What The Cast Of South Park Looks Like In Real Life

More than 30 years ago, a couple of University of Colorado students — Trey Parker and Matt Stone — came up with a wild idea that would change animation forever. That idea turned into South Park, one of the most iconic (and controversial) adult cartoon shows ever made. Fast forward to 2025, and the show’s still killing it. Yep, South Park is still the top-rated series on Paramount Plus, and its creators just officially joined the billionaire club.

Over the years, South Park has grabbed several Emmy Awards, winning for Outstanding Animated Program in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2013. Not bad for a show that started as a scrappy, low-budget animation shared on VHS, right?

What’s crazy is how the tiny mountain town of South Park has exploded with characters. From weird locals to random celebrities (and let’s be honest, some hilariously terrible celebrity impressions), the show’s world just keeps getting bigger. And yep, there are even some real celebrity cameos in there that most fans probably missed.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone still write most of the episodes with their core team, and they also handle a ton of the voice work themselves. Seriously — these guys voice half the town. But as the show grew, a few more insanely talented voice actors jumped in, many taking on multiple roles too.

So, if you’ve ever wondered what the real cast of South Park looks like — the creative geniuses behind Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny — here’s a peek behind the curtain.

Trey Parker plays a ton of South Park characters

Trey Parker isn’t just the co-creator of South Park — he’s basically half the town. Seriously, this guy voices a ton of characters, including everyone’s favorite mini chaos machine, Eric Cartman. Yep, the chubby little edge-lord from South Park Elementary started out as a mix between a spoiled kid and Archie Bunker, but over the years, Cartman’s turned into something way darker — a full-blown evil genius with a big mouth, a messed-up sense of morality, and a mom who spoils him rotten.

Funny thing is, Parker and Matt Stone once said Cartman actually reflects more of themselves than Stan or Kyle — the two characters they originally created as their own “normal” alter egos. Kinda wild, right?

One of Trey Parker’s all-time favorite roles to voice is Randy Marsh, the over-the-top dad who somehow manages to get more ridiculous every season. Turns out, Randy’s actually based on Parker’s real dad — and when Trey first started voicing him, he said it came easy because he was literally just imitating the voice he’d grown up hearing. As he’s gotten older, Parker admits it’s only gotten easier… mostly because he’s slowly turning into his dad.

And yep, Trey also voices Stan Marsh, Randy’s son and the character based on Parker’s own younger self. Even the family names hit close to home — Randy and Sharon Marsh are named after Trey’s real parents, Randy and Sharon Parker.

But that’s not all. Trey’s vocal range is insane — he also voices Mr. Garrison, Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo, Clyde Donovan, Timmy Burch, Jimmy Valmer, Stephen Stotch, Phillip (from Terrance and Phillip), and even the unforgettable City Wok owner Tuong Lu Kim.

Basically, Trey Parker’s the voice of half of South Park. Not bad for a guy who started out animating cardboard cutouts in college.

Matt Stone also plays a bunch of South Park folks

Just like his creative partner-in-crime Trey Parker, Matt Stone is the voice behind a ton of South Park’s most iconic characters. He’s basically the other half of what makes this crazy Colorado town come alive.

Matt voices Kyle Broflovski, who’s basically his cartoon alter ego, along with Kyle’s dad, Gerald Broflovski. But that’s just the start. He’s also the guy behind Kenny McCormick — yep, the kid who’s always dying and mumbling through that orange parka. Funny thing is, Kenny was actually based on Matt’s real-life childhood friend — also named Kenny — who used to wear the same kind of orange coat that muffled his voice.

And get this: the real Kenny grew up poor, just like his animated version. He didn’t “die” all the time, of course, but he did have a weird habit of disappearing for days. Everyone would think something bad happened — then, boom, he’d just show up again. That little quirk became one of the most famous running gags in South Park history.

