The live action Pinocchio cast brings together great performers and voice actors who helped bring the Disney characters to life. Directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay he co-wrote with Chris Weitz, the live-action Pinocchio was first announced back in 2015 and is based primarily on the 1940 animated film of the same name, which takes its cues from the 19th century book The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.
Pinocchio follows a similar path as its animated predecessor. The story is about Pinocchio taking the steps to transform from a wooden puppet into a real boy after Geppetto makes a wish upon a star. The live-action Pinocchio is a combination of onscreen actors as well as a voice cast including Joseph Gordon-Levitt as one of the many CGI characters throughout. Led by Tom Hanks, Pinocchio has a star-studded cast who each do their part to bring their characters to life.
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Tom Hanks As Geppetto
Geppetto is a woodcarver and toy maker. Lonely and wanting a son to call his own, he builds Pinocchio, a wooden boy, before wishing to make him real. When Pinocchio comes alive, Geppetto takes care of him to the best of his ability. Geppetto is an even more tragic character in this version of the story, seeking to have a son after he lost his years earlier.
The animated version of Geppetto was voiced by Christian Rub. The live-action iteration is portrayed by Tom Hanks, who is best known for his roles in Cast Away, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, voicing the character of Woody in the Toy Story franchise, The Green Mile, Big, Apollo 13, the romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle, and The Terminal. He recently starred in A Man Called Otto and Elvis, and will next be seen in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth As Pinocchio
Pinocchio is a wooden puppet boy who is built and carved by his father Geppetto. While the original animated version has Pinocchio getting into trouble and lying before learning how to follow his conscience and be a real boy, this version has him making good decisions based on love but being manipulated and double-crossed. Also, the ending doesn’t have him turn into a real boy but rather remain a puppet which Geppetto realizes he should have accepted.
Pinocchio is voiced by Ben Ainsworth, who is known best for his role as Miles Wingrave in Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor. Ainsworth most recently portrayed a young Alex Burgess in The Sandman, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s comic of the same name. The young actor has also been in Flora & Ulysses and the TV series Son of a Critch.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt As Jiminy Cricket
Jiminy Cricket is an anthropomorphic cricket who is tasked with being Pinocchio’s conscience. Jiminy is a typically joyful creature that keeps an eye out for Pinocchio, even as the wooden boy makes decisions that Jiminy Cricket frowns upon. This version has him once again as the narrator, frequently breaking the fourth wall to talk to the audience.
Jiminy Cricket is voiced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is best known for his roles in (500) Days of Summer, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, 50/50, Lincoln, The Trial of the Chicago Seven, and Don Jon.
Keegan-Michael Key As “Honest” John Worthington Foulfellow
Honest John is a conman who tricks Pinocchio into joining up with Stromboli. Honest John, who is obviously not so honest, is always seen with Gideon, his silent cat friend. The character follows the animated original very closely with the only major change being that he isn’t the one to introduce The Coachman to Pinocchio.
Honest John is voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, who is best known for his work in the sketch show Key and Peele, Keanu, The Predator, the Apple TV+ series Schmigadoon, Dolemite is My Name, Friends from College, and for voicing characters in Toy Story 4, Bob’s Burgers, SuperMansion, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. He also recently lent his voice to the cast of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Kyanne Lamaya As Fabiana & Sabina
Fabiana is a puppeteer who works for Stromboli’s show. Fabiana is responsible for puppeteering the marionette Sabina, the wooden ballerina Pinocchio befriends. Both Fabiana and Sabina are characters created specifically for the live-action remake. Fabiana has one wooden leg which helps Pinocchio realize that he is not a lesser life simply because he is not like the other boys. Fabiana and Sabina are portrayed by Kyanne Lamaya, whose role in the live-action Pinocchio is her first in a feature film.
Giuseppe Battiston As Stromboli
Stromboli is a greedy Italian puppeteer who owns a traveling show. He mistreats all who work for him and takes their money. Honest John brings Pinocchio to work for Stromboli in a bid to make lots of money, and the puppeteer locks him up in a cage to ensure the wooden boy remains with the show. After Pinocchio escapes from his captivity, it is revealed that Stromboli was arrested and the other puppeteers started their own show without him. Stromboli is played by Giuseppe Battison, an Italian actor known primarily for his roles in Italian projects.
Pinocchio Supporting Cast & Characters
Cynthia Erivo As The Blue Fairy – The Blue Fairy appears to grant Geppetto’s wish of Pinocchio being a real boy. She animates Pinocchio, but there are stipulations before she turns him into a real human boy. He has to prove he’s brave, truthful, and unselfish so as to complete the Blue Fairy’s wish. The Blue Fairy is portrayed by Cynthia Erivo, who is best known for Bad Times at the El Royale, Harriet, in which she played the titular role of Harriet Tubman, Widows, and Chaos Walking. Erivo will next appear as Elphaba in the musical Wicked.
Luke Evans As The Coachman – The Coachman is the devious man who owns Pleasure Island, a seedy place where he brings a number of children, including Pinocchio. In the original animation, the Coachman also sold them into slave labor. Luke Evans appeared in another Disney live-action remake as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. He has also appeared in Dracula Untold, Fast and Furious 6, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick – Lampwick is a mischievous kid who befriends Pinocchio when the pair end up on the same wagon to Pleasure Island. Lewin Lloyd is best known for the HBO series His Dark Materials, The Aeronauts, and Judy.
Sheila Atim as Signora Vitelli – Signora Vitelli leads the children to school every morning. Signora Vitelli is a new character created for the live-action. Sheila Atim is best known for the Halle Berry-directed film Bruised, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Underground Railroad, and The Woman King.
Angus Wright as Signore Rizzi – Signore Rizzi is someone who wishes to buy a few of Geppetto’s clocks, though the woodcarver refuses to sell them. Angus Wright is best known for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Courier, and Maleficent.
Jamie Demetriou as The Headmaster – The Headmaster runs the school that Pinocchio is meant to attend when Geppetto sets him out in the world to become a real boy. Following the remake’s trend of Pinocchio trying to do the right thing, he actually makes it to the school only for the Headmaster to throw him out and insist he is not a real boy. The Headmaster is played by Jamie Demetrious who has appeared in The Afterparty, The Great, and Fleabag as well as movies like Paddington 2 and Cruella.
Lorraine Bracco as Sofia – Sofia is a seagull who constantly appears at Geppetto’s house and later helps Jiminy and Pinocchio. Sofia was created specifically for Pinocchio and is voiced by Lorraine Bracco, who is best known for playing Dr. Jennifer Melfi on The Sopranos. Bracco has also been in The Basketball Diaries, Goodfellas, and Rizzoli & Isles.