Summary

• Inside Out 2 features returning iconic voice actors, introduces new emotions, and recasts some main characters.
• The sequel centers on teenage Riley, with Joy and Sadness confronting new emotions taking over headquarters.
• New emotions like Anxiety and Envy will join the original cast, with notable actors playing key roles in the film.

Pixar's Inside Out 2 cast is bringing back plenty of iconic voice actors to reprise their familiar roles, recasting main characters, and introducing new emotions. After the first Inside Out movie charted the fluctuating emotions of 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) as she struggled to adapt to her parents moving her to a new city, Inside Out 2's story picks up with a teenage Riley contending with a whole bunch of new emotions. The sequel will introduce new personified feelings, such as Anxiety and Envy, as well as bring back fan favorites from the first film.

The two prominent emotions whose dichotomy formed the first movie's backbone – Joy and Sadness – are back in the spotlight in Inside Out 2 as they deal with the new emotions taking over headquarters and kicking them out. Meanwhile, other characters will see a radical shake-up from the original film's ensemble. Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader won't reprise their roles in Inside Out 2 as Disgust and Fear, respectively, due to contract disputes. From a Saturday Night Live legend to an icon from The Office to an Academy Award nominee, the Inside Out 2 cast includes many great actors.

Amy Poehler As Joy

Returning From Inside Out

Actress: Amy Poehler was born on September 16, 1971, in Newton, Massachusetts, and grew up in nearby Burlington, Massachusetts. When she was young, Poehler participated in multiple stage productions, resulting in her developing a love for performing. The actress later graduated from Boston College and moved to Chicago to do improv. Poehler met her friend and frequent collaborator Tina Fey in the city, and they would reunite when Poehler joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2001.

Joy is regarded as the leader of the group of emotions, which includes herself, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Poehler's time as a main Saturday Night Live cast member marked her breakout, and she went on to star in numerous notable films and television series following her exit from the sketch comedy show in 2008. Poehler's most significant role is undoubtedly Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation. But the actress also played Susie in Wet Hot American Summer, Regina George’s mother in Mean Girls, Angie Ostrowski in Baby Mama, Maura Ellis in Sisters, and Abby in Wine Country (which also marked her directorial debut).

Character: Poehler reprises her role as the main character of Inside Out 2's cast as the voice of Joy, the brightest and cheeriest of Riley's emotions. Joy is regarded as the leader of the group of emotions, which includes herself, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger. However, when Anxiety and her friends move in to headquarters, Joy is thrown for a loop and has to figure out a way to keep helping Riley while dealing with Anxiety.

Phyllis Smith As Sadness

Returning From Inside Out

Actress: Phyllis Smith was born on August 15, 1949, in St. Louis, Missouri. She later graduated from the University of Missouri–St. Louis and began working as a dancer and cheerleader for the St. Louis Cardinals football team. Following a knee injury, Smith moved to Los Angeles, but her breakout role wouldn't come until decades later when she landed the sad role of Phyllis in The Office.

Sadness went head-to-head with Joy in the first film as they disagreed on how to help Riley adapt to the move from Minnesota to San Francisco.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Smith is best known for her turn as relatable Dunder Mifflin sales representative Phyllis Vance in the hit workplace mockumentary series The Office. She also played Betty Broderick-Allen in the Netflix sci-fi series The OA and Mrs. Patty Steinberg in the sitcom Trophy Wife. Smith's previous movie roles include Lynn in Bad Teacher, a flight attendant in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, and Delores in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.

Character: Sadness, Riley's bleakest and dreariest emotion, is once again voiced by Smith in the Inside Out 2 cast. As fans recall, Sadness went head-to-head with Joy in the first film as they disagreed on how to help Riley adapt to the move from Minnesota to San Francisco. Ultimately, Sadness and Joy got past their differences, and they will likely work together when Anxiety arrives at headquarters and changes everything.

Lewis Black As Anger

Returning From Inside Out

Actor: Lewis Black was born on August 30, 1948, in Washington, D.C., but was raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 and began pursuing a career in stand-up comedy and theater. Black is ultimately most known for his work in stand-up comedy, and from that, he was able to score roles in films and television series.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Black hosted his own television show, Lewis Black's Root of All Evil, and makes regular appearances on The Daily Show with his "Back in Black" commentary segment. Black has released such comedy specials as Black on Broadway, Red, White, and Screwed, Old Yeller, and Thanks for Risking Your Life. He also played Professor Crawley in The Big Bang Theory and provided the voice of Santa Claus in SpongeBob SquarePants.

