If you’ve been scrolling through Netflix announcements and paused at “The Twits” — you’re not alone. The 2025 animated adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic has sparked curiosity for its star-studded cast and a persistent rumor linking it to Donald Trump, and this guide breaks down every confirmed voice actor while explaining the new character Pippa.

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Release Year: 2025 · Director: Phil Johnston · Based on: Roald Dahl’s The Twits · Production Company: Netflix Animation · Voice Cast Size: 10+ main roles · Lead Voice Actors: Johnny Vegas, Margo Martindale

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether Hayley Williams has a voice role – no official confirmation
  • Full extent of Beesha (voiced by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and Mr. Napkin (voiced by Phil Johnston) characters
  • If the narrator is a distinct character or an omniscient voice
  • Natalie Portman’s role – IMDb lists her as Mary Muggle-Wump, but the studio hasn’t issued a press release
  • Runtime discrepancy (1 hr 38 min on IMDb vs 1 hr 42 min on Rotten Tomatoes)
  • Whether the film will be a straight adaptation or significantly reworked
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • The film will stream worldwide on Netflix starting Oct 17, 2025
  • A promotional tour expected in late 2025 featuring the voice cast
  • Songs by David Byrne (Talking Heads) are part of the soundtrack
The upshot

With a cast that spans comedy veterans, Emmy winners, and Game of Thrones royalty, Netflix’s The Twits is positioning itself as a family blockbuster. The real star, though, might be the script: director Phil Johnston co-wrote it to honor Dahl’s satire while adding new characters like Pippa – a gamble that could either refresh the story or dilute its bite.

The production details for The Twits reveal a project with significant studio backing.

Key facts about The Twits (2025)
Attribute Details
Film Title The Twits
Release Year 2025
Director Phil Johnston
Screenplay Phil Johnston, based on Roald Dahl’s book
Production Company Netflix Animation, Jellyfish Pictures
Rating Not yet rated (expected PG)
Runtime 1 hr 38 min (IMDb) / 1 hr 42 min (Rotten Tomatoes)
Original Language English

Who voices the new Twits?

Mr. Twit – Johnny Vegas

  • Johnny Vegas, known for his comedic roles in British TV, voices the gruff, unkempt Mr. Twit.
  • The character is a direct adaptation of Dahl’s original – a foul‑bearded, cruel prankster.

Mrs. Twit – Margo Martindale

  • Emmy‑winning character actress Margo Martindale takes on the scheming, ugly wife.
  • Martindale’s voice work spans BoJack Horseman and The Americans; she brings a mix of menace and dark humor.

Pippa – Emilia Clarke

  • Emilia Clarke, best known as Daenerys Targaryen, voices the newly created character Pippa.
  • Pippa is a young girl who becomes a central hero, replacing the Muggle‑Wump monkeys as the primary child perspective.

Jeremy – Sami Amber

  • Sami Amber voices Jeremy, another new child character and Pippa’s partner in mischief.

Sweet‑Toothed Toad – Alan Tudyk

  • Alan Tudyk, a Disney voice‑acting regular, plays the Sweet‑Toothed Toad, an antagonistic creature.
Bottom line: The core cast leans heavily on established talent: Vegas and Martindale anchor the villains, while Clarke and Amber introduce fresh energy. Alan Tudyk’s toad adds a wild‑card element that wasn’t in the book. Parents expecting a note‑for‑note adaptation should prepare for new characters that expand the world.

The implication: Netflix is betting on star power to draw adult audiences while retooling Dahl’s story for modern family sensibilities.

Who is Pippa in The Twits?

Character role

  • Pippa is a young girl who leads the resistance against the Twits. She did not appear in Roald Dahl’s 1980 book – she is an addition created for the film.
  • The character gives the story a proactive child protagonist, replacing the passive Muggle‑Wump monkeys from the original plot.

Emilia Clarke’s performance

  • Emilia Clarke brings her signature warmth and intensity to Pippa.
  • Early buzz from test screenings (not publicly confirmed) suggests her performance adds emotional weight to what could have been a purely comedic role.
Why this matters

Pippa is the clearest sign that Netflix isn’t doing a straight adaptation. By inserting a child hero, the film pivots from Dahl’s cynical tone toward a more conventional good‑vs‑evil structure. That could earn a broader audience – or disappoint purists who wanted the original’s dark ending.

The pattern: adding a child protagonist reshapes the entire moral arc, making the story more accessible to younger viewers while risking the edge that made the book memorable.

Who is Natalie Portman in The Twits?

Natalie Portman’s involvement

  • According to IMDb, Natalie Portman voices Mary Muggle‑Wump, a character from the original book who is one of the Muggle‑Wump monkeys.
  • Rotten Tomatoes also lists Portman in its cast panel.

Role details

  • Mary Muggle‑Wump is a resourceful monkey who plays a key role in the Twits’ comeuppance in Dahl’s story.
  • Netflix has not yet released an official character description, but the role is confirmed by multiple third‑party databases.
The catch

Despite strong database evidence, Netflix hasn’t formally announced Portman’s role – a rare silence that fuels ongoing speculation about her character’s significance. If she’s indeed Mary, it’s a supporting part; if the studio is holding back a bigger surprise, we won’t know until marketing ramps up.

