What the cast of Guillermo del Toro's 'Pinocchio' looks like in real life
Palmer Haasch
- Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" stop-motion animation adaptation has a star-studded cast.
- Del Toro has worked with a number of the film's stars before, like David Bradley and Ron Perlman.
Gregory Mann plays the titular Pinocchio, a wooden boy eager to experience life. Mann also voices the human boy Carlo in the film.
In the film, Gepetto carves Pinocchio while overwhelmed with grief over the premature death of his son, Carlo. The wood sprite eventually brings Pinocchio to life, and he embarks on a fantastic, albeit trying, journey in fascist Italy.
Mann has previously appeared in the TV series "Victoria," as well as in "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society."
David Bradley plays Pinocchio and Carlo's father, the skilled carpenter and grieving parent Geppetto.
Geppetto is a master woodcarver who turns to alcohol while mourning his son Carlo, who was killed by a stray bomb. After he learns that Pinocchio has been given life, he reluctantly becomes the wooden boy's father.
Bradley is known for playing groundskeeper Argus Filch in the "Harry Potter" films, and has appeared in other del Toro series including the "Tales of Arcadia" animated trilogy and "The Strain."
Ewan McGregor plays Sebastian J. Cricket, the memoirist who takes residence in Pinocchio's body and — to a certain degree — acts as his conscience.
An author determined to finish his memoir, Sebastian J. Cricket gets roped into Pinocchio's story after he makes a home in the tree from which Pinocchio was carved. He also narrates the film.
McGregor is best known for the "Star Wars" prequel films, in which he played Obi-Wan Kenobi. He has also appeared in "Moulin Rouge!," "Trainspotting," and "August: Osage County."
Burn Gorman plays the priest of the local church.
In the film, the priest commissions Geppetto to create a wooden statue of Jesus Christ for the church, later chastising him when he stops working on it after the death of his son, Carlo.
Burn Gorman is known for his work on the British television series "Torchwood," as well as roles in del Toro's film "Pacific Rim" and the series 'The Expanse."
Ron Perlman plays the podestá, which is the title given to the highest civil government official in an Italian city during the Fascist regime.
The podestá initially questions Geppetto about Pinocchio, before later recruiting him as a soldier for the Italian army alongside his own son, Candlewick.
Perlman is best known for his titular role in the 2004 "Hellboy" film and its sequel and has worked on previous del Toro projects including "Pacific Rim" and the "Tales of Arcadia" series.
John Turturro plays a town physician referred to in the film as a dottore, which is Italian for "doctor."
The physician examines Pinocchio after his first "death."
Turturro is known for his recent role in the television series "Severance," as well as roles in "Barton Fink" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
Finn Wolfhard plays Candlewick, the podesta's son.
Candlewick is the son of the podesta, and though he initially provokes Pinocchio, the two later become friends while bunking together at a military camp for boys.
Wolfhard is best known for his role as Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series "Stranger Things," as well as roles in "It" and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."
Christoph Waltz plays Count Volpe, a conniving circus master who believes Pinocchio to be his star.
Count Volpe preys on Pinocchio the day that he's supposed to attend school, instead recruiting the puppet to perform in his traveling circus. He wants to keep Pinocchio in his clutches but mistreats both him and Spazzatura, Volpe's monkey companion.
Waltz is best known for his roles in "Django Unchained" and "Inglourious Basterds."
Cate Blanchett voices Count Volpe's right-hand monkey, Spazzatura.
Spazzatura is Count Volpe's go-to man — er, monkey. Initially, he's jealous of the attention that Pinocchio gets from Volpe. After some conflict, however, the two later band together and become friends.
Blanchett is best known for her role as Galadriel in "The Lord of the Rings" franchise, as well as her roles in "Carol" and the recent film "Tár." She also appeared in del Toro's "Nightmare Alley."
Tim Blake Nelson plays the various Black Rabbits, a group of casket bearers who continuously greet Pinocchio in the afterlife.
The Black Rabbits bear Pinocchio's casket to the afterlife after his first death, later greeting him when he realizes that he can't die. After their duties are done, the Rabbits play various card games to pass the time.
Nelson is best known for his roles in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs." He also appeared in the HBO series "Watchmen."
Tilda Swinton plays the Wood Sprite and Death, sisters who dually govern Pinocchio's fate.
The Wood Sprite is the creature who first gives life to Pinocchio, figuring him a companion for Geppetto to raise after the death of his son. Death, on the other hand, welcomes Pinocchio each time that he dies, making him wait slightly longer each time to return to the mortal realm in accordance with nature's rules.
Swinton is known for her roles in Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer" and "Okja," as well as other films like "We Need to Talk About Kevin."
Tom Kenny plays dictator Benito Mussolini in the film.
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini makes an appearance in the film, given its fascist Italy setting. He attends one of Count Volpe's performances, but orders Pinocchio to be shot after he mocks Mussolini to get back at Volpe.
Kenny has a storied voice acting career, including iconic roles like Gary the Snail and the narrator in "SpongeBob Squarepants," several roles in del Toro's "Tales of Arcadia" series, and coincidentally, Geppetto in a different Pinocchio adaptation that came out in 2021.
Popular Right Now
Popular Keywords
Advertisement