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Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. Boasts a Comedy Voice Cast For the Ages

Who's who in Hulu's new animated supervillain series.
  • Patton Oswalt, Melissa Fumero, Beck Bennett, Whoopi Goldberg and Bill Hader are among the comics lending their voices to Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.
    Patton Oswalt, Melissa Fumero, Beck Bennett, Whoopi Goldberg and Bill Hader are among the comics lending their voices to Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.

    The new Hulu animated series Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. is that rarest of birds: a Marvel property that's not streaming on Disney+. That's because M.O.D.O.K. the TV show was developed back in February of 2019 as part of a planned multi-series animated universe for Hulu, before Marvel Studios and Disney+ took over all of Marvel's TV output and the multi-series idea was scrapped. But M.O.D.O.K. remains, based on the comic book character of the same name, a supervillain who's basically a big, giant head with a tiny body, flying around space in a robotic suit, trying to get one over on the superheroes. Of course, when he's not being a huge villain, M.O.D.O.K. is maintaining a secret suburban existence with a wife, two kids, and a whole bunch of domestic frustrations. So who's providing all the voices in M.O.D.O.K.'s world? Read on...

    Patton Oswalt as George Tarleton / M.O.D.O.K.

    M.O.D.O.K. stands for "Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing," so, yes, he's a supervillain, bent on world domination and possessed with a deep hatred of superheroes. He's also a family man living in suburban New Jersey who's facing something of a midlife crisis. Capitalizing on the comedic potential of such a character is comedian/actor Patton Oswalt, whose long stand-up career stretches back to 1988. His TV work ranges from The King of Queens to United States of Tara to Justified, not to mention a famous guest appearance on Parks and Recreation where he delivered an ad-libbed filibuster on the Marvel and Star Wars universes that underlined his street cred as a comic book/genre nerd.

    Aimee Garcia as Jodie Tarleton

    Aimee Garcia is best known for playing Jamie Batista on the Showtime series Dexter and Ella Lopez on the FOX series Lucifer. On the big screen, she co-starred in the 2014 remake of RoboCop and was the narrator for the 2004 Adam Sandler film Spanglish. On M.O.D.O.K., she plays Jodie Tarleton, M.O.D.O.K.'s wife, who is seeking a divorce.

    Ben Schwartz as Lou Tarleton

    Lou Tarleton is M.O.D.O.K.'s carefree, lab-created son. Ben Schwartz is probably best known for playing the scummy but hilarious Jean Ralphio on Parks and Recreation. He starred in the Showtime series House of Lies, is one half of the improv duo Middleditch and Schwartz, and is a regular on the Steve Carell series Space Force. He's also been a hugely prolific voice actor, portraying Dewey in the new Ducktales, Leonardo on the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and as Sonic himself in the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog.

    Melissa Fumero as Melissa Tarleton

    Melissa Fumero has spent seven seasons playing Amy Santiago on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, with one final season to come. She got her start on daytime soap operas, playing Adriana Cramer on One Life to Live, along with some guest appearances on Gossip Girl. On M.O.D.O.K., she plays Melissa Tarleton, daughter to M.O.D.O.K. and Jodie, and unlike her brother, she's got the big robotic space head appearance of her dad (whose approval she's seeking as a supervillain). She's also super popular in high school, and, hooray, bisexual.

    Wendi McLendon-Covey as Monica Rappaccini

    Wendi McLendon-Covey built her reputation as one of the funniest comedy actresses around with her breakthrough role on Reno 911. She followed that up by playing one of the titular bridesmaids in Bridesmaids, and since 2013, she's starred as Beverly Goldberg on The Goldbergs. Her role on MO.D.O.K. is Monica, M.O.D.O.K.'s workplace archnemesis.

    Beck Bennett as Austin Van Der Sleet

    Saturday Night Live star Beck Bennett plays Austin Van Der Sleet, M.O.D.O.K.'s twentysomething boss from the big tech company that bought M.O.D.O.K.'s company out. In addition to his eight seasons on SNL, Bennett has appeared on Shrill and The Other Two. He also voiced Launchpad McQuack on the new DuckTales, and he just recently was a voice performer in Netflix's The Mitchells vs. the Machines.

    Jon Daly as Super-Adaptoid

    Comedian and actor Jon Daly plays Super-Adaptoid, M.O.D.O.K.'s personal robot who has loftier, more artistic ambitions than simply being at M.O.D.O.K.'s beck and call. Daly came up through the UCB comedy program before landing his breakthrough as writer and performer on Comedy Central's Kroll Show. He also starred on Amazon's 2013 series Betas, and on the Showtime comedy series I'm Dying Up Here.

    Sam Richardson as Gary

    Sam Richardson has been in a billion things, but he's almost certainly best known for playing political aide Richard Splett on Veep. He also co-created and co-starred in the comedy series Detroiters along with I Think You Should Leave's Tim Robinson. Richardson has guest-starred on everything from Curb Your Enthusiasm to Portlandia to Bojack Horseman, and most recently he appeared in the Best Picture-nominated film Promising Young Woman. On M.O.D.O.K., he voices the role of Gary, loyal henchman to M.O.D.O.K. who is forever optimistic.

    Jon Hamm as Tony Stark / Iron Man

    While Jon Hamm is best known as the Emmy-winning star of Mad Men, he's also guest starred on countless comedy series, turning in memorable performances on SNL, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, and as the voice of O.T.: the Outside Toilet on Bob's Burgers. Hamm will be voicing the role of Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, a.k.a. yes, the guy Robert Downey Jr. played in all those Avengers movies. As you might imagine he's a huge thorn in M.O.D.O.K.'s side.

    Nathan Fillion as Simon Williams / Wonder Man

    Nathan Fillion is best known for his TV roles on shows like the cult sci-fi series Firefly, and on the ABC procedurals Castle and his current series, The Rookie. Later this year, he'll be appearing in director James Gunn's superhero sequel The Suicide Squad. On M.O.D.O.K., Fillion voices the role of Simon Williams, a.k.a. the superhero Wonder Man, who is also the CEO of Williams Innovations, and who's also sleeping with Jodie.

    Whoopi Goldberg as Marian Pouncy / Poundcakes

    Legendary actress, comedian, talk show host, and EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg lends her voice talents to the role of Marian Pouncy, a.k.a. Poundcakes, a superpowered female wrestler. Goldberg broke through in the 1980s as a comedian and one-woman-show performer, before starring in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple, winning an Oscar for Ghost, and starring in a whole bunch of movies, including two Sister Acts and one Eddie. She's currently one of the co-hosts of The View, and last year she portrayed Mother Abagail on the TV remake of The Stand.

    Bill Hader as Samuel Sterns / The Leader

    Saturday Night Live alum and Emmy-winning creator, writer, and star of Barry, Bill Hader voices the role of Samuel Sterns, a.k.a. The Leader, a supervillain with enhanced vocal chords that produce sonic sound. In addition to SNL and Barry, Hader has appeared in The Skeleton Twins, both parts of the film remake of It, and multiple episodes of Documentary Now!.

    The entire ten-episode first season of M.O.D.O.K. drops on Hulu Friday May 21.

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    Joe Reid is the senior writer at Primetimer and co-host of the This Had Oscar Buzz podcast. His work has appeared in Decider, NPR, HuffPost, The Atlantic, Slate, Polygon, Vanity Fair, Vulture, The A.V. Club and more.

    TOPICS: Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., Aimee Garcia, Beck Bennett, Ben Schwartz, Bill Hader, Jon Daly, Jon Hamm, Melissa Fumero, Nathan Fillion, Patton Oswalt, Sam Richardson, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Whoopi Goldberg