Matt also lends his voice to Stuart McCormick (Kenny’s dad), and the ever-awkward Butters Stotch, who was actually inspired by the show’s animation director and longtime friend, Eric “Butters” Stough.

And because this is South Park we’re talking about, Matt Stone also voices some completely off-the-wall characters — including Saddam Hussein and Donald Trump (yep, both of Satan’s weirdly similar boyfriends), Jimbo, Terrance (of Terrance and Phillip fame), Tweek, and even Jesus himself.

Even after all these years, Matt still loves doing the show. He’s said that working on South Park feels like “coming home.” No pressure, no need to build something from scratch — just two best friends having fun doing what they’ve always done: making people laugh, cringe, and sometimes question humanity.

Eliza Schneider – Wendy Testaburger

The fourth-grade chaos at South Park Elementary just wouldn’t hit the same without Wendy Testaburger — Stan’s long-time crush, sometimes girlfriend, and the only person in town with any real sense. She’s smart, confident, and not afraid to call out Cartman’s nonsense. Basically, she’s the show’s dose of sanity in a sea of madness.

But here’s something most fans don’t realize — Wendy Testaburger has actually been voiced by four different actors over the years. The very first was Mary Kay Bergman, who brought Wendy to life from 1997 to 1999. Bergman absolutely loved playing her — she once said Wendy was one of her favorite roles because she was “sweet, smart, and a little unpredictable.” Sadly, after Bergman’s passing in 1999, another talented voice actress stepped in to keep Wendy’s story going.

That actress was Eliza Schneider, who joined the South Park cast right after Bergman’s death. And man, she didn’t just voice Wendy — she basically became the voice of almost every woman in South Park for a while. Schneider voiced Liane Cartman (Eric’s mom), Sharon Marsh, Shelly Marsh, Carol McCormick (Kenny’s mom), and Alexis Testaburger (Wendy’s mom), among others. Talk about range!

Outside of South Park, Eliza’s done voice work for some seriously iconic video games — think Kingdom Hearts II, Diablo III, and a bunch of others. But she’s not just a voice actor — she’s also a dialect coach who helps actors master accents and languages. She once said in an interview with VO Boss, “I’ve merged dialects, accents, language, and music — it’s all sound to me. It’s how I interact with the world. It’s just who I am.”

Schneider eventually left the show after Season 7 due to a contract dispute, but her impact on South Park is undeniable. She helped shape Wendy and so many of the show’s most memorable female characters — and that’s something fans will never forget.

Mona Marshall – Sheila Broflovski

Mona Marshall has been one of the unsung heroes of South Park since she joined the cast back in 2000. She stepped in after the passing of Mary Kay Bergman, joining at the same time as Eliza Schneider, and instantly became a core part of the show’s voice team. If you’ve ever laughed, cringed, or groaned at Sheila Broflovski (Kyle’s overprotective, loud, and hilariously dramatic mom), that’s Mona bringing her to life.

Marshall’s no newbie to the world of voice acting either — her resume is massive. She’s voiced characters across anime, animation, and video games, from Digimon and Naruto to big-name gaming titles. When Schneider left South Park, Mona also took over as Wendy Testaburger, showing off just how versatile she really is.

One of her toughest roles, though? The school bus driver. Not because of the performance — but because her dog hated the voice she used for the character! Apparently, every time she practiced it, her dog would start growling or leave the room. Now that’s dedication to your craft.

Over the years, Mona has voiced a ton of South Park residents — Linda Stotch (Butters’ mom), Linda Black (Tolkien’s mom), Henrietta Biggle (everyone’s favorite goth girl), and of course, Wendy Testaburger. But if you ask her which role means the most, it’s Sheila Broflovski.

As a Jewish woman herself, Mona says she totally gets Sheila’s vibe. In an interview with Cracked, she joked, “I have an aunt like that. God bless her. She’s no longer alive, thank God. But if you’re Jewish, honey, you got one in the family somewhere. So, I have a blast doing her.”

