If you grew up watching the Madagascar films, you probably expected a certain voice when the self-proclaimed King of the Lemurs hit the small screen. But when DreamWorks launched All Hail King Julien on Netflix, things shifted. Sacha Baron Cohen was gone. In his place? A voice acting legend who managed to make the character even more chaotic, if that’s even possible.
The cast of All Hail King Julien didn't just fill big shoes; they built an entire world that felt way weirder and more lived-in than the movies ever had time for. Honestly, the talent behind the mic is the only reason the show worked. Without that specific comedic timing, King Julien would have just been an annoying brat. Instead, he’s a beloved, delusional icon.
The Man Behind the Crown: Danny Jacobs
Let's address the elephant—or the lemur—in the room. Danny Jacobs is the definitive King Julien. While Sacha Baron Cohen originated the role in the 2005 film, Jacobs had been voicing the character in the Penguins of Madagascar TV show and various video games long before this prequel series started.
He didn't just imitate Cohen. He evolved the character. Jacobs brought a frantic, high-pitched energy that allowed Julien to flip from arrogant dictator to vulnerable child in about three seconds. It's a masterclass in vocal range. He captures that specific "New York via the Indian Ocean" accent perfectly, emphasizing the weirdest syllables to make every line a joke.
But the cast of All Hail King Julien isn't just a one-man show. The chemistry between the leads is what keeps the 65 episodes from feeling repetitive. You've got the straight man, the muscle, and the obsessive fan, all orbiting a guy who thinks he’s a god.
The Royal Court: Maurice and Mort
If Julien is the sun, Maurice is the exhausted planet trying not to get sucked into a black hole. Kevin Michael Richardson voices Maurice, and if you don't know that name, you definitely know that voice. He’s been in everything from The Simpsons to Young Justice.
Richardson’s deep, gravelly baritone provides the perfect sonic contrast to Jacobs' squeaky lead. In the movies, Cedric the Entertainer played Maurice with a sort of "fed-up uncle" vibe. Richardson leans more into the "overworked executive assistant who is five minutes away from a breakdown" energy. It’s relatable. It’s funny.
Then there’s Mort.
Andy Richter returns as Mort, and honestly, we need to talk about how dark this character actually is. In this show, Mort isn't just a cute sidekick with a foot fetish. We find out he’s essentially an immortal eldritch horror who has consumed his own ancestors. Richter plays this with a terrifyingly innocent chirpiness.
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- Mort's Complexity: Richter manages to make Mort sound both five years old and 500 years old.
- The Contrast: While Maurice represents the audience's logic, Mort represents the audience's absolute confusion.
New Blood: Clover and the Lemur Kingdom
One of the best decisions the creators made was adding Clover. Voiced by India de Beaufort, Clover is the Captain of the Ring-tail Guard and a total paranoid warrior. She’s essentially a female Rambo in a lemur suit.
India de Beaufort brings a sharp, staccato delivery to the role. It’s a complete departure from the laid-back vibe of the movies. She treats every leaf-fall like a high-level security breach. Her presence gave the cast of All Hail King Julien a necessary edge. She isn't just there for jokes; she handles the action sequences, and her voice acting during the fight scenes adds a level of intensity you don't usually see in kids' animation.
Then you have Uncle King Julien. voiced by Henry Winkler. Yes, The Fonz.
Winkler plays the former king—a cruel, calculating, and hilariously bitter old lemur who wants his throne back. It is such a weird casting choice on paper, but it works flawlessly. Winkler uses a softer, more sinister tone than we’re used to hearing from him, proving that the guy has serious range even in his 70s.
Why This Cast Worked Better Than the Movies
It’s a hot take, but the voice acting in the series is often more nuanced than the films. In a movie, you have 90 minutes. You need big stars. You need "name" recognition. In a Netflix series, you need people who can sit in a recording booth for years and find the tiny details in a character.
The supporting cast of All Hail King Julien is a literal "who's who" of voice acting royalty:
- Jeff Bennett as Sage Moondancer (the hippie-dippie lemur).
- Dwight Schultz as Karl (the fan-favorite villain who happens to be a fanaloka).
