Transformers Rise of the Beasts cast: All actors and characters

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts introduces new heroes and villains to the Transformers universe – here’s details of the film’s cast, including lead actors, and the characters they portray. 

Rise of the Beasts is something of a sequel to 2018 Transformers movie Bumblebee, while also serving a a prequel to Michael Bay’s Transformers movie.

As ever, the film focusses on the heroic Autobots, but Rise of the Beasts also introduces the beloved Maximals, who team up with the ‘Robots in Disguise’ to do battle with the villainous Terracons. While the movie also teases a massive crossover in the future.

Steven Caple Jr. directs, while new actors are introduced onscreen, as well as performing Transformer vocals, so here’s details of the major players who appear in Rise of the Beasts.

Contents

• Optimus Prime: Peter Cullen
• N/A: Bumblebee
• Mirage: Pete Davidson
• Noah Diaz: Anthony Ramos
• Elena Wallace: Dominique Fishback
• Kris Diaz: Dean Scott Vazquez
• Optimus Primal: Ron Perlman
• Airazor: Michelle Yeoh
• Cheetor: Tongayi Chirisa
• Rhinox: David Sobolov
• Scourge: Peter Dinklage
• Unicron: Colman Domingo
• Nightbird: Michaela Jaé Rodriguez
• Stratosphere: John DiMaggio
• Arcee: Liza Koshy
• Wheeljack: Cristo Fernández
• Reek: Tobe Nwigwe

Transformers Rise of the Beasts cast and characters

Before we get into it, let it be known that there are a few groups to take note of in Rise of the Beasts, which draws from the franchise’s iconic Beast Wars line and animated series. 

Rather than a battle between Autobots and Decepticons, this time the Autobots are teaming up with their time-traveling descendants, the Maximals, which take animal form rather than cars and trucks. 

And the main antagonists are the Terrorcons, who are hellbent on destruction in order to serve their leader: the planet-eating behemoth, Unicron. 

Optimus Prime: Peter Cullen 

Paramount Pictures/Creative Commons

It wouldn’t be a Transformers movie without Optimus Prime, and it wouldn’t be Optimus Prime without Peter Cullen. Cullen voiced the Autobot leader in the original 1980s Transformers animated series, before returning to the character with Michael Bay’s film series in 2007. 

So, it’s only right that he brings his commanding, low tones to Prime in Rise of the Beasts. In the latest Transformers live-action flick, Prime once again leads the Autobots and makes important decisions as they battle it out to retrieve a mysterious key and put a stop to the evil Unicron.

N/A: Bumblebee 

Paramount Pictures

Of course, alongside Optimus Prime, Bumblebee is an integral fixture in the Transformers films, having been the focus of the previous entry in 2018. Bee is a small yet eager combatant, with loyalty and superhuman strength always faring him well in battle. 

At this stage in the timeline, he still doesn’t have a voice, instead using his car radio to communicate, and therefore he doesn’t have an actor playing the part. You can head here to find out more about his journey in Rise of the Beasts. 

Mirage: Pete Davidson

Paramount Pictures/NBC

Pete Davidson voices Mirage, a wise-cracking Porsche Autobot who becomes one half of the human-robot team-up in Rise of the Beasts. There’s a reason for his name, as his powers include the ability to generate illusions, which comes in handy when he finds himself in a car chase with the cops. 

Davidson puts his comedic background to good use in the role. Alongside his experience as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, he’s appeared in The Suicide Squad, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and The King of Staten Island. 

Noah Diaz: Anthony Ramos

Paramount Pictures

Anthony Ramos plays Noah Diaz, the human half of the human-robot team-up. An ex-army techspert, Noah struggles to find a job at the start of the film while facing discrimination from potential employers. 

In a bid to raise money and save his sick brother, his friend Reek convinces him to try and steal a Porsche – little does he realize said Porsche is actually Mirage. The pair quickly strike up a friendship, and Noah gets caught up in the Autobots’ fight against Unicron. 

Ramos is best known as an actor and singer, having taken on the dual roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the Broadway musical Hamilton. He also starred in A Star is Born and In The Heights.

Elena Wallace: Dominique Fishback

Paramount Pictures

Dominique Fishback plays Elena Wallace, a museum artifact researcher whose superior keeps stealing her ideas. While studying a mysterious bird sculpture, she accidentally triggers what turns out to be the Transwarp Key, sending out a signal that attracts both Autobots and Terrorcons. 

Amid the chaos, Elena and Noah strike up a friendship as they become the human team that helps the Autobots and Maximals put a stop to the Terrorcons and Unicron and save the entire universe. 

Fishback gave an outstanding performance as the lead character Dre in Swarm. Other acting accolades include Judas and the Black Messiah, Project Power, and The Deuce. 

Kris Diaz: Dean Scott Vazquez

Paramount Pictures

Dean Scott Vazquez stars in the Transformers Rise of the Beasts cast as Kris Diaz, Noah’s younger brother who is dealing with sickle cell anemia. He’s smart, witty, and brave, and although he looks up to his older brother, Kris is ultimately the one who inspires Noah to keep going and do the right thing. 

Despite his young age, Vazquez has appeared in a number of movies and TV shows such as Theater Camp, 9 Bullets, In the Heights, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and Mr. Robot.

