# List of The Emperor's New Groove characters
This is a list of characters from *[The Emperor's New Groove](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-emperors-new-groove)*, a 2000 Disney animated comedy directed by Mark Dindal and released on December 15, 2000, in which arrogant young Emperor Kuzco is transformed into a llama by his power-hungry adviser Yzma and must rely on a good-hearted peasant named Pacha to return home and reclaim his throne.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/)
| Character | Role | Voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Kuzco | Arrogant young emperor, transformed into a llama | David Spade[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) |
| Pacha | Good-hearted peasant and llama herder who helps Kuzco | John Goodman[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) |
| Yzma | Kuzco's power-hungry adviser, the film's antagonist | Eartha Kitt[2](https://d23.com/a-to-z/yzma/) |
| Kronk | Yzma's muscle-bound manservant | Patrick Warburton[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) |
| Chicha | Pacha's wife | Wendie Malick[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) |
| Chaca | Pacha and Chicha's daughter | Kellyann Kelso[3](https://www.disneyclips.com/movies/emperorsnewgroove.html) |
| Tipo | Pacha and Chicha's son | Eli Russell Linnetz[3](https://www.disneyclips.com/movies/emperorsnewgroove.html) |
| Bucky the Squirrel | Squirrel encountered in the jungle | Bob Bergen[3](https://www.disneyclips.com/movies/emperorsnewgroove.html) |
## Principal characters
**Kuzco** is the film's protagonist, an arrogant young emperor of a mythical mountain kingdom who is transformed into a llama by Yzma and stranded in the jungle. D23 describes him as a "royal pain" whose budding friendship with Pacha teaches him to see his world differently. He is voiced by [David Spade](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-spade).[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) D23's character entry identifies Kuzco as both emperor and llama, voiced by Spade.[4](https://d23.com/a-to-z/kuzco/)
**Pacha** is a good-hearted peasant and llama herder whose help is Kuzco's only chance to get back home and reclaim the high life. Rotten Tomatoes credits [John Goodman](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-goodman) as "Pacha (Llama Herder)".[5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/emperors_new_groove/cast-and-crew) His household drives much of the film's middle section: his wife Chicha ([Wendie Malick](https://www.edgepedia.org/wendie-malick)) and children Chaca (Kellyann Kelso) and Tipo ([Eli Russell Linnetz](https://www.edgepedia.org/eli-russell-linnetz)) appear when Kuzco and Pacha reach Pacha's village.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) • [3](https://www.disneyclips.com/movies/emperorsnewgroove.html)
**Yzma** is Kuzco's adviser, described by D23 as a "devious diva" who transforms the emperor into a llama and then hunts him down to finish him off. She is voiced by [Eartha Kitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/eartha-kitt).[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) • [2](https://d23.com/a-to-z/yzma/) Under the film's earlier conception, *Kingdom of the Sun*, Yzma was a more serious figure; when the project became *The Emperor's New Groove*, she became a more comical character and her motivation changed from vanity to lust for power and revenge.[6](https://lhdrum.com/User_File/UpFile/file/20210718112039_ZnV0YXBleA%3D%3D.pdf) Andreas Deja served as supervising animator in charge of Yzma during the *Kingdom of the Sun* phase of production.[7](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove)
**Kronk** is Yzma's muscle-bound manservant, voiced by [Patrick Warburton](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-warburton), who aids her in tracking down Kuzco and Pacha.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) He became the lead of the direct-to-video sequel *[Kronk's New Groove](https://www.edgepedia.org/kronks-new-groove)* (2005).[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/)
## Supporting and minor characters
Beyond the five leads, the credited cast includes a set of smaller speaking parts. Stephen J. Anderson, the film's story supervisor, voices Ipi, and Andre Stojka voices Topo; IMDb lists the pair as "Ipi and Topo" in the film's character roster.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120917/fullcredits/cast) • [7](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove) [Patti Deutsch](https://www.edgepedia.org/patti-deutsch) voices Mata, John Fiedler the Old Man, Miriam Flynn the Piñata Lady, Steve Susskind the Irate Chef, and [Jess Harnell](https://www.edgepedia.org/jess-harnell) and Robert Clotworthy guards and townspeople.[9](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-emperors-new-groove/credits/) • [5](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/emperors_new_groove/cast-and-crew)
