10 Animated Characters Who Were Recast After the Actor Died
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VOICE OVER: Tom Aglio
WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Alexander
Voice actors often go overlooked, but this definitely shouldn't be the case! For this list, we'll be looking at the most notable instances where a new voice came into a cartoon due to an actor's passing. Our countdown includes characters from "Caillou", "Rugrats", "King of the Hill" and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Animated Characters Who Were Recast After the Actors' Death. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most notable instances where a new voice came into a cartoon due to an actor’s passing. We’ll only be looking at instances on tv that happened within the same series and not across a franchise. Which voice actor do you remember fondly? Let us know in the comments.
This classic cartoon had a high-profile cast behind heroes and villains. The malevolent malware was played by David Rappaport. Before stealing scenes on the show, he had a burgeoning career on both the stage and on the screen. Rappaport only appeared on “Captain Planet” a handful of times before he passed away in 1990. Eventually, the show brought on an equally eclectic actor to continue his legacy. His name was Tim Curry. Following Rappaport’s time in the role with another legend made the transition feel natural. Curry managed to keep the essence of the character while bringing his own personality into the role.
After “Caillou’s” first season, Jaclyn Linetsky took over as the title character. She brought out both the charming and bratty sides of the character with honesty and realism. Tragically, Linetsky lost her life in a car accident. After this sad news broke, actress Annie Bovaird stepped into the role in 2003. She was faced with the challenging task of making the character sound familiar to the young audiences who had grown accustomed to Caillou’s voice. Fortunately, Bovaird was the perfect choice. Her take on Caillou more than lived up to the legacy that had been established by other performers. Bovaird starred as the title character all the way through the original series’ end in 2010.
For most of the series, Dana Hill brought an unparalleled attitude to one half of the conjoined duck twins. Her raspy vocal performance and quick delivery made her work stand out. After Hill completed vocal work for nearly 50 episodes, she passed away due to complications from diabetes. To finish out the series, Pat Musick took over as Charles for the series’ final stories. The gruff texture she added to her voice was perfect for the character. Additionally, Musick knew how to bring the sass to Charles as well. The change between the two felt practically seamless by the end of the show’s run.
Adult characters in kids’ shows don’t always get a ton of time to shine. However, David Doyle made sure that every one of Grandpa Lou’s lines was a classic. It’s a testament to his inherent warmth that even the patriarch’s most mundane stories could come off as charming. After Doyle died a few years into the show’s run, it seemed like finding a worthy substitute was going to be impossible. Thankfully, Joe Alaskey had the chops to do not just Lou, but Doyle justice. They say lightning never strikes the same place twice. But that’s precisely what happened with Grandpa Lou’s first pair of voice actors.
There’s no easy way to replace an actor, especially one as iconic as the actor known as Mako. His intense vocals ensured that the villain was every bit as menacing as the show needed him to be. However, Mako’s incredible comedic timing allowed for the character to leave us in stitches as well. He commanded the role of Aku throughout the original run of the show. Unfortunately, Mako passed away before the series returned in 2017. Actor Greg Baldwin was tasked with imitating an iconic villain role over a decade after fans first heard it. He met the challenge by matching all the ferocity and personality Mako brought to Aku. To say Baldwin’s performance was a worthy follow-up would be a massive understatement.
Russi Taylor voiced so many characters in this long running animated series that her roles could fill an entire second Springfield. Not only did she carry a massive chunk of the ensemble on her shoulders, but she did it for thirty seasons straight. After Taylor’s passing in 2019, the show had to find someone with both the range and the confidence to match that iconic legacy. Luckily, Grey Griffin moved to Springfield. The extremely talented actress took over every single one of Taylor’s roles. Griffin effortlessly plays any character the show needs her to. For three seasons and counting, she has definitely honored Taylor’s legacy.
Linda Gary’s prolific career in the industry clearly helped her craft a lovable interpretation of Spider-Man’s iconic guardian Aunt May. She had more than enough warmth, energy and sharpness to accurately portray the character. Gary’s excellent work in the first three seasons made the idea of recasting the role after her death extremely daunting. Instead of trying to match her predecessor's portrayal, Julie Bennett took the character in a different vocal direction. Her voice came off as a bit softer and a bit spunkier. While the change is noticeable, the differing performances made it easier to see how they each left their own unique marks on the show.