Optimus Primal: Ron Perlman

Paramount Pictures/Creative Commons

Ron Perlman voices Optimus Primal, the leader of the Maximals, and though he’s a very different Transformer to the ancestral Optimus Primal – one’s a robotic gorilla and the other’s a shape-shifting truck – he’s inspired by and embodies the same leadership and principles.

In Rise of the Beasts, Optimus Primal commands his fellow Maximals to help the Autobots and their flesh-made counterparts in the fight to regain the key. 

Perlman started out his acting career on the stage before making his movie debut in 1981’s Quest for Fire. Since then, he’s appeared in a wide range of movies including numerous collaborations with Guillermo del Toro, notably as the titular character in the Hellboy films. 

Airazor: Michelle Yeoh

Paramount Pictures/A24

Michelle Yeoh voices Airazor, the bird-like Maximal who is a useful surveillance warrior thanks to her flying abilities. She joins the team in their quest while helping to explain to the Autobots why the Maximals had to split the key in half and hide it, ensuring Unicron and his cronies can’t use it for destruction. 

Yeoh rose to fame in the ‘90s in a series of Hong Kong action films such as Yes, Madam and Holy Weapon, when she was formerly known as Michelle Khan. After moving to the US, she became one of Hollywood’s leading stars, having appeared in Tomorrow Never Dies and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 

More recently, she starred in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Witcher: Blood Origin, and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Cheetor: Tongayi Chirisa

Paramount Pictures/Hulu

Tongayi Chirisa plays Cheetor, the Maximal whose beast mode is, you guessed it, a cheetah. As an eager and brave young warrior, the Transformer is a fan fave of the Beast Wars series, so it’s no surprise he’s included in the Rise of the Beasts cast. 

Chirisa is a singer and actor, with roles in TV shows such as The Jim Gaffigan Show and iZombie and movies like Antebellum and Next Exit. 

Rhinox: David Sobolov

Paramount Pictures/Marvel Entertainment/YouTube

David Sobolov voices Rhinox, another celebrated Maximal from the Beast Wars series. His beast form is unsurprisingly a rhino, one who is both intelligent and strong. 

Sobolov has put his voice to numerous characters over the years, from Gorilla Grodd in The Flash TV series to Drax in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy animated series. Rise of the Beasts also isn’t his first time at the rodeo, as he portrayed Blitzwing in Bumblebee. 

Scourge: Peter Dinklage

Paramount Pictures/HBO

Peter Dinklage voices Scourge in the Transformers Rise of the Beasts cast. As the leader of the Terrorcons in this continuity, he’s the main antagonist of the film, determined to destroy everything in his path to serve his planet-eating ruler, Unicron.

Dinklage received worldwide acclaim for his role as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. He’s appeared in a wide variety of films and TV over the years, including Marvel’s Infinity War and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Unicron: Colman Domingo

Paramount Pictures/AMC

Colman Domingo voices Unicron, the big, big bad of the film – both in nature and in size. He is the greatest threat in the Transformers franchise, one who likes to eat entire planets for fun. In Rise of the Beasts, the Terrorcons need the key to open up a portal for the dark god to travel through and continue his path of destruction. 

Domingo is the award-winning actor behind Victor Strand in Fear the Walking Dead. He’s also appeared in Assassination Nation, Candyman, If Beale Street Could Talk, Selma, and Lincoln, to name a few. 

Nightbird: Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

Paramount Pictures/FX

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez voices Nightbird, a ruthless Terrorcon assassin who works alongside Scourge to help carry out his evil biddings. 

Rodriguez is best known for her leading role in FX’s Pose, gaining critical acclaim for her portrayal of Blanca Evangelista. Other acting accolades include tick, tick… BOOM!, Saturday Church, and Loot. 

Stratosphere: John DiMaggio

Paramount Pictures/Creative Commons

John DiMaggio stars in the Transformers Rise of the Beasts cast as Stratosphere, an Autobot who takes the form of a huge cargo plane, providing transport to the bots and their allies when they need it most. 

DiMaggio is another famous voice actor, having famously portrayed Bender in Futurama. More recently, he voiced Uncle Arthur in The Super Mario Bros Movie. 

Arcee: Liza Koshy

Paramount Pictures/Creative Commons

Liza Koshy voices Arcee, an Autobot sharpshooter who transforms into a motorbike. She was last seen fighting Decepticon forces in Bumblebee. 

Koshy is a YouTuber, and has also put her voice acting skills to good use in various properties such as My Little Pony: A New Generation, Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?, The Ghost and Molly McGee, and Hamster & Gretel.

Wheeljack: Cristo Fernández

Paramount Pictures/Apple TV

Cristo Fernández voices Wheeljack, a VW Campervan Autobot who is stationed in Peru in Rise of the Beasts. He also made an appearance in Bumblebee. 

You may recognize Fernández as Dani Rojas in Ted Lasso. The actor also appeared in Spider-Man: No Way Home, as well as numerous shorts such as Smoked, Intruso, and Mis Mejores Días.

Reek: Tobe Nwigwe

Paramount Pictures

Tobe Nwigwe plays Reek, Noah’s friend who convinces him to steal the Porsche that would kickstart the chain of events that result in the human-Autobot team-up. 

Nwigwe is a rapper who collaborated with Nas and Jacob Banks to create an original song for the Rise of the Beasts’ soundtrack, called ‘On My Soul’. You can check it out below:

That’s everything we know about the cast and characters in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. While you can click here for more movies heading your way in the coming weeks.