The 2015 Pixar movie Inside Out is an emotionally gripping story about a young girl's big move, and the large cast and characters are what makes it so moving and special. Following 11-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) after she relocates to San Francisco from Minnesota, the film provides insight into her mind as the viewers see her try to cope with homesickness and her struggles to fit into her new environment. The movie also emphasizes how it is natural to feel negative emotions and why it is important to talk about these troubling thoughts and struggles.
While many Pixar movies feature objects that have feelings, Inside Out stands out because some of the main characters are actually emotions themselves, and they each play a significant role in Riley's growth and development. These memorable characters contribute to Inside Out's humorous yet serious tone and are one reason why the movie won Best Animated Feature at the 2016 Academy Awards.
Kaitlyn Dias As Riley Anderson
Kaitlyn Dias voices the main character Riley, a relatable child character afraid of living in a new city and learning a tough but necessary lesson about the nature of change. This is the actor's most notable role as she infuses her character with charm and a fun, light-hearted approach to life. While she appeared in a 2017 episode of the anthology series American Crime and played Natalie in the 2022 horror movie In The Forest, Dias has mostly starred in short films, including Jersey Gurl, Griters, and Defining Moments.
Kyle MacLachlan As Riley's Dad Bill Anderson
Famous for playing the humorous and memeworthy Dale Cooper on Twin Peaks, Kyle MacLachlan voiced Riley's compassionate father, and as he doesn't typically voice animated film characters, this is a change for the actor. While MacLachlan starred in David Lynch's acclaimed 1984 sci-fi adaptation Dune, he has lent his talents to several memorable TV characters, and they are each overly confident and sure of themselves. He stood out as Charlotte York's (Kristin Davis) wealthy and conceited husband Trey MacDougal on Sex and the City, quirky George Van Smoot/The Captain on How I Met Your Mother, and Bree Van Kamp's (Marica Cross) unlikable husband, Orson Hodge, on Desperate Housewives.
Diane Lane As Riley's Mom Jill Anderson
Diane Lane voiced Riley's mother in Inside Out, and she tries to help her daughter adjust to her new surroundings. Several of Diane Lane's best movies include the romantic comedies Under The Tuscan Sun and Must Love Dogs as she has a likable quality when playing these lead roles. She has taken on more action-heavy roles, however, including Martha Kent in several DC films including Man Of Steel and Senator Jennifer Brown in Y: The Last Man. Lane also played Annette Shepherd on the Netflix political drama House Of Cards, Claire Underwood's (Robin Wright) friend who wants to murder her, which was darker than most of her resume.
Mindy Kaling As Disgust
Mindy Kaling is responsible for some of the funniest Inside Out quotes as she voiced Disgust, the emotion who has strong opinions about topics like green vegetables (which emphasizes Riley's youth). Kaling has made a name for herself in comedy, starring in The Office as Kelly Kapoor and working behind-the-scenes as a writer.
Since The Office ended, Mindy Kaling's projects have included co-creating, writing and producer several comedies, including Never Have I Ever, The Mindy Project, and The Sex Lives Of College Girls. She has branched into films, mostly appearing in humorous movies such as Late Night and Ocean's 8.
Lewis Black as Anger
Lewis Black voiced Anger, one of the most memorable and strongest feelings that Riley is dealing with, especially since he dislikes the fact that Riley is served pizza with vegetables on it. While he appeared as the hilarious Dean Ben Lewis in the quirky college comedy Accepted and Professor Crawley in one episode of The Big Bang Theory, he is mostly a stand-up comedian who tours and who became noteworthy for his Comedy Central series Lewis Black's Root of All Evil. He has done a lot of voice work, such as Manobrain on Duck Dodgers.
Bill Hader as Fear
Given his comedy background, Bill Hader was unforgettable voicing Fear in Inside Out. He was inspired to play Stefon Meyers on Saturday Night Live by Macaulay Culkin's Party Monster character, and he played this humorous and unique character for almost ten years. While Hader voiced Stan in Finding Dory, he doesn't usually appear in animated movies, and has had a versatile career playing the love interest Aaron Conners in the romantic comedy Trainwreck and Richie Tozier in It: Chapter Two. He has found his flawless dark comedic voice with HBO's Barry, the series that he co-created, writes, directs, produces, and stars on.
Amy Poehler as Joy
Amy Poehler voiced Joy, the expectedly cheerful emotion in charge of the command center in Riley's brain, and she attempts to be motivating. She is acclaimed for her quirky and offbeat characters, from a brief cameo in season 2 of Community to her most beloved turn as spirited, ambitious Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation. Poehler has collaborated often with Tina Fey, resulting in several memorable performances, including Mrs. June George in Mean Girls and Angie Ostrowski in Baby Mama, characters who follow their bliss despite what others might think. The actor shares her sunny real-life personality on Making It, the crafts series she co-hosts with Nick Offerman.
Richard Kind as Bing Bong
Richard Kind voiced Riley's imaginary friend Bing Bong, and he is naive and innocent as she created him when she was only three years old. The actor is most recognizable as Larry David's sensitive cousin Andy on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie Buchman's (Helen Hunt) free-spirited friend Mark Devanow on Mad About You. However, Richard Kind starred in Run & Gun, an action movie, and has turned to more serious projects such as playing Walter Bloom in Tick, Tick... Boom!, Uncle Arthur in A Serious Man, and Max Klein in Argo.
