There's a surprising number of major MCU stars who have also voiced characters for Pixar Studios, though their roles can be wildly different. Pixar and Marvel make up two of the biggest movie franchises in the world, evidenced by stars like Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Evans playing characters for both. Despite Pixar releasing 26 films to date and the MCU currently consisting of 30 movies and over a dozen TV shows, there are only 14 actors who have worked for both. Some performers, like Patton Oswalt, Angela Bassett, and Owen Wilson, have played bigger roles for one franchise than the other.
Both studios are owned by Disney, meaning there's a ton of crossover potential for blockbuster additions to resumes. It's easier for MCU stars like Tom Holland or Chris Pratt to film a Pixar project in between MCU movies since animation doesn't require them to change their appearances which could affect their time as Spider-Man or Peter Quill. They also tend to have shorter production schedules, which lines up since MCU movies can take up a lot of time for these stars. Despite that, many actors who appeared in films for both studios did so at totally different eras of their careers.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Valentina Allegra De Fontaine) - A Bug's Life (Princess Atta) & Onward (Laurel Lightfoot)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Pixar career began before she showed up in the MCU, first appearing all the way back in the studio's second feature film, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021).
Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn) - Finding Nemo (Gill)
His portrayal as the Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and was somehow an even better villain the second time around.
Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) - The Incredibles & Incredibles 2 (Frozone)
There is no MCU without Jackson as it was his Nick Fury who showed up at the end of Secret Invasion (set for release 2023).
Owen Wilson (Mobius M. Mobius) - Cars Franchise (Lightning McQueen)
Even if he doesn't have a ton of voice acting credits to his name, Wilson does have one of the most recognizable voices in cinema history. He has used his dulcet tones to bring Lightning McQueen to life in the Cars franchise (2006-present). Wilson recently ed the MCU in 2021's Loki and will be back for season 2 as Mobius M. Mobius. He's one of the few actors who is still playing both characters thanks to the new Cars on the Road series. Lightning is a brash competitor while Mobius has the likable everyman quality that so many Wilson roles share.
Patton Oswalt (Pip The Troll) - Ratatouille (Remy)
Oswalt is a self-professed nerd who has discussed his love for Marvel in the past. His first appearance in the MCU came back in 2014 in disappointing CGI as Pip the Troll, appearing alongside Thanos' brother Eros/Starfox. However, one of Oswalt's biggest roles is the lovable rodent chef Remy in Ratatouille (2007), which earned him an Annie Award nomination. These characters are different but Oswalt nails the quality that makes them all likable.
Michael Keaton (Adrian Toomes) - Toy Story 3 (Ken)
Michael Keaton played two completely different roles across Pixar and the MCU. First, he showed up as a scene stealer in The Vulture, who then showed up in Morbius (2022). As someone who is known for portraying Batman in the past, Keaton managed to dig deep and play one of the MCU's best villains. He truly felt like a man doing horrible things in the name of his family and the unjust world around him.
Jeffrey Wright (The Watcher) - The Good Dinosaur (Poppa Henry)
For the most part, What If...? series (2021-present).
Idris Elba (Heimdall) - Finding Dory (Fluke)
Idris Elba is someone who has been great in action, drama, comedy, and voiceover roles. Although his part in the MCU isn't a leading one, it is still bigger than the role he held in a Pixar movie. Thor (2011) Heimdall, Thor's best friend who controlled the Bifrost. It was a completely serious performance, showing Elba's versatility as he shined here just as he delivered the laughs playing Fluke.
Gael García Bernal (Jack Russell) - Coco (Héctor)
One of the most recent additions to the star-studded MCU cast is the talented Gael García Bernal. The Golden Globe winner appeared in the first MCU "special," Werewolf by Night as Jack Russell, also known as the titular character in that project. For Pixar, García Bernal starred in Coco (2017) as a character who didn't harbor a major secret or have something vicious bubbling inside. He was Héctor, a resident of the Land of the Dead who ended up being the protagonist's ancestor. García Bernal imbued Héctor with his charming personality and made sure the audience would love him before the big reveal of his identity.
Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) - Onward (Ian Lightfoot)
In many cases, Pixar movies are led by actors who are either just breaking out or aren't household names. Onward proved to be different as the film featured two major stars from the Marvel Cinematic Universe leading the way. One half of the Onward pair was Holland, who voiced Ian Lightfoot, the teenage elf who moves the plot forward in his quest to see his father again. Holland brought his signature boyish charm to the role, which is something he perfected in the MCU in which he debuted as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Homecoming. It's almost as if the role of Ian Lightfoot was tailor-made for Holland's skills.
