What The Cast Of Zootopia 2 Looks Like In Real Life

It took nearly 10 years to get a sequel to "Zootopia," Disney's billion-dollar hit from 2016. But the sequel was well worth the wait, with Looper's review for "Zootopia 2" calling it "a league above Disney's other cash-grab sequels." The film takes all of the elements that made the first one such a hit — the buddy cop dynamic between Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as well as some surprisingly nuanced social commentary — and hits the same notes perfectly once more while fleshing out this unique world.

With "Zootopia 2" making over $1.8 billion at the global box office, a third installment is practically a certainty. The question is whether it'll take another decade or not. Either way, we should expect to hear many of the same voices if the "Zootopia" franchise continues, and there's a lot of talent in these ranks. From globally-recognized pop stars to Oscar winners, the casting department didn't weasel out of finding the best people to voice these fun, eclectic characters. If you've ever wondered what the cast of "Zootopia 2" looks like behind the bunnies, foxes, and snakes, wonder no more.

Every good Disney movie needs a plucky protagonist, and the "Zootopia" franchise has Judy Hopps, voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin, at the helm. In the first film, Judy wanted to prove herself as a cop within Zootopia despite being much smaller than everyone else. Despite saving the day in that film, she once again has to prove her worth in "Zootopia 2," all while uncovering a conspiracy as to what really happened to all the reptiles.

Goodwin is no stranger to Disney. She plays Mary Margaret Blanchard/Snow White throughout "Once Upon a Time." The series turns classic Disney characters into folks who would live in the real world, all while Emma (Jennifer Morrison) aims to give them their fairy tale memories back. Goodwin left "Once Upon a Time" in Season 6 to spend more time with her kids but did return for a special guest spot in Season 7. 

In an interview with The Nerds of Color, Goodwin said how she's thrilled to be part of so many family's memories voicing Judy in the "Zootopia" films: "I feel like we have an opportunity to introduce a whole other generation to it and have people who were younger when they saw the first one, have grown up, and maybe some of them have babies. I love this about Disney in general."

One untold truth about Jason Bateman is how he enjoys playing the straight man to everyone else's chaos, which is probably best exemplified with his role on "Arrested Development." However, he gets to be the zanier member of the main duo in "Zootopia 2" as the fox Nick Wilde. While he started on the wrong side of the law in the first film, he's part of the Zootopia Police Department this time around, though he definitely still has a wild streak to him. 

Bateman started as a child actor but has since found a niche for himself in comedies like "Horrible Bosses," "Bad Words," and "Game Night." But he also has a dramatic side, as evidenced when he broke bad in the Netflix series "Ozark" (which actually contains a callback to "Horrible Bosses" that you may have missed). 

Despite decades of experience, Bateman had one big worry going into the first "Zootopia," and it was whether he could do a good job voice acting. It's a skill that doesn't automatically translate over just because someone knows how to act in front of a camera, but with both "Zootopia" and "Zootopia 2," especially with Nick's more emotional scenes, Bateman has proven he knows how to bring any character to life.

Plenty of people probably walked away from the first "Zootopia" movie wondering, "Where are all the other types of animals?" "Zootopia 2" reveals that reptiles were banished long ago due to a controversy, but Gary De'Snake (voiced by Ke Huy Quan) aims to shed light on what really transpired. 

He's the true heart of the film, and Quan, who won the Oscar for best supporting actor for his turn as meek laundromat worker Waymond Wang in 2022's "Everything Everywhere All at Once," is the perfect actor to play him. In a lot of ways, his Oscar-winning role of Waymond is somewhat similar to Gary. Both are gentle, kind-hearted souls looking to forge greater connections with others. 

Quan's incredible journey has seen him go from an out-of-work actor to an Academy Award winner. While he was a child star in films like "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and "The Goonies," his acting career took a backseat for many years until "Everything Everywhere All at Once" revitalized it. Disney wasted no time snatching him up for various projects: In addition to "Zootopia 2," Quan also starred in "Loki" and "American Born Chinese" for the studio. 

