It is 2010. You’re sitting in a theater, or maybe on your couch with a DVD, watching two wolves who couldn't be more different try to find their way home. One is a high-ranking, disciplined "Alpha" named Kate, and the other is a goofy, fun-loving "Omega" named Humphrey. Most people remember the howling. They remember the slide-down-the-hill-on-a-log scene. But what really made that movie stick in the cultural memory of the early 2010s was the surprisingly star-studded cast of Alpha and Omega.
Looking back, the lineup was actually kind of wild. You had a future MCU star, a legendary comedian who we sadly lost too soon, and a Hollywood icon from the Golden Age. It wasn't just a "straight-to-DVD" vibe at the start; Lionsgate and Crest Animation really swung for the fences with the original theatrical release.
The original duo: Justin Long and Hayden Panettiere
At the heart of the pack, we had Justin Long voicing Humphrey. Honestly, Justin Long was the king of that specific era. He had that "lovable loser" energy down to a science, thanks to movies like Accepted and those "I’m a Mac" commercials. He brought this frantic, improvisational feel to Humphrey that made the character feel genuinely charming instead of just annoying.
Then you had Hayden Panettiere as Kate. She was fresh off the massive success of Heroes (Save the cheerleader, save the world, right?). Panettiere gave Kate a sense of duty and sternness that grounded the movie. The chemistry worked because their voices actually sounded like they belonged in different social classes of the wolf world.
But here is where things get interesting—and a little confusing for fans who followed the franchise into its many, many sequels.
If you watch Alpha and Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure or any of the later installments, you might notice Humphrey sounds... different. That’s because Justin Long and Hayden Panettiere didn't return. For the sequels, Humphrey was voiced by Ben Diskin. Diskin is a voice acting veteran—you might know him as Number 1 or Number 2 from Codename: Kids Next Door—and while he did a great job mimicking that goofy energy, the shift is definitely noticeable if you're binge-watching. Kate's voice also shifted to Kate Higgins, another powerhouse in the voice-over world who is famous for voicing Sakura in Naruto.
The legendary Dennis Hopper and the end of an era
Probably the most significant thing about the cast of Alpha and Omega is a bittersweet piece of movie history. This film marks the final performance of Dennis Hopper.
Hopper voiced Tony, the leader of the Eastern Pack. Think about that for a second. The guy from Easy Rider and Blue Velvet is playing a grumpy wolf leader in a kids' cartoon. It’s a strange, wonderful casting choice. Hopper passed away shortly before the movie was released in late 2010. His performance gives the film a weirdly soulful weight that it might not have had otherwise. He wasn't just "phoning it in" for a paycheck; he brought a gravelly authority to the role that made the tension between the two wolf packs feel real.
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The supporting players who stole the show
You can't talk about this cast without mentioning Danny Glover. He played Winston, the leader of the Western Pack and Kate’s father. Glover has that warm, fatherly resonance in his voice that makes you immediately trust him.
And then there’s the comedy relief.
- Larry Miller as Marcel the goose.
- Eric Price as Paddy the duck.
Marcel and Paddy are basically the "C-3PO and R2-D2" of the wolf world. Larry Miller is one of those character actors you’ve seen in everything from The Princess Diaries to Seinfeld. His dry, cynical delivery as a golf-obsessed goose is, frankly, the funniest part of the movie.
Why the voice cast changed so much
It's pretty common in the animation industry. The first movie was a theatrical release with a $20 million budget. It did well enough to warrant sequels, but those sequels were produced as direct-to-video features.
When a franchise moves to direct-to-video, the budgets shrink. Big Hollywood names like Justin Long and Danny Glover usually don't come back for "Part 4: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave." Instead, the studio hires professional voice actors.
This isn't a bad thing! Actors like Ben Diskin, Kate Higgins, and Debi Derryberry (who joined the sequels and is the voice of Jimmy Neutron!) are incredibly talented. They are "voice-first" actors. They can do things with their vocal cords that movie stars can't. However, for the average viewer, it creates this weird "uncanny valley" effect where the character looks the same, but the soul of the voice has shifted.
Deep dive into the pack: The full breakdown
To really understand the scope of the original 2010 cast of Alpha and Omega, you have to look at the secondary characters. These were the wolves that filled out the world and made the "Alpha/Omega" social structure feel like a real society.
