Disney and Pixar officially announced who will take over the late Estelle Harris and Don Rickles as the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story 5. Harris, a veteran voice actress, lent her voice to Mrs. Potato Head starting with 1999's Toy Story 2. The actress had her final stint as the beloved character in 2019's Toy Story 4, and she passed away on April 2, 2022, at the age of 93 from natural causes. Marketing for Toy Story 5 confirmed that Mrs. Potato Head is slated to return alongside the other franchise mainstays, and the House of Mouse confirmed that another voice actress will take over the role. Pixar also revealed Don Rickles' replacement as Mr. Potato Head.
Following the release of Toy Story 5's official trailer, Disney and Pixar confirmed that Jeff Bergman and Anna Vocino will be the voices of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head in the sequel, replacing the late Don Rickles and Estelle Harris, respectively, in the franchise.
Vocino is a veteran voice actress, best known for her roles as the narrator in Snapped: Killer Couples, Greta in Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts, and Oracle in DC Superhero Girls. The actress also has credits in The Last of Us Part II, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Sofia the First: Royal Magic.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bergman is perhaps best known as the voice of many notable Looney Tunes characters, like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Sylvester, in The Looney Tunes Show and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
The actor also voiced Odin in Marvel's What If...? in 2023. Other credits include Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Family Guy, and For All Mankind.
While the late Don Rickles died in 2017, his family granted permission to repurpose existing recordings to allow Mr. Potato Head to appear in Toy Story 4 in 2019. As a result, Mr. Potato Head had a limited but authentic appearance in the fourth installment, paying tribute to the fallen franchise mainstay.
Vocino and Bergman join a stellar voice cast that already includes returning veterans like Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Greta Lee, Conan O'Brien, and Tony Hale.
The upcoming sequel will reunite the core group of toys, including Woody and Buzz, as they deal with the arrival of a brand-new tablet device called Lilypad that disrupts the core concept of playtime for Bonnie. Toy Story 5 is set to premiere in theaters on June 19.
Why Pixar's Recasting of Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head Is Significant
The recasting of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head in Toy Story 5 is more significant than fans think because it highly suggests that the pair will have a more meaningful role in the sequel rather than a limited appearance. This is a bold move, but it makes sense, considering that the pair's dynamic is a fan-favorite element of the Pixar ensemble.
While Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head were absent in Toy Story 5's first look, the recasting completely changes everything because they are poised to play a crucial role in the sequel's narrative.
The archival approach in Toy Story 4 for Mr. Potato Head limited the character's dialogue and ultimately, storytelling opportunities. Recasting the voice actors allows Toy Story 5 to include fresh dialogue and emotional beats that could propel the characters' dynamic with the rest of the ensemble, especially Woody and Buzz.
Ultimately, the recasting cements Pixar's commitment to the full cast of toys returning for perhaps their greatest battle yet against technology.
