Luca: Who John Ratzenberger Plays (And Where To Spot Him)
Pixar's latest release Luca boasts an all-star cast, but who does long-time Pixar voice actor John Ratzenberger play and where can he be spotted? Often considered Pixar's lucky charm, Ratzenberger has lent his voice to over 20 Pixar films, starting with piggy bank Hamm in 1995's Toy Story. While his roles have ranged from supporting characters to a fleeting voice cameo, his signature cadence is hard to miss. That's why it's especially difficult to point him out in Luca.
Luca follows sea monster child Luca (voiced by Room actor Jacob Tremblay), a fish-herder who dreams of exploring life out of the sea. While his parents warn against traveling above water, Luca gets his chance when he meets fellow sea monster and self-proclaimed human aficionado Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer). Alberto and Luca become fast friends and journey to the idyllic seaside town of Portorosso to find a Vespa and drive around the world.
Luca's cast also boasts the voice talents of comedians Jim Gaffigan and Maya Rudolph, who play Luca's parents, and Sacha Baron Cohen, who plays Luca's uncle Ugo, a frightening angler fish looking merman. But fans of John Ratzenberger may be disappointed to find out that the Cheers actor doesn't have a role in Luca. Though he has made an appearance in every Pixar movie to date, Ratzenberger is absent from the credits, and his likeness and voice aren't apparent in the film. Luca's director Enrico Casarosa even confirmed on Twitter that Ratzenberger does not appear in the film.
This is the second time Ratzenberger has not contributed his voice to a Pixar film. Initially, Ratzenberger's cameo in Soul appeared to be a disgruntled passenger telling Joe Gardner off in the subway station. However, co-writer and co-director Kemp Powers confirmed via tweet during a Twitter watch party of the film that the filmmakers used Ratzenberger's likeness instead of his voice. The blink-and-you'll-miss-it character who resembles him is seen walking through the subway station in an earlier scene.
There could be a multitude of reasons why Ratzenberger's decades-long streak of popping up in Pixar films ended with Luca. Perhaps COVID restrictions prevented him from recording, he retired from voice acting, or Pixar is moving past using Ratzenberger in its films. Whatever the case may be, it is entirely possible John Ratzenberger will make another appearance in a future Pixar film. At least his hilarious bit parts can be enjoyed in 23 other films.