Top 20 Celebrity Cameos in Phineas and Ferb

Top 20 Celebrity Cameos in Phineas and Ferb

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Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 20 Celebrity Cameos in Phineas and Ferb. For this list, we’ll be looking at famous individuals who lent their voices to this beloved animated series. Which voice cameos stood out the most to you? Let us know in the comments.

#20: Tim Curry as Lloyd Wexler “A Hard Day’s Knight”

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Tim Curry is always entertaining, but he has a knack for playing two types of characters in particular: butlers and evildoers. In Phineas and Ferb, he plays both in one episode. On a trip to Merrie Olde England, Curry can be heard as Stubbings, the Pipping family’s prim and proper butler. While this role brings Wadsworth from “Clue” to mind, he also gives voice to Dr. Lloyd Wexler. Technically, the mad scientist spends this episode tied up while Perry goes undercover as him. When Perry is backed into a corner, though, he’s forced to break out a recording of Wexler. His voice pops up again in another episode as Worthington DuBois who, despite being Buford and Baljeet incognito, is 100% Curry.

If you’ve ever wondered how Heinz Doofenshmirtz can afford to build all those “-inators,” look no further than his ex-wife Charlene. Voiced by Allison Janney, Charlene doesn’t realize how Doof is spending his alimony checks, despite her daughter’s best efforts to expose him as an evil scientist. Janney brings a grounded sense of normalcy to the role that humorously contrasts Doof’s eccentric nature. We get why their marriage didn’t last, but we’re not entirely sure what Charlene saw in him in the first place. Now that’s a backstory that we want to see! As different as they are in this dimension, their counterparts sure make for a dastardly duo in the 2nd Dimension. Janney also voices Charlene here, bringing out the character’s more diabolical side.

Lorenzo Lamas is a Golden Globe-nominated actor who’s worked in soap operas and crime dramas. He also voices the adorable alien Meap, whose vocabulary is initially limited to one word: Well, that must’ve been the easiest paycheck of Lamas’ career. Of course, once Meap gets his hands on a standard mustache translator, Lamas is able to communicate much more eloquently. It’s always hilarious hearing Meap’s voice suddenly change from cartoonishly high-pitched to a deep American accent fit for a radio announcer. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy and co-creator Jeff “Swampy” Marsh have also loaned their voices to Meap when he switches out mustaches. As far as we’re concerned, though, there’s only one Meap in the galaxy.

Many of the teenagers in “Phineas and Ferb” are voiced by Disney Channel alumni. Candace, for example, is voiced by Ashley Tisdale, who played Sharpay Evans in “High School Musical” and Maddie Fitzpatrick on “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” Brenda Song also starred in “The Suite Life” as hotel heiress, London Tipton. Not only have Tisdale and Song played onscreen friends, but they are good friends in real life as well. In a clever bit of “Phineas and Ferb” casting, Song voiced Candace’s rival Wendy in one episode. Energetic and assertive, Wendy competes against Candace for a job at Mr. Slushy Burger—where both ultimately end up with condiments on their faces. While her role is brief, Song’s presence is a nice in-joke for Disneyholics.

#16: Michael Douglas as Waylen “That’s the Spirit!”

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Although “Phineas and Ferb” primarily takes place during the summer, this episode fast-forwards to October 31. On Halloween night, the gang meets a kid named Russell, who claims that his house is haunted. Russell was voiced by a then-ten-year-old Dylan Douglas. You might not recognize that name, but you definitely know Dylan’s father: Oscar-winner Michael Douglas. The elder Douglas also gets in on the frights and delights as Waylen, Russell’s father. It turns out that Russell’s house isn’t haunted, but his family is highly experienced in the art of tricks and treats. Now if only they could’ve gotten Catherine Zeta-Jones to voice Russell’s mother, Mona. Nevertheless, the two Douglases certainly made this a Halloween to remember.

#15: Wayne Brady as Don “Where’s Pinky?”

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Comedian Wayne Brady brings a positive energy to every role he takes on. Don, who poses as a Danville City Hall tour guide, is no exception. Don takes educating citizens about the Tri-State Area very seriously. Despite being a stickler for the rules, Don isn’t a stick-in-the-mud. He’s so passionate about the Tri-State Area’s history that he can’t help but sing about it. Honestly, it’d be a crime if Wayne Brady didn’t spontaneously break out into song here. Brady’s comedic timing is also well-suited for the number’s fast pace and complex lyrics. Although he knows everything about the Danville, Don may or may not be of this world. Either way, looks like Doofenshmirtz isn’t the only one who wants to rule the Tri-State Area.

