What is the cast of “The Boondocks” up to now?
Satirical, political, and thought-provoking, "The Boondocks" captured and critiqued the nuances and zeitgeist of Black identity in America from 2005 to 2014. Aaron McGruder's animated adaptation of his manga and anime-inspired comic series of the same name ran for four seasons on Adult Swim. The comedy follows Robert Jebediah "Granddad" Freeman and his two grandsons, Riley and Huey, after moving from the southside of Chicago to Woodcrest, a fictional and predominantly white suburb. In the neighborhood, the family gets into all sorts of situations. The episodes often recounted or alluded to actual people and events, like the election of former President Barack Obama and one of the series most controversial episodes on the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Trending
Upcoming Luther Vandross documentary gets an official trailer
New York grand jury indicts Harvey Weinstein on new sex charges
Where are the voice actors responsible for one of the top Black animated series ever? Here's an update on the Freemans, DuBois, and old Uncle Ruckus.
1. Riley and Huey Freeman (Regina King)
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4q1MU4SufZ/
One of the biggest household names in Black Hollywood, Regina King's bustling career began on the sitcom, "227." Since then, the actress has starred in major films like Ray, The Harder They Fall, and If Beale Street Could Talk. In 2022, King paused her career after the unfortunate loss of her only son. She returned to the big screen in 2024 with Shirley and will star opposite Zo? Kravitz and Austin Butler in the upcoming crime thriller Caught Stealing.
In discussing her resilient determination to complete Shirley, which began filming a month before her son’s passing, King told Harper’s Bazaar, “I know Ian would have felt like if I didn’t finish something because of a choice that he needed to make, then I wasn’t honoring him,” King says. “We all landed at the finish line on Ian’s wings. He guided us there.”
2. Robert Jebediah "Granddad" Freeman (John Witherspoon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNI-4fvuexQ
Sadly, John Witherspoon passed away on Oct. 29, 2019. Before his death, the critically acclaimed actor, known for his staple roles as Mr. Jones in the Friday film trilogy and John “Pops” Williams in "The Wayans Bros." He was also a recurring cast member on the Adult Swim series, "Black Jesus." Witherspoon is considered a Black cultural icon, revered for his "ability to convey fatherly frustration with comedic flair," as The Atlantic described in his obituary.
3. Thomas "Tom" DuBois (Cedric Yarbrough)
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cp760oIA869/
Cedric Yarbrough is known for more than his voice work. The actor was a longtime cast member of "Reno 911" for nearly twenty years. He's also starred in ABC sitcoms, "The Goldbergs" and "Speechless." In 2023, he joined the cast of "Lucky Hank," alongside "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" star Bob Odenkirk. However, AMC canceled the comedy-drama after one season.
4. Sarah DuBois (Jill Talley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc1aen0-nxA
For those who grew up watching "SpongeBob SquarePants," you might recognize the name Jill Talley as Plankton's computer wife, Karen, but probably not her voice, which is much different from Sarah. With a fruitful career in both children's and adult animated series, Talley voices characters on Nickelodeon's "The Loud House'' and Netflix's "Chicago Party Aunt," among several other versatile roles.
5. Jazmine DuBois (Gabby Soleil and Kiarah Pollas)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnduXFBNMYA
Gabby Soleil has kept a low profile since voicing Jazmine DuBois in seasons one through three of "The Boondocks." She did not reprise the role for season four or five, being replaced by Kiarah Pollas. Pollas has continued acting, recently starring in a few TV series.
6. Uncle Ruckus (Gary Anthony Williams)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNRYHZAGZ0s
The credits haven't stopped rolling in for the voice actor behind the obnoxious, controversial, oddball Uncle Ruckus. You may know Gary Anthony Williams' face as Abe Kenarban in "Malcolm in the Middle," but the comedian has voiced dozens of characters over his lengthy career. Along with "The Boondocks," he's starred in several adult animation series, such as "Bob's Burgers," "Velma," "American Dad!" and "Rick and Morty." Fans can expect to continue seeing his work on the screen. He is a recurring cast member on several shows and will portray Detective Flass in Amazon Prime Video's "Batman: Caped Crusader.”
You Might Also Like
