Rick and Morty season 5 is here, and it’s full of returning stars and new voices for the show’s many ridiculous characters. The popular Adult Swim sci-fi comedy series has been infamous for its long breaks between seasons, but that trend has been mended somewhat recently, with only a bit over a year having passed between the end of season 4 and the start of season 5. As fans have come to expect, Rick and Morty season 5 will be loaded with all manner of dimension-hopping adventures, pop culture references, and absurd alien characters, all brought to life by the show’s stellar voice cast.
The end of Rick and Morty season 4 saw something of a shake-up in the dynamics in the Smith household, with Rick losing some of the respect and deferment he’d come to expect from the rest of the family. In other respects, however, things had returned to normal. Beth and Jerry seemed to be making positive strides in their marriage, for better or worse, and Morty and Summer appeared to be growing a bit more independent. That set up some interesting possibilities for season 5, with all the old core characters still in the mix.
One of Rick and Morty’s greatest strengths has always been the hilarious (and occasionally poignant) performances from its voice cast, and that trend continues in season 5. The old stars are back – some voicing new characters in addition to their old ones – and the season will be packed, as usual, with notable guest stars as well. Here’s who’s who in the Rick and Morty season 5 cast, and what the actors actually look like.
Justin Roiland As Rick Sanchez And Morty Smith
Co-creator Justin Roiland is back in season five as Rick and Morty’s eponymous duo. In addition to his work as a writer, producer, and star of the show, Roiland is best known as the creator and star of the Hulu animated comedy series Solar Opposites and as the voice of the Earl of Lemongrab in Adventure Time. Roiland has featured in a number of other animated projects as well, playing Blendin Blandin on Gravity Falls and appearing in other Adult Swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Robot Chicken. In addition to Rick and Morty, Roiland will likely play a number of smaller roles throughout the season, as he has since the beginning of the show. That ensemble will reportedly include the return of fan-favorite character Mr. Poopybutthole.
Spencer Grammer As Summer Smith
Spencer Grammer returns as Morty’s older sister Summer in season 5, where her character takes on a bit more of an independent role. Outside the show, Grammer is best known for playing Casey Cartwright in the ABC comedy series Greek. She’s also featured in other shows like Chicago PD, As the World Turns, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Tell Me a Story. Grammer has said that she’s particularly excited for Summer’s character arc in Rick and Morty season 5.
Chris Parnell As Jerry Smith
Longtime comedy veteran Chris Parnell is back as gullible everyman Jerry Smith in Rick and Morty season 5. Parnell first rose as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, where he performed for nearly a decade during the late ’90s and early 2000s. His other notable live-action TV roles include Dr. Leo Spaceman on 30 Rock, Fred Shay on Suburgatory, and Chris Henkel on the short-lived Comedy Central series Big Lake. Parnell is also a prolific voice actor, whose bigger roles include Cyril Figgis in Archer, Mr. Peabody in The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, and various roles in children’s series like WordGirl, Nature Cat, and Elena of Avalor. His live-action films include Anchorman and Hot Rod, and he’s had roles on numerous animated and live-action comedies like Family Guy, American Dad, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Sarah Chalke As Beth Smith
Rounding out the Smith family, Sarah Chalke reprises her role as Rick’s daughter Beth in Rick and Morty season 5. Chalke is known for a number of prominent live-action TV roles outside Rick and Morty, including Dr. Elliot Reed on Scrubs, Becky Conner on Roseanne, Stella on How I Met Your Mother, and Kate Mularkey in the recent Netflix series Firefly Lane. Chalke currently also voices Gina Jabowski in the animated comedy series Paradise PD. In Rick and Morty season 5, she will voice the show’s main Beth, as well as the fearsome Space Beth, who featured heavily in season 4.
Kari Wahlgren As Jessica
Morty’s longtime high school crush Jessica returns in Rick and Morty season 5, once again voiced by Kari Wahlgren. After several seasons of being little more than a plot point in Morty’s character arc, Jessica is finally getting some new sci-fi storylines of her own this time around. Wahlgren is a seasoned voice actor with an incredibly long resume, including work in anime, western TV, film, and video games. Some of her more notable roles include Tayuya, Ranmaru, and other characters in Naruto, Fuu in Samurai Champloo, Altria Pendragon in Fate/Grand Order, Charmcaster in Ben 10, Tigress in Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness, Faragonda in Winx Club, Ashe in Final Fantasy XII, and Kitana in Mortal Kombat 11.
Dan Harmon As Birdperson/Phoenixperson And Mr. Nimbus
Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon continues to voice some characters in season 5. Most notably, he will reportedly continue to voice Rick’s old friend/nemesis Birdperson/Phoenixperson, as well as the new character Mr. Nimbus – a rival of Rick’s. Harmon is also known for his animated/live-action hybrid series Harmonquest, for hosting the comedy podcast Harmontown, and for various cameo roles in other shows like The Simpsons. He is also the creator of the hit sitcom Community.
Alison Brie As Planetina
Alison Brie features in Rick and Morty season 5 as Planetina, the Captain Planet spoof character who falls in love with Morty. Brie is best known for playing Annie in Community, Trudy Campbell in Mad Men, Ruth Wilder in GLOW, and for voicing Diane Nguyen in BoJack Horseman. She has also appeared in films like Horse Girl (which she also wrote and produced), Promising Young Woman, The Rental, and The Post. Brie voices Princess Unikitty in The LEGO Movie and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.