That blend of humor and authenticity is exactly what makes Mona Marshall so perfect for South Park. She doesn’t just voice the characters — she feels them.

April Stewart – Stan’s mom Sharon Marsh

When Eliza Schneider left South Park, the show needed someone who could handle a bunch of strong, hilarious female voices — and that’s when April Stewart stepped in. She joined the team in the early 2000s and has been crushing it ever since. Today, she voices Sharon Marsh (Stan’s mom), Shelly Marsh (his delightfully rage-filled sister), Liane Cartman (Eric’s clueless but lovable mom), Mayor McDaniels, Carol McCormick, Principal Victoria, and even Wendy Testaburger. Basically, she’s the heartbeat of all the major women in South Park.

This year, April Stewart actually celebrated her 20th anniversary on the show — two whole decades of chaos, cursing, and Cartman!

When she first auditioned for South Park, April was pretty new to voice acting and, funny enough, didn’t even realize what she was trying out for. But clearly, the universe had a plan. Not only did she land one of the most iconic gigs in animation — she also ended up marrying the sound booth director who recorded her audition. Talk about fate!

April says she especially loves voicing Sharon Marsh. She told Cracked that Sharon-heavy episodes are “like therapy” for her because of how real and relatable Sharon’s meltdowns and sarcasm can be. The back-and-forth between Sharon and Randy Marsh — the eye rolls, the frustration, the “Oh my God, Randy!” — it’s comedy gold, but also feels kind of real for anyone who’s been in a long-term relationship.

She’s also super proud to voice Wendy Testaburger, saying, “I love everything she stands for.” Wendy’s smart, confident, and stands up for what she believes in — and April really connects with that.

Beyond South Park, April’s voice can be heard in tons of other hit projects. Her video game credits include Fallout 4, BioShock Infinite, and Marvel Heroes — massive titles that fans still obsess over. She’s also been part of animated hits like The Legend of Korra, The Loud House, The Penguins of Madagascar, and Regular Show.

In an interview with Talking Voices, April said that working on video games feels a lot like doing theater — it’s expressive, raw, and full of emotion. And that’s probably why her performances always hit so hard.

Jennifer Howell – Bebe

Even though Jennifer Howell doesn’t voice a bunch of characters like the rest of the South Park crew, her impact on the show is still huge. Since 1997, she’s been the voice of Bebe Stevens, aka Wendy Testaburger’s best friend and one of the sassiest fourth graders in South Park Elementary. Bebe’s confident, funny, and has that “I know I’m cooler than you” energy that makes her stand out in every episode she’s in.

Jennifer’s voice work on South Park is actually pretty limited — Bebe is the only character she plays. But that’s because Howell’s real passion has always been behind the scenes. She started out as the supervising producer on South Park and later moved on to become a producer at 20th Century Fox TV’s animation division, where she helped develop and manage some massive hits.

Fun fact: South Park is kind of a family affair for Jennifer. Her husband, Bruce Howell, works as a composer on the show, and their son, Jesse Howell, actually voiced Ike Broflovski (Kyle’s little brother) when he was just a baby. Talk about keeping it in the family!

Outside of South Park, Jennifer has built a seriously impressive resume in animation. She’s worked on major titles like Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Boss Baby, Trolls, and Abominable. She even served as Head of Production on Trolls World Tour, one of DreamWorks’ biggest animated sequels.

But Jennifer doesn’t just stick to cartoons. She’s also been involved in live-action TV projects like Shooter and School of Rock, proving she’s got range way beyond animation.

Most recently, Howell reunited with Trey Parker and Matt Stone to work on their deepfake AI production company, Deep Voodoo, which blends technology, comedy, and cutting-edge animation. It’s the kind of futuristic, weirdly perfect move that only a South Park alum would make.

