shroff, who got her start in Mumbai, has since achieved international recognition with her roles in the movies The Big Sick and The Resident, and went on to appear in the TV show Madam Secretary. In 2021, she will appear in Disney +'s Ms. Marvel.
Sakina Jaffrey as a doctor — Jaffrey is a New York born actress known for TV shows House of Cards, The Mindy Project and Mr. Robot.
Calum Grant as a hedge fund manager — Grant has appeared in disaster movies Ever Since the World Ended and San Andreas.
Laura Mooney as a therapy cat lady — Mooney will make her entree into Hollywood with her role in Soul.
Doris Burke as a basketball announcer — Burke is a voice actor primarily known for her work in a series of basketball-based video games.
Jason Pace as a stockbroker — Pace is a prolific voice actor who has held roles in Hollywood hits Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, Sing, Happy Feet and Finding Dory.
Soul debuts on Disney+ on Friday, December 25th.
