Honestly, the most shocking thing about the Minions: The Rise of Gru cast isn't that they managed to get Steve Carell back for a fifth time. It’s the fact that they somehow assembled a roster of action movie legends that looks more like an Expendables sequel than a kids' cartoon. We are talking Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, and Danny Trejo all in the same recording booth. Well, maybe not the same booth—Covid actually forced a lot of these stars to record their lines from home or remote studios—but you get the point.
This movie serves as a prequel, dropping us right into 1976. It’s all about an 11-year-old Gru trying to break into the big leagues of villainy. But the real magic is in the voices. If you grew up on 80s action flicks or 90s martial arts cinema, this cast list is basically a fever dream.
The Vicious 6: A Masterclass in Pun-Based Casting
The main antagonists this time around are the Vicious 6. They are the premier supervillain team of the 70s, and the way they were cast is just brilliant.
Taraji P. Henson leads the pack as Belle Bottom. She’s all disco-diva energy and big hair. Henson brings that same fierce, commanding presence she had in Empire, but with a lot more "evil laughter" mixed in. She takes over the group after they ditch their founder, Wild Knuckles.
Speaking of Wild Knuckles, this was actually one of the final film roles for the legendary Alan Arkin. He passed away in 2023, but his performance here is gold. He plays a cranky, old-school villain who ends up mentoring young Gru. It’s a weirdly sweet dynamic for a movie about world-conquering criminals. Arkin’s dry, deadpan delivery is the perfect foil to Gru’s high-pitched desperation.
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The Action Hero Roll Call
The rest of the Vicious 6 is where things get truly wild.
- Jean-Claude Van Damme plays Jean Clawed. Yes, a giant lobster-clawed Frenchman. The pun is terrible, and that’s why it works.
- Dolph Lundgren is Svengeance. He’s a Swedish roller-skating champion who wears a lot of spandex.
- Danny Trejo voices Stronghold, a guy with massive metal hands.
- Lucy Lawless (the Xena herself) plays Nun-chuck. She’s literally a nun who uses nunchaku.
Lawless mentioned in interviews that she felt like a total fangirl working in the same movie as Van Damme and Lundgren. Even for a star of her caliber, that 80s action pedigree is intimidating.
Why Michelle Yeoh Almost Stole the Show
Long before she was winning an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once, Michelle Yeoh signed on to play Master Chow. She’s an acupuncturist who also happens to be a retired Kung Fu master.
Yeoh didn't just stand still and read lines. She actually "acted out" the fight scenes in the booth. She told reporters that you can’t just make the sounds of a punch; you have to throw the punch to make it sound real. It's hilarious to imagine one of the world's greatest martial artists wearing a giant headset and fighting invisible enemies in a small padded room. Interestingly, she’s admitted she actually hates the sound of her own voice, calling it "husky," but for Master Chow, it’s exactly the kind of gravitas the character needed.
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The Return of the Staples
Of course, it wouldn't be a Minions movie without Pierre Coffin. He’s the guy who voices every single Minion—Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and the new guy, Otto. Coffin has been doing this since 2010. He’s explained that the Minion language isn't just random noise. It's a "linguistic salad" of Italian, French, Spanish, Japanese, and even Korean. He often gets inspiration from what he’s eating for lunch. If he’s having an Indian dish, a few Hindi-sounding words might slip into the script.
Steve Carell had to tweak his voice a bit for this one. Since Gru is only 11, Carell shifted the pitch slightly higher to capture that pre-pubescent ambition. It’s subtle, but if you listen to the original Despicable Me side-by-side with The Rise of Gru, you can hear the "youth" in his performance.
We also get the return of:
- Russell Brand as a young, record-store-owning Dr. Nefario.
- Julie Andrews as Gru’s surprisingly neglectful mother, Marlena.
- Will Arnett and Steve Coogan in small but key roles as Mr. Perkins and Silas Ramsbottom.
The RZA Connection
One of the more surprising additions to the Minions: The Rise of Gru cast is RZA, the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan. He plays a biker who helps the Minion Otto on a cross-country journey. RZA said he did the movie for his kids, but he also loved the 70s kung fu aesthetic of the film. Considering the Wu-Tang Clan's entire brand is built on old martial arts movies, it felt like a very full-circle moment for him.
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What People Often Miss About the Voice Work
A lot of people think voice acting is "easy work" for A-listers. It’s not. Because the movie was delayed for two years due to the pandemic, some actors had to record their parts over a very long period.
There are also a few continuity hiccups that eagle-eyed fans noticed. In the first Minions movie, the little yellow guys meet Gru in 1968. But this movie is set in 1976, and Gru hasn't aged a day. Is it a plot hole? Kinda. Does it matter when Jean-Claude Van Damme is playing a lobster man? Not really.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re planning to watch the movie again, keep these things in mind to appreciate the cast even more:
- Listen for the grunts: Pay attention to Master Chow’s fight scenes. Knowing Michelle Yeoh was physically performing those moves makes the sound design much more impressive.
- Spot the cameos: Look out for RZA’s biker character. His "cool uncle" energy is a vibe that stands out from the rest of the high-energy cast.
- The Final Performance: Appreciate Alan Arkin’s Wild Knuckles. It’s a reminder of why he was one of the most respected actors in the business—he could bring heart to a character that is literally a cartoon criminal.
The next step for any fan is to check out the "Behind the Scenes" featurettes on the digital release. Seeing the physical performances of the Vicious 6 members really changes how you view their animated counterparts. You can clearly see the actors' real-world mannerisms reflected in the animation.