Michelle Buteau As The Sperm Queen
Rick and Morty season 5 episode 4, “Rickdependence Spray,” features comedian Michelle Buteau as the Sperm Queen – leader of an army of giant sentient sperms accidentally created by Rick and Morty. Buteau is best known for her stand-up comedy, seen in her Netflix special Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia. Her film credits include Veronica in Always Be My Maybe, Martina in Isn’t It Romantic, and Trudy in Happiest Season. Buteau has also appeared in shows like Bless the Harts, China, IL, and The Tick. She is the host of the Late Night Whenever! Podcast and the author of the essay collection Survival of the Thickest.
Christina Ricci As Princess Poñeta
Film veteran Christina Ricci lends her talents to Rick and Morty season 5 as Princess Poñeta, heir to the throne of the subterranean horse-like CHUD creatures. Ricci has had an extensive and acclaimed career on the big screen, with major roles in films like The Addams Family (Wednesday Addams), Sleepy Hollow (Katrina Van Tassel), Monster (Selby Wall), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Lucy), and Speed Racer (Trixie). Ricci has also featured in TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Ally McBeal, Pan Am, and The Lizzie Borden Chronicles.
Darren Criss As Bruce Chutback
In Rick and Morty season 5, episode 5, “Amortycan Grickfitti,” Morty and Summer try to impress the new cool kid at school, Bruce Chutback. Bruce is voiced by Broadway star Darren Criss, better known for his role as Blaine Anderson in Glee. Criss also portrayed Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Raymond Ainsley in Hollywood, and Music Meister in the Arrowverse. Criss has also done a good bit of voice work in his career, playing Raphael in Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Superman in Superman: Man of Tomorrow and Justice Society: World War II.
Timothy Olyphant As Coop
“Rick & Morty’s Thanksploitation Spectacular,” the sixth episode in season 5, features Timothy Olyphant as the U.S. marine Coop, who leads the squad that gets turned into turkeys to defeat Rick. Olyphant is most famous for his roles as Sheriff Seth Bullock in Deadwood and Rayan Givens in Justified. He’s also starred in films like Hitman, The Crazies, and Catch and Release. More recently, Olyphant has featured in Fargo, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Mandalorian, where he played Cobb Vanth.
Keith David As President Curtis
Keith David returns in Rick and Morty season 5 as the often-antagonist, always-narcissistic President of the United States. He also voices the Turkey version of the president in season 5. David is one of the most prolific and popular voice actors working in Hollywood today, known for playing Spawn in Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, narrating several of Ken Burns’ documentaries, and various popular video games including Halo, Saints Row, Mass Effect, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. David voiced Dr. Facilier/Shadow Man in The Princess and the Frog and has had major live-action roles in films like They Live, Cloud Atlas, The Thing, and Requiem for a Dream.
Lauren Tom As Kendra
Seasoned Hollywood star Lauren Tom makes her Rick and Morty debut in season 5, episode 7 as the anime character Kendra, who attempts to overthrow Rick’s plan to build a massive Gogogotron robot. Tom’s other major voice roles include Amy Wong in Futurama, Minh and Connie Souphanousinphone in King of the Hill, and Dana Tan in Batman Beyond. On camera, Tom is best known for playing Lena St. Clair in The Joy Luck Club, Celia Mack in Andi Mack, and Julie in Friends.
Tom Kenny As Squanchy
Tom Kenny returns in some flashback scenes in Rick and Morty season 5, episode 8 as Squanchy, the character he first played in season 1. Kenny is a prolific voice actor who’s portrayed a number of other characters on the show, but he’s most famous as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants. Some of Kenny’s other notable roles include the Ice King in Adventure Time, Heffer Wolfe in Rocko’s Modern Life, and Spyro the Dragon in the video game franchise of the same name.
Cassie Steele As Tammy
Another former Rick and Morty star who returns in the flashback scenes of season 5, episode 8, Cassie Steele reprises her role as the duplicitous intergalactic agent Tammy. On camera, Steele is most famous for her portrayals of Manny Santos in Degrassi: The Next Generation and Abby Vargas in The L.A. Complex. Steele is also a recording artist, having released two full albums and two Eps through the 2000s. The Rick and Morty character Tricia Lange, a classmate of Summer and Morty, is also voiced by Steele.
Nick Rutherford As Nick
In the penultimate episode of Rick and Morty season 5, “Forgetting Sarick Mortshall,” Morty leaves Rick and teams up with a new partner – a charismatic but ultimately dangerous man named Nick. In both his name and his physical appearance, Nick resembles his voice actor Nick Rutherford, who is also a writer on the show. It’s fun to see some more of the series’ writing talent getting behind the microphone, and Rutherford does a great job as the voice of Nick.
Rick And Morty Season 5 Guest Stars
As in the past, Rick and Morty season 5 features a number of famous guest stars to voice one-off characters in different episodes. This season’s list includes comedian Jim Gaffigan, who voices Hoovy in the season 5 premiere, as well as Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs, Boardwalk Empire) as Planetina’s manager Eddie and Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, Legally Blonde) as Daphne. Voice actors like Lee Harting, Nolan North, Phil LaMarr, and Cecilia Gault also all feature in Rick and Morty season 5.