Will Smith turned into a pigeon.
Honestly, that’s the elevator pitch for Spies in Disguise, and it’s a weird one. Blue Sky Studios—the same folks who gave us Ice Age—took a massive swing with this 2019 animated flick, and a huge reason it actually lands is the Spies in Disguise cast. It’s not just a bunch of random celebrities phoning it in for a paycheck. There’s a genuine, crackling energy between the leads that makes the ridiculous premise of a "super spy avian transformation" feel, well, almost plausible.
You’ve got the suave Lance Sterling and the socially awkward tech genius Walter Beckett. But beyond the big names on the poster, the supporting lineup is packed with Oscar winners, Marvel veterans, and sitcom legends that you likely heard but couldn't quite place while watching.
The Odd Couple: Smith and Holland
It’s almost impossible to talk about the Spies in Disguise cast without starting at the top. Will Smith plays Lance Sterling. Smith is basically playing a caricature of his own public persona here—ultra-confident, a bit arrogant, and obsessed with his own brand. It’s a riff on the "Agent J" vibe from Men in Black, but dialed up to eleven.
Then you have Tom Holland as Walter Beckett. At the time this was being recorded, Holland was already deep into his tenure as Peter Parker, and he brings that same frantic, "I’m just happy to be here but also terrified" energy to Walter. Walter doesn't want to build bombs; he wants to build glitter clouds and inflatable hugs.
The chemistry works because they actually recorded some of their lines together, which is surprisingly rare in big-budget animation. Usually, actors are stuck in a booth alone, talking to a wall. But the directors, Troy Quane and Nick Bruno, pushed for that real-time interaction. It shows. When Walter is nerding out over "biodynamic concealment" and Lance is just staring at him in disbelief, the comedic timing feels lived-in.
Ben Mendelsohn as the Guy You Love to Hate
Every spy movie needs a villain with a weird hand or a grudge. Enter Killian. Ben Mendelsohn voices the antagonist here, and if you’ve seen him in Rogue One or Ready Player One, you know he does "simmering menace" better than almost anyone in Hollywood.
Killian is a guy with a bionic arm and a serious bone to pick with Sterling. Mendelsohn doesn't do a "cartoon" voice. He keeps it grounded, raspy, and genuinely threatening. It provides a necessary weight to the movie. Without a villain who feels like a real threat, the stakes of Will Smith being a pigeon would feel too low. Mendelsohn makes you believe that a guy who can control thousands of lethal drones is actually going to kill our feathered hero.
The Internal Affairs Squad
Rashida Jones pops up as Marcy Kappel, the Internal Affairs agent chasing Lance. She’s the straight man to the entire movie's chaos. Jones has this specific way of delivering lines that makes her sound like the only adult in the room, which is perfect for a character who thinks her top agent has finally gone rogue.
But wait. Look at her team.
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Karen Gillan (Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy) voices Eyes, and DJ Khaled voices Ears. Yes, DJ Khaled. It’s one of those casting choices that feels like a fever dream, but it weirdly fits the "Internal Affairs" vibe where everyone has a specific codename and a quirky job. Gillan, using her natural Scottish accent for once in a major blockbuster, brings a dry wit to Eyes that balances out Khaled’s... well, Khaled-ness.
Reba McEntire and the Surprising Depth of the Supporting Cast
One of the coolest things about the Spies in Disguise cast is how it sneaks in legends. Reba McEntire plays Joy Jenkins, the head of the agency. She’s the "M" to Lance Sterling’s Bond. Having a country music icon voice the director of a top-secret spy organization is a choice I didn't see coming, but her Southern drawl gives the character a maternal yet authoritative "don't mess with me" vibe.
Then there’s Masi Oka as Katsu Kimura. You might remember him as Hiro from Heroes. He plays a Japanese arms dealer who gets caught in the middle of a really messy interrogation scene early in the film. It’s a small role, but it highlights the global scale the movie was trying to hit.
