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A Fun Little Guide To Your Favorite Bluey Characters
Celebrity cameos and all!
First of all, congratulations on reaching this level of interest in a children’s show. No, really, we get it. Bluey has something for everyone — kids, parents, or anyone who just wants a wholesome laugh or an 8-minute cry. From the funny games to the poignant life lessons to the fact (fact!) that every parent on the planet can relate to Bandit and Chilli at some point in the series, Bluey is a crowd-pleaser. But who are the humans behind all our favorite dog characters? Who are the voice actors on Bluey?
We’ve rounded up a (non-comprehensive) look at the main cast of Bluey, as well as a number of celebrity guest stars who’ve apparently leapt at the opportunity to be involved with the series, even if it’s only for a line or two. (Again: we get it, we would absolutely do the same if we were celebs.) From the Heelers to their extended family and the people in their neighborhood (and on their TVs), a lot of people lend their talents to bring this show to our living rooms... and some of them are doing more than just voices.
And so, without further ado, here are the voice actors you need to know...
Bluey
Bluey is the 6 to 7-year-old (depending on the season) titular character of the beloved series. She lives in Brisbane with her mum, dad, and sister where she spends most of her time playing games. Unfortunately for curious fans but fortunately overall, the voice of Bluey is unknown, as child actors in the series are uncredited to protect their privacy. Though series creator Joe Brumm has confirmed that Bluey, Bingo, and some of the other child characters are voiced by children of the production crew.
Bingo
Bingo is 4 years old (5 in later seasons) and the quieter, more agreeable younger sister of Bluey. The pair are best friends and spend all day long playing together. As with Bluey, we don’t know who provides her voice, but we do know that she and Bluey are based on experiences Brumm had with his own daughters.
Bandit
Bandit is Bluey’s dad. When he’s not playing with his kids (and he does... a lot) he’s an archeologist (an homage to Brumm’s brother, who is also an archeologist). He is voiced by David McCormack.
Before he was every preschool parents’ favorite TV Dad, McCormack was frontman for the indie-rock act Custard. According to an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, McCormack apparently landed the role of Bandit by happenstance. “I was walking out of a lift and someone I knew was walking into the lift and they said ‘I know someone who’s making a show about a cartoon dog family. Maybe you’d want to be the dad voice?’” After protesting that he didn’t know how to act, the friend apparently said “Can you read?”
His daughters, Rose and Grace, apparently big fans.
Chilli
Chilli is the (extremely) playful mom (or “mum”) of Bingo and Bluey. She works in airport security and is voiced by Australian actress Melanie Zanetti.
Zanetti was initially involved in the series as a back-up voice. Sound designer Dan Brumm thought she had a great voice and laid down some tracks with her for “maybe in the future.” Zanetti told Jimmy Fallon she had already “fallen in love” with the series pilot when ABC decided to switch up the voice cast. After a months long search, however, they came back to Zanetti, who brought a warmth to the character of Chilli no one else could.
Stripe
Bandit’s brother Stripe — father of Bluey and Bingo’s cousins Muffin and Socks — is played by series creator Joe Brumm’s (aforementioned) brother Dan Brumm. Dan also works as a sound designer on Bluey and has a writing credit for the series as well. Brumm prides himself on his ability to bring “warmth and a down-to-earth sincerity” to his performances.
Trixie
Stripe’s wife and Muffin and Socks’ mom, Trixie, is played by Myf Warhurst, an Australian TV and radio personality perhaps best known as a Team Leader on the long-running music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. She also voices Indy’s hippie-ish mum.
Nana
Bandit’s mum, Chris, is the beloved grandma of Bluey, Bingo, Muffin, and Socks. She lives in an apartment on the Gold Coast, not far from Brisbane, so she’s pretty close to her granddaughters. She is voiced by series creator Joe Brumm’s mother, also named Chris.
