Inside Out Cast: Who Voices Joy, Anger, Riley, and Others?

Ever wonder what it would sound like if Amy Poehler threw a tantrum or Lewis Black tried to stay positive? That’s the fun of Pixar's Inside Out films, where comedy legends and rising stars bring emotions to life in Riley’s mind.

Think about it: we've all got that friend who's perpetually cheerful (that's Joy), the one who finds fault with everything (hello, Disgust), and the person who's ready to explode at the smallest inconvenience (yes, Anger).

The genius of Inside Out isn't just in how it visualizes our emotions; it's in how perfectly the Inside Out cast (the voice cast, to be precise) brings these feelings to life.

From Amy Poehler's infectious optimism as Joy to Lewis Black's hilariously volcanic outbursts as Anger, each Inside Out voice actor doesn't just read lines; they become the emotions we all recognize in ourselves.

With Inside Out 2 introducing new emotions like Anxiety and Embarrassment, the voice cast faced an even bigger challenge: convincing us that these animated characters truly live inside our heads.

But here's the twist: you might be surprised to learn that finding the perfect voice for an animated emotion is far from easy, and a few of these casting choices almost didn't happen.

Inside Out Voice Actors and Character Spotlight

Just like Toy Story, Pixar’s Inside Out franchise shows that choosing the right voice—and now, even exploring AI dubbing—can make or break how audiences connect with animated characters.

What is AI dubbing? It uses artificial intelligence to translate and replace audio in videos, mimicking the original actor’s voice while preserving their tone, emotions, and speech patterns.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the key Inside Out characters and the talented voice actors who brought these emotions to life.

1. Riley Andersen

Voice Actors: Kaitlyn Dias (Inside Out), Kensington Tallman (Inside Out 2)

About Riley:

Riley is at the center of the story in both movies. In Inside Out, she’s your typical 11-year-old who’s taking her time to adjust to a new city. She starts school in San Francisco and explores being a hockey player. That’s where different and new emotions start bubbling in her young mind.

In Inside Out 2, she’s 13. Riley's parents try to help her navigate the complexities of adolescence, friendships, and self-identity.

About Riley Andersen's Voice Actors:

Inside Out

Riley Andersen was voiced by Kaitlyn Dias, who was 11 years old at the time of production. As she underwent puberty, her voice dropped during dubbing, and she had to adjust it to sound younger.

Inside Out 2

In the sequel, Dias was replaced by Kensington Tallman, as only an actress matching the character’s age could be hired. Apart from Inside Out 2, Tallman has appeared in shows such as Drama Club and That Girl Lay Lay.

2. Joy

Voice Actor: Amy Poehler

About Joy:

Joy is a protagonist of sorts, the always-optimistic leader among Riley’s emotions. She’s always aiming to keep Riley happy, sometimes to a fault. Her persistent efforts cause conflict with other emotions, particularly Sadness and Anxiety.

In the end, Riley realizes that Joy is only one part of the picture, and that true happiness comes from a healthy balance of all emotions.

About Amy Poehler:

Best known for her work on Saturday Night Live, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, and Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler is a name to reckon with in the comedy genre. Her energetic performance brings Joy to life, making the character both endearing and relatable.

3. Sadness

Voice Actor: Phyllis Smith

About Sadness:

Sadness may seem like the quietest of Riley’s emotions, but it proves essential in helping her face life’s harder moments. In the first film’s powerful conclusion, one of Pixar’s most moving endings, Sadness transforms Joy’s core memories, allowing Riley to fully process her grief and finally open up to her parents about how much she misses Minnesota.

About Phyllis Smith:

Phyllis Smith is best known for her deadpan humor, but acting wasn’t always her path. She began her career as a casting associate before stepping into the spotlight as Phyllis on The Office.

Her signature straight-faced delivery on the show, along with her role in 2011’s Bad Teacher, caught Pixar’s attention. According to People Magazine, those performances helped her land the role of Sadness in Inside Out, where her understated style became the perfect match for one of Pixar’s most beloved characters.

4. Fear

Voice Actors: Bill Hader (Inside Out), Tony Hale (Inside Out 2)

About Fear:

As one would expect, Fear is always on high alert, trying to keep Riley safe from potential dangers. Fear is always on the edge, easily perturbed, and often makes dramatic suggestions to help Riley avoid dangerous situations.

About the Voice Actors:

Inside Out

Bill Hader, known for Saturday Night Live, voiced Fear in the first film.

Inside Out 2

In the sequel, Tony Hale took over the voice acting role for Fear. Hale is known for his comic timing. He played Buster Bluth in Arrested Development and Gary Walsh in Veep. He also voiced the always-confused spork toy Forky in Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story 4.

5. Anger

Voice Actor: Lewis Black

About Anger:

Anger is my favorite character, especially in the first movie. He is quick to react, especially when things seem unfair, ensuring Riley stands up for herself. He gives rise to feelings of rage, irritation, and frustration, and has a tendency to be rude, aggressive, defensive, and resentful.

As such, he’s highly protective of Riley and passionate about the things she should have and how they should be for her.

About Lewis Black:

Black is a stand-up comedian known for his funny rants about topics varying from politics to everyday life, making him the perfect fit for Anger’s explosive personality.