Phineas and Ferb’s Marvel crossover packs in so many characters that it can be tough to identify the voice work. Of course, it doesn’t help Venom’s case that he gets significantly fewer lines than Red Skull and the other baddies. But he’s voiced by none other than “Machete” actor, Danny Trejo. And he supplies Venom with a slithery voice that makes it feel as if the Symbiote is crawling into your ear. On one hand, we wish Trejo had more dialogue here. On the other hand, it is kind of funny seeing an actor of Trejo’s caliber limited to such a brief speaking role. However you look at it, we’d love for Trejo to voice the iconic character again.

#13: Elizabeth Banks as Grulinda Boubenweir “Imperfect Storm”

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Perry the Platypus may be Doofenshmirtz’s nemesis, but he wasn’t his first enemy. As a child in Gimmelshtump, a girl named Grulinda repeatedly poured buckets of water on Doof. Eh, at least it wasn’t pig’s blood! Although Doof plans to exact revenge years later, he’s blown away to find that the now-grown-up Grulinda is every bit as beautiful as Elizabeth Banks. She kind of sounds like her too, albeit with a thick European accent. Since we still don’t know what part of Europe Gimmelshtump is in, it’s appropriate that Bank’s over-the-top accent sounds like a hodgepodge of various regions. Just as Banks’ accent is hard to get a grasp on, so are Grulinda’s intentions, as she actually poured water on Doof because she liked him.

Sandra Oh is a household name thanks to her work in “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Killing Eve,” but she’s almost unrecognizable as the voice of Doofenshmirtz’s Girlfriend. Well, “girlfriend” might be a stretch. We hesitate to even call this a real first date. She spent the whole night obsessing over Perry, who posed as Doof’s pet. It’s usually not the best sign when your date is more interested in your pet than you. Oh is hysterical as an overly affectionate animal lover fluent in baby talk. Although she’ll warmly rub a platypus up against her face, Bigfoot is another story. Doof might not be a catch, but after getting pushed off the balcony, it’s not surprising that he didn’t call her up for a second date.

#11: Tina Fey as Annabelle Johnson “Run, Candace, Run”

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“Phineas and Ferb” episodes traditionally have multiple storylines that unexpectedly collide. This is one of the funniest examples. As Candance runs for her life, Doofenshmirtz shows his building to a potential buyer named Annabelle and her partner. In addition to being voiced by Tina Fey, Annabelle shares an uncanny resemblance to the comedian with her brunette hair and signature glasses. Since “30 Rock” was essentially a live-action cartoon, Liz Lemon doesn’t feel out of place here. Just as Annabelle is about to sign the paperwork, Candance accidentally runs away with her to Jeremy’s family picnic. As it turns out, Annabelle is Jeremy’s long lost cousin, ingeniously bridging the two stories together. Also, we could totally see Fey hanging anvils for a living.

Even in its early years, “Phineas and Ferb” managed to line up some high-profile guest stars. In Episode 6, Phineas is forced to face off against Buford after accidentally spilling ice cream on him. Fortunately, Phineas finds an overqualified trainer in heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, who Isabella is quick to recognize. What makes Holyfield especially overqualified is that the two boys don’t even engage in a boxing match. They instead duke it out in a thumb wrestling ring. What do you want? This is Disney, not Scorsese. Although the stakes are relatively low, Holyfield still voices himself with great enthusiasm and surprising comedic chops, reminding us why he’s the champ.

After Phineas and Ferb are finally busted, Candace does a 180 and tries to spring her brothers from reform school. To gain entry, she goes undercover as Morty Williams, a mustachioed talk show host who isn’t afraid to exploit the misfortune of others for financial gain and to further his own career. Yeah, it’s pretty obvious who this is supposed to be a parody of. So, it makes sense that the real Morty Williams would be voiced by Geraldo Rivera himself. Come to think of it, the real Morty Williams might not have been real since this episode was all a dream. In any case, it’s fun seeing Geraldo willingly poke fun at his own persona. We’ll gladly take this over “Trash TV.”

This episode gives us three brilliant cameos for the price of one. Anna Paquin is best known as Sookie Stackhouse on “True Blood,” making her well-suited to play a woman named Kristen in a vampire movie called “Early Evening.” She’s paired with a vampire named Jared, voiced by Vampire Bill himself, Stephen Moyer. The best casting choice, however, is Michael J. Fox as a werewolf named Michael, paying homage to his role in “Teen Wolf.” Michael even wears a shirt with a 42 on it, just like Scott Howard’s jersey in the movie. Much like a werewolf from another vampire franchise, though, he doesn’t know how to keep his shirt on. This show’s knack for parody and smart casting never ceases to amaze.

