Finding Doryis a beloved Pixar animated movie currently available to stream on Disney+. Released 13 years after the smash hitFinding Nemo, the story involves the affable but amnesiac blue tang fish Dory in search of her long-lost parents after separating from them as a child.
Finding Doryfeatures a supremelytalented crop of actors to voice various rolesin the film. While many of the main characters are voiced by well-known comedians, others add a lot to the story thanks to their dramatic line readings. With that in mind, it’s time to get to know the cast of characters inFinding Dory.
Ellen DeGeneres as Dory
Stand-up comedian and popular talk show hostEllen DeGeneresvoices Dory in the film. Dory is a forgetful blue tang fish that loves her family, prompting an epic quest to reunite with her parents after being separated from them as a youngster. Despite her short-term memory loss, Dory is cheery, optimistic, and has a huge heart, qualities that help her continue her search even when things look hopeless.
DeGeneres began her career as a stand-up comedian before landing a pair of sitcoms built around her brand. After starring inEllenandThe Ellen Show, DeGeneres hit a new level of stardom by producing and starring inThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, a long-running talk show that put the host at the center of the taste-making zeitgeist. Over the course of 20 years, DeGeneres appeared on 2,670 episodes of the popular talk show.
Albert Brooks as Marlin
Theall-time great comedy movie actor,Albert Brooksvoices Marlin in the movie. Marlin is a clownfish that befriends Dory and assists her in the search for her parents, using his own pursuit of his son Nemo to relay knowledge about the sea. Marlin is also highly protective of Dory and is willing to risk his own life to rescue her on their journey together.
One of the most venerated comedic minds of his generation, Brooks is best known for writing, directing, and starring in his own movies such asReal Life,Modern Romance,Lost in America,Defending Your Life,Mother, and others. In addition to a memorable turn inBroadcast News, Brooks' more recent acting credits includeOut of Sight,Drive, andThe Secret Life of Pets.
Ed O’Neill as Hank
Ed O’Neilladds unforgettable humor as Hank, a cranky red octopus who is referred to as “Septopus” for losing a tentacle. Despite his grouchiness, Hank has a well-to-do moral center and goes out of his way to help Dory, Marlin, and Nemo reach Morro Bay. Afraid of being released into the wild, Hank helps Dory find her parents in exchange for her quarantine tag.
Related:The 10 Best Animated Movies of 2023, So Far
O’Neill is a veteran film and TV actor that, for better or worse, will likely always be associated with his iconic role as Al Bundy onMarried…With Children. O’Neill played the miserable husband and father for ten years and 260 episodes. Yet, as great actors tend to do, O’Neill was able to reinvent his TV image by starring inModern Familyfor nearly an equal amount of time. He plays Jay Pritchett on the show, the patriarch of the family who couldn’t be more different than Al Bundy.
Kaitlin Olson as Destiny
Kaitlin Olsonvoices Destiny inthe beloved animated sequel, a whale shark with poor eyesight who grew up with Dory. Despite her shortcomings, Destiny does all she can to assist her friend in finding her family and uses the old method of communicating through pipes to do so. Part of Dory’s journey is reconnecting with her past, and Destiny helps to remind Dory of where she came from.
With a balanced filmography of movies and TV shows, Olson has appeared in everything fromThe HeatandVacationtoBrickleberryandCurb Your Enthusiasm. However, her most substantial role to date is easily Dee Reynolds fromIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, a character Olson has played for 16 seasons and 169 episodes and counting. Olson also took center stage inThe Mick, which lasted two seasons and 37 episodes.
Hayden Rolence as Nemo
Although Alexander Gould voiced Nemo in Finding Nemo,Hayden Rolencevoiced the character inFinding Dory. Nemo is a bright-eyed clownfish that understands Dory’s plight and does everything in his power to ensure she reunites with her family safely. Later, when trapped in a truck and sent to a Cleveland aquarium, Dory repays the favor by rescuing Nemo and Marlin.