Vernon Chatman – Towelie

Vernon Chatman, the voice behind South Park’s most chill (and possibly most absorbent) character — Towelie — has one of the most interesting backgrounds of anyone in the cast. Before joining the South Park team, Chatman was already a seasoned stand-up comedian and comedy writer, working on classic shows like The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show, The Chris Rock Show, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. That comedy grind eventually led him to South Park in 2001, where he joined as both a writer and the voice of everyone’s favorite weed-loving towel.

When Towelie made his debut, fans instantly loved him — a talking towel who’s always high and somehow manages to drop life advice between puffs? Iconic. Chatman’s been voicing him ever since, and by 2007, he’d also become one of the show’s producers, helping shape the series behind the scenes.

What’s funny, though, is that Vernon himself is nothing like Towelie. In an interview with Toonado, he laughed, saying, “It’s funny because I’ve never been a big pothead.” So yeah, that signature stoner vibe? Pure acting skill — backed by more than two decades of voice training.

Outside South Park, Vernon Chatman has built a cult following for his other projects. He’s the twisted genius behind Wonder Showzen, Xavier: Renegade Angel, and The Heart, She Holler — all brilliantly weird, dark comedies that push boundaries just like South Park does.

And while Towelie is his main gig, Chatman’s popped up as a few other South Park characters too. He spoofed Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Inception” character Dominic Cobb in the Season 14 episode “Insheeption.” He also voiced a version of himself as part of the ridiculous “Butt Out!” motivational group, and even took on the role of Tiger Woods in “Sexual Healing” — the episode where the boys play a hilariously inappropriate version of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11.

Basically, Vernon Chatman is the definition of creative chaos — a comedy writer, producer, voice actor, and absurdist mastermind who helped make South Park the edgy cultural phenomenon it still is today.

Isaac Hayes – Chef

For the first nine seasons of South Park, one of the most beloved characters in the entire series wasn’t one of the kids — it was Chef, the smooth-talking, soulful school cafeteria cook voiced by the legendary Isaac Hayes. Chef wasn’t just comic relief — he was the kids’ voice of reason, their go-to adult when everything else in South Park went off the rails (which, let’s be real, was always).

Isaac Hayes was already a Grammy- and Oscar-winning soul legend, famous for hits like “Theme from Shaft,” but South Park introduced him to a whole new generation of fans who might never have known his music otherwise. In a 2006 interview with The A.V. Club, Hayes admitted that when Trey Parker and Matt Stone first asked him to sing “Chocolate Salty Balls,” he thought they were completely nuts. But after seeing how it blew up — becoming one of the show’s most iconic songs — he was glad he rolled with it.

Unfortunately, Hayes’ time on South Park ended in controversy. Despite the show’s long history of making fun of everyone and everything — from celebrities to politicians to religion — things got tense after Parker and Stone aired the now-infamous “Trapped in the Closet” episode, which poked fun at Scientology, the religion Hayes belonged to. Shortly after that, he left the show.

At the time, it seemed like Hayes quit in protest. But years later, in 2025, his son Isaac Hayes III told The Hollywood Reporter that the story wasn’t what everyone thought. According to him, his father would never have left the show on his own. He said that Isaac Hayes Sr. had suffered a stroke around that time and was surrounded by Scientologists who made the decision for him while he was vulnerable. “He would never have quit that show,” his son said firmly.

It’s a heartbreaking twist for fans who loved Chef — not just because of his deep voice and hilarious one-liners, but because Isaac Hayes brought something genuinely warm and soulful to South Park. His character might have been over-the-top, but he also had heart — and that’s something no one could ever parody.

Adrien Beard – Tolkien Black

Adrien Beard might not be the loudest name in Hollywood, but if you’ve watched South Park anytime in the last 20 years, you’ve definitely heard (and seen) his work. Beard is the voice of Tolkien Black — yes, Tolkien, not Token anymore — the cool, level-headed kid who’s basically the only sane one in the chaos of South Park Elementary.

