A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (2025)


    Martin Scorsese's fish eyebrows, I'm crying.

    by Evelina Zaragoza MedinaBuzzFeed Staff

    Remember Shark Tale? The DreamWorks movie about a little fish (Will Smith) who became besties with a great white shark (Jack Black)? It was the ninth highest grossing movie of 2004, if you can believe it. With the help of its star-studded cast, it also got a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 77th Academy Awards.

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (2)

    DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection

    Will Smith and Jack Black were hugely popular movie stars in the 2000s, as were fellow voice cast members Renée Zellweger and Angelina Jolie. The supporting characters were almost all part of the movie's shark mafia ring, many of whom were voiced by actors famous for playing mobsters themselves in projects, such asThe Godfatherand The Sopranos.

    The movie actually also faced a little bit of controversy because the shark mafia in the movie allegedly portrayed negative stereotypes about Italian Americans

    Let's see what all those celebrities look like next to their ocean dwelling counterparts, shall we?

    1. Will Smith as Oscar

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (3)

    Peacock / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    From his early music career as the Fresh Prince to his eventual Oscar win for King Richardin 2022, Will Smith has been in the spotlight for nearly 40 years. And like all the great movie stars, he's made just as many headlines offscreen as he has on. You know the one; I do not need to bring it up again.

    Since his Oscar win, Smith starred in Emancipationand reprised his role as Mike Lowrey in the fourth Bad Boys movie. He also reunited with his former music partner DJ Jazzy Jeff to perform at the Grammys 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop celebration.

    More recently, Smith has been inching his way toward a music comeback, and released three singles so far in 2024.

    2. Robert De Niro as Don Lino

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (4)

    NBC / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Robert De Niro's name has been synonymous with tough, grizzled (and often mafia-associated) characters for over 40 years, and his turn as Don Lino the mobster shark was no different, other than being toned down for a PG family cartoon. All his tough guy roles have led to nine Academy Award nominations and two wins forThe Godfather Part IIand Raging Bull.

    One of those Oscar nominations was for his recent turn as real-life crime boss William King Hale in Killers of the Flower Moon, which saw him reunite with frequent collaborator and Shark Tale costar Martin Scorsese. Yes, that's correct: Martin Scorsese voices one of the fish in Shark Tale.

    Despite being in the game just under 60 years, De Niro doesn't appear to be slowing down. He followed up his role in Killers with two more movies in 2023, About My Fatherand Ezra, and has two more expected to release in 2025, titled Alto Knightsand Tin Soldier.

    3. Renée Zellweger as Angie

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (5)

    Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images /DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    From rom-coms and musicals to dramas and voicing a cartoon angelfish, there's little Renée Zellweger can't do. After getting two consecutive Academy Award nominations for her work in Bridget Jones's Diary and Chicago, her first win came in 2004 with Cold Mountain. Then, after countless acclaimed performances, she took a six-year hiatus from acting in 2010.

    Zellweger returned from hiatus in 2016 withBridget Jones's Baby, and in the years since she's starred in the TV showsWhat/IfandThe Thing About Pamand won her second Oscar for playing Judy Garland inJudy.She will embody Bridget Jones for a fourth time in Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025).

    4. Jack Black as Lenny

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (6)

    Presley Ann / Getty Images /DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Lenny, the vegetarian shark, was yet another talking animal to have Jack Black's voice, but the most famous animal in his repertoire is undoubtedly Po from theKung Fu Panda franchise.Black has been voicing Po since 2008 and even won an Emmy for it in 2023. He voiced Po once more in 2024Kung Fu Panda 4.

    He's spent the last decade guest starring in comedies, lending his voice to more animated characters, and touring with his band Tenacious D, but Jack Black's leading man chops can't be denied with his turns in the 2000s hitsSchool of Rock, Nacho Libre, and The Holiday. His next live-action role will be in A Minecraft Movie.

    5. Angelina Jolie as Lola

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (7)

    Samir Hussein / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    These days, Angelina Jolie is known for her humanitarian work as much as her filmography. She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and notably held the position of Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees until 2022.

    Other than Lola the angelfish in Shark Tale, Jolie's only other voice acting role has been Tigress in Kung Fu Panda, which also stars fellowShark Talecast mate Jack Black. She's recently starred in big blockbusters, such asMaleficentand Eternals, but her first time leading a franchise was when she played Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its sequel. She also has three Golden Globes and an Oscar to her name, NBD. Her most recent role is opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín's biopicMaria, which got an 8-minute standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival.