Bob
Bob Heeler, Bandit’s dad, has only appeared in one episode of the series (not including the flashback episode “Fairy Tale”) leading many fans to speculate that he may have died or otherwise has an illness that requires special, residential care. Bob is voiced by Ian McFadyen, an well-known Australian television writer, actor, director and producer.
Mort
We haven’t seen much of Chilli’s dad, Mort, but he appears in an incredible touching episode (even by Bluey standards) called “Granddad.” He’s a somewhat rugged guy who likes staying active and throwing himself into outdoorsy work, though is apparently in someone fragile health, per Chilli. He is voiced by Laurie Newman, who does not have any other credits to his name on IMDB, leading some to believe he has a personal connection to the production team.
Calypso
Bluey’s school is a child paradise and it’s very gently led by Calypso, who encourages children with a warm but mostly hands-off approach to life and learning. She is voiced by Meg Washington, who is best known as a singer-songwriter who performs under the name Washington.
Busker
Even a dedicated Bluey fans can be forgiven for not really knowing this character super well. He mostly appears in the background of a couple of episodes, including “Markets” and “Dance Mode,” but we’re including him because Busker is voiced (and designed to look like) series composer Joff Bush. Earlier this year, Bush told Romper that while he was initially unsure about scoring a children’s show, it didn’t take long to convince him: all he had to see was some rough drafts of a couple of episodes. “I was just in tears,” he says. “I was like, ‘Well, I have to do this now.’”
Alfie
Bluey is one of Australia’s greatest exports of all time, but one of the others is surely The Crocodile Hunter, and in “The Quiet Game,” fans get a little bit of both. Robert Irwin, a zookeeper at the Australia Zoo and son of the legendary Steve Irwin, voiced store employee Alfie, who helps save Muffin’s birthday by figuring out exactly which Moonlight Unicorn she wants. (It’s Pendragon.)
The Yoga Instructor
In a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment from the Season 3 episode “Born Yesterday,” Chilli can be seen doing yoga in the living room... and the instructor on the television is none other than actress Eva Mendes. Bluey producer Sam Moor told Kidspot, “We’ve been very lucky to attract the attention of a few celebs now and when we discover that they are a fan of the show, like Eva said her and her family were, we just take the plunge to reach out to them and ask if they would like to voice a cameo role. We were delighted when Eva agreed, and we thought this role would be perfect for her.”
The Documentary Narrator
We love “Whale Watching” from Season 3 because it’s all about parenting hungover, which flies right over kids’ heads but is really funny and relatable for adults. Perhaps Natalie Portman, who provided a brief cameo in this episode as the narrator of a nature documentary, can relate as well.
Brandy
In “Onesie,” Chilli’s sister Brandy, voiced by Bridesmaids costar Rose Byrne, visits the girls for the first time in years. Though cordial, their relationship is clearly complicated.
Though “Onesie” hasn’t aired in the U.S. yet, the episode has already created quite a buzz for broaching the subject of infertility with compassion, sincerity, and painful accuracy. (We expect nothing less from an episode of Bluey.)
Major Tom
When Collider asked Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda what show he’d most like a gust spot on, he says he got through the pandemic by watching Bluey with his wife and sons. “It is the only kids show that the whole family can be hysterically laughing at,” he said. “But I wouldn’t dare guest star on it! You need to be Australian to be on that show!”
Apparently not! Though his cameo as Major Tom (a rare non-dog character) is brief, that didn’t diminish Miranda’s enthusiasm. “Two lines and I’ll never top it,” he told a Brisbane audience earlier this year.
Bluey’s Friends
“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” you may be asking. “What about Muffin and the Terriers and Snickers and Indy and Chloe and Lucky and Pom Pom and Judo and Mackenzie and...”
OK, first of all, well done for knowing the name of so many of Bluey’s friends. Wow. You must watch this a lot. Second of all, as with Bluey and Bingo, the children who play child characters are uncredited and unknown.
Enjoy this information the next time you and your kiddos cuddle up for an episode or two of Bluey.