When Tolkien first appeared back in Season 3, he was actually voiced by Trey Parker. But soon after, Adrien Beard took over and totally made the character his own. And unlike a lot of the show’s cast who came from writing or acting backgrounds, Beard’s path to South Park came through his artistic talent.

He was one of those “art kid” types in high school — insanely creative, always sketching, and obsessed with comics and film. He started studying at Pasadena’s ArtCenter College of Design, but quickly realized it wasn’t the right vibe. The focus on fashion design and industry networking just didn’t click with him. So, he made a bold move — dropped out, lived in his van for a bit (seriously), and later transferred to CalArts, one of the most legendary animation schools in the world.

That gamble paid off. Adrien eventually joined the South Park team as a storyboard artist, where he helps turn Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s insane ideas into visual reality. In the 2011 behind-the-scenes documentary “6 Days to Air: The Making of South Park,” Beard talked about how South Park Studios operates differently from most animation houses. In a typical studio, you’ve got separate teams for storyboarding, backgrounds, and character design — but in South Park, everyone does everything. As Beard put it, “Everybody in here does all that.”

That “all hands on deck” approach also led him to voice acting. Like Jennifer Howell (who voices Bebe Stevens), Beard mostly sticks to one main character — Tolkien Black — but he’s also voiced Tolkien’s dad, Steve Black, and even Squirrely the Squirrel in the wild “Imaginationland” episodes.

Beyond the voice work, Beard’s artistic eye is a huge part of what gives South Park its distinctive look and feel — that intentionally crude animation style that somehow still feels cinematic. He’s proof that sometimes the best creative paths aren’t straight lines — they’re scribbles that lead you somewhere unexpected.

Real Celebrities on South Park

If there’s one thing South Park has never been shy about, it’s roasting celebrities — badly, hilariously, and unapologetically. The show even warns you right up front with its famous disclaimer: “All celebrity voices are impersonated… poorly.” And honestly, that’s part of the magic.

Over the years, South Park has delivered some of the most gloriously terrible celebrity impressions in TV history. We’re talking Stevie Nicks the Goat (yep, Trey Parker actually bleating like a goat in Season 5), Al Gore shouting about “ManBearPig,” Tom Cruise hiding in closets, Sally Struthers, Mecha Barbra Streisand, and Michael Jackson dancing his way through absurd storylines. Most of these voices came straight from Trey Parker, Matt Stone, or cast members like April Stewart and Mary Kay Bergman — because why hire the real deal when you can have the creators do ridiculous impressions themselves?

But South Park didn’t stop at fake celebrity chaos — they’ve also landed some seriously big real-life guest stars over the years. Thanks to the legendary Season 2 episode “Chef Aid,” the show opened the floodgates for musical icons to join the fun. We’ve seen Korn (in a Scooby-Doo-style episode), Robert Smith from The Cure saving the day, Radiohead showing up to roast Cartman, and appearances from rock legends like Ozzy Osbourne, Ween, Primus, Rancid, Elton John, Meat Loaf, DMX, Devo, and Rick James.

And that’s just the music side. Over in Hollywood, South Park has pulled in some massive names too — Jennifer Aniston, Cheech and Chong, Malcolm McDowell, Henry Winkler, and even George Clooney, who famously voiced… a dog. Yep, before winning Oscars, Clooney showed up as Stan’s gay dog, Sparky, in one of the earliest episodes.

Behind the scenes, South Park has also had a rotating door of comedy talent. Jimmy Kimmel’s brother, Jonathan Kimmel, spent six years writing for the show and voiced everyone from Family Guy’s Peter Griffin to Jimmy himself. Even Bill Hader — yes, the SNL and Barry star — worked on the writing team and popped in for voice roles like Alec Baldwin.

It’s kind of wild when you think about it — between the deliberately awful impressions, surprise A-list cameos, and rock stars turned cartoon heroes, South Park has somehow managed to stay as relevant, outrageous, and unpredictable as ever.