Honestly, it’s been nearly two decades since we first saw a group of New York zoo animals crash-land on a beach, and yet people are still obsessed with the cast from Madagascar 2. Why? Maybe it’s the nostalgia. Or maybe it’s the fact that DreamWorks somehow managed to pull together one of the most eclectic, high-energy voice casts in animation history. When Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa hit theaters in 2008, it wasn't just a sequel; it was a massive expansion of a world that felt surprisingly human, despite all the fur and scales.
The Core Four: More Than Just Celebrity Cameos
The heavy lifting is still done by the original quartet. Ben Stiller returns as Alex the Lion. He brings that specific brand of "neurotic performer" energy that honestly makes Alex feel more like a frustrated Broadway actor than a predator. Then you've got Chris Rock as Marty the Zebra. Rock didn't just voice Marty; he voiced every zebra in the herd. That scene where Alex tries to find his best friend among thousands of identical-looking zebras works because Rock leans into that frantic, high-pitched delivery.
David Schwimmer is Melman the Giraffe. Let’s be real—if you close your eyes, you just hear Ross Geller with a longer neck and more health insurance concerns. His hypochondria is the heart of the movie's weirdest subplots. And of course, Jada Pinkett Smith rounds them out as Gloria the Hippo. She’s the grounding force. In this movie, her storyline takes a turn toward the romantic (and the hilarious) when she meets Moto Moto.
The New Blood that Stole the Show
While the main crew is great, the cast from Madagascar 2 became legendary because of the newcomers.
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- Bernie Mac as Zuba: This was one of Bernie Mac’s final roles before he passed away in 2008. He voiced Alex’s father, the Alpha Lion. He brought a grit and warmth to the role that grounded the movie's zanier moments. Interestingly, because he died before production fully wrapped, some of his lines had to be carefully edited from previous takes.
- Alec Baldwin as Makunga: Baldwin plays the villain here. He’s a pompadoured, manipulative lion who wants Zuba’s throne. It’s a very "Jack Donaghy" performance—suave, arrogant, and deeply insecure.
- Will.i.am as Moto Moto: "I like 'em big, I like 'em chunky." If you’ve been on the internet in the last five years, you’ve seen the memes. The Black Eyed Peas frontman brought a smooth, bass-heavy confidence to the "hottest" hippo in the watering hole.
- Sherri Shepherd as Florrie (Mom): She plays the emotional bridge between the high-strung Alex and the stern Zuba.
The Lemurs and Penguins: The Secret Sauce
You can’t talk about this cast without mentioning Sacha Baron Cohen. His King Julien is a masterclass in improvisation. Did you know he originally only had two lines in the first movie? He went into the booth and just started riffing in that flamboyant accent for eight minutes. The directors loved it so much they basically rewrote the franchise to include him more.
Then there’s the penguins. Tom McGrath, the film's co-director, voices Skipper. He wasn't even supposed to be the final voice; he was just a "scratch" track for timing. But his Robert Stack-inspired delivery was so perfect they kept it. Alongside him are Chris Miller (Kowalski), Christopher Knights (Private), and John DiMaggio (Rico). DiMaggio is a voice acting legend—you probably know him as Bender from Futurama or Jake the Dog—but here he mostly just grunts and coughs up dynamite.
A Cast Built on Improv
Animation is usually very rigid. You draw the frames, you record the lines, it’s a math problem. But with this group, it was different. Chris Rock and Ben Stiller actually recorded many of their scenes together in the same room. That’s rare in animation. Usually, actors are alone in a booth in different cities. By putting them together, they could bounce off each other, leading to those fast-paced, overlapping arguments that feel way more natural than your standard kids' movie dialogue.
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Even the kids in the cast have become stars. Willow Smith (Jada’s daughter) voiced Baby Gloria, and Zachary Gordon (who later became the lead in Diary of a Wimpy Kid) voiced Baby Melman. It was a family affair in every sense.
Why the Voice Work Holds Up in 2026
The reason this movie hasn't faded into the background is the nuance. It’s easy to just hire a famous person to talk. It’s much harder to get a "performance." When you watch the scenes between Bernie Mac and Ben Stiller, there is real weight there. It’s about a father not understanding his son’s art (dancing) versus his own expectations (fighting). That requires more than just a recognizable voice; it requires an actor who understands the subtext of the scene.
Most people forget that Elisa Gabrielli plays Nana—the old lady who beats up Alex in the middle of the savanna. She’s the MVP of the slapstick humor. Her timing is impeccable.
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Actionable Takeaways for Madagascar Fans
If you're revisiting the movie or looking into the production, keep these things in mind:
- Listen for the "Zebra Herd": In the scenes where Marty meets his family, try to distinguish the different "versions" of Chris Rock's voice. He tweaked the pitch for different zebras to give the herd a chaotic, layered sound.
- Watch the "Big and Chunky" Scene: Pay attention to Moto Moto’s movements. The animators actually watched Will.i.am’s recording sessions to capture his facial expressions and physical swagger.
- Check the Credits for Cameos: Legendary announcer Al Roker and news veteran Lesley Stahl actually appear as themselves (well, as newscasters) during the New York segments.
- Note the Improv: The "gecko" line from King Julien? Totally unscripted. Sacha Baron Cohen just saw a drawing of a gecko and went with it.
The cast from Madagascar 2 succeeded because they weren't just "voice talent." They were a group of comedians and actors given the freedom to be weird. Whether it’s the booming authority of Bernie Mac or the manic energy of Sacha Baron Cohen, the movie survives because the people behind the characters were having just as much fun as the audience. If you haven't seen it in a while, it's worth a re-watch just to hear the chemistry—especially between the zebras.
Next time you’re watching, look for the subtle ways the animators matched the characters' eyebrows to the actors' real-life expressions. It's a level of detail that explains why this franchise is still a staple for families nearly twenty years later.