Character: Black reprises his role in the Inside Out 2 cast as Anger, the emotion that best personifies his ranting style of stand-up comedy. Like Joy and Sadness, Anger must contend with Riley's new emotions in the 2024 animated coming-of-age film. Unfortunately, based on the Inside Out 2 trailer, Anxiety and her team kick Anger, Joy, Sadness, Fear, and Disgust out of headquarters, leading to disaster for the original emotions.

Tony Hale As Fear

Replacing Bill Hader In Recast

Actor: Tony Hale was born on September 30, 1970, in West Point, New York, but grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, where he developed his love for acting. Hale participated in many theater productions as a kid and later graduated from Samford University in 1992. The actor moved to New York City and continued studying acting and booking small parts in television shows. However, Hale rose to prominence when he began playing Buster Bluth in Arrested Development on Fox/Netflix.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Hale is best known for appearing in Arrested Development and Veep. He also has extensive voice-over work experience through Harley Quinn, Solar Opposites, and The Angry Birds Movie 2. Additionally, Inside Out 2 isn't the first time Hale has worked for Pixar – he previously voiced Forky in Toy Story 4.

Character: Fear has a new voice in Inside Out 2, as Hale steps into the role following Bill Hader's recast. After Hader voiced the fearful emotion in the first movie, it was confirmed pre-release that he would not return for the second film. Pixar and Disney have since confirmed that Tony Hale is the new voice of Fear in the sequel.

Liza Lapira As Disgust

Replacing Mindy Kaling In Recast

Actress: Liza Lapira was born on December 3, 1981, in Queens, New York. While in New York, Lapira pursued an acting career by booking roles in independent films and frequently performing onstage. She later moved to Los Angeles, where the actress landed guest roles in various television series, like Law & Order and Sex and the City. However, Lapira's breakout came when she starred as Maggie Del Rosario in Huff on Showtime.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Some of Liza Lapira's most recognizable television roles include appearances in Dexter, NCIS, Dollhouse, Unbelievable, Nancy Drew, and The Equalizer. As for her film career, Lapira has starred in Cloverfield, 21, and Fast & Furious. Inside Out 2 is only the second voice-only performance for the actress in her career after playing Party Dog #1 in Marmaduke.

Inside Out 2 premieres on June 14, 2024.

Character: Disgust is another example of Inside Out 2 recasting characters, with Lapira taking over the role previously voiced by Mindy Kaling. Kaling confirmed that she would not return for the sequel after its announcement, leading Disney and Pixar to add Lapira to the cast. Ultimately, Disgust and Fear are the only two emotions voiced by different performers in the sequel, but their roles won't be diminished.

Maya Hawke As Anxiety

New Character For Inside Out 2

Actress: Maya Hawke was born on July 8, 1998, in New York City, and her parents are Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Her time at Saint Ann's School, a private school in Brooklyn, fostered her love for acting, and she started her career by modeling (like her mother). While she made her screen debut as Jo March in BBC's adaptation of Little Women, Hawke's breakout role came when she began starring as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things season 3 in 2019.

Anxiety's addition to the sequel's cast is significant as she begins to interact with the other emotions, and they have a few disagreements about how to handle Riley's teenage transition.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Audiences are most likely to recognize Hawke from Stranger Things, but the actress' other notable movie and television show appearances include credits for Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, Fear Street: Part One, Do Revenge, Astroid City, and the Oscar-nominated film Maestro. Hawke is also set to appear as a character named Calista in a Billy Wilder biopic, Wilder & Me.

Character: Hawke is the voice of one of Inside Out 2's new emotions, Anxiety. Anxiety's addition to the sequel's cast is significant as she begins to interact with the other emotions, and they have a few disagreements about how to handle Riley's teenage transition (especially since Anxiety wants to prepare for every negative outcome). Consequently, Anxiety banishes Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger from headquarters, so it appears Hawke's character is Inside Out 2's villain.