Believe it or not, Rolence had previous experience voicing Nemo prior toFinding Dory. In 2015, Rolence voiced Nemo in theDisney Destiny 3.0video game. Before that, Rolence only had a trio of short films to his credit. Oddly enough, Rolence took an acting hiatus until 2023, when he recently voiced the role of Jerry inthe 2023 anime seriesTom and Jerry Go!
Ty Burrell as Bailey
Ty Burrellplays Bailey in the movie, a beluga whale who is close friends with Destiny. Due to a concussion, Bailey thinks he lost his sense of echolocation and is hilariously disoriented as a result. However, Bailey and Destiny escape from the tanks and help Dory rescue Marlin and Nemo in the nick of time, proving to be reliable friends when it matters most.
Related:The 10 Biggest Ways Disney Animated Movies Have Changed Over The Years
After appearing inBlack Hawk DownandDawn of the Deadto begin his career, Burrell hit a creative stride on television by starring opposite Ed O’Neil inModern Family. In a career-defining performance, Burrell won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his iconic portrayal of Phil Dunphy, a real estate manager, devoted husband, and loving father of three. Since then, Burrell has returned to voice-over work by starring in the animated seriesDuncanville.
Diane Keaton as Jenny
Diane Keatonadds memorable pathos as Dory’s mother, Jenny. While largely absent until the end of the movie, Jenny is kind, caring, and patient, and wants nothing but the best for her daughter. Watching Jenny teach Dory how to play at the start of the movie only makes viewers want to see them reunite in the end even more.
A talented comedic and dramatic actor with the ability to sing as well, Keaton has been a Hollywood mainstay since winning an Oscar for Woody Allen’sAnnie Hall. With a unique sense of humor and one-of-a-kind quirkiness, Keaton’smost famous movie creditsincludeThe Godfathertrilogy,Looking for Mr. Goodbar,Reds,Father of the Bride, andSomething’s Gotta Give.Finding Dorymarks Keaton’s second of three career animated voice roles.
Eugene Levy as Charlie
Eugene Levygives a touching performance as Charlie, Jenny’s husband, and Dory’s father. Charlie is extremely pleasant and playful, expressing sheer joy over teaching Dory how to swim and frolic in the sea. When he isn’t making silly dad jokes, Charlie often teaches Dory how to remember things by creating helpful rhymes. As such, it’s easy to see how much Charlie loves Dory.
With well over 100 credits since the early ’70s, Levy has made his presence felt countless times in movies and television. Levy is best known for channeling his improvisational background to give indelible turns in such Christopher Guest movies asWaiting For Guffman,Best in Show, andA Mighty Wind.
However, after co-creating and starring inSchitt’s Creekalongside his son Dan, Levy has hit a new level of popularity in recent years. Levy also famously starred in almost all theAmerican Piemovies, playing Jim’s awkwardly perverted father.
Idris Elba as Fluke
Idris Elbashows up as Fluke in the film, a lazy California sea lion who enjoys basking in the sun. Along with his pal Rudder, Fluke manages to help Dory infiltrate the Marine Life Institute and enter its pipeline. What’s so great about the characters Dory interacts with is how they each have their own relatable flaws and overcome them by helping each other along the way.
After starring as Stringer Bell on HBO’s acclaimed seriesThe Wire, Elba has simply become one of the best actors working today. Whether doing character-driven TV viaLutheror big-budget superhero fare likeThorandThe Suicide Squad, there’s nothing Elba can’t do onscreen. To wit, Elba’s other voice roles include Shere Khan inthe acclaimed Disney remakeofThe Jungle Bookand Chief Bogo inZootopia.
Dominic West as Rudder
Dominic Westvoices Rudder, Fluke’s best friend and fellow sea lion who’d rather lie around and do nothing than help Dory find her parents. In an inspired bit of casting, West joins hisThe Wireco-star Idris Elba and their onscreen chemistry is palpable in the movie.
After giving a soul-bearing turn as James McNulty onThe Wire, West went on to star in several movies, including300,Punisher: War Zone,Centurion,Tomb Raider, and more. However, West’s biggest post-Wire success came when he returned to television forThe Affairin 2014 andThe Crownin 2022. Unlike Elba, however, Finding Dory marks one of the very few times West voiced a role in an animated film.