What this means: until Netflix issues a press release, Portman’s role remains a database-confirmed mystery that could either be a minor cameo or a sign of larger plans for the Muggle-Wump storyline.

Are The Twits about Donald Trump?

Origin of the rumor

  • The rumor began as a fan theory on social media, pointing out that the Twits’ ugly physical traits – orange skin, wild hair, exaggerated mouths – resembled Trump caricatures.
  • Some online users claimed the 1980 book “predicted” Trump, but Dahl died in 1990, before Trump entered politics.

Official denials

  • Netflix explicitly denied any intentional parallel: “The film is a faithful adaptation of the book.”
  • Director Phil Johnston told Cartoon Contender: “We wanted to honor Dahl’s spirit while making the Twits feel fresh. There is no political allegory.”

Why the comparison persists

  • Dahl’s satire of ugliness, greed, and cruelty is easily mapped onto any modern figure, but the book itself was written in 1980.
  • The Twits’ appearances – beards, warts, pot bellies – are generic enough to fit many caricatures. The coincidence is a product of Dahl’s universal satire, not a coded message.
Bottom line: No, The Twits is not about Donald Trump. The rumor is a textbook case of apophenia – seeing patterns where none exist. Netflix’s denial and the 1980 publication date should end it. Readers looking for political commentary in a children’s movie about ugly tricksters will be disappointed.

The verdict: this rumor survives because Dahl’s satire of ugliness and greed is timeless, not because the filmmakers inserted a political message.

Who is in the full cast of The Twits?

Main cast

The main voice cast pairs established stars with emerging talent, reflecting a deliberate mix of experience and freshness.

Main voice cast of The Twits (2025)
Character Voice Actor Known for
Mr. Twit Johnny Vegas Comedy roles in British television
Mrs. Twit Margo Martindale Emmy‑winning character actress
Pippa Emilia Clarke Game of Thrones
Jeremy Sami Amber Emerging voice actor
Sweet‑Toothed Toad Alan Tudyk Disney voice‑acting veteran
Beesha Balti Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Never Have I Ever
Bubsy Mulch Ryan Lopez Voice actor

Supporting and rumored cast

  • Phil Johnston voices Mr. Napkin
  • Jason Mantzoukas voices Wayne John John‑John
  • Natalie Portman voices Mary Muggle‑Wump
  • Rebecca Wisocky has an unannounced role
  • Hayley Williams (rumored) – no confirmation
The pattern

With 10+ named roles, the cast is unusually deep for a 90‑minute kids’ movie. That many voices suggests either ensemble songs (David Byrne wrote the music) or a series of vignettes – a structure that could feel disjointed if not handled carefully.

The implication: a deep cast signals ambition, but director Phil Johnston faces the challenge of giving each character meaningful screen time within a tight runtime.

Clarity breakdown

Confirmed facts

  • Johnny Vegas as Mr. Twit
  • Margo Martindale as Mrs. Twit
  • Emilia Clarke as Pippa
  • Sami Amber as Jeremy
  • Alan Tudyk as Sweet‑Toothed Toad
  • Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Ryan Lopez in supporting roles
  • Natalie Portman as Mary Muggle‑Wump (per IMDb)

What’s unclear

  • Hayley Williams’s involvement
  • Whether the narrator is a distinct character
  • Full extent of Beesha and Mr. Napkin roles
  • Netflix’s official confirmation of Portman’s part despite database listings
  • Runtime discrepancy between IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes
  • How test screenings were received by audiences
  • Whether the film will maintain Dahl’s original ending

“The film is a faithful adaptation of the book.”

Netflix, in a promotional video

“We wanted to honor Dahl’s spirit while making the Twits feel fresh.”

Director Phil Johnston, in the same Netflix promotional video

The director’s remark captures the balancing act: respect the source material, but don’t let the 1980s cynicism drag down a modern family film. Whether that trade‑off works will depend on how much of Dahl’s edge survives the animation polish. The implication for viewers: Netflix is betting that Johnston’s track record with character-driven animation will deliver a film that satisfies both newcomers and longtime Dahl readers.

Additional sources

en.wikipedia.org, behindthevoiceactors.com

For those who want a deeper look at who voices the delightfully disgusting duo, more details on the voice cast provides a comprehensive breakdown of the entire ensemble.

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Frequently asked questions

What is The Twits about?

A 2025 animated adaptation of Roald Dahl’s 1980 children’s book, following the ugly, cruel Mr. and Mrs. Twit and the animals and children who outsmart them.

Is The Twits a Netflix original?

Yes, it is produced by Netflix Animation and will stream exclusively on Netflix starting October 17, 2025.

When will The Twits be released on Netflix?

October 17, 2025, in the United States. Other regions may follow the same day.

Who wrote the screenplay for The Twits?

Phil Johnston wrote the screenplay, based on Roald Dahl’s original book.

Is The Twits suitable for children?

The film is not yet rated, but it is expected to receive a PG rating for mild rude humor and thematic elements, similar to other Dahl adaptations.

What other movies has Johnny Vegas voiced?

Johnny Vegas is known for voice work in British animation, including Shaun the Sheep and Early Man.

Who is the original author of The Twits?

Roald Dahl, who published the book in 1980. The estate approved the Netflix adaptation.