Summary
The characters inMigrationarevoiced by Hollywood legends, young stars, and renowned comedians,making it one of Illumination’s most impressive casts, resulting in various achievements. The 2023 animated adventure comedy is Illumination’s first original movie that isn’t a sequel or based on a pre-existing franchise in eight years, and its accomplishments prove that, with a great cast, new ideas can still succeed. Of course, the cast is exciting and boosts the film, butMigrationis also a sweet adventure tale that families can enjoytogether. Consequently,Migrationreceived positive reviews and grossed almost $300 million against a $72 million budget.
Migrationrevolves around a family of ducks (including a father, mother, son, and daughter)living in Moosehead Pond in New England. While they have remained in the one spot for most of their lives, the Mallards decide to venture out and migrate to Jamaica. Unfortunately, their attempt to travel to the tropical country doesn’t exactly go to plan.Migration’s duck family gets lost in New York City, and they have to figure out a way to make it out alive despite being thrown into an unknown and frantic world.
Kumail Nanjiani As Mack Mallard
Date Of Birth: June 16, 2025
Actor:Kumail Nanjiani was born in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, where he grew up. He remained in Pakistan until he was 18, which is when Nanjiani moved to the United States to attend Grinnell College in Iowa. Nanjiani graduated from Grinnell with computer science and philosophy degrees, but he soon moved to Chicago afterward and began doing stand-up comedy.Nanjiani’s career as a comedian continued to growas he secured various roles in TV shows such asVeepandSilicon Valley. However,Nanjiani’s big break came withThe Big Sick,a 2017 romantic comedy film he co-wrote and starred in.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Nadeem Razmaadi
Kumail Nanjiani is set to join the cast ofOnly Murders in the Buildingseason 4 in a recurring role.
Character:Nanjiani plays Mack Mallard in the animated movieMigration.Mack is the patriarch of the Mallard familyand is a bit paranoid and overly cautious as he wants to protect himself and his family from the dangers of the world outside the pond. However, his uncle gives him the wake-up call he needs, and Mack agrees to the plan of migrating to Jamaica.
Elizabeth Banks As Pam Mallard
Date Of Birth: August 05, 2025
Actress:Elizabeth Banks was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and developed a passion for acting at a young age. She participated in school plays and later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in communications and a minor in theater arts. Afterward, Banks earned her master’s degree from the American Conservatory Theater. Banks began booking small roles in feature films (Wet Hot American Summer,Spider-Man,Seabiscuit, etc.) before landing her big break.Her role inThe 40-Year-OldVirgincaught the eyes of many,and soon,Banks would be starring in and directing numerous films.
Gail Abernathy-McKadden and the director ofPitch Perfect 2
Rebekah Bosley and the director
Migration
Pam Mallard
Character:Banks voices Pam Mallard in the 2023 animated adventure comedy.Pam is the matriarch of the familyand is eager to escape the confines of the pond. She is overjoyed when Mack gets on board with migrating to Jamaica and tries to keep it cool when their travel plans go haywire.
Danny DeVito As Uncle Dan
Date Of Birth: July 15, 2025
Actor:Danny DeVito was born in Neptune, New Jersey, but was raised in Asbury Park and later graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1966. DeVito got his start in theater before transitioning to the screen with roles infilms likeOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestandDreams of Glass. However,DeVito rose to prominence when he starred as Louie De Palma in the ABC sitcomTaxi,which earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1981.
Philoctetes (voice)
Uncle Dan
Character:DeVito stars as Uncle Dan in Illumination’sMigration. As his name suggests,Uncle Dan is Mack’s elderly unclewho accidentally persuades him to take the leap and leave the pond. Although he doesn’t want to abandon his home, Uncle Dan joins the rest of the family on their journey to Jamaica.
Keegan-Michael Key As Delroy
Date Of Birth: June 27, 2025
Actor:Keegan-Michael Key was born in Southfield, Michigan, and graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy with a theater degree and later from Pennsylvania State University with a master’s degree.Key’s breakthrough began when he met his frequent collaborator Jordan Peeleafter joining the cast ofMad TVon Fox. Key and Peele had great chemistry from the get-go, leading them to createthe Comedy Central sketch seriesKey & Peele, which won a Peabody Award and two Emmys (for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Make-up for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (Non-Prosthetic)).
Keegan-Michael Key voices Bumblebee inTransformers One, which is set to premiere on August 24, 2025.
Murray the Mummy (voice)
Ducky (voice)
Delroy
Character:Delroy, voiced by Key, isa Scarlet macaw who the Mallard family seeks out for directions to Jamaica.Key’s character is from the island country who a chef captured and caged in his New York City restaurant. Thankfully, byMigration’s ending, Delroy is able to escape and return home.
Awkwafina As Chump
Date Of Birth: July 27, 2025
Actress:Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum, was born in Stony Brook, New York, but grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. While attending high school, Awkwafina studied music and reportedly came up with her stage name. Awkwafina later graduated with journalism and women’s studies degrees from the University at Albany, State University of New York, in 2011, before focusing on her music and acting career. As her platform was building,Awkwafina’s breakthrough came when she starred inCrazy Rich Asians. Since then,Awkwafina has appeared in various notable movies.
Ocean’s 8
Raya and the Last Dragon
Sisu (voice)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Scuttle (voice)
Chump (voice)
Zhen (voice)
Jackpot!
Katie Kim
Character:Awkwafina stars as Chump in the 2023 animated adventure comedy filmMigration.Chump is a pigeonand leader of a New York City pigeon gang who knows the city like the back of her one foot. Despite having a contentious first meeting, Chump helps the Mallards get out of New York and continue their journey to Jamaica.
Does Migration Have A Post-Credits Scene?
Illumination’s movie Migration is a return to original, non-franchise storytelling, but that does not mean it cannot have a post-credits scene.
Migration Supporting Cast & Characters
Caspar Jennings as Dax Mallard- Caspar Jennings voices Dax Mallard, Mack and Pam’s confident and reckless son, inMigration. Viewers may recognize Jennings' voice from his role as Piglet inthe cast ofSingandSing 2.
Tresi Gazal as Gwen Mallard- Gwen Mallard, portrayed by Tresi Gazal, is Mack and Pam’s young and endearing daughter in the Illumination movie.Migrationis Gazal’s only credit as of the writing of this article.
Carol Kane as Erin- The legendary Carol Kane voices Erin, a great blue heron who terrifies the Mallards on their journey inMigration.Kane is most known for her performances inHester Street(which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination),Annie Hall,Scrooged,Taxi, andUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
David Mitchell as GooGoo- David Mitchell stars as GooGoo, an American Pekin who lives on a luxurious duck farm, in the 2023 animated adventure comedy. Some may know Mitchell from the Channel 4 sitcomPeep Showor the sketch comedy seriesThat Mitchell and Webb Look.
Isabela Merced as Kim- Isabela Merced voices Kim, a duck who Dax befriends inMigration. Kim and her flock stop at Moosehead Pond in New England on their way to Jamaica, inspiring the Mallards' trip. Merced is known for her roles inTransformers: The Last Knight,Dora and the Lost City of Gold, andAlien: Romulus.
Cast
Migration is an animated adventure-comedy from Illumination and features an ensemble cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, and Keegan-Michael Key. The cast takes on the role of a family of mallards who has lived in the safety of their pond all their lives and decide to migrate for a vacation. However, when the family discovers they migrated the wrong way, they end up in New York City, forcing them to find a way out and down to the Caribbean.