    6. Martin Scorsese as Sykes

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (8)

    Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    You probably know him for directing some of the most iconic movies ever made, but Martin Scorsese has actually also appeared onscreen many, many times. Most of the time he portrays himself in documentaries or tongue-in-cheek appearances in shows likeEntourage, 30 Rock, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also frequently cameos in his own movies, most recently in Killers of the Flower Moon. As for his main gig, Scorsese has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director 10 times, making him (currently) the second most nominated director in history.

    7. Ziggy Marley as Ernie

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (9)

    Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Like his father Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley is an acclaimed reggae musician with 16 albums to his name — eight released with his siblings as part of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, and eight more that he released as a solo artist. He's won 8 Grammy awards from 15 nominations, as well as a Daytime Emmy. He's appeared as himself onscreen several times and has done quite a bit of voice acting, such as his most recent appearance as Lenny in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

    8. Doug E. Doug as Bernie

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (10)

    DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Doug E. Doug's notable film appearances include Jungle Fever, Hangin' with the Homeboys, Class Act, Cool Runnings, and Eight Legged Freaks. He most recently starred in the Netflix comedy Brown Nation, and has previously been nominated for a Film Independent Spirit Award and three NAACP Image Awards.

    9. Michael Imperioli as Frankie

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (11)

    Bruce Glikas / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Michael is best known for playing Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos, largely considered one of the best TV shows ever made. One of his earliest roles was Spider in Goodfellas, which was directed by his Shark Tale costar Martin Scorsese, and he's had a very busy career since. He's appeared in movies includingJungle Fever, Malcolm X, The Lovely Bones, andOne Night in Miami..., and he narrated the Sopranosprequel,The Many Saints of Newark.

    His recent work in The White Lotus earned him an Emmy nomination, and he also appeared onstage in An Enemy of the People alongside Jeremy Strong and Victoria Pedretti.

    10. Vincent Pastore as Luca

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (12)

    Daniel Zuchnik / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Vincent Pastore also starred in The Sopranos asSalvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero, and made an entire career out playing Italian American gangsters. He appeared in crime dramas includingGoodfellas, Men of Respect, Carlito's Way, Gotti, Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn, and The Family.In 2019 he started a pasta sauce business called Vincent Pastore's Italian Sauce.

    11. Peter Falk as Don Feinberg

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (13)

    Victor Spinelli / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Peter Falk was best known for playing Lieutenant Columbo on the hit TV series Columbo, which ran from 1968 to 1978, and then from 1989 to 2003. Younger audiences might know him as the grandfather and narrator in The Princess Bride, and fun fact: He was the first person to be nominated for an Oscar and an Emmy in the same year.

    12. Katie Couric as Katie Current

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (14)

    Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Katie Couric essentially played herself in Shark Tale, and it wasn't the first time that the journalist and presenter did so. She also guest starred as herself in shows like Murphy Brown, Will and Grace, and Glee.As for her day job, Couric cohostedToday for 15 years before moving on to anchor CBS Evening News in 2006,and eventually hosted her own talk show.

    13. Christina Aguilera as a jellyfish version of herself

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (15)

    Variety / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Christina Aguilera has won so many awards over the course of her music career that it's hard to list them all. What could you expect when she won her first Grammy for Best New Artist at age 19? Aside from her nine studio albums, Christina also starred in Burlesque alongside Cher. She doesn't really have a main role in the plot ofShark Tale, but closes out the film singing "Car Wash" with Missy Elliott.

    14. And Missy Elliott as a fish version of herself

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (16)

    Noam Galai / Getty Images / DreamWorks / courtesy Everett Collection

    Joining Christina Aguilera for a rendition of "Car Wash" is Missy Elliott, one of the greatest rappers in history. Over the years, she has released such iconic songs as "Get Ur Freak On," "Work It," "The Rain," and "Lose Control." In 2023, she became the first female rapper inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

    A Bunch Of Movie Stars Voiced Fish In "Shark Tale," And The Animators Really Did Their Thing Making These Celebrities Look Like Fish (2025)
    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Prof. An Powlowski

    Last Updated:

    Views: 5944

    Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

    Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Prof. An Powlowski

    Birthday: 1992-09-29

    Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

    Phone: +26417467956738

    Job: District Marketing Strategist

    Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

    Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.