Wes Anderson is known for assembling great casts, but he has truly outdone himself with the voice ensemble for “Isle of Dogs.” Combining returning favorites like Bill Murray with Anderson newcomers such as Bryan Cranston, Greta Gerwig, and more, “Isle of Dogs” is an embarassment of riches in terms of talent.
Click through the gallery for a visual guide to Anderson’s most star-studded ensemble yet.
Newcomer Koyu Rankin voices Atari Kobayashi, the ward to Mayor Kobayashi and the owner of Spots. After Spots is deported to Trash Island, Atari sets out on a mission to find him.
Spots is Atari’s dog who is the first canine sent to Trash Island as part of Mayor Kobayashi’s deportment initiative. Spots is fiercely loyal to his master. “He’s a very nice dog,” the actor says. “He has a real sense of duty and a real sense of honor and really cares about people.”
Chief is a stray dog who becomes the de facto leader of a group of four canines on Trash Island. Although resistant at first, Chief helps Atari in his search for Spots.
Rex is a house-trained dog who is a bit anxious on Trash Island without a master to serve. “He’s probably comfortable middle class but he has work ethic,” Norton says. “He’s scrappy. But psychologically, Trash Island is difficult for him.”
Murray joins yet another Wes Anderson production as Boss, a former canine mascot who now lives out his days on Trash Island. “When there’s a chance for great success, you need a great mascot,” Murray says. “Somebody that’ll be with you when things are tough and someone you’ll really want to be there when things go well.”
King is a member of Chief’s pack on Trash Island. He’s incredibly loyal and level-headed, often trying to keep peace among all of the dogs.
Duke is one of the members of Chief’s pack of dogs on Trash Island. Whether you believe him or not, he knows rumors about nearly every person, group, and event going on in Megasaki City.
Jupiter is one of the most well-respected and wisest dogs on Trash Island. Chief believes he might be the one to know where Spots is located, so he brings Atari to him for answers.
Before Trash Island was a dumping ground for dogs, it contained a research facility where the government performed tests on dogs. Gondo is the leader of this rascal group of test subjects.
“Oracle is a pug. He’s a companion breed pug. The heart of a dog is a bottomless thing,” says Swinton. Oracle lives with Jupiter on Trash Island and is tapped into her more spiritual side.
Tracy Walker is a high school journalist determined to expose Mayor Kobayashi’s dog flu crisis as anti-canine propaganda. She develops a crush on Atari during her investigation.
Courtney B. Vance joins the likes of Alec Baldwin and F. Murray Abraham as the latest Wes Anderson narrator.
Nutmeg is a former show dog stuck on Trash Island who takes a liking to Chief. “She sees a survivor in Chief,” Johansson says. “She knows what it’s like to lose something and come back stronger and not be afraid of what lies ahead.”
Kunichi Nomura, who also helped Anderson and Roman Coppola write the screenplay, voices the villainous Mayor Kobayashi. The Kobayashi has long been against dogs, so the Mayor issues a decree to banish all canines to Trash Island.
Interpreter Nelson is a broadcast translator in Megasaki City. She is seen on the television translating Mayor Kobayashi’s speeches into English and narrating political events quite literally.
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