In 2015, Den of Geek interviewed Black about how the movie helped him realize that his anger is driven by the desire for fairness and justice.

6 Disgust

Voice Actors: Mindy Kaling (Inside Out), Liza Lapira (Inside Out 2)

About Disgust:

The green emotion Disgust helps Riley avoid things she finds repulsive, from bad food to social faux pas. Disgust typically expresses herself through highly sarcastic comments and eyerolls. She’s always confident, but can also be rude and dismissive. However, her intentions are always in Riley’s best interests.

About the Voice Actors:

Inside Out

Mindy Kaling, best known for her work in The Office and lead role in The Mindy Project, voiced Disgust in the original film.

Inside Out 2

Liza Lapira replaced Mindy in the sequel. Lapira is recognized for roles in Fast & Furious, NCIS, Dexter, and The Equalizer. She’s also played supporting roles in Cloverfield and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

7. Anxiety

Voice Actor: Maya Hawke

About Anxiety:

Introduced as a new emotion in Inside Out 2, Anxiety represents Riley’s worries about the future, often overwhelming her with “what ifs.”

Orange-colored Anxiety is a self-proclaimed “sophisticated emotion” and lays siege in Riley’s mind at one of her most trying times: just as she’s starting high school.

About Maya Hawke:

Maya Hawke is best known for her role as Robin in Stranger Things. Other than that, she has recently performed supporting roles in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City and Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-nominated Maestro.

8. Embarrassment

Voice Actor: Paul Walter Hauser

About Embarrassment:

Another new emotion, Embarrassment, is physically bulky and strong, but is pretty shy and often hides behind other emotions. He reflects Riley’s self-conscious, socially awkward, and angsty moments during adolescence.

The pink-colored new emotion might also represent sweetness, shyness, compassion, and naiveté, which are a big part of Riley’s personality.

About Paul Walter Hauser:

Paul Walter Hauser has appeared in films like I, Tonya and Richard Jewell. He recently starred as a voice actor in DreamWorks’ animated film Orion and the Dark, and has an upcoming role in The Fantastic Four.

Other notable characters in the Inside Out franchise include Envy, played by Ayo Edebiri; Ennui, played by Adèle Exarchopoulos; Nostalgia, played by June Squibb; Mrs. Andersen, or Riley’s Mother, played by Diane Lane; and Mr. Andersen, or Riley’s Father, played by Kyle MacLachlan.

To add depth to the Inside Out cast's impact, consider that Inside Out 2 grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide in 2024, becoming Pixar's highest-grossing film ever. This success is a testament to how the voice actors' performances resonated with global audiences, driving both emotional connection and box office success.

Inside Out Behind-the-Scenes: Voice Acting Process

Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke Discuss Voice Acting and Pixar

In this interview, Amy Poehler (Joy) and Maya Hawke (Anxiety) delve into their experiences voicing emotions in Inside Out 2. They share personal anecdotes about connecting with their characters and the nuances of bringing complex emotions to life through voice acting. The discussion also touches on the collaborative atmosphere at Pixar and the guidance provided by the creative team to ensure authentic performances.

Watch here: Amy Poehler And Maya Hawke Discuss Voice Acting and Pixar!

Tony Hale and Liza Lapira on Voice Acting and Pixar Magic

Tony Hale (Fear) and Liza Lapira (Disgust) talk about stepping into their roles in Inside Out 2. They discuss the challenges of matching the emotional depth of the original characters while adding their unique touches.

Watch here: Tony Hale and Liza Lapira on Voice Acting and Pixar Magic

Explore AI-Powered Dubbing with Murf

Murf AI brings you Murf Dub, your go-to video & voice dubbing tool when you want to produce high-quality, context-aware voiceovers. 

In animation, voice acting is everything, especially when context drives emotion. Inside Out proves how tone, timing, and delivery can add meaning to every spoken word. But capturing that same nuance across languages and characters? That’s where Murf AI shines. 

While Murf Dub doesn’t offer exact voice replicas, users can enjoy crafting similar-sounding voices for fun, fan content, or creative projects like AI dubbing in video gaming.

Murf AI can replicate voice styles, allowing fans, gamers, voice actors, and podcasters to experiment with dubbing scenes or creating their own voiceovers for characters and fanfiction.

Here are some undeniable benefits of our video dubbing tool.

• Create high-quality dubbing in 20+ languages in minimal time
• Seamlessly match the original speaker’s voice in any language with instant voice cloning
• Choose how to pronounce brand names so they always sound right
• Have every word and phrase in your dubbings reviewed by native speakers
• Avoid the delays and limitations of traditional voiceover work
• Make your animation easier, faster, more realistic and cost-effective with Murf’s  character voice generator 

Murf Dub combines AI and human expertise in dubbing, allowing you to leverage the best of both worlds. The best part? While you extend your content’s reach globally, our tool ensures the original essence of your video is preserved. It delivers your dubbed content fast, ensuring top-notch quality every time.

What’s more, with SOC 2, GDPR compliance and ISO certification, our security framework strictly protects your data in our highly secure servers. So if you’re asking yourself “Is dubbing AI safe?” rest assured that with Murf, AI dubbing future is in good hands!

Want to Try AI Dubbing for Your Animated Project? Try Murf Dub now!