When you hear that distinct, vaguely European, slightly menacing but mostly hilarious growl, you know exactly who it is. Felonious Gru. But the story of the voice actor for Despicable Me isn't just a list of names on a call sheet. It's actually a wild lesson in how a character can be completely saved—or ruined—by a single vocal choice.
Most people just assume Steve Carell walked into a booth and did "the voice."
Honestly, it wasn't that simple. Carell tried a dozen different versions of Gru before landing on the one we know. Some were too scary. Some were too flat. Basically, if he hadn't landed on that "half-Ricardo Montalbán, half-Bela Lugosi" hybrid, the entire franchise might have flopped. Think about it. A guy who steals the moon needs to be likable, and that weird, warbling accent did 90% of the heavy lifting.
The Man Behind the Scarf: Steve Carell’s Gru
Steve Carell is the heart of the operation. He’s been voicing Gru since 2010, and by now, he’s got it down to a science. But did you know he also voices Gru’s twin brother, Dru?
In Despicable Me 3, Carell had to essentially argue with himself in the recording booth. He’d do a line as the grumpy, low-pitched Gru, then immediately flip to the high-pitched, blonde-maned, eccentric Dru. It’s a massive flex of his range.
What’s wild is that the animators actually watch the actors while they record. They record the sessions on video so they can steal Carell’s facial expressions. If Gru looks particularly frustrated or raises an eyebrow in a certain way, that’s usually just the animators copying Steve’s actual face.
Why the accent works
Critics often call it "quasi-Russian" or "Transylvanian-ish," but Carell himself has described it as a way to make the character sound like he's from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. It removes the character from a specific real-world nationality, which makes him more of a "cartoon villain" in the best way possible.
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The Secret Genius of Pierre Coffin
If Carell is the heart, Pierre Coffin is the soul. You might not recognize his name, but you definitely know his voice. He’s the voice actor for Despicable Me who handles... well, all of them.
All the Minions.
Every single one. Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and the other hundreds of yellow henchmen are all voiced by Coffin. He also happens to be the director of the first few films.
How do you voice a Minion?
It’s not just gibberish. It’s a linguistic smoothie. Coffin mixes:
- French
- English
- Spanish
- Italian
- Random food words (Banana, Poulet, Tikka Masala)
He speeds up the recordings to get that high-pitched, helium-style squeak. In the first movie, he shared the load with Chris Renaud, but eventually, Coffin took over the whole army. It's probably one of the most profitable vocal performances in history when you consider the billions in merch those little guys have sold.
The Rest of the Crew: Keeping it in the Family
The supporting cast is a rotating door of A-list talent, but some staples have stuck around for over a decade.
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Kristen Wiig (Lucy Wilde)
Wiig actually appeared in the first movie as Miss Hattie (the mean orphanage lady) before coming back as Lucy in the sequels. It's a testament to her versatility that most kids have no idea the hero’s wife and the first film's minor villain are the same person.
Miranda Cosgrove (Margo)
The iCarly star has literally grown up with this franchise. She started voicing Margo when she was a teenager and has continued into her thirties.
The Recasting of Agnes
You might have noticed Agnes sounds a bit different lately. Since the movies come out years apart, the original child actors keep, you know, hitting puberty.
- Elsie Fisher voiced her in the first two films.
- Nev Scharrel took over for the third.
- Madison Polan is the current voice as of Despicable Me 4.
It’s one of the few roles where the studio prioritizes finding a voice that sounds exactly like a six-year-old over keeping the same actor.
New Blood: The Villains of Despicable Me 4
The latest entry in the series brought in some massive heavy hitters. Will Ferrell joined the cast as Maxime Le Mal, a French-accented rival from Gru’s high school days. Seeing (or hearing) Carell and Ferrell go head-to-head is basically a Saturday Night Live reunion in animated form.
Then you’ve got Sofía Vergara playing Valentina, Maxime’s girlfriend. Her natural charisma fits the "femme fatale" vibe perfectly. The cast also snuck in Stephen Colbert and Chloe Fineman as the Prescotts, Gru's new neighbors when he goes into witness protection.
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The Dr. Nefario Shift
One thing long-time fans noticed is the change in Dr. Nefario. Russell Brand voiced the hard-of-hearing scientist for years, but in the most recent installment, Romesh Ranganathan took over. It’s a subtle shift, but if you’re a die-hard fan, you’ll catch the difference in the rasp.
How Voice Acting for Illumination is Different
Illumination Entertainment (the studio behind the movies) has a specific "house style." They want big, physical performances. When you’re a voice actor for Despicable Me, you aren't just standing still.
Joey King, who voices the aspiring villain Poppy Prescott in the fourth movie, talked about how she had to basically do a workout in the booth. You’re jumping, waving your arms, and making weird grunts to make the "action" sound real.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring VOs
If you’re looking to dive deeper into this world or even try your hand at it, here’s the reality of the industry:
- The "Scratch" Voice: Most of these movies are first recorded by "scratch" actors—regular office employees at the studio—to see if the jokes work. Only then do the big stars like Carell come in.
- Improv is King: A lot of the funniest Minion moments weren't in the script. They were Pierre Coffin messing around with a microphone.
- Consistency Matters: Steve Carell keeps a "voice bank" to remember exactly how Gru sounds so he doesn't drift into a different accent after a three-year break between movies.
The next time you sit down to watch a Minion heist, listen for the breathing and the small chuckles. That’s where the real acting happens. It’s not just about the lines; it’s about making a bald guy with a pointy nose feel like a dad we actually care about.
To see the progression for yourself, watch a clip from the 2010 original and compare it to the 2024 sequel. You'll hear how Carell has softened Gru’s edges, making him sound less like a villain and more like a tired, slightly overwhelmed father of four. That evolution is exactly why this franchise hasn't run out of steam yet.
Check out the official "Behind the Voices" featurettes on YouTube if you want to see the actual recording sessions—it’s the best way to see the physical comedy that goes into every line.