The 15 Biggest Secrets Of The Shrek Voice Actors: Who’s Returning For Shrek 5 In 2026?

As of December 2025, the world of Far Far Away is buzzing with the most exciting news in years: the core voice cast of the *Shrek* franchise is officially reuniting for *Shrek 5*, slated for a 2026 holiday season release. The return of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz is a monumental moment, especially since it marks the end of a long acting hiatus for one of its biggest stars. This article dives deep into the iconic actors who brought the beloved characters to life, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets, their complete biographies, and what they are working on right now, ensuring all the information is current and fresh. The original four *Shrek* films and the *Puss in Boots* spin-offs have cemented the voice actors as legends in animated cinema, turning a simple fairy tale parody into a multi-billion dollar franchise. The voice work is so integral to the characters' success—from Shrek’s signature Scottish brogue to Donkey’s fast-talking brilliance—that the announcement of the original cast reprising their roles for the fifth installment is a major relief for fans globally.

The Core Cast: Full Biographies and Current Projects (2025/2026)

The success of *Shrek* rests on the shoulders of four comedic powerhouses. Here is a detailed look at the actors behind the most famous ogre, donkey, princess, and swashbuckling cat in cinema history, including their most recent career updates.

Mike Myers (Voice of Shrek)

• Full Name: Michael John Myers
• Born: May 25, 1963, in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.
• Key Non-Shrek Roles: Wayne Campbell (*Wayne's World*), Austin Powers (*Austin Powers* franchise), various characters on *Saturday Night Live*.
• Current Projects (2025/2026): Myers is primarily focused on the return to the swamp for *Shrek 5*. While he has been selective with his live-action roles in recent years, his commitment to the ogre confirms his passion for the franchise that defined his voice acting career.

Eddie Murphy (Voice of Donkey)

• Full Name: Edward Regan Murphy
• Born: April 3, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
• Key Non-Shrek Roles: Axel Foley (*Beverly Hills Cop*), Prince Akeem (*Coming to America*), various characters on *Saturday Night Live*, Dr. Dolittle.
• Current Projects (2025/2026): Murphy is enjoying a significant career renaissance. His upcoming projects include the action-comedy film *The Pickup*, which is slated for a 2025 release, and an intimate Netflix documentary titled *Eddie*, exploring his nearly 50-year career in comedy and film.

Cameron Diaz (Voice of Princess Fiona)

• Full Name: Cameron Michelle Diaz
• Born: August 30, 1972, in San Diego, California, U.S.
• Key Non-Shrek Roles: Tina Carlyle (*The Mask*), Natalie Cook (*Charlie's Angels* franchise), Mary Jensen (*There's Something About Mary*).
• Current Projects (2025/2026): Diaz is officially ending her long-running acting hiatus (which began around 2014) to return to Hollywood. Beyond *Shrek 5*, she is set to star in the Netflix action-comedy *Back in Action* and the upcoming Netflix film *Bad Day*, confirming her full-scale return to the screen.

Antonio Banderas (Voice of Puss in Boots)

• Full Name: José Antonio Domínguez Bandera
• Born: August 10, 1960, in Málaga, Spain.
• Key Non-Shrek Roles: Alejandro Murrieta/Zorro (*The Mask of Zorro*), El Mariachi (*Desperado*), Salvador Mallo (*Pain and Glory*).
• Current Projects (2025/2026): Banderas continues his highly active international career, balancing film roles with his passion for theatre production in Málaga. He is also involved in various new international film projects and commercial ventures, maintaining a busy schedule alongside his confirmed return for *Shrek 5*.

The Shocking Secrets Behind the Iconic Voices

The *Shrek* films are renowned for their voice acting, but the process was anything but conventional. Several major creative decisions and casting choices almost changed the course of the franchise forever.

The $5 Million Accent Change That Saved Shrek

One of the most famous pieces of *Shrek* trivia revolves around Mike Myers' voice for the title character. Originally, Myers recorded all of Shrek’s dialogue for the first film using a Canadian accent, similar to his voice for the character Linda Richman from *Saturday Night Live*. However, late in the production process, Myers felt the character needed a different, more working-class, yet soulful voice to convey his outsider status. He suggested changing the accent to Scottish, a nod to his mother's heritage. The studio, DreamWorks Animation, agreed and spent an estimated $4 to $5 million to re-animate and re-record all of Shrek's lines with the now-iconic Scottish brogue. This last-minute creative gamble is widely credited with giving Shrek the unique charm and depth that made the film a hit. The Scottish accent specifically helped contrast Shrek's character against the high-society, posh English accent used by his nemesis, Lord Farquaad.

The Donkey Who Inspired Donkey

Eddie Murphy's Donkey is arguably one of the greatest animated sidekicks of all time, but the character's look and mannerisms were inspired by a real-life animal. The animators based Donkey's physical design on a small, fuzzy donkey named Perry, who lived at the Barron Park Donkey Project in Palo Alto, California. While Murphy's rapid-fire comedic delivery and improvisation defined the voice, the visual team studied Perry's expressions and movements to give the animated Donkey his lovable, often frantic energy. This blend of real-life inspiration and Murphy's genius improvisation created a character whose voice performance earned him a BAFTA nomination.

The Original Shrek Voice Actor

Before Mike Myers was cast, the role of Shrek was originally given to the late comedian Chris Farley. Farley had recorded nearly 80-90% of the dialogue for the film before his tragic death in 1997. The original version of Shrek, as voiced by Farley, was intended to be more of a grumpy but sweet character, closer to a regular guy. After Farley's passing, the creative team decided to completely overhaul the character's vocal style, leading to the casting of Myers and the subsequent accent change that defined the franchise.

The Expanding Universe: Supporting and New Voices in Shrek 5

The *Shrek* universe is rich with memorable secondary characters, many of whom are voiced by equally famous actors and directors. The upcoming *Shrek 5* is also introducing a new generation of characters, voiced by some of the hottest names in Hollywood right now.

Key Supporting Voice Actors

• Lord Farquaad: Voiced by the acclaimed actor John Lithgow.
• Puss in Boots: Voiced by Antonio Banderas, whose performance led to two successful spin-off films.
• Fairy Godmother: The main antagonist of *Shrek 2* was voiced by English comedian and actress Jennifer Saunders.
• Prince Charming: Voiced by English actor Rupert Everett in *Shrek 2* and *Shrek the Third*.
• Gingerbread Man (Gingy): Voiced by DreamWorks writer and director Conrad Vernon, who also co-directed *Shrek 2*.
• Pinocchio & The Three Little Pigs: Voiced by director and storyboard artist Cody Cameron.
• Queen Lillian: Voiced by the legendary actress and singer Julie Andrews.

The New Generation: Shrek 5 Cast Additions

The upcoming *Shrek 5*, which is currently in pre-production, will feature the return of the main cast but will also introduce the now-grown children of Shrek and Fiona, bringing in a new wave of celebrity voice talent. This is the freshest update for the franchise.

• Felicia (Shrek and Fiona's daughter): Voiced by Emmy-winning actress and global star Zendaya.
• Fergus (Shrek and Fiona's son): Voiced by comedian and *Saturday Night Live* star Marcello Hernández.
• Farkle (Shrek and Fiona's son): Voiced by actor Skyler Gisondo, known for his roles in *Booksmart* and *The Righteous Gemstones*.

The inclusion of these new, highly popular voice actors not only refreshes the cast but also ensures the franchise appeals to a new generation of fans. The continuity of the original cast combined with the excitement of new additions like Zendaya, Marcello Hernández, and Skyler Gisondo makes *Shrek 5* one of the most anticipated animated films in the 2026 release slate.