Diane Lane As Mom

Returning From Inside Out

Actress: Diane Lane was born on January 22, 1965, in New York City, and she started acting from a young age. She landed her first film role playing Lauren King in A Little Romance at 14. Unfortunately, Lane's career took a nosedive five years later when she starred as Ellen Aim in Streets of Fire, a critical and commercial failure. Thankfully, the 1989 CBS miniseries Lonesome Dove was a turning point for Lane, and the part landed her an Emmy nomination. Lane gained further recognition when she appeared as Pearl Kantrowitz in A Walk on the Moon.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Ultimately, Lane is best known for playing Frances Mayes in the rom-com Under the Tuscan Sun, Christina Cotter in the disaster movie The Perfect Storm, and Cherry Valance in the coming-of-age drama The Outsiders. She also played Martha Kent, the adoptive mother of Superman, in the DC Extended Universe. Additionally, Lane was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Connie Sumner in the erotic thriller Unfaithful.

Character: Riley's mother, aka Mrs. Andersen, is voiced by Diane Lane in the Inside Out 2 cast, reprising her role from the original film. While the emotions are navigating Riley's status as a teenager from the inside, "Mom" will have to deal with her daughter's behavior from the outside. The sequel's trailer also revealed that the movie will feature Mrs. Andersen's emotions.

Ayo Edebiri As Envy

New Character For Inside Out 2

Actress: Ayo Edebiri was born on October 3, 1995, in Boston, Massachusetts, and she became interested in improv and comedy when she was a teenager. While attending New York University, Edebiri was actively pursuing a comedy career, and she got her start as a stand-up comedian. However, Edebiri's rise to prominence came when she landed the role of Sydney Adamu in The Bear on Hulu.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Edebiri is undoubtedly most famous for playing Sydney Adamu in The Bear, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Some of the actress' other noteworthy appearances in film and television include Big Mouth, Dickinson, Abbott Elementary, Bottoms, Black Mirror, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Edebiri is also a writer and has writing credits for shows such as Big Mouth and What We Do in the Shadows.

Character: Edebiri makes her Pixar debut as Envy, one of the four new emotions in Inside Out 2. As her name suggests, Envy controls Riley's jealous tendencies and is not afraid to express her feelings when she arrives at headquarters.

Adèle Exarchopoulos As Ennui

New Character For Inside Out 2

Actress: Adèle Exarchopoulos was born on November 22, 1993, in Paris, France. Her father is a film producer, but he seemingly wasn't her "in" to the industry. Exarchopoulos was spotted by an agent when she was 13 years old, and she began booking roles in French movies and television series. However, the actress's breakout role came when she starred as Adèle in Blue Is the Warmest Colour.

Ennui represents the feeling of boredom, which is an emotion that is very prevalent in teenagers.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Exarchopoulos is a French actress, meaning she is known for her starring roles in French films. Some of her most notable credits are Boxes, Les Anarchistes, Orphan, The Five Devils, and Passages. However, Exarchopoulos starred in an American film before she joined the cast of Inside Out 2 – The Last Face, which also featured Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem. Exarchopoulos also provided the French dubbed voice for Ember in Pixar's Elemental.

Character: Exarchopoulos voices Ennui, one of the four new emotions that take over in Inside Out 2. Ennui represents the feeling of boredom, which is an emotion that is very prevalent in teenagers, so Exarchopoulos's role in the 2024 animated coming-of-age film is significant.

Paul Walter Hauser As Embarrassment

New Character For Inside Out 2

Actor: Paul Walter Hauser was born on​​​​​​​ October 15, 1986, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His breakout role came when he played the titular character in Richard Jewell, a 2019 biographical drama movie directed by Clint Eastwood. However, Hauser has appeared in many other notable films and television series.

Notable Movies & TV Shows: Aside from Richard Jewell, Hauser has starred in I, Tonya, BlacKkKlansman, Late Night, Da 5 Bloods, Cobra Kai, and Cruella. Hauser also won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role as Larry Hall in Black Bird. He has worked in animation before, as he voiced Elmer in Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm and The Dark in Orion and the Dark.

Character: Hauser appears as Embarrassment, the final new character in the Pixar sequel. Embarrassment's role is self-explanatory as he is responsible for Riley's awkward tendencies and for making her self-conscious in Inside Out 2.