When fans think of this Native American masseur, Jonathan Joss’s dry delivery probably comes to mind. But he wasn’t the original voice for the character. For the show’s first season, Victor Aaron was fully behind Redcorn’s hijinks. Unfortunately, that just makes it all the more tragic that he didn’t live to see any of the episodes air. Aaron’s loss left Joss with some major shoes to fill. Fortunately, he didn’t miss a step. Joss took the foundation that was built in season 1 and absolutely ran with it. He ensured that Ramriez’s character lived on as an iconic part of the beloved sitcom.
“Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia” (2016-18)
At just twenty seven years old, there’s no question that Anton Yelchin was taken way too soon. He starred in a number of incredible roles before his passing. On “Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia”, he starred as the layered hero Jim Lake Jr. Although the show was able to use some of Yelchin’s work for the in-progress final season, they needed a new voice for the leading man. That’s when Emile Hirsch stepped up to continue the role. He even went on to voice Lake Jr. in the spinoffs “Wizards” and “3Below.” While Hirsch’s work was praised, the series never forgot about Yelchin’s contributions. They dedicated the series to him and brought back one of the actor’s best monologues for an encore in the wrap-up film.
Iroh’s wisdom, humor and quiet strength were always appreciated by fans. Mako made it so that the character could effortlessly crack a joke one minute and break your heart the next. His contributions to the character can’t be understated. After Mako’s passing, Greg Baldwin came in to complete Iroh’s journey. The actor voiced the character in both “The Last Airbender” and “Legend of Korra”. Baldwin nailed the nuances that made Iroh so loveable. Before he did an excellent job of taking over, the show used the “Tales of Ba Sing Se” episode to honor the original performer. Fans heard Mako’s Iroh sing a sobering tribute to his fallen son before the show bade farewell to the actor.
#10: MAL
“Captain Planet and the Planeteers” (1990-96)This classic cartoon had a high-profile cast behind heroes and villains. The malevolent malware was played by David Rappaport. Before stealing scenes on the show, he had a burgeoning career on both the stage and on the screen. Rappaport only appeared on “Captain Planet” a handful of times before he passed away in 1990. Eventually, the show brought on an equally eclectic actor to continue his legacy. His name was Tim Curry. Following Rappaport’s time in the role with another legend made the transition feel natural. Curry managed to keep the essence of the character while bringing his own personality into the role.
#9: Caillou
“Caillou” (1997-2010)After “Caillou’s” first season, Jaclyn Linetsky took over as the title character. She brought out both the charming and bratty sides of the character with honesty and realism. Tragically, Linetsky lost her life in a car accident. After this sad news broke, actress Annie Bovaird stepped into the role in 2003. She was faced with the challenging task of making the character sound familiar to the young audiences who had grown accustomed to Caillou’s voice. Fortunately, Bovaird was the perfect choice. Her take on Caillou more than lived up to the legacy that had been established by other performers. Bovaird starred as the title character all the way through the original series’ end in 2010.
#8: Charles Duckman
“Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man” (1994-97)For most of the series, Dana Hill brought an unparalleled attitude to one half of the conjoined duck twins. Her raspy vocal performance and quick delivery made her work stand out. After Hill completed vocal work for nearly 50 episodes, she passed away due to complications from diabetes. To finish out the series, Pat Musick took over as Charles for the series’ final stories. The gruff texture she added to her voice was perfect for the character. Additionally, Musick knew how to bring the sass to Charles as well. The change between the two felt practically seamless by the end of the show’s run.
#7: Grandpa Lou
“Rugrats” (1991-2006)Adult characters in kids’ shows don’t always get a ton of time to shine. However, David Doyle made sure that every one of Grandpa Lou’s lines was a classic. It’s a testament to his inherent warmth that even the patriarch’s most mundane stories could come off as charming. After Doyle died a few years into the show’s run, it seemed like finding a worthy substitute was going to be impossible. Thankfully, Joe Alaskey had the chops to do not just Lou, but Doyle justice. They say lightning never strikes the same place twice. But that’s precisely what happened with Grandpa Lou’s first pair of voice actors.
