Who’s Who in ‘Inside Out 2’: Meet The Voices Powering The Emotions In Riley’s Head

In the first Inside Out, audiences saw the complex mind of Riley Anderson and how different emotions control her life, particularly as she moves to a new city. In Inside Out 2, which takes place two years later, Riley is entering the scary world of being a teenager, which is a situation that can often make a person even more emotional. In this new sequel, Inside Out fans get to see all of the familiar emotions of Riley that they know and love, as well as meet some of her special new emotions. Here is everything that you need to know about the exciting cast of Inside Out 2.

• Lewis Black as Anger

  Feeling rage is only natural, which is why Anger has always been a core emotion for Riley. Anger is represented as a bright red being that gets fiery when mad. While Riley does not get angry that often, Anger always has an opinion on situations that make them upset. Anger may seem like a bad guy, but they are just a somewhat explosive feeling that Riley may have now and then. They are also someone whose bad side should probably be avoided.

  Lewis Black is a stand-up comedian who is known for his angry rants, which makes him a fitting choice for the part of Anger. On Comedy Central, Black hosted the series Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil and he also hosts the “Back in Black with Lewis Black” segment on The Daily Show, which is one of the longest running segments in the show’s history.

  1. Maya Hawke as Anxiety

     Would Riley actually be living the teenager experience if Anxiety wasn’t a consistent presence in her life? Anxiety is a new emotion in her head, an orange character that is constantly worrying about Riley’s future. Anxiety wants to take control in Riley’s mind so that Riley can do her best, but too much Anxiety can only lead to problems. What could happen if Anxiety and their overthinking have too much power in Riley’s mind?

     Maya Hawke made a splash in recent years with her breakout role in Stranger Things. She has also had notable roles in films like Do Revenge and Asteroid City. Hawke has had a long life in the spotlight, as she is the daughter of Oscar nominees Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke.

• Liza Lapira as Disgust

  Sometimes there are things that people just don’t like. That is why Disgust is a big green emotion in a person’s brain. Whether it’s broccoli on pizza or the general environment of a new place, Disgust is there to make their judgment known. They are not a villain, they are just unable to hide their hatred. Disgust is also a large part of being a teenager, as teenagers are notoriously hard to impress. Could that mean an even more prominent future for the emotion of Disgust?

  After previously being played by Mindy Kaling in the first Inside Out, Liza Lapira is taking over the role in the sequel. Lapira is known for her main role in crime drama series The Equalizer. She has also made recurring appearances in other shows, like NCIS, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, and Super Fun Night.

• Paul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment

  Even though everyone makes mistakes, it doesn’t stop the mortification that comes from those mistakes. That is why Embarrassment can be a huge emotion. With its large figure and baby pink coloring, Embarrassment is a new emotion that represents the times that Riley wishes she could just disappear. Considering Riley is now a teenager and may make some missteps in trying to look mature, Embarrassment could show up a lot. At least they are there to keep her humble.

  Paul Walter Hauser’s breakout in his career came after playing the titular character in the drama Richard Jewell. Hauser is also known for his supporting role in Black Bird, which earned him an Emmy and a Golden Globe. He has also had roles in Cobra Kai, Da 5 Bloods, and Cruella.

• Adèle Exarchopoulos as Ennui

  Many people may not be clear on the definition of Ennui. Ennui is defined as a feeling of disinterest and despair. With its representation as an indigo emotion that is always lounging around, Ennui’s disinterest has not become a part of Riley’s mind. If there is ever a time that she is bored with activity or life seems dull, that is Ennui taking control. There can not be excitement all of the time, which is what Ennui is proving to the other emotions.

  Adèle Exarchopoulos is mostly known for her work in French films, but she has become recognizable to many Americans. Exarchopoulos’ breakthrough came from her leading role in the romance film Blue is the Warmest Color, making her the youngest winner of the Palme D’or. Exarchopoulos also made a splash last year in the romantic drama Passages.

• Ayo Edebri as Envy

  People often want what they can’t have. If they see someone else with an item or position that they covet, it can create Envy. Now that Riley is growing older, there may be more that she wants, which is why Envy is a new emotion. Envy is cyan and they may be small, but their wants are loud. They help Riley know what she desires so that she can strive towards her goals. Of course, she can not always reach these goals, which just makes Envy an even stronger emotion.

  Ayo Edebri has been in the spotlight recently, which can be thanks to her Emmy and Golden Globe winning role in The Bear. Edebri also recently received praise for her starring role in Bottoms. She has also appeared in Theater Camp, Big Mouth, and Abbott Elementary.

• Tony Hale as Fear

  The world is a scary place. Even as a child, there can be a lot of situations that cause Fear. That is why Fear, a frantic and skittish purple character, has been a core emotion in Riley’s head. It does not take much to make Fear nervous. Their reactions could be seen as a defense mechanism, a way to make sure Riley gets hurt. That being said, a part of growing up is conquering Fear, so that could be a challenge in Riley’s life as she enters her teen years.

  In the original Inside Out, Fear was voiced by Bill Hader. In this sequel, the emotion is being voiced by Tony Hale. Hale is known for his supporting role in Veep, which earned him two Emmy awards. He was also a memorable main character in Arrested Development. In addition, Hale has been in Toy Story 4, The Angry Birds Movie, and Archibald’s Next Big Thing.

• Amy Poehler as Joy

  Happiness is a large part of Riley’s life, which is why Joy is one of her most important emotions. The sunshine-colored Joy just wants Riley to have fun and believes that she can achieve anything that she sets her mind to. The eternal optimist, as is her nature, Joy has had to learn that it may be okay if a life is not happy 24/7. In this new film, Joy will have to learn to befriend these new emotions so that she can understand how every emotion is important.

  Amy Poehler previously starred as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation, a character that almost feels like a personified version of Joy. Poehler was also a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where she was an anchor on Weekend Update. Other notable films that Poehler has been in include Mean Girls, Sisters, and Wine Country.

• Phyllis Smith as Sadness

  The emotion of Sadness can often be unavoidable. Everyone knows what it is like to be down in the dumps as there are aspects of life that can be real bummers. Sadness, a blue and low-energy character, expresses that feeling inside of Riley’s mind. Sadness can be seen as the antithesis of Joy, but in some ways, they have learned that they need each other to balance out Riley’s mind. They also may need each other again if they want to be able to manage Riley’s new emotions.

  Phyllis Smith rose to fame as one of the main characters in the long-running sitcom The Office. Recently, Smith has also starred in mystery series The OA. Smith received great acclaim for her role in the original Inside Out, so many fans have appreciated the fact that she returned for the sequel.

In Inside Out 2, Riley has nine emotions working inside her head. That can be a lot of emotions for a 13-year-old girl to handle. Nevertheless, each of these nine emotions are important for Riley’s psyche as she grows older and gets ready for high school. Inside Out 2 is currently playing in theaters, so everyone can now see how all of these emotions are getting along with each other and with Riley.