Two things have really grown in popularity since "Zootopia" first came out in 2016 — podcasts and conspiracy theories. As such, it only makes sense to combine these in "Zootopia 2" with Nibbles Maplestick (voiced by Fortune Feimster) playing a prominent role. Initially, it seems like Nibbles might just be around for some comedic relief, but she plays an important role in the plot, offering information as to what really happened with all of the reptiles and sticking with Judy and Nick all the way to the end of their journey. 

Feimster told Collider how much she enjoyed playing a character that had some real-world basis (outside of the whole talking beaver thing). "I love that Nibbles was a podcaster/conspiracy theorist in the beginning because it's relevant to the times that we're in, and I think the movie wanted to reflect the reality of today's times," Feimster explained. "But then, seeing her go on this journey, becoming part of the solution and part of this pack, and a very lovable, fun character."

Feimster's probably best known for being a stand-up comedian. One of her earliest TV appearances was on "Last Comic Standing," and she's gone on to release several specials, including "Crushing It" and "Good Fortune." Outside of that, she's also starred in various other films, such as "Office Christmas Party" and "Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar." 

Andy Samberg is one of the most lovable actors working today. From his time on "Saturday Night Live" to "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" to starring in criminally underrated movies like "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping," Samberg is a proven comedic talent. As such, he's the perfect addition to the cast of "Zootopia 2" as Pawbert Lynxley of the obscenely wealthy Lynxley family. He's something of a black sheep within the family, as he's noticeably more timid than his bossier siblings. 

Of course, this all turns out to be a ruse. While it seems like Pawbert wants to help Gary De'Snake reveal the truth, he actually wants to destroy the one piece of evidence that could ruin his family so that he can finally earn his father's favor. It's a classic villain reversal reveal, not unlike how the ending of the first "Zootopia" has a twist villain in the form of Bellwether (Jenny Slate). 

"Zootopia 2" directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard spoke with IndieWire about how Pawbert's personality needed some major tweaking just a few months before the film came out: "He was a much more arch character, and when he did his heel turn, he went from being this cringey, awkward character and became this supervillain." Thanks to Samberg offering a lot of options in the recording booth, they were able to alter the character so that he's still needy and desperate for his father's approval even after his true intentions come to light.

Pawbert may function as the surprise villain, but we know there's something shady about his father, Milton Lynxley (David Strathairn), pretty much immediately. Milton's the grandson of Zootopia's founder who (reportedly) developed the technology to give the massive city all of its various biomes so that different types of animals could thrive throughout it. But it turns out he's actually hiding a dark secret, and he's willing to get rid of Judy and Nick permanently to keep it safe. 

Strathairn is a character actor who's been turning in great performances for decades — he was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor for his part in 2005's "Good Night, and Good Luck." Milton Lynxley proves to be a perfect fit for his gruff voice, which has been put to good use in a variety of villainous roles. He plays CIA Deputy Director Noah Vosen in "The Bourne Ultimatum," who wants to eliminate Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) before he reveals the Blackbriar program, and he was corrupt politician Peter Kotsiopulos in "The Blacklist." 

Of course, Milton has two more children — Cattrick and Kitty — who are voiced by real-life couple Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song. Does it make sense to cast a married couple as brother and sister? We'll leave that for Disney to decide.

Early in "Zootopia 2," Judy and Nick are having issues acclimating to their new status as official police partners. As a result, they get sent to a couples' therapy session – one thing adults may notice about "Zootopia 2" is that there are some subtle suggestions that Judy and Nick are more than just friends, perhaps a nod to all the online fanfiction shipping the pair. The session is led by Dr. Q Fuzzby (Quinta Brunson), a quokka acting as the voice of reason to all of these animals with serious issues. 