#6: Aku
“Samurai Jack” (2001-17)There’s no easy way to replace an actor, especially one as iconic as the actor known as Mako. His intense vocals ensured that the villain was every bit as menacing as the show needed him to be. However, Mako’s incredible comedic timing allowed for the character to leave us in stitches as well. He commanded the role of Aku throughout the original run of the show. Unfortunately, Mako passed away before the series returned in 2017. Actor Greg Baldwin was tasked with imitating an iconic villain role over a decade after fans first heard it. He met the challenge by matching all the ferocity and personality Mako brought to Aku. To say Baldwin’s performance was a worthy follow-up would be a massive understatement.
#5: Martin, Sherri, Terri, & More
“The Simpsons” (1989-)Russi Taylor voiced so many characters in this long running animated series that her roles could fill an entire second Springfield. Not only did she carry a massive chunk of the ensemble on her shoulders, but she did it for thirty seasons straight. After Taylor’s passing in 2019, the show had to find someone with both the range and the confidence to match that iconic legacy. Luckily, Grey Griffin moved to Springfield. The extremely talented actress took over every single one of Taylor’s roles. Griffin effortlessly plays any character the show needs her to. For three seasons and counting, she has definitely honored Taylor’s legacy.
#4: Aunt May
“Spider-Man: The Animated Series” (1994-98)Linda Gary’s prolific career in the industry clearly helped her craft a lovable interpretation of Spider-Man’s iconic guardian Aunt May. She had more than enough warmth, energy and sharpness to accurately portray the character. Gary’s excellent work in the first three seasons made the idea of recasting the role after her death extremely daunting. Instead of trying to match her predecessor's portrayal, Julie Bennett took the character in a different vocal direction. Her voice came off as a bit softer and a bit spunkier. While the change is noticeable, the differing performances made it easier to see how they each left their own unique marks on the show.
#3: John Redcorn III
“King of the Hill” (1997-2010)When fans think of this Native American masseur, Jonathan Joss’s dry delivery probably comes to mind. But he wasn’t the original voice for the character. For the show’s first season, Victor Aaron was fully behind Redcorn’s hijinks. Unfortunately, that just makes it all the more tragic that he didn’t live to see any of the episodes air. Aaron’s loss left Joss with some major shoes to fill. Fortunately, he didn’t miss a step. Joss took the foundation that was built in season 1 and absolutely ran with it. He ensured that Ramriez’s character lived on as an iconic part of the beloved sitcom.
#2: Jim Lake Jr.
“Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia” (2016-18)
At just twenty seven years old, there’s no question that Anton Yelchin was taken way too soon. He starred in a number of incredible roles before his passing. On “Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia”, he starred as the layered hero Jim Lake Jr. Although the show was able to use some of Yelchin’s work for the in-progress final season, they needed a new voice for the leading man. That’s when Emile Hirsch stepped up to continue the role. He even went on to voice Lake Jr. in the spinoffs “Wizards” and “3Below.” While Hirsch’s work was praised, the series never forgot about Yelchin’s contributions. They dedicated the series to him and brought back one of the actor’s best monologues for an encore in the wrap-up film.
#1: Uncle Iroh
“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)Iroh’s wisdom, humor and quiet strength were always appreciated by fans. Mako made it so that the character could effortlessly crack a joke one minute and break your heart the next. His contributions to the character can’t be understated. After Mako’s passing, Greg Baldwin came in to complete Iroh’s journey. The actor voiced the character in both “The Last Airbender” and “Legend of Korra”. Baldwin nailed the nuances that made Iroh so loveable. Before he did an excellent job of taking over, the show used the “Tales of Ba Sing Se” episode to honor the original performer. Fans heard Mako’s Iroh sing a sobering tribute to his fallen son before the show bade farewell to the actor.
