Shrek Characters: Names, Voice Actors and Roles

The main Shrek characters are Shrek (Mike Myers), Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), with Puss in Boots, Dragon, Lord Farquaad, Gingy, Prince Charming, Fairy Godmother, Rumpelstiltskin, Kitty Softpaws and Death in supporting roles. The cast changes from film to film, and several characters pass between actors or between films, so each section names the voice and the film where the character first matters. The sections stick to setup and avoid late plot reveals, which makes them safe reading before a family watch.

Shrek is the ogre who gives the saga its name, and Mike Myers voices him in Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007) and Shrek Forever After (2010). In the first film he is a grumpy ogre who wants to live alone in his swamp until Lord Farquaad sends fairy tale creatures to move onto his land. Chris Farley recorded most of the original lines before his death, and the producers restarted with Myers and his Scottish accent, according to CBS News. Myers is also credited as one of the Blind Mice in the first film, a small reminder that the original cast doubled up on minor parts. Shrek has his own page at Shrek character page.

Donkey is the chatty companion voiced by Eddie Murphy in all four main Shrek films. He meets Shrek in Shrek (2001) and travels with him to Lord Farquaad, and he is the character who turns an awkward partnership into a friendship story, which is a big reason the series works for parents and children together. In my opinion, the setup works because Donkey talks while Shrek barely answers: the first film's trip to Duloc is built on that imbalance. Read more at donkey shrek.

Princess Fiona is voiced by Cameron Diaz and is the princess Shrek rescues in Shrek (2001), from a castle surrounded by lava and guarded by Dragon. In shrek 2 (2004) we meet her parents, King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews), who are shocked to find their daughter and her husband are both ogres. Diaz is billed third in all four main films, behind Myers and Murphy, and that trio is the constant core while the supporting cast turns over. See princess fiona shrek.

Puss in Boots is the swordsman cat voiced by Antonio Banderas, who first appears in Shrek 2 (2004) when Fairy Godmother hires him to get rid of Shrek. Banderas is billed fifth there and fourth in Shrek the Third and Shrek Forever After, then first in both spin-offs. The cat was popular enough for two spin-offs: puss in boots (2011), directed by Chris Miller, and puss in boots the last wish (2022), directed by Joel Crawford. Miller had already directed Shrek the Third and voiced Geppetto and the Magic Mirror in the first Shrek, so the 2011 film kept the series' voice and humor in house. Zach Galifianakis voices Humpty Alexander Dumpty, Puss's childhood friend, in the first spin-off, and Harvey Guillén voices Perrito in the second. Guillermo del Toro is credited as an executive producer on the 2011 film and voices Moustache Man and Comandante, according to Syfy Wire. Start at puss in boots shrek.

Kitty Softpaws is the cat burglar voiced by Salma Hayek Pinault in both Puss in Boots (2011) and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), billed second both times, and her page is kitty softpaws shrek. In the 2011 film she is the skilled thief who shares Puss's target, the magic beans, and works with Humpty. Death, a hooded wolf voiced by Wagner Moura, hunts Puss in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and he has a page at Death character page. TheWrap's behind-the-scenes coverage describes the sequel's fairy tale painting look, stepped animation, and a Wolf design built around its own palette. Compared with the glossy 3D of the 2011 film, the Wolf is the clearest sign of the new style. Setup-wise, the sequel starts when a doctor tells Puss he has one of his nine lives left, and the hooded wolf is already stalking him.

Lord Farquaad is not a king; he is a lord who wants to become king by marrying a princess, and that ambition is why he sends Shrek to rescue Princess Fiona. John Lithgow voices him in Shrek (2001), billed fourth. The distinction is the joke: he has the manner of royalty and none of the title. He is also the one who banishes the fairy tale creatures to Shrek's swamp, which sets the first film in motion. Details at lord farquaad shrek.

Dragon guards the castle where Princess Fiona waits in Shrek (2001), and Gingy is the gingerbread man voiced by Conrad Vernon. Donkey is the one who finds a way past Dragon, winning her over with kind words. Vernon is credited as the Gingerbread Man in all four main films and as Gingy in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. He also co-directed Shrek 2 with Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury, so one of the series' recurring voices helped steer a sequel. In Shrek 2, Dragon gets a short appearance in the post-credits scene with Donkey and several baby dragon-donkey hybrids. Both characters have pages: dragon shrek and gingy shrek.

Rupert Everett voices Prince Charming and Jennifer Saunders voices Fairy Godmother, his mother, in Shrek 2 (2004), where she wants him to marry Princess Fiona. Shrek 2 played in competition at Cannes on May 15, 2004, according to Euronews, a rare honor for an animated sequel. Charming returns in shrek the third (2007) and gathers fairy tale villains because he wants revenge on Shrek. That film also adds Prince Artie, voiced by Justin Timberlake, and a crowd of fairy tale figures including Snow White (Amy Poehler), Cinderella (Amy Sedaris), Rapunzel (Maya Rudolph) and Captain Hook (Ian McShane). In my view, Shrek 2 builds the stronger villain pairing, because Fairy Godmother and Charming are a mother and son with one plan, while the third film spreads its menace across a group. Pages: prince charming shrek and fairy godmother shrek.

Rumpelstiltskin is the scheming dealmaker in shrek forever after (2010), voiced by Walt Dohrn. The film was directed by Mike Mitchell, and Conrad Vernon voices the character in Shrek the Third (2007). Dohrn is billed fifth, ahead of Julie Andrews and John Cleese, which shows how central the part is to the fourth film. He offers Shrek a day as a real ogre in exchange for a day from his past, and the setup is Shrek's frustration at birthday parties and fame. See rumpelstiltskin shrek.

Shrek and Princess Fiona have three ogre babies, a triplet set, who are part of the family when Shrek Forever After (2010) begins. That film opens on a family man who feels trapped by birthday parties and fame, and it is the reason his old swamp life suddenly looks appealing again.

Shrek is a parody of fairy tale conventions in general, not of a single studio. The films borrow figures such as Pinocchio, Peter Pan, the Three Pigs, Snow White, Cinderella and Rapunzel, and twist them for laughs without naming any one company as the target. Pinocchio and the Three Pigs are both voiced by Cody Cameron, who is credited in each of the four main films. The fairy tale cast gets its own guide at shrek fairy tale characters.

Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona appear in all four main films, and Puss in Boots joins from Shrek 2 (2004). For parents choosing tonight's film, all four main films and both spin-offs carry a PG rating in the US. Shrek 5 is scheduled for release in the US on June 30, 2027, after a delay, according to Variety, and the cast list is at shrek cast. For the full film run, see shrek movies and shrek movies in order.