If you’re asking who is the cast of ghostbusters frozen empire, the main stars include Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and returning original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson. The film also brings back several actors from Ghostbusters: Afterlife and adds new faces, including Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Alyn Lind.
Below, you’ll find the actors matched with their characters, grouped by the roles they play in the story. That makes it easier to tell the Spengler family apart from the original team and the new characters surrounding them.
You’ll also get a quick guide to who returns from the previous film and a useful note about character names that are easy to mix up.
who is the cast of ghostbusters frozen empire? The main actors and roles
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire features the Spengler family, their allies, the original Ghostbusters, and several new characters. Paul Rudd plays Gary Grooberson, Carrie Coon plays Callie Spengler, Finn Wolfhard plays Trevor Spengler, and Mckenna Grace plays Phoebe Spengler. The veteran team includes Bill Murray as Peter Venkman, Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz, and Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore.
The younger Ghostbusters from Afterlife are also back: Celeste O’Connor plays Lucky Domingo, and Logan Kim plays Podcast. New additions include Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi, Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki, Emily Alyn Lind as Melody, and James Acaster as Lars Pinfield.
Here’s the main cast at a glance. The “what to know” column explains each character’s place in the film, rather than simply repeating the actor’s name.
| Actor | Character | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Rudd | Gary Grooberson | Teacher and paranormal investigator who joins the Spenglers’ Ghostbusters work |
| Carrie Coon | Callie Spengler | Mother of Trevor and Phoebe, and Egon Spengler’s daughter |
| Finn Wolfhard | Trevor Spengler | Callie’s son and a young member of the team |
| Mckenna Grace | Phoebe Spengler | Callie’s daughter, a gifted young scientist and Ghostbuster |
| Celeste O’Connor | Lucky Domingo | Young Ghostbuster introduced in Afterlife |
| Logan Kim | Podcast | Phoebe’s friend, known by his nickname |
| Bill Murray | Peter Venkman | Original Ghostbuster and familiar voice of the team |
| Dan Aykroyd | Ray Stantz | Original Ghostbuster with a long-running interest in the paranormal |
| Ernie Hudson | Winston Zeddemore | Original Ghostbuster who helps carry the team into a new era |
| Annie Potts | Janine Melnitz | Longtime Ghostbusters ally and former receptionist |
| William Atherton | Walter Peck | Recurring official who has clashed with the Ghostbusters |
| Kumail Nanjiani | Nadeem Razmaadi | New York resident connected to an unusual family heirloom |
| Patton Oswalt | Dr. Hubert Wartzki | Researcher with knowledge relevant to the supernatural threat |
| Emily Alyn Lind | Melody | A ghost who forms a connection with Phoebe |
| James Acaster | Lars Pinfield | Scientist and inventor working with the Ghostbusters |
The Spengler family and their close allies
The film’s central group is the Spengler family, who have settled into life in New York after the events of Afterlife. Their story brings a family perspective to the Ghostbusters’ work: the characters are not only learning to handle paranormal cases, but also figuring out their relationships and responsibilities.
Paul Rudd as Gary Grooberson
Gary is a former teacher and paranormal enthusiast who became part of the Spenglers’ lives in Afterlife. In this film, he is more closely involved with the family and their Ghostbusters operation. Rudd’s character gives the team an adult ally who is enthusiastic about ghost research but still has to manage ordinary family concerns.
Gary is not an original Ghostbuster from the 1984 film. He belongs to the newer group built around the Spenglers, which is why his role can be mistaken for that of one of the returning veterans.
Carrie Coon as Callie Spengler
Callie is the mother of Trevor and Phoebe and the daughter of the late Egon Spengler, played in the original films by Harold Ramis. In Afterlife, she learns more about her father’s work and history. In Frozen Empire, she remains the family’s anchor as the children take part in increasingly serious Ghostbusters business.
Coon’s role matters because the story is not only about the equipment and the ghost cases. Callie’s connection to Egon links the newer family storyline to the original team’s past.
Finn Wolfhard as Trevor and Mckenna Grace as Phoebe
Trevor is Callie’s son and Phoebe’s older brother. He takes part in the team’s work, while also dealing with the pressures of growing up and finding his place in the family. Finn Wolfhard, known to many viewers from Stranger Things, plays him.
Phoebe is the younger Spengler sibling and a highly capable young scientist. Mckenna Grace plays her as curious, analytical, and increasingly determined to be treated as a real Ghostbuster. Her age becomes part of the film’s story, as adults around her debate how much responsibility she should carry.
That conflict is useful context if you’re wondering why Phoebe’s role feels different from Trevor’s. She is not just the team’s equipment expert; her place in the family and her need for independence are major parts of the plot.
Celeste O’Connor and Logan Kim as Lucky and Podcast
Lucky Domingo and Podcast return from Afterlife. Celeste O’Connor plays Lucky, who has a connection with Trevor, while Logan Kim plays Podcast, Phoebe’s friend and fellow young investigator. They help make the new team feel like a group of young people, rather than a story carried only by the Spengler family.
One small detail can cause confusion: Podcast is the character’s nickname, not the actor’s name. The actor is Logan Kim. If you see “Podcast” listed in a cast summary, it refers to Kim’s character.
The original Ghostbusters and familiar faces
Several actors from the original Ghostbusters films return. Their characters connect the present-day team with the franchise’s earlier adventures, while also showing what has happened to the organization since the original New York cases.
Bill Murray as Peter Venkman
Peter Venkman is one of the founding Ghostbusters, known for his dry humor and relaxed approach to danger. Bill Murray returns in the role. His presence is a clear link to the original films, although the story gives attention to the younger team and the Spengler family as well.
Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz
Ray Stantz, played by Dan Aykroyd, is one of the original team’s most committed believers in the supernatural. Ray’s enthusiasm for ghosts and paranormal research makes him a natural connection between the old crew and Phoebe’s curiosity.
Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore
Ernie Hudson returns as Winston Zeddemore. Winston began as a practical recruit who joined the original team, and later stories show him taking on a larger role in keeping the Ghostbusters’ work alive. His return helps connect the team’s history to the operation seen in the new film.
Annie Potts and William Atherton
Annie Potts reprises Janine Melnitz, the longtime Ghostbusters associate first known as the team’s receptionist. Janine is a familiar presence across the franchise and has become more directly involved in