Shrek movie cast ages: How old was the cast in the first movie?

It’s been almost 23 years since DreamWorks Animation released one of the best animated classic films, Shrek. The movie would spawn multiple sequels and would lead to the rise of the character Puss in Boots. But we wanted to celebrate the film’s beginning, and the stars who were a part of it.

Since the movie is animated, we only got to hear the voices of the actors and actresses involved. Some of these names are quite famous, while others do mainly voice-over work. But they all brought the characters of Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and more to life.

While many of us, of course, know the movie by heart, let’s have a refresher! Released on May 18, 2001, the film was originally a picture book by William Steig. It was published in 1990 before it would eventually turn into a film over a decade later.

In the movie, we follow an ogre named Shrek, whose swamp home is overrun by various fairy tale creatures at the hand of Lord Farquad. He had banished them from the kingdom and Shrek was accompanied by Donkey in order to get his home back. In doing so, Lord Farquad wanted him to bring him a Princess in exchange for allowing the creatures to leave.

Three sequels have since spawned from the original series, including Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After. While we don’t know if there is a possibility of more Shrek movies in the future, we wanted to take a look back at some of the actors and actresses who lent their voices to the memorable characters we know and love. 

Mike Myers

Born: May 25, 1963
Voice of: Shrek
Playing the main role of Shrek, Meyers was about to turn 38 when the film was released. Other than the popular movie franchise, he is best known for Wayne’s World, Austin Powers, and Bohemian Rhapsody. He will be 61 years old in May 2024.

Eddie Murphy

Born: April 3, 1961
Voice of: Donkey
Known for Beverly Hills Cop, The Nutty Professor, and Dreamgirls, Murphy was 40 years old when the film premiered. He plays the loveable donkey in the movie and it’s easy to fall in love with the character due to Murphy’s portrayal. He just celebrated his 63rd birthday this year.

Cameron Diaz

Born: August 30, 1972
Voice of: Fiona
Cameron Diaz played Fiona in Shrek and was 29 when the film debuted. She is known for her roles in There’s Something About Mary, My Sister’s Keeper, and The Holiday. Today, she is currently 51 years old.

John Lithgow

Born: October 19, 1945
Voice of: Lord Farquad
Playing Lord Farquad in the film, Lithgow was 54 years old at the time the film was released. He is known for 3rd Rock From the Sun, The Crown, and Bombshell. Today, he is currently 78 years old. He was most recently seen in the film Cabrini.

Vincent Cassel

Born: November 23, 1966
Voice of: Robin Hood
Cassel played Monsieur Robin Hood in the film and was 36 when the film debuted. He is also known for Ocean’s Twelve, Black Swan, and Liasion. Today, he is currently 57 years old.

Peter Dennis

Born: October 25, 1933
Voice of: Ogre Hunter
Playing the role of an Ogre Hunter in the film, Dennis was 69 when the film was released. He is also known for his roles in Ten Inch Hero, and Sideways. Sadly, Dennis passed away on April 18, 2009 at the age of 75.

Jim Cummings

Born: November 3, 1952
Voice of: Captain of the Guards
Jim Cummings has had dozens of voice acting on his resume along with Shrek, including The Winnie the Pooh movie, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, and multiple Mickey Mouse specials. He was Captain of the Guards in Shrek and was 58 at the time the film debuted. Today, he is currently 71 years old.

Conrad Vernon

Born: July 11, 1968
Voice of: Gingerbread Man
Probably the best known fairy tale creature from the film is the Gingerbread Man, played by Conrad Vernon. He was 32 at the time of the film’s release, and he is currently 55 years old. Not only was he a voice actor for the film, but he worked as a storyboard artist for the movie. He has also done voice work for Madagascar, The Boss Baby, The Addams Family, and The Emoji Movie.