See the“ Futurama” Actors Side-by-Side with the Animated Characters
See the“ Futurama” Actors Side-by-Side with the Animated Characters
Emily BlackwoodTue, August 4, 2026 at 11:30 AM UTC
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Billy West in 2013 ; Philip J. FryCredit: Mark Davis/Getty; Disney/Matt Groening -
Futurama has retained its core voice cast, including Billy West, Katey Sagal and John DiMaggio, since its 1999 debut
The show has moved networks several times, with Hulu reviving it in 2023 after stints on Fox and Comedy Central
Futurama season 14 premiered on Aug. 3
From the 31st century to the present day, Futurama has relied on the same talent to bring its beloved characters to life.
Created by Matt Groening, the Emmy-winning animated comedy follows a pizza delivery boy who gets accidentally cryogenically frozen and wakes up 1,000 years in the future. Since premiering in 1999, the series has changed networks a few times, moving from Fox to Comedy Central before Hulu revived it in 2023.
But through it all, the show has maintained its core ensemble of voice actors, including Billy West, John DiMaggio and Katey Sagal — the latter is best known for her roles in Sons of Anarchy, 8 Simple Rules andMarried... with Children.
“This show, whenever it comes back, people are like, ‘Oh, it’s the same!’ It is the same,” DiMaggio told Varietyin July 2023, in part. “We’ve retained about 75% of the writing staff, consistently. And everybody that’s new is seasoned.”
So, who is behind the Planet Express crew? Here is the Futurama cast side-by-side with the characters they play.
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Billy West as Philip J. Fry, Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth and Dr. John A. Zoidberg
Bill West in 2017 ; Philip J. Fry ; Dr. Zoidberg ; Professor FarnsworthCredit: Joshua Blanchard/Getty; Disney/Matt Groening (3)
West is the voice of not one, but three primary Futurama characters: Philip J. Fry, Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth and Dr. John A. Zoidberg.
Though he’s portrayed other animated characters throughout his career — including Zapp Brannigan in Futurama’, Ren and Stimpy in Ren & Stimpy and Bugs Bunny in the 1996 classic Space Jam, per his IMDb — he said Fry is the closest to how he sounds in real life.
“I made a quick and deliberate choice to try and sound like I sounded when I was 25, which was all whiny and nasally and complain-y,” West told Polygon in July 2026. “I was all over the place back then, but my heart was in the right place, which is exactly what Fry is.”
02 of 05
Katey Sagal as Turanga Leela
Katey Sagal in 2026 ; Turanga LeelaCredit: Jean Baptiste Lacroix / AFP via Getty; Disney/Matt Groening
In addition to being a Golden Globe-winning actress, Sagal has also been successful in voice work since lending her pipes to play Flo Spinelli on Recess in 1997, per her IMDb.
She told The New York Times blog ArtsBeat in June 2010 that Leela had already been cast when Groening called her in to read for the part after they had worked together on Married... with Children.
“I don’t want to know who — I think it’s better that way,” she said at the time, noting that she loves her character’s tough exterior that masks a heart of gold.
Sagal added. “Leela is a little bit higher-pitched than I am. She definitely is more in a younger, higher register. So I bring her up a little bit. But that’s about all I do, really. My voice seems to work for her.”
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John DiMaggio as Bender Bending Rodriguez
John DiMaggio in 2026 ; Bender Bending RodriguezCredit: Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty; Disney/Matt Groening
From Jake the Dog in Adventure Time to Dr. Drakken in Kim Possible, DiMaggio has voiced dozens of iconic characters over the years, per his IMDb.
But none are as memorable as that of Bender, Fry’s snarky, self-serving robot best friend.
“Bender is three different voices blended together into one,” the actor revealed in an April 2020 interview with Vanity Fair, noting that the voices in question include the late Western star Slim Pickens, people who have had too much to drink and a character named Charlie the Sausage Lover that a pal in college made up.
DiMaggio continued, “So you take those three voices together and put them in a blender, and then you get Bender.”
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Phil LaMarr as Hermes Conrad
Phil LaMarr in 2026 ; Hermes ConradCredit: Monica Schipper/Getty; Disney/Matt Groening
Like the rest of the main cast, Mad TV alum Phil LaMarr has voiced Planet Express bureaucrat Hermes Conrad since the show premiered in 1999.
In a February 2020 interview with Vanity Fair, he said that it was The Simpsons creator’s idea to make the character Jamaican.
“Adding the accent gave the character another dimension,” LaMarr explained. “Had Matt not suggested that ... I probably wouldn’t have made it past episode four.”
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Lauren Tom as Amy Wong
Lauren Tom in 2026 ; Amy WongCredit: Emma McIntyre/Getty; Disney/Matt Groening
Lauren Tom has her laugh to thank for landing her the role of Planet Express intern Amy Wong.
During the Rhode Island Comic Con in March 2023, the actress recalled how Groening liked the “crazy loud laugh” she made due to nerves.
“I was so nervous meeting Matt [Groening],” she said, per SlashFilm. “So when I was in the room of course it came out, and he goes like, ‘Wow, that laugh. I don’t know. We gotta — we’ll just figure out somewhere to put you in the show. Alright, you’re in the show.’ So he told me that right in the room.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