#7: Malcolm McDowell as Grandpa Reg Various

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We doubt this show’s younger viewers have seen “A Clockwork Orange,” “Caligula,” or the 2009 remake of “Halloween.” Since “Phineas and Ferb” has its fair share of adult fans, however, a good portion of the audience is bound to recognize Malcolm McDowell’s distinctive voice. McDowell voices Reginald Fletcher, Ferb’s biological grandfather and the step-grandfather of Phineas and Candace. Reg has lived a colorful life as a daredevil and with a little help from his grandsons, he gets to fulfill his lifelong dream of jumping McGregor’s Gorge. It’s hard to think of a finer actor to voice this character than McDowell, especially since Phineas and Ferb have an idea of what it’s like to be in Alex DeLarge’s shoes (A Clockwork Orange Parody).

Cloris Leachman has too many memorable roles in her filmography to count, but most people likely recognize her as Frau Blücher from “Young Frankenstein.” Frau Blücher wouldn’t look out of place in a town like Gimmelshtump. So who better than her to voice Doofenshmirtz’s mother? Youngest son Roger has always been the bratwurst of Mrs. Doofenshmirtz’s eye. Meanwhile, she treats Heinz like a piece of strudel that got stuck to her shoe. His mother’s lack of affection has naturally tied into Heinz’s life of evil. Sadly, he has a better chance of taking over the Tri-State Area than winning over his mother’s approval. Leachman also voices Fireside Girls founder Eliza M. Feyersied, which just goes to show what a versatile actress she is.

It’s no secret that Phineas and Ferb have friends in high places. When Phineas needs a stunt singer to perform an inspirational song one morning, Clay Aiken is there in full costume. Chaka Khan also shows up in Ferb’s attire to turn the song into a rousing duet. Speaking of which, “I Believe We Can” is just one of the many songs that you’ll be humming after watching this special episode. It’s Aiken and Khan’s vocals that make the tune particularly catchy, however. Too bad that Candance missed the performance.

#4: J. K. Simmons as Napoleon Various

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This Oscar-winning actor popped up in Season 1 as a toy company owner, channeling the motormouth J. Jonah Jameson. But Simmons also returned towards the end of the show’s run to voice Napoleon, a talking bug. Napoleon is never too far away from his fellow insects: Wendell, voiced by Josh Gad, and Floyd, voiced by Stephen Root. The trio aspires to make contact with humans and join O.W.C.A., but the world remains oblivious to their existence. Despite coming up short, it’ll take more than a textbook to crush Napoleon’s can-do spirit.

#3: Seth MacFarlane as Jeff McGarland “Nerds of a Feather”

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Before “Phineas and Ferb” was picked up, co-creator Dan Povenmire worked on “Family Guy,” most notably directing the first few “Road to…” episodes. While tonally very different, you can definitely see how “Family Guy’s” surreal humor and quality music paved the way for shows like “Phineas and Ferb.” Thus, it was only a matter of time until Seth MacFarlane made a trip to Danville. MacFarlane’s natural speaking voice sticks out as Jeff McGarland, a television executive forced to sit through Doof’s ridiculous pitch for a TV show. McGarland even subtly references the random gags that “Family Guy” is known for. In another witty in-joke, McGarland suggests giving the platypus character a girlfriend, an ill-received idea that Disney actually floated by the show’s creators.

Simon Pegg has made a few guest appearances on the show, even voicing C-3PO in the “Star Wars” special. Yet, the cameo that had us laughing the hardest was Pegg’s reunion with his buddy Nick Frost. Even better, the two reprised their roles from “Shaun of the Dead.” In a zombie parody, Doofenshmirtz accidentally causes a mindless repulsive pharmacist outbreak. In the midst of the pharmacist apocalypse, Shaun suddenly realizes how absurd this scenario is. We mean, turning into an identical Doofenshmirtz is one thing, but where does the lab coat come from? Shaun and Ed become so engaged in conversation that they forget about the mortal danger they’re in. They should’ve just gone to the Winchester and waited for all this to blow over.

Up until his passing in 2018, it was hard to imagine a major Marvel project without a Stan Lee cameo, even one that takes on a more comedic tone like the “Phineas and Ferb” crossover. Lee didn’t disappoint with his contributions to this epic special. In addition to narrating, Lee also voices a hot dog vendor who shares his exact likeness. An especially nice touch, his cart is labeled “Excelsior!” Following the latest superhero/supervillain showdown in New York, the vendor decides to relocate to Danville. Alas, the Marvel characters follow and the vendor’s cart is the most notable casualty. Ah, well, maybe next time he should get a shawarma cart.