About 11 minutes into the first episode of the Hulu series Woke, Keef (Lamorne Morris) hears two strangers talking about him in a store. He soon realizes that the voices are coming from two liquor bottles that only he can hear. It’s the beginning of multiple inanimate objects, including a t-shirt and a marker, trying to convince Keef to use his platform as a cartoonist to discuss political issues while hilariously roasting him.
Most of the comedy in Woke comes from Keef’s conversations with these everyday items and that’s because they are all voiced by talented, funny actors and a few comedy legends. Cedric the Entertainer, one of the Original Kings of Comedy, pops up as a trash can to point out to Keef that hipsters are gentrifying his neighborhood. Even in the form of a bin Cedric the Entertainer can deliver belly laughs and a reality check.
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He’s not the only comedian who makes an unexpected cameo. The eight-episode first season is filled with voiceovers, some items only talk for one scene and others appear for multiple episodes. In case you can’t place the voice of the funny man or woman making you laugh, here’s a list of the voice cast of Woke and which inanimate object they bring to life.
Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images.
JB Smoove Is The Voice Of Marker
Since Keef is an artist, he receives the most substantial life advice from the marker. The marker also appears in almost every episode of the series and JB Smoove never fails to get in a few funny quips when he turns up.
JB Smoove has dabbled in so many comedic projects throughout his career and even served as a Saturday Night Live writer for three years. Currently, he is also using his voice acting skills on Harley Quinn and has guest roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Last O.G.
Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images.
Nicole Byer Is The Voice Of The 40 oz. Bottle
Nicole Byer, as a liquor bottle, is one of the first voices Keef hears. I would be thrilled to get tips from Byer, but Keef is, understandably, a little freaked out that a drink is talking to him.
Byer has come a long way from her Girl Code days. She’s doing everything now from voicing a character on Tuca and Bertie to hosting the baking competition show Nailed It!, for which is Emmy nominated.
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
Tony Hale Is The Voice Of Butter
Butter is one half of the Toast and Butter duo, the light-hearted cartoon series that makes Keef popular. Unlike most of the talking objects, Hale’s character wants Keef to remain neutral with his artwork so he can keep making the same cartoons.
Hale is mainly known for his comedic work on Arrested Development and Veep. Most recently, he has basically become the king of voiceovers as he voices characters on Harley Quinn, Cross Swords, and Forky Asks a Question as the one and only Forky.
Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images.
Cedric the Entertainer Is The Voice Of The Trash Can
Given one of his most well-known roles is playing Eddie in the Barbershop franchise, it’s only fitting that Cedric the Entertainer shows up as a trash can outside a barbershop. He makes Keef realize that his favorite barber left the neighborhood because of gentrification.
Cedric the Entertainer is one of the figureheads of comedy and became a household name from The Steve Harvey Show. He now stars on The Neighborhood and The Last O.G.
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Photo: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images.
Keith David Is The Voice Of The Bible
In Woke, the Bible actually speaks to Keef through the voice of Keith David. He convinces Keef to talk to a therapist to finally deal with the trauma the cartoonist experiences in the first episode.
David has been appearing in television series and movies since the 1970s and currently stars on Greenleaf. If your ears perked up when he first heard his voice, it’s likely because he voiced Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog.
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.
Eddie Griffin Is The Voice Of... Another 40 oz. Bottle
Byer’s partner in crime to tease Keef is another liquor bottle voiced by Eddie Griffin. He calls Keef Poindexter which honestly is a pretty accurate nickname based on Keef’s personality at the start of the show.
Like Cedric the Entertainer, Griffin has a voice comedy lovers will immediately recognize. He has played many funny people throughout his career and is best known for the film Undercover Brother and sitcom Malcolm and Eddie.
Photo: David Livingston/Getty Images.
Sam Richardson Is The Voice Of Toast
Sam Richardson’s character Toast is the other half of the Toast and Butter (Hale) duo. Like Butter, he acts like a devil on Keef’s shoulder, convincing him to ignore the “woke” version of himself.
It’s fitting that Richardson and Hale are a pair on this show considering them both starred on Veep. Since the show ended, Richardson has lent his voice to characters in multiple shows including Hoops and BoJack Horseman.
Photo: Rachel Luna/Getty Images.
Wes Studi Is The Voice Of Spoon
Out of all the cameos, Wes Studi’s voice might be the hardest to place. Keef is watching an antique appraisal show when Studi, as a spoon, informs him that none of the information is factually correct about Indigenous Peoples.
Studi has starred in countless shows and movies throughout his decades-long career and received an Academy Honorary Award in 2019 Some of his most recent projects are Penny Dreadful and A Dog’s Way Home.
Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images.
Jack McBrayer Is The Voice Of Sad Face
Jack McBrayer’s character, as the name implies, is not very upbeat which isn’t what we usually see from the actor. Sad Face talks to Keef on a bus and fills his head with negativity and doubt, telling him the worst things that could happen if he starts making political statements.
McBrayer’s most well-known role is Kenneth on 30 Rock which he played for seven seasons. So far this year, he has voiced characters in Bob’s Burgers, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend.
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Photo: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images.
Lil Rel Howery Is The Voice Of The “Black People For Rent” T-Shirt
In Episode 4, “Black People For Rent,” Keef wants to make his work more controversial so he posts signs around San Francisco with the episode’s title on them. As the voice of a t-shirt with the slogan on it, Lil Rel Howery makes Keef question if his experiment is actually a good idea.
Howery is widely known for his roles in The Carmichael Show and the Oscar-winning film Get Out. He was also in the movie The Photograph earlier this year and had a guest arc on the series The Chi.
Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.
Cree Summer Is The Voice Of The Paper Bag
Cree Summer plays a paper bag at a party Keef attends where he is the only Black person. She challenges Keef for wanting to prove his Blackness after his failed “Black People For Rent” project.
On screen, Summer is mostly known for her character in A Different World. But, ‘90s kids will also recognize her tone since she is the voice behind Susie Carmichael on Rugrats. She currently has a recurring role on Better Things.
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