Two uncredited performances stand out. Director Mark Dindal himself voices "Kitty Yzma", and singer Tom Jones voices the Theme Song Guy who performs the film's opening number.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120917/fullcredits/cast) The British Board of Film Classification's cast list also credits Trudy Styler (the documentary filmmaker [Trudie Styler](https://www.edgepedia.org/trudie-styler), wife of songwriter Sting) with a voice role alongside the principal cast.[10](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-emperors-new-groove-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmty5mzc)
Animal and background characters round out the roster: Bucky the Squirrel ([Bob Bergen](https://www.edgepedia.org/bob-bergen)), the jaguars that chase Kuzco in llama form, crocodiles, scorpions, llamas, the Incan Palace Guards, and the Royal Recordkeeper.[3](https://www.disneyclips.com/movies/emperorsnewgroove.html) • [7](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove) The BBFC content advice reflects two of these: a llama chased by jaguars, and characters attacked by scorpions and bats while struggling up a cliff face.[10](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-emperors-new-groove-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmty5mzc)
## How the 1998 revamp shaped the cast
The character lineup is a product of the film's troubled production. In 1998 the tale underwent a total overhaul, keeping just two of the principal comic characters along with a handful of elements from the first treatment; production on the markedly different story, then called *Kingdom of the Sun*, had started in 1994.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) The original story, loosely inspired by [Mark Twain](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-twain)'s *The Prince and the Pauper*, had been conceived as a dramatic epic adventure set in the [Inca Empire](https://www.edgepedia.org/inca-empire), with Roger Allers, co-director of *The Lion King*, attached; the retooled comedy under Mark Dindal kept Kuzco's transformation into a llama, Yzma's attempt to usurp the throne, and Pacha as a good-hearted llama herder.[11](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2000-2/the-emperors-new-groove/) • [7](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove) Eartha Kitt was the main holdover from the earlier version's voice cast.[12](https://www.authorsden.com/SampleWorksPDF/78609.pdf)
## Later appearances
The characters carried into a franchise. A direct-to-video sequel, *Kronk's New Groove*, followed in 2005, and the [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) animated series *The Emperor's New School* continued the story with Yzma and Kronk plotting against Kuzco.[1](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/) • [13](https://d23.com/app/uploads/2012/08/azsupp_082712.pdf) On August 7, 2026, Disney announced *Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story*, a new movie expanding the *Descendants* universe, in which Momona Tamada plays Zara, the daughter of Yzma, extending the character roster to a next generation.[14](https://press.disneyplus.com/news/descendants-hidden-heroes-greenlight)
## References
1. [Emperor's New Groove, The (film), D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/emperors-new-groove-the-film/)
2. [Yzma, D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/yzma/)
3. [The Emperor's New Groove, Disneyclips.com](https://www.disneyclips.com/movies/emperorsnewgroove.html)
4. [Kuzco, D23](https://d23.com/a-to-z/kuzco/)
5. [The Emperor's New Groove Cast and Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/emperors_new_groove/cast-and-crew)
6. [The Emperor's New Groove: Yzma (character history excerpt)](https://lhdrum.com/User_File/UpFile/file/20210718112039_ZnV0YXBleA%3D%3D.pdf)
7. [The Emperor's New Groove, Disney Wiki](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Groove)
8. [The Emperor's New Groove (2000) Full Cast, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120917/fullcredits/cast)
9. [The Emperor's New Groove Cast & Crew, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-emperors-new-groove/credits/)
10. [The Emperor's New Groove, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-emperors-new-groove-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmty5mzc)
11. [The Emperor's New Groove: A Torturous Production History, Bomb Report](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2000-2/the-emperors-new-groove/)
12. [Enchanted Tales (excerpt on the voice cast)](https://www.authorsden.com/SampleWorksPDF/78609.pdf)
13. [Disney A to Z supplement: The Emperor's New School, D23](https://d23.com/app/uploads/2012/08/azsupp_082712.pdf)
14. [Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story greenlight, Disney+ Press](https://press.disneyplus.com/news/descendants-hidden-heroes-greenlight)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Collective, character, and franchise filmographies › Franchise and series filmographies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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