The Emperor's New Groove Is 25 Years Old - Where Is The Cast Now?

Boom, baby! Believe it or not, the 25th anniversary of The Emperor’s New Groove is already upon us, and regardless of how old that makes you feel, it’s a great excuse to wax nostalgic about one of my favourite childhood films.

Starring an eclectic voice cast including David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, and Patrick Warburton, The Emperor’s New Groove is an all-out animated comedy that recounts the story of the spoiled Emperor Kuzco after he is accidentally transformed into a llama by his scheming advisor Yzma. After realising Yzma actually intended to kill him, Kuzco must learn humility and patience as he seeks help from the gentle shepherd Pacha to become human and reclaim his throne once again.

The key voice cast of The Emperor’s New Groove has stayed remarkably busy over the past 25 years, branching into acclaimed TV roles, iconic voice work, hit sitcoms, and—in Eartha Kitt’s case, a late-career renaissance that lasted right up until her death in 2008. 

Here’s what everyone has been up to since Kuzco, Yzma, Pacha, and Kronk first shimmied across our screens to Tom Jones’s “Perfect World” in 2000.

David Spade (Kuzco)

David Spade was one of the defining American comedy voices of the early 2000s, breaking out on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s before teaming up with friend and fellow comedian Chris Farley for the beloved cult comedies Tommy Boy and Black Sheep. From there, he brought his trademark snark to the vain, self-absorbed Emperor Kuzco in The Emperor’s New Groove.

After The Emperor’s New Groove, Spade headlined a string of comedies geared towards adults. Joe Dirt was released in 2001 and starred Spade as a mulleted, sideburned janitor with a heart of gold who embarks on a cross-country quest to find his parents. A few years later, he played a washed-up former child actor trying to make a comeback in the aptly titled Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star. He continued to pop up on the big screen throughout the 2000s and 2010s, including joining Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, and Rob Schneider in the star-studded buddy reunion comedy Grown Ups. 

Spade also became a familiar presence on TV, starring in sitcoms 8 Simple Rules and Rules of Engagement and carving out his niche as the sarcastic womaniser whose bad behaviour is (mostly) forgiven because he is self-aware and relentlessly funny. In 2015, he moved into reality TV with his prank show Fameless, which skewered people desperate for fame; and from 2019 to 2020, he hosted the pop culture-focused late-night talk show Lights Out with David Spade on Comedy Central.

More recently, Spade has leaned into the podcast boom. In 2022, he teamed up with fellow SNL alum Dana Carvey for Fly on the Wall, where the two riff off each other as they discuss current events, swap stories from their SNL days, and chat with comedians and actors about life in the spotlight. And in 2025, he returned to his standup roots with the release of his special Dandelion on Amazon Prime Video, proving that the sardonic charm that made Kuzco so memorable is still very much intact.One to watch: Grown Ups

John Goodman (Pacha)

John Goodman was already a household name before lending his distinctive voice to the kind-hearted villager Pacha, thanks to his role as Dan Conner on Roseanne (1988–1997)—a part he later revisited in the series’ revival and its spin-off, The Conners, through the mid-2020s. 

On the big screen, he became a regular collaborator with the Coen brothers, playing a variety of iconic roles in their films from the late ‘80s to 2000, including Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?, cementing his status as a character-actor legend.

Since The Emperor’s New Groove, Goodman has also become a voice acting mainstay, most famously as Sully in Pixar’s Monsters, Inc and its sequels. He also continued to appear in high-profile films such as Argo, Flight, and 10 Cloverfield Lane throughout the 2010s, and more recently, he starred as televangelist Eli Gemstone in HBO’s dark comedy The Righteous Gemstones, which aired its final episode in May 2025.One to watch: The Big Lebowski

Eartha Kitt (Yzma)

Eartha Kitt was already a renowned star as both a singer and an actress before she brought scene-stealing menace as the voice of Yzma. She is most well-known for performing the iconic Christmas song “Santa Baby” and for her history-making role as Catwoman in the 1960s Batman series, making her the first black woman to ever portray the character. 

With her role as the chaotic sorceress Yzma in The Emperor’s New Groove, Kitt found a whole new generation of fans late in her career. She reprised the role in the direct-to-video sequel Kronk’s New Groove in 2005, and in 2006’s TV spinoff The Emperor’s New School, winning multiple Emmys and Annie Awards for her voice performance as Kuzco’s unhinged advisor. 

Outside of the Groove universe, Kitt appeared as Madame Zeroni in Holes, continued to perform on Broadway, and did additional voice work on animated projects like My Life as a Teenage Robot and Wonder Pets!.

Eartha Kitt died on December 25, 2008, at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy that stretched from classic nightclub stages to playing one of Disney’s most outrageously funny villains.One to watch: Batman

Patrick Warburton (Kronk)

Patrick Warburton’s deadpan delivery made Kronk an instant fan favourite as the struggling henchman caught between the devil and angel on his shoulders and a boundless love of cooking.

Warburton has since made a prolific career as both a live-action and voice actor. On TV, he led the cult superhero comedy The Tick in the early 2000s, and later anchored the long-running CBS sitcom Rules of Engagement (also starring David Spade), as the blunt but lovable Jeff Bingham.

As a voice actor, Warburton became well known for his roles as Joe Swanson on Family Guy, Brock Samson on The Venture Bros, Steve Barkin on Kim Possible, Ken in Bee Movie, and Buzz Lightyear in the animated series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command. He also reprised his voice role as Kronk in both Kronk’s New Groove and The Emperor’s New School.One to watch: The Tick

Wendie Malick (Chicha)

Wendie Malick, who voiced Pacha’s no-nonsense wife Chicha, was already a familiar sitcom face thanks to Dream On and Just Shoot Me! (also starring David Spade). The latter of which earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for playing the gloriously self-absorbed Nina Van Horn. In the 2010s. Malick enjoyed another ensemble comedy success as Victoria Chase on Hot in Cleveland, which introduced her to a new generation of fans.

More recently, Malick has become a go-to voice actress, notably playing matriarch Beatrice Horseman on BoJack Horseman and witch mentor Eda Clawthorne on Disney’s The Owl House, alongside recurring live-action roles on series like The Ranch and American Housewife. One to watch: BoJack Horseman