You know that deep, gravelly, sorta-dim-but-totally-lovable voice that’s been coming out of a pink starfish since 1999? That's Bill Fagerbakke. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else inhabiting the skin of Patrick Star. For over 25 years, Fagerbakke has brought a level of "clueless genius" to the role that most actors couldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
But here is the thing: he isn’t just a guy doing a funny voice in a booth. He’s a 6'6" former college football powerhouse who once had dreams of the NFL. Life had other plans, though. A knee injury changed everything. Now, in 2026, he’s still the definitive voice actor for Patrick Star, recently headlining the theatrical release of The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants.
The Man Behind the Starfish: Who is Bill Fagerbakke?
Bill Fagerbakke wasn't born into Hollywood royalty. He was born in Fontana, California, and grew up in Idaho, where he was a standout athlete. We're talking three-sport athlete—football, basketball, and track. He went to the University of Idaho to play defensive lineman for the Vandals.
Then came the spring of 1977. A nasty knee injury during drills ended his football career. It’s the classic "door closing, window opening" story. He pivoted to theater, found he actually loved it, and eventually landed in Dallas at SMU for a Master’s in Fine Arts.
Before he ever touched a Nickelodeon script, Fagerbakke was a household name for a different kind of role. He played Michael "Dauber" Dybinski on the sitcom Coach for nearly a decade. If you watched TV in the 90s, you remember Dauber. He was the sweet, occasionally slow-witted assistant coach. Sound familiar? That character basically served as the blueprint for Patrick Star’s DNA.
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Finding the Voice of Patrick Star
When Stephen Hillenburg was putting together the pilot for SpongeBob SquarePants in 1997, he already had Tom Kenny cast as the lead. Hillenburg needed a "counterpoint." He wanted someone who could do "the big dumb stuff" but with heart.
Fagerbakke has admitted in interviews that when he first auditioned, he didn't quite get the material. He was just trying to give the creators what they wanted. Hillenburg played a recording of Tom Kenny's performance, and Fagerbakke immediately understood the rhythm.
Why the Voice Works
- The Pitch: It’s a baritone that feels like a warm blanket—if that blanket was slightly damp and lived under a rock.
- The Timing: Fagerbakke has this incredible ability to pause at the exactly wrong (or right) time.
- The Emotional Range: He can go from "The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma" to a primal scream in 0.5 seconds.
More Than Just Bikini Bottom
It’s easy to pigeonhole a guy when he’s been the voice actor for Patrick Star for two and a half decades. But Fagerbakke is a massive presence in the industry. He voiced Broadway in the cult classic Gargoyles. He was Bulkhead in Transformers: Animated.
And then there's his live-action work that often catches people off guard. He played Marshall’s dad, Marvin Eriksen Sr., on How I Met Your Mother. If you haven't seen the episode where Marshall finds out his dad passed away, bring tissues. Fagerbakke’s performance in that arc is devastating precisely because he usually plays such joyful, lumbering characters.
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He’s also popped up in:
- The Stand (1994) as Tom Cullen (M-O-O-N, that spells Moon!).
- Oz as the terrifyingly different Officer Karl Metzger.
- Young Sheldon as Officer Jake.
The Patrick Star Show and the 2026 Landscape
By 2026, the SpongeBob universe has expanded into a full-blown multiverse. The Patrick Star Show is currently in its fifth season, giving Fagerbakke even more room to play. This spin-off is basically a psychedelic 90s variety show hosted by a younger Patrick, and it requires a different kind of energy.
The recent film, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, which hit theaters in late 2025 and is moving to Paramount+ this summer, showed that Fagerbakke hasn't lost his heater. Even alongside newcomers like Mark Hamill (voicing the Flying Dutchman), Fagerbakke’s chemistry with Tom Kenny remains the backbone of the franchise.
People often ask if they'll ever replace the cast. Honestly? It seems unlikely. The "Big Three"—Kenny, Fagerbakke, and Rodger Bumpass (Squidward)—have a shorthand that comes from recording together in the same room for years. Fagerbakke has mentioned that working together in the booth is where the magic happens. You can't fake that kind of timing over a Zoom call.
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What You Should Know About the Role
If you’re looking into the world of professional voice acting, Bill Fagerbakke is the ultimate case study. He doesn't just "do a voice." He approaches Patrick with the same gravity he used for Shakespearean roles at the University of Idaho.
Writer Jay Lender once described Fagerbakke as the most thoughtful performer in the booth. He’s always asking questions about Patrick’s mindset. Is he happy-dumb or angry-dumb in this scene? There’s a science to the stupidity.
Next Steps for Fans and Aspiring VOs:
- Watch the Credits: Check out Gargoyles or Transformers: Animated to hear how he adjusts his resonance for different "big guy" archetypes.
- Study the Sitcom Roots: Watch an episode of Coach. You’ll see the physical comedy that eventually informed Patrick’s movements.
- Listen for the Subtlety: In the newer seasons and The Patrick Star Show, listen for how he handles the faster, more frantic pacing compared to the slower "classic" Patrick of the early 2000s.
Bill Fagerbakke is 68 now, but he’s still the heart of the show. As long as there’s a Krusty Krab, there’s a good chance he’ll be behind the mic, asking if mayonnaise is an instrument.
Expert Insight: To truly appreciate Fagerbakke’s range, go back and watch his episodes in How I Met Your Mother. The contrast between the lovable Marvin Eriksen and the chaotic Patrick Star is the best evidence of his technical skill as a performer. Don't just look for the "starfish voice"—look for the actor behind it.