The Puberty Crew: A Deep Dive Into All 10+ Inside Out 2 Characters And Their Voice Actors

The landscape of Riley Andersen’s mind has undergone a massive, chaotic demolition, and as of this current date in December 2025, the world is still buzzing about the new, complex personalities that have moved in. The highly anticipated sequel, Inside Out 2, successfully navigated the treacherous waters of teenagehood, expanding the emotional headquarters to include a host of sophisticated new feelings that challenge Joy's long-held control, offering a fresh, honest, and often hilarious look at the tumultuous journey of growing up.

This film is not just a simple re-run; it’s an ambitious expansion of the Pixar universe, introducing what fans have affectionately dubbed "The Puberty Crew." The new emotions—Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment—arrive with a wrecking ball, forcing Riley, and by extension, the audience, to confront the messy, complicated realities of developing a more nuanced self-identity. Below is your complete, up-to-date guide to every character, their voice actor, and the vital role they play in Riley's newly complicated life.

Riley Andersen: The Host of Headquarters (The Biography)

The central pillar of the Inside Out franchise is Riley Andersen, whose mind serves as the primary setting for the emotional drama. In the first film, Riley was a cheerful 11-year-old hockey player struggling to adjust after a move from Minnesota to San Francisco. In Inside Out 2, she is a newly minted 13-year-old teenager, facing the daunting social and emotional challenges of high school and puberty.

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• Full Name: Riley Andersen
• Age in Sequel: 13 (a newly minted teenager)
• Voice Actor: Kensington Tallman
• Hometown: Originally Minnesota, currently San Francisco.
• Key Conflict: Dealing with the pressure of high school, making new friends, fitting in with the popular crowd, and navigating her identity as a competitive hockey player. Her mind's Headquarters is literally demolished to make room for new, more complex emotions, leading to an emotional crisis.

The Puberty Crew: Four New Emotions That Changed Everything

The core of Inside Out 2’s narrative revolves around the sudden arrival of four new emotions, often called the "Puberty Crew," who represent the more complex feelings that emerge during adolescence. Their arrival is marked by a literal demolition of the Headquarters console, sidelining the original emotions and leading to a chaotic, high-stakes adventure within Riley’s mind.

1. Anxiety (Voiced by Maya Hawke)

Anxiety is the de facto leader of the new emotions and the primary antagonist (though not villain) of the film. She is a jittery, orange-hued character who believes her job is to prepare Riley for every possible worst-case scenario.

• Character Role: The emotion dedicated to future-proofing Riley, often by overthinking and stressing about social outcomes.
• Personality: Fast-talking, highly organized, and manic, she quickly takes control of the console with the goal of making Riley "good enough" to succeed in high school.
• Voice Actor: Maya Hawke (known for Stranger Things)

2. Envy (Voiced by Ayo Edebiri)

Envy is a small, teal-colored emotion who looks up to everything and everyone else. She embodies the feeling of wanting what others have, a common struggle during the teenage years when social comparison becomes intense.

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• Character Role: The feeling of admiration mixed with a desire for the qualities or possessions of others.
• Personality: Though small and childlike in appearance, her power is significant, constantly wishing Riley had a different life or different friends.
• Voice Actor: Ayo Edebiri (known for The Bear)

3. Ennui (Voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos)

Ennui is the personification of profound boredom and listlessness. She is a lanky, purple character whose entire demeanor is one of complete apathy and lack of interest, perfectly capturing the teenage mood of being "so over it."

• Character Role: The emotion that delivers a sense of uncaring, nonchalant, and existential boredom.
• Personality: She is often seen lying on a couch, using her phone to remotely control the console with a single finger, symbolizing the detached, screen-focused nature of modern teen boredom.
• Voice Actor: Adèle Exarchopoulos (known for Blue is the Warmest Color)

4. Embarrassment (Voiced by Paul Walter Hauser)

Embarrassment is a massive, gentle giant of an emotion who is perpetually shy. He is a large, pink character who is constantly trying to hide, often pulling his hoodie over his face, reflecting the intense self-consciousness that defines early adolescence.

• Character Role: The overwhelming feeling of shame and self-consciousness, especially in social situations.
• Personality: He is quiet, reserved, and physically large, symbolizing how overwhelming the feeling of embarrassment can be. He often tries to make himself invisible.
• Voice Actor: Paul Walter Hauser (known for Black Bird)

The Original Crew: Returning Core Emotions and Recasting

The original five emotions from the first film return, but their roles are dramatically altered by the arrival of the new crew. They are initially dismissed, then literally bottled up and sent on an adventure to reclaim control of Headquarters and restore Riley's sense of self.

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A key piece of current news involves the recasting of two major roles, which is important for fans to note.

1. Joy (Voiced by Amy Poehler)

• Character Role: The primary emotion of happiness and the original leader of the Headquarters team.
• Personality: Optimistic, energetic, and determined, she struggles to accept that Riley's emotional life needs to become more complex than just being happy.
• Voice Actor: Amy Poehler

2. Sadness (Voiced by Phyllis Smith)

• Character Role: The emotion of melancholy and necessary reflection.
• Personality: Slow-moving, empathetic, and surprisingly insightful, she remains a crucial element in Riley’s emotional balance.
• Voice Actor: Phyllis Smith

3. Anger (Voiced by Lewis Black)

• Character Role: The emotion of passion, fairness, and frustration.
• Personality: Fiery, short-tempered, and loud, he often acts as the muscle or the voice of defiance.
• Voice Actor: Lewis Black

4. Fear (Voiced by Tony Hale) - Recast

• Character Role: The emotion of safety and caution.
• Recasting Note: Bill Hader, who voiced Fear in the first film, did not return for the sequel. The role was recast.
• Voice Actor: Tony Hale (known for Arrested Development)

5. Disgust (Voiced by Liza Lapira) - Recast

• Character Role: The emotion of aversion and protection from things that are socially or physically toxic.
• Recasting Note: Mindy Kaling, who voiced Disgust in the first film, did not return for the sequel. The role was recast.
• Voice Actor: Liza Lapira (known for The Equalizer)

The Unexpected Bonus Emotion: Nostalgia

Adding further depth to Riley's burgeoning teenage mind is an emotion that only makes sense as a young adult begins to look back on their childhood. While not a core member of the "Puberty Crew" in the main conflict, this character makes a brief but memorable appearance, symbolizing the start of looking back on "the good old days."

• Character Name: Nostalgia
• Character Role: The emotion of sentimental longing for the past.
• Personality: She is an older, grandmotherly figure who appears briefly to remind everyone of a happy memory, only to be quickly ushered away because, as a teenager, Riley doesn't have enough past to be nostalgic yet.
• Voice Actor: June Squibb

The Enduring Topical Authority of Complex Emotions

The genius of Inside Out 2 lies in its ability to take abstract, clinical psychological concepts and turn them into relatable, vibrant characters. The introduction of emotions like Anxiety and Ennui is a masterstroke in topical authority, aligning the film with modern discussions around mental health and the pressure faced by today’s adolescents.

The film’s central conflict—Joy learning that she cannot simply suppress the negative or complex emotions—is a powerful lesson. It reinforces the idea that a healthy, well-adjusted sense of self is not built on a single emotion, but on the coexistence and acceptance of a whole spectrum of feelings, from the bright yellow of Joy to the frantic orange of Anxiety and the heavy pink of Embarrassment. The film beautifully articulates that complexity is not a defect, but a necessary component of a rich and authentic personality, making the new characters vital additions to Riley's and the franchise's emotional core.