Why the Casting Matters for the Movie's Message
This isn't just a movie about a bird. It’s a movie about "teamwork" vs. "going it alone." Lance Sterling starts the film thinking he’s the only one who matters. Walter Beckett thinks gadgets can save the world without hurting people.
The voice actors had to sell this shift in philosophy. When Holland’s voice cracks as he talks about his mother (a police officer who died in the line of duty), it hits home. It’s not just a slapstick comedy. It’s about the legacy of non-violence. Smith, too, has to transition from "cool guy" to "vulnerable pigeon," and his vocal performance shifts from deep and resonant to high-pitched and frantic.
Technical Stats and Real-World Impact
Spies in Disguise didn't just happen overnight. It was actually based on an animated short called Pigeon: Impossible by Lucas Martell. Turning a six-minute silent short into a 102-minute feature required a massive expansion of the world.
- Production Budget: Roughly $100 million.
- Box Office: It pulled in about $171 million worldwide.
- Studio Context: This was actually the final film released under the Blue Sky Studios name before Disney shut the studio down following the Fox acquisition.
The film has gained a second life on streaming platforms like Disney+, where parents are discovering that it’s actually a lot smarter than the trailers suggested. It tackles the ethics of drone warfare—pretty heavy for a kid's movie—and the Spies in Disguise cast carries that weight without losing the fun.
The "Bread" Scene and Viral Moments
You can't talk about this cast without the "bread" scene. When Lance first turns into a pigeon, he discovers the "blessing and the curse" of being a bird—specifically the inability to resist a piece of bread on the ground.
Will Smith’s vocal performance during this sequence is basically a masterclass in physical comedy via audio. The way he tries to maintain his dignity while his "bird brain" takes over is hilarious. It became a massive hit on TikTok and YouTube, largely because Smith’s voice is so recognizable that hearing it come out of a tiny blue bird is inherently funny.
A Note on the Soundtrack
While not strictly "cast members" in the acting sense, Mark Ronson curated the soundtrack, bringing in names like Anderson .Paak and even more of DJ Khaled. The music acts like a character itself, reinforcing the "cool spy" aesthetic even when the protagonist is literally pooping on someone's shoulder.
How to Spot the Cameos
Next time you watch, pay attention to the background voices. There are several veteran voice actors like Grey Griffin and Jess Harnell who fill out the world. These are the "utility players" of Hollywood who make the world feel populated and real.
The nuance is in the details. Like how Peter S. Kim voices the character of Kimura’s associate, or how the animators modeled Walter’s movements after Tom Holland’s actual physical tics. Holland is notoriously energetic in the recording booth—climbing on chairs and waving his arms—and the animators captured that "bouncing off the walls" energy perfectly.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Night
If you’re planning to revisit Spies in Disguise or watch it for the first time, here is how to get the most out of the experience:
- Listen for the Accents: Notice how Karen Gillan gets to keep her Scottish accent. It’s a rare treat and adds a layer of "global intelligence" to the IA team.
- Watch the "Gadget" Reveals: Pay attention to how Walter’s gadgets reflect his personality. Every single "weird" invention he has actually comes back to play a role in the finale. It’s tight screenwriting.
- Contrast the Tone: Compare the first 10 minutes (a straight-up Bond parody) with the middle 40 minutes (a buddy comedy). The cast manages to bridge that gap without making the movie feel like two different films.
- Look for the Blue Sky Easter Eggs: Since this was their final film, there are subtle nods to Ice Age and Rio hidden in the background of some of the city scenes.
The Spies in Disguise cast turned what could have been a generic "animal transformation" movie into a surprisingly deep meditation on how we fight our battles. It’s funny, it’s weird, and it’s got Will Smith making pigeon noises. Honestly, what more do you want?
Check out the behind-the-scenes "B-Roll" footage on YouTube if you want to see Holland and Smith actually riffing in the booth. It’s clear they were having a blast, and that energy is exactly why the movie still holds up years later. Focus on the interplay between the "super-spy" tropes and the "pacifist-tech" tropes; that’s where the real heart of the movie lives.