- David Krumholtz as Timo (the tenrec scientist).
Karl, in particular, is a standout. Dwight Schultz (known for The A-Team and Star Trek) plays him like a Bond villain who just happens to be a small carnivorous mammal. The rivalry between Jacobs and Schultz is some of the best comedic writing in modern animation. They play off each other like a classic Vaudeville duo.
The Production Magic of Andrea Romano
You can't talk about this cast without mentioning Andrea Romano, the legendary casting and voice director. She’s the woman responsible for the 90s Batman: The Animated Series cast. She has an ear for who sounds right together.
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She encouraged the actors to record together whenever possible. That’s rare in animation. Usually, actors record their lines alone in a booth. But for All Hail King Julien, having Jacobs, Richardson, and Richter in the same room allowed for improvisation. You can hear the overlaps. You can hear the genuine laughter. It feels organic because it mostly was.
Surprising Cameos and Recurring Voices
The show constantly brought in guest stars that made no sense but worked anyway.
- John Michael Higgins showed up as Barty.
- Anjelica Huston voiced Julienne (Julien's mom).
- Max Koch played Crimson, Clover's "evil" sister.
Wait, let's go back to Anjelica Huston. Having an Oscar winner play a self-absorbed lemur socialite is the kind of chaotic energy this show thrived on. She didn't "phone it in" either. She gave Julienne a dry, aristocratic wit that made King Julien’s own narcissism make total sense. It was hereditary.
The Sound of Madagascar: Music as a Character
While not strictly "cast members," the music team essentially acted as one. Will Fuller and his team wrote original songs for almost every episode. Danny Jacobs had to sing a lot.
The opening theme, "Who's da King," is an earworm. But the real gems are the weird in-universe pop songs Julien performs. Jacobs’ ability to stay in character while hitting (mostly) correct notes is impressive. It adds another layer to the performance that Sacha Baron Cohen never had to tackle.
The Legacy of the Voice Work
So, what happened when the show ended?
Most of the cast of All Hail King Julien moved on to other major projects, but their work here set a new standard for DreamWorks TV. It proved that you don't need the $20 million movie stars to make a show successful. You need character actors who understand the rhythm of a joke.
The show won several Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program for Danny Jacobs. That’s a big deal. It was the first time a performer in a Netflix original animated series took home that trophy. It validated the idea that TV spin-offs aren't just cheap cash-ins; they can be the definitive version of a story.
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Practical Takeaways for Fans and Creators
If you’re looking to dive back into the show or you’re a creator looking at why it worked, here’s the breakdown.
Focus on the dynamic, not just the names.
The producers didn't just look for people who sounded like the movie stars. They looked for people who had chemistry. If you're casting a project, look for "vocal contrast." High voices vs. low voices. Fast talkers vs. slow drawers.
Trust the veterans.
The reason the show feels so polished is that it relies on people like Kevin Michael Richardson and Jeff Bennett. These are actors who have done thousands of hours of TV. They know how to save a weak script with a well-timed grunt or a squeal.
Embrace the weirdness.
The cast was clearly told to go "big." There is no subtlety in All Hail King Julien. By leaning into the absurdity, the actors created a world where a lemur fighting a giant fossa or traveling through time felt totally normal.
The cast of All Hail King Julien turned a "movie-to-TV" spin-off into a cult classic. They took characters that were originally comic relief and gave them souls—admittedly, very strange, dance-obsessed souls. Whether it’s Danny Jacobs' frantic energy or Kevin Michael Richardson’s grounded exhaustion, the voices are what keep us coming back to Madagascar.
If you haven't watched it in a while, go back and listen to the nuances in season 3 or 4. The actors were clearly having the time of their lives, and that joy is infectious.
Next Steps for Your Madagascar Deep Dive:
- Watch the "Exiled" Special: This is where the cast really gets to flex their dramatic muscles (relatively speaking).
- Compare the Accents: Listen to Danny Jacobs in season 1 versus the final season; you’ll hear how he gradually made the character his own, moving further away from the Cohen impression.
- Check out the Credits: Look for the names of guest stars in the "King Me" episodes—you’ll be surprised at the high-caliber actors who did one-off voices for the show.