You remember the first time you saw that big green face on a screen. It was 2001. Honestly, nobody expected a movie about an anti-social ogre and a talking donkey to change cinema history. But it did. A huge part of that magic—the reason we're still talking about it 25 years later—is the cast of Shrek 1.
It wasn't just a group of celebrities cashing a paycheck. It was a weird, messy, and surprisingly expensive experiment in voice acting.
The Mike Myers Gamble: Why Shrek sounds Scottish
If you think Mike Myers just walked into the booth and did a funny voice, you've got it wrong. The story of the lead role is actually pretty tragic. Originally, the legendary Chris Farley was cast as Shrek. He had recorded nearly 90% of the dialogue before he passed away in 1997. The studio was devastated. They eventually brought in Mike Myers to start from scratch.
Here’s the kicker: Myers originally recorded the entire movie in his natural Canadian accent.
💡 You might also like: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep: The Dark Folklore of a Viral Lullaby
He listened back to the rough cut and hated it. He felt it lacked "layers." Basically, he told Jeffrey Katzenberg (the head of DreamWorks) that Shrek needed to be Scottish to contrast with the "posh" English accent of the villain. DreamWorks ended up spending somewhere between $4 million and $5 million just to re-record his lines and re-animate the mouth movements. That's a lot of money for a "hunch," but man, did it pay off.
Eddie Murphy and the Donkey that Almost Wasn't
Let’s be real. Eddie Murphy as Donkey is arguably the greatest voice-acting performance in animation history. He was the first person ever nominated for a BAFTA for a voice role.
- The Inspiration: Donkey wasn't just a random drawing. Animators based his movements on a real miniature donkey named Perry who lived in Palo Alto, California.
- The Improv: Murphy didn't just stick to the script. He improvised a massive chunk of his lines. That high-energy, "jackass" persona (his words!) was second nature to him.
- The Legacy: It’s so iconic that Murphy is currently working on a Donkey spin-off movie as we speak.
Princess Fiona: Cameron Diaz and the Anti-Princess
Before 2001, princesses were mostly... well, boring. They waited around. They sang to birds. Cameron Diaz changed that. Her portrayal of Princess Fiona was "earthy" and tough. She brought this weird mix of sweetness and "I-will-kick-your-butt" energy that most people recognize from her Charlie’s Angels era.
📖 Related: Kate Moss Family Guy: What Most People Get Wrong About That Cutaway
Interestingly, Janeane Garofalo was the original choice for Fiona when Farley was Shrek. When the movie was retooled, Diaz stepped in. She made Fiona feel like a real person, flaws and all, which was pretty revolutionary for a "kids' movie" at the time.
Lord Farquaad: John Lithgow’s "Saturday Morning" Mistake
John Lithgow is a legend. He’s got Emmys, Tonys, you name it. But when he signed on to play Lord Farquaad, he didn't think it was a big deal. He literally told people he thought it was just a "Saturday morning cartoon."
He spent four years coming back to the studio every few months to record a few lines. Because he was the only main actor who actually visited the animation departments, he was the one who saw the "maquettes" (little statues) of the characters first. He played Farquaad with this over-the-top English arrogance that made the character's short stature even funnier.
👉 See also: Blink-182 Mark Hoppus: What Most People Get Wrong About His 2026 Comeback
The Supporting Cast You Probably Forgot
The cast of Shrek 1 is deeper than the big four. You’ve got some heavy hitters in the background:
- Vincent Cassel: The French superstar voiced "Monsieur" Robin Hood. Why was he French? Just to be a weird parody of the British legend.
- Conrad Vernon: He voiced the Gingerbread Man (Gingy). He actually worked as a storyboard artist on the film first.
- Christopher Knights: He pulled triple duty as Thelonious (the executioner) and one of the Three Blind Mice.
- Cody Cameron: He voiced Pinocchio and the Three Little Pigs.
Why the Shrek Cast Still Matters Today
We see "all-star" casts in every animated movie now. But back then? This was a risk. The chemistry between Myers, Murphy, and Diaz—even though they rarely recorded in the same room—set a new standard. They weren't just "voices"; they were characters with souls.
If you want to dive deeper into the Shrek lore, your next step is to look up the "Chris Farley Shrek" footage. A small clip of his original voice work leaked a few years back, and it gives you a haunting look at a version of the movie that almost existed. It’s a fascinating contrast to the Scottish ogre we all know and love.