From Toy Story to Soul, John Ratzenberger is the only actor to be in over 20 Pixar films. Does he continue his streak of Disney cameos in Turning Red?
Pixar’s newest release Turning Red is expected to have another cameo from voice actor John Ratzenberger. Over the years, the veteran of Disney-Pixar films has lent his recognizable voice to over 20 titles. From 1995’s Toy Story to the appearance in Incredibles 2 in 2018, John Ratzenberger gave many memorable performances and was expected to pop up perennially.
With the new Disney+ premiere on March 11, Turning Red's coming-of-age tale becomes Pixar's 25th feature film. Commonly, audiences have come to expect John Ratzenberger to appear in each new Pixar movie. The Cheers actor began his journey as the de facto voice actor in the mid-90s, first voicing Hamm in the Toy Story franchise. Ranging from supporting characters to small cameos and Easter eggs, John Ratzenberger was present in almost every Pixar production in one form or another.
However, surprise appearances by John Ratzenberger do not continue in Pixar's Turning Red. Disney-Pixar have continued to exclude the actor for mostly unknown reasons. The logic behind this likely originates in the decision to not cast Ratzenberger in any voice roles for 2021's enormous hit Luca. Prior to Luca, only the Ratzenberger's likeness was used in 2020's Soul. As it would seem, the Disney powerhouse has mostly departed from the trend of featuring John Ratzenberger's voice in new Pixar with the studio's turn towards streaming on Disney+. Turning Red shows that his noticeable absence is not a coincidence.
Previously, the cameos from Pixar's favorite voice actor were plentiful and regular. Like looking for a familiar face, moviegoers can listen for the signature voice of John Ratzenberger in his pantheon of roles. With the Toronto-based Turning Red, keen eyes might notice that Ratzenberger's face did not show up on-screen. His blink-and-you-missed-it cameo in Soul was brief, but it gave fans a morsel of Ratzenberger's likeness. Although the iconic voice was missing, Pixar's team proved that they did not forget about the Cars actor entirely. Even so, Ratzenberger's roles have been dwindling for years. For example, 2017's Coco used his cameo sparingly by giving the actor only one line. Furthermore, Ratzenberger's no-show in Luca gives credence to the actor never showing up in another Disney-Pixar animated feature.
The chances of celebrating John Ratzenberger's return are shrinking with each new Pixar film, a trend that parallels the studio's pressure for their films to be increasingly culturally aware. This may leave the need for the actor behind, while the focus becomes on more diversity in future Pixar projects. Those expecting to see John Ratzenberger in the Chinese culture-themed Turning Red may be left disappointed.
It should be no surprise that the voice acting in Pixar's feature films has shifted in recent years. Recently, diverse casts can be seen in Soul and Luca's voice talent, which is a clear vision for the studio. With this change, previous legacies come to an end, like that seen in John Ratzenberger's history of Pixar cameos. Although it is tradition, John Ratzenberger does not make his famous Pixar cameo in Turning Red. Undoubtedly, the latest Pixar casts can bring talent that will always come with new favorites.
Next: All 6 Pixar Movies & Shows Releasing After Turning Red