Phyllis Smith as Sadness
Phyllis Smith voiced Sadness, who plays the crucial role of fleshing out Riley's tough memories, including the fact that she will never live in her hometown again. Like much of the Inside Out cast, the actor has mostly turned to comedy in her career, including playing Lynn in Bad Teacher. While she played the teacher Betty Broderick-Allen on The OA, which was a darker choice, Smith is most famous for portraying Phyllis Vance on The Office and was a casting director on the sitcom. She is a warm-hearted and fan-favorite character who is a key part of the cast.
Bobby Moynihan as Forgetter Bobby
Bobby Moynihan voiced Forgetter Bobby, a compelling character who figures out what memories Riley should have and which ones she can let go. Like his Inside Out co-star Bill Hader, Moynihan was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2017 and while he branched out into reality, judging the Netflix series Is It Cake?, he will always be associated with his impressive comedic timing. The actor has done other voice acting, including voicing Chet Alexander in Monsters University and Louie Duck on Duck Tales, and also played
Fran Dodd on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, a creepy, offensive follower of Richard Wayne Gary Wayne/ DJ Slizzard (Jon Hamm).
Paula Poundstone as Forgetter Paula
Comedian Paula Poundstone voiced Forgetter Paula, a character who allowed Inside Out to break a Pixar trend and discuss the heavy and legitimate emotions that kids experience. Poundstone is famous for her brief variety series The Paula Poundstone Show in 1993 and has made other TV appearances, including playing herself in one episode of It's Garry Shandling's Show and voicing Judge Stone on the funny and educational series Science Court.
Inside Out Supporting Cast
Rashida Jones As Cool Girl's Emotions - Given Rashida Jones's acclaim for her humorous characters Ann Perkins on Parks And Recreation and Karen Filippelli on The Office, she was a perfect choice for Cool Girl's Emotions in Inside Out, a character who emphasizes the movie's theme that everyone can relate to one another because they have the same tough times, challenges, and feelings. While Jones has mostly showed her talent for quirky sitcoms like Angie Tribeca, she has some memorable movie roles, like the romantic lead in Celeste And Jesse Forever and lawyer Marylin Delpy in The Social Network.
Paula Pell as Mom's Anger and The Dream Director - Before playing hilarious Girls5Eva character Gloria, a band member who enjoys her career as a dentist and is an awkward dater, Paula Pell voiced two characters in Inside Out: Riley's mom's Anger and The Dream Director. Pell's comedic timing brings a lot to the story, and it's fascinating to watch her treat dreams like a play. This isn't the first time Pell has voiced several roles in one project, as she played Barbara Glouberman, Bubbe, and Lola's Couch Pillow on Big Mouth. She makes an impression in every TV series, choosing quirky shows like A.P. Bio and Mapleworth Murders.
Dave Goelz as Subconscious Guard Frank - Along with voicing the character who is in charge of ensuring that Riley's subconscious doesn't create chaos and upset her, Dave Golez is a puppeteer who worked on The Muppets. He also voiced the fan-favorite character Gonzo the Great, along Waldorf, Beauregard, Zoot, and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew.
Flea as Mind Worker Cop Jake - Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea's Obi-Wai Kanobi role is just one of his many film credits, along with Mind Worker Cop Jake in Inside Out, who enforces the law inside Imagination Land's Cloud Town. Besides his work with his acclaimed band, Flea starred in Babylon as Bob Levine, Brandon in Boy Erased, and voiced the TV announcer in another Pixar movie, Toy Story 4, proving his versatility and creativity.
Carlos Alazraqui As Helicopter Pilot - Carlos Alazraqui's voice work includes Mr. Weed on Family Guy and Denzel Crocker on The Fairly Odd-Parents, and he also voiced the brief role of Helicopter Pilot, an Inside Out character who Jill remembers fondly and is attracted to. While he mainly focuses on voice work, he appeared in the action series Reno 911 as Deputy James Garcia.
Frank Oz as Subconscious Guard Dave - Another acclaimed and creative puppeteer from the Inside Out cast, Frank Oz voiced another memorable subconscious character, and has played beloved, nostalgic, and iconic Jim Hensen characters (such as Groover and Bert from Sesame Street). He has played several members of the Muppets during his time as a puppeteer and has also directed films such as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
Josh Cooley as Jangles - Along with playing the humorous Jangles the Clown in Inside Out, Josh Cooley co-wrote the movie and also directed the short film Riley's First Date? He has become a staple of Pixar projects, voicing Omega in Up and co-writing and directing Toy Story 4. He was nominated for Best Original Screenplay for his work on Inside Out.
John Ratzenberger As Fritz - Although his time as Cliff Clavin on Cheers is beloved, John Ratzenberger is famous for voicing characters in some of the best movies released by Pixar. He is remembered for Mack in Cars and the stick bug P.T. Flea in A Bug's Life. He appeared in Inside Out as Fritz who hilariously ensures that Riley is ready for the big changes in her body when he includes a "puberty" button in her mind.
Peter Sagal As Clown's Joy - Besides voicing Clown's Joy in Inside Out, Peter Sagal is the host of NPR and WBEZ's radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! and made a notable impression as the joyful emotion that Jangles sometimes feels.