Brunson is probably best known for creating and starring in the hit ABC show "Abbott Elementary." The sitcom follows a group of teachers at a Philadelphia school and Brunson's Janine Teagues is far more optimistic about the state of education than some of her peers. She has an exceptionally positive attitude, making the chipper Dr. Fuzzby a natural fit. 

She's previously appeared on the TV series "Miracle Workers" as well as the faux biopic "Weird: The Al Yankovich Story" as Oprah Winfrey. Her career is growing more by the day, as "Abbott Elementary" is on its fifth season and still going strong. More voiceover work appears to be in Brunson's future, as she'll next voice the character of Sherri in "The Cat in the Hat."

Danny Trejo is one of the most prolific actors working today. His gravelly voice is perfect for tough guys, like the titular character in the "Machete" films, Cuchillo in "Predators," Razor Charlie in "From Dusk Till Dawn," and dozens more. His iconic voice also makes him a great fit for animated roles, and Trejo kills it as Jesús the lizard. 

Judy and Nick are trying to find out more about the history of reptiles in Zootopia and discover that some of them are still hiding out. Technically, Jesús is a basilisk, which is a type of lizard known for its ability to run quickly across bodies of water — hence the name Jesús. He informs them that reptiles once lived where the arctic district is, which is now the home of the Lynxley family, and that soon, the Marsh Market will face the same fate and be torn down. 

"Zootopia 2" ends with reptiles reintegrating with the rest of the city, so there could be an opportunity to bring Jesús back for a prospective "Zootopia 3." But even if he's a one-and-done character, he definitely made an impact.

The cast of "Zootopia 2" brings back some familiar faces from the first film. Chief Bogo (Idris Elba) was a commanding presence as the buffalo chief of the Zootopia Police Department. While he gave Judy a hard time as a bunny trying to fit in with the larger animals in 2016's "Zootopia," he's much kinder this time around. When Judy and Nick mess up at the movie's start, he gives Judy a pep talk on how she doesn't always need to feel like she needs to save the world. Later, his life's put in jeopardy when Gary accidentally bites him and injects him with venom, which Judy and Nick are framed for. 

Early in his career, Elba came onto the scene as Russell "Stringer" Bell on "The Wire." While he still appears in TV shows here and there, like the lead role in Apple TV's "Hijack," he's successfully made the leap to films. He played Heimdall in the "Thor" movies as well as Bloodsport in "The Suicide Squad," and 2025 saw him play the President of the United States in Netflix's "A House of Dynamite." 

Elba is a consummate professional, and co-director Jared Bush revealed that he actually improvised one of the funniest lines in "Zootopia 2." At one point, Bogo refers to Nick, a fox, as an "orange dog," and according to Bush, Elba came up with this on the spot during a session in the recording booth. "The second we heard it, we knew it had to be in the movie," Bush wrote on X.

Gazelle (Shakira) is Zootopia's pop sensation introduced in the first movie. She returns for the sequel to perform at the city's centennial anniversary and even helps Judy escape from the other police officers at one point as she's racing through the Burning Mammal (read: Burning Man) festival. 

Shakira doesn't have a ton of acting experience, with just a few minor guest spots as herself on shows like "Ugly Betty" and "Wizards of Waverly Place," but you don't need to act when you've attained the level of global superstardom she has. She's sold millions of records around the globe with numerous hit singles to her name, like "Hips Don't Lie" and "Whenever, Wherever." For "Zootopia 2," she crafted a wholly original song for the soundtrack that's appropriately titled "Zoo."

She wrote the track with Ed Sheeran and Blake Slatkin, and she had some big shoes to fill after the success of her song "Try Everything" from the first "Zootopia." She told "Good Morning America," "I definitely felt the responsibility that it entailed, but I wasn't that nervous. I felt in good company with Disney. They really gave me the license to just explore." If the box office performance of "Zootopia 2" wasn't reason enough to greenlight "Zootopia 3," the chance to get another Shakira song about animals should seal the deal.