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Chris Carmack as Garth
Before he was a star on Grey's Anatomy or Nashville, Carmack played the "perfect" Alpha male, Garth. He was supposed to marry Kate to unite the packs. Carmack played it perfectly—the guy who is great at everything but has a terrible singing howl. It’s a classic trope, but his vocal performance made Garth likable instead of just a villainous rival.
Christina Ricci as Lilly
Lilly is Kate’s sister, the "Omega" of the family with the white fur. Ricci, known for The Addams Family and Yellowjackets, brought a shy, quirky energy to Lilly. Her subplot with Garth—the jock falling for the shy girl—is actually the emotional heart of the movie for a lot of fans.
Vicki Lewis as Eve
Eve is the matriarch. She’s Winston’s wife and Kate’s mom. Vicki Lewis (who was hilarious in NewsRadio) gave Eve this terrifying, murderous edge. Every time she threatened to "tear someone's jugular out" while maintaining a polite smile, it was comedy gold.
What most people get wrong about the credits
There is a common misconception that the entire cast stayed the same for the whole "trilogy" (which eventually became eight movies).
Actually, the original cast was almost entirely replaced by the second movie. If you are looking for the "star power," it’s only in the 2010 original. By the time you get to Alpha and Omega: The Big Fureeze, the production had moved entirely into the realm of dedicated voice-over artists.
Wait. Why does that matter?
It matters because it changed the tone. The original movie was a romantic comedy/adventure. The sequels shifted into much more kid-centric, slapstick humor. The change in the cast of Alpha and Omega reflects that shift in target audience.
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Does the cast hold up?
Honestly? Yes. If you go back and watch the original today, the voice work is the strongest part of the film. The animation might look a bit dated compared to modern 2026 standards or even the Pixar films of that era, but the performances feel lived-in.
Justin Long’s Humphrey feels like a real teenager trying to hide his insecurities with jokes. Hayden Panettiere’s Kate feels like a young person crushed by the weight of expectation. That’s not easy to do in a movie about talking wolves that play golf with geese.
The technical side of the performances
Voice acting isn't just talking into a mic. For Alpha and Omega, the actors often recorded their lines separately, which is standard. However, the directors (Anthony Bell and Ben Gluck) pushed for a lot of "ad-libbing."
You can hear it in Humphrey’s stammers and Kate’s sighs. These small, human sounds make the characters feel less like drawings and more like people. This is especially true for the late Dennis Hopper. His lines often feel like he was just told the situation and let his natural gravitas take over.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to revisit this franchise or introduce it to a new generation, here is the best way to do it without getting confused by the revolving door of voice actors.
- Watch the 2010 original for the "Hollywood" experience. This is where you get the Dennis Hopper, Justin Long, and Danny Glover performances. It has the highest production value and the most "complete" story arc.
- Treat the sequels as a spin-off series. If you go into the sequels expecting the same voices, you'll be disappointed. Think of them more like a Saturday morning cartoon version of the original.
- Check the credits for Ben Diskin. If you actually prefer the voice of Humphrey in the later movies, look up Ben Diskin’s other work. He is a legend in the anime dubbing world and brings a different, perhaps more "cartoon-accurate" energy to the role.
- Listen for the "Howls." One of the cool trivia bits is that the actors actually had to record those long, melodic howls themselves. It wasn't just a sound effect of a real wolf. It was the actors trying to blend music with animal sounds.
The cast of Alpha and Omega represents a very specific moment in animation history where mid-budget studios were trying to compete with the giants by leaning heavily on celebrity voices and heart-felt storytelling. While the franchise eventually became a staple of the bargain bin at Walmart, that original 2010 cast remains a surprisingly high-quality ensemble that gave the movie its lasting cult status.
Whether you're a "Kate" (the overachiever) or a "Humphrey" (the class clown), there’s something about that original vocal chemistry that still works. Just keep an ear out for the voice shifts—it’s the easiest way to tell which era of the pack you’re watching.
To get the most out of the Alpha and Omega experience, start by watching the original 2010 film to appreciate the nuanced performances of Dennis Hopper and Justin Long. If you plan to watch the sequels, prepare for the transition to a new voice cast by viewing them as a separate, more kid-oriented series rather than a direct tonal continuation. Focus on the first film if you want a complete, standalone story with high-caliber acting.