What The Cast Of King Of The Hill Looks Like In Real Life

The animated series "King of the Hill" ran for 13 seasons on Fox between 1997 and 2009, earning multiple Emmy nominations (and one win) and a sizable fan base, which helped spur a revival on Hulu in 2025 (read our review of Season 14 here). Creators Mike Judge ("Beavis and Butt-Head") and Greg Daniels ("The Office") rooted much of the show's humor in its characters, anchored by the Hill family — propane salesman Hank Hill (voiced by Judge), wife Peggy (Kathy Najimy), and son Bobby (Pamela Adlon). It also featured a sprawling cast of extended family members, co-workers, and friends, including neighbors Dale Gribble (Johnny Hardwick, and later, Toby Huss), Bill Dauterive (Stephen Root), and Jeff Boomhauer (Judge). 

Though personality and politics occasionally led to clashes, the people of Arlen, Texas were never mocked for their small-town mindsets. The show used them as a filter to poke gentle fun at and celebrate our ability to find common ground despite our differences. As Time, which included "King of the Hill" in its list of 100 Greatest TV Shows, noted, "The show sees modern America's fine detail like an electron microscope."

Though the show welcomed a number of celebrity voice actors, including Brad Pitt and Meryl Streep, it relied on a small core of talent to bring its huge cast of characters to life. Following is a list of the show's main performers, along with the "King of the Hill" folks they portray.

Though most viewers know that "King of the Hill" co-creator Mike Judge plays two of the show's primary characters — Hank Hill and his marble-mouthed pal, Boomhauer — he also voices a number of the show's supporting characters. Among them are grade school bully Stuart Dooley; Dale Gribble's occasional accomplice, Octavio; Monsignor Martinez, the pistol-packing hero of the telenovela-within-a-series, "Los Dias y Las Noches de Monsignor Martinez"; and Junchiro, Hank's Japanese half-brother. Judge also voiced Boomhauer's parents and grandmother (Mee-Maw Boomhauer), all of whom share his vocal peculiarities, and briefly took over as Strickland Propane driver Enrique from Eloy Casados before abdicating the role to Danny Trejo.

In addition to "King of the Hill," Judge created "Beavis and Butt-Head," voiced both of the title characters, and directed their 1996 feature debut, "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America." He earned six Emmy nominations and won one for "King of the Hill," and netted an additional 10 Emmy nods for the live-action comedy "Silicon Valley," which he co-created for HBO. Judge also directed the cult comedy favorites "Office Space" and "Idiocracy," and co-created the animated series "The Goode Family" and the animated docuseries "Tales from the Tour Bus." Through Bandera Entertainment, his animation company with "King of the Hill" co-creator Greg Daniels, he produced "In the Know" and "Common Side Effects."

When asked in 2007 if she'd ever thought she would still be voicing Peggy Hill on "King of the Hill" 10 years after its debut, Kathy Najimy said, "Not only would I not think I'd still be working on it, I didn't even know what I was auditioning for." As Najimy explained, the television landscape in '97 wasn't as full of primetime animation series as it was in 2007 — or in 2025, when Najimy reprised Peggy for the "King of the Hill" revival. Like many of her castmates, Najimy — who shares Peggy's love for Boggle — also voiced several minor characters, including Strickland Propane customer Leta Anderson in Season 2's "Snow Job."

Najimy, who won a 2001 Annie Award for playing Peggy, first came to audiences' attention in the comedy duo Kathy & Mo with Mo Gaffney, with whom she wrote and starred in two off-Broadway shows in 1986 and 1989, as well as a 1995 TV special. Film work in "The Fisher King" and "This is My Life" followed, but it was her turn as the naive Sister Mary Patrick in 1992's "Sister Act" that minted her as a go-to screen talent.

Najimy found further success as the slow-witted witch Mary Sanderson in "Hocus Pocus" (1993) and its 2022 sequel, as well as series regular work on "Veronica's Closet." She remains active in both live-action features ("A Madea Christmas") and television ("Younger"), as well as a voice actor in numerous other animated series, such as "BoJack Horseman."

Though perhaps best known today as creator and star of the Peabody Award-winning series "Better Things," Pamela Adlon spent a long period of time after her stint as a teen actress in the 1980s as a voice actor in various animated projects. Chief among these was her Emmy-winning turn as Hank and Peggy Hill's eccentric son, Bobby, on "King of the Hill," for which she also voiced several other characters, including Luanne's fearsome mom, Leanne, and bullying teen Chane Wassanasong.

Adlon began her career in her mid-teens with a supporting role in "Grease 2," which preceded roles on "The Facts of Life" and in films like "Say Anything..." Her transition from juvenile to adult roles was difficult, but Adlon found consistent work as a voice actor on series like "Pepper Ann" and "Time Squad." She performed in live-action series through collaborations with comedian Louis C.K., netting four Emmy nominations as writer, producer, and co-star on his FX series "Louie." Adlon and C.K. also created "Better Things," a semi-autobiographical comedy-drama with Adlon as an actress raising three daughters, which earned Adlon two Emmy nods for lead actress. She also appeared on "Young Sheldon" and in "Bumblebee," in addition to directing the indie comedy "Babes."

Brittany Murphy was already a rising star when she joined the cast of "King of the Hill" to play Hank Hill's niece, Luanne Platter (Murphy also voiced Joseph Gribble in Seasons 1 through 4). Murphy had become a favorite of both audiences and critics thanks to her seemingly effortless skill at both comedy ("Clueless") and drama ("Girl, Interrupted"). During her tenure on "King on the Hill," she continued to amass box office hits, including "8 Mile," "Just Married," and "Sin City."

Murphy's career took a downward turn in the early 2000s, as roles in films like "Sin City" gave way to appearances in direct-to-video efforts or middling theatrical releases like "The Groomsmen," though the 2006 animated film "Happy Feet" was a huge success. Her tragic death at the age of 32 from pneumonia, compounded by severe anemia and multiple drug intoxication, shocked the entertainment industry. "King of the Hill" paid tribute to Murphy by dedicating the Season 13 episode "The Honeymooners" to her memory; a picture of Luanne could be seen in the Hill's house in Season 14.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Among the "King of the Hill" voice actors sorely missed by fans when the series returned in 2025 was Johnny Hardwick. The Texas native played the deeply paranoid Dale Gribble while also serving as producer, writer, and story editor on the show, for which he shared a 1999 Emmy and two additional nominations for outstanding animated series. Gardner recorded six episodes of the revived "King of the Hill" prior to his death in 2023, while Toby Huss later took over as the voice of Dale.

Hardwick came to television via stand-up comedy, after Greg Daniels caught his act in Los Angeles and hired him to join the "King" writing staff. He was not, however, the original voice of Dale. Actor Daniel Stern had been cast in the role but left the series over a salary dispute. Hardwick stepped in and refashioned the character as a deluded conspiracy theorist convinced of his own brilliance.

Hardwick, who also oversaw a YouTube channel that featured comedy monologues and song parodies done in Dale's voice, did not live to see the revived "King of the Hill." Police conducting a welfare check on at his home in Austin, Texas on August 8, 2023, found the 64-year-old Hardwick dead of undetermined causes.

Toby Huss handled two major supporting characters during the original run of "King of the Hill": Hank's ornery father, Cotton Hill, and dismissive neighbor Kahn Souphanousiphone. He also tackled a number of minor characters, including Kahn's upwardly mobile nemesis, Ted Wassanasong, rival propane company owner M.A. Thatherton (replacing Burt Reynolds), and Tom Landry Middle School P.E. teacher Coach Kleehammer. When "King of the Hill" returned in 2025, Huss took over as the voice of Dale Gribble after Johnny Hardwick's death, while Ronny Chieng and Kenneth Choi voiced Kahn and Ted, respectively.

Huss has been a presence on television and in films since the early 1990s, when he appeared in commercials for MTV that spoofed the music network's most current hits. Audiences also saw Huss's talent for irreverent characters as Artie, the Strongest Man in the World, on Nickelodeon's cult series "The Adventures of Pete & Pete." Roles in feature films like "Jerry Maguire" and guest roles on shows like "Seinfeld" and (as well as a stint as writer on "The Martin Short Show" from 1999 to 2000) soon followed. By the 2000s, Huss was a busy character actor in both the "The Office" pilot (as the voice of Todd Packer) and "The Righteous Gemstones," as well as dramatic fare such as "Weapons." He also voiced characters for "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness."

Though many of the "King of the Hill" cast members voice multiple characters, it's unlikely that any have tackled as many separate roles as Stephen Root. The Emmy-nominated actor primarily voices sadsack Bill Dauterive and Strickland Propane owner Buck Strickland, but his vast number of other "King of the Hill" voice roles include tackle shop owner Ray Holiday, eccentric veteran Topsy Toppington, guitar store proprietor Earl, former Landry High principal Jeter "The Beater" Turberville, and dozens of other Arlen locals.

Root is perhaps best known for his Emmy-nominated turn as Fuches, who helped turn Bill Hader's army vet into a hitman on "Barry," as well as numerous collaborations with the Coen Brothers in films like "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" But his list of screen credits reaches back to the late 1980s with roles in "Black Rain" and on "Roseanne." He later earned critical praise as the mercurial radio station owner Jimmy James on "NewsRadio." A recurring player on "Boardwalk Empire" and "Succession," Root has teamed up with Mike Judge for several additional projects, most notably as the perpetually mumbling Milton in "Office Space," and moves frequently between live-action projects ("Get Out," "Heads of State") and animation (the "Ice Age" franchise, "Rick and Morty").

Actress Ashley Gardner voiced two prominent supporting characters during the original run of "King of the Hill" — Dale Gribble's long-suffering wife, Nancy, and Hank's stepmother, former exotic dancer turned candy striper Didi Hill — and replaced Mary Tyler Moore as the voice of the Reverend Karen Stroup, who presided at Luanne and Lucky's wedding. Gardner reprised both Nancy and Didi when Season 14 of "King of the Hill" aired in 2025.

Gardner appeared in both off-Broadway and Broadway stage productions before launching her screen career in films and on television. She played Marion, the librarian romanced by Kramer in the "Seinfeld" Season 3 episode "The Library," and guested on series like "NYPD Blue." She worked steadily on episodic TV while working on "King of the Hill," landing appearances on "Six Feet Under" and "ER." She also lent her voice to several other animated series, including Mike Judge's revivals of "Beavis and Butt-Head" in 2011 and 2023.

Actress Lauren Tom voiced both the formidable Minh Souphanosinphone and her overachieving daughter, Connie, in all 14 seasons of "King of the Hill." With Toby Huss, who originally voiced Minh's husband, Kahn, she also played Cindy Wassonasong, one-half of the Sophanousinphone's more successful fellow Laotian-Americans in Arlen. Though one of her longest-running voice-acting projects, "King of the Hill" was just one of many animated series and films that employed Tom's talents, which could also be heard in "Futurama" and "Kim Possible."

Tom's acting career began on Broadway before she landed film roles in "Wall Street" and "Blue Steel." These led to a starring role in 1993's "The Joy Luck Club," where her unhappy Lena finds common ground with her mother (France Nuyen). More feature roles followed, as did recurring turns on series like "Friends" as Ross's ex-girlfriend, Julie. Tom began working in animation in the early 2000s, playing, among others, Amy Wong and her mother, Inez, on "Futurama," Jinx and Gizmo on "Teen Titans," reporter Angela Chen on "Superman: The Animated Series," and more recently, Helen Cho on "Iron Man and His Awesome Friends."

Though initially voiced by Brittany Murphy, Dale Gribble's son Joseph was voiced by actor Breckin Meyer from Seasons 5 through 13 (Tai Leclaire took over the role in Season 14). Meyer handled the majority of the character's arc from alarmingly dense teenager to equally thickheaded twenty-something, all the while oblivious to the fact that his biological father is John Redcorn. Despite that fact, Joseph has not only latched onto Dale, but even picked up many of his quirks.

Meyer graduated from teen supporting roles in films like "Clueless" and "The Craft" to easygoing comic leads in "Road Trip," "Rat Race," and 2004's "Garfield: The Movie." From 2011 to 2014, he co-starred with Mark-Paul Gosselaar in the legal comedy-drama "Franklin & Bash," for which he also wrote two episodes. Behind-the-scenes work soon took center stage for Meyer, who earned five Emmy nominations as a writer and performer on "Robot Chicken." He also continues to appear in live-action work, most notably in the critically praised 2020 indie "Unpregnant."

As mentioned, comedian and actor Ronny Chieng took over as the voice of Kahn Souphanousiphone when "King of the Hill" was revived in 2025. The role wasn't Chieng's first effort in animation: He voiced Captain Fish in "Kung Fu Panda 4," and could also be heard as various characters on "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai," "Krapopolis," and "Mulligan."

Chieng began his career as a popular stand-up comedian in Australia, which brought him to the attention of "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah. He joined the cast of the satirical news series, eventually working his way up to senior correspondent and one of its rotating hosts. By 2018, he was appearing in feature films like "Crazy Rich Asians" and Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." His debut stand-up special for Netflix, "Asian Comedian Destroys America!" was released in 2019. Appearances in "Godzilla vs. Kong" and as the ill-fated David in "M3GAN" soon followed, as did recurring roles on "History of the World, Part II" (as Kublai Khan) and "American Born Chinese."

Following the death of actor Victor Aaron in 1996, fellow Native American actor Jonathan Joss took over the role of John Redcorn, a healer and masseuse whose "work" with Nancy Gribble produced a son, Joseph. Joss voiced John in 38 episodes between Seasons 2 and 13, and reprised the role in four episodes of Season 14 before his untimely death in 2025.

Joss alternated frequently between voice acting and live action roles. Among the former were turns on "The Wild Thornberrys" and Rockstar Games' "Red Dead Redemption" in 2010. His on-screen appearances included a recurring role as casino owner Ken Hotate on "Parks and Recreation" and episodes of "Ray Donovan" and "Tulsa King," as well as features like "The Magnificent Seven" and 2010's "True Grit."

Joss's final years were marked by considerable turmoil, including the loss of his home in San Antonio, Texas, in 2025 and apparent struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues. On June 1, 2025, the 59-year-old Joss was shot and killed during an alleged conflict with a neighbor, who was later indicted on first-degree murder charges.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Among the characters added to "King of the Hill's" roster when it returned in 2025 was Brian Robertson, whose family rented the Hills' residence while they lived in Saudi Arabia. During Hank's absence, the easy-going Brian acted as the voice of reason for Dale, Bill, and Boomhauer. When Hank returns to Arlen, Brian relocated but remained part of the beer-drinking crew, claiming to "like the atmosphere."

Keith David, who voices Brian on "King of the Hill," has been a familiar face to film and television audiences for more than four decades. His live-action roles include films like John Carpenter's "The Thing" and "They Live," "Platoon," and Jordan Peele's "Nope." David was equally prolific on television series like "The Lowdown" and he has narrated numerous documentaries, including Ken Burns' "Jazz," which netted him three Emmy Awards. As a voice-over talent, David played Dr. Facilier in "The Princess and the Frog," The Cat in "Coraline," the Flame King on "Adventure Time," and Husk on "Hazbin Hotel." He released the first single from his debut jazz album in 2025.

Though nearly all of the voice actors on "King of the Hill" voice multiple characters, few handle as many eccentrics and misfits as David Herman. Among his "King of the Hill" characters are Dale Gribble's deeply closeted father, Bug; Bill Dauterive's flamboyant cousin, Gilbert; and Luanne's ill-fated boyfriend, Buckley, who died from improper propane tank handling. Herman also voiced several of Bobby's classmates, including incorrigible tattletale Randy Miller (and his dad, Eustace), and Arlen's own town idiot, Jimmy Wichard.

Herman is a prolific voice actor whose talents can be heard on animated series like "Futurama," "Bob's Burgers," and Judge's short-lived "The Goode Family." He also has extensive live-action roles, the best known of which is perhaps the printer-hating Michael Bolton in Judge's "Office Space." He was also an original cast member of "MADtv," and appeared in series like "24," as well as "Born on the Fourth of July" and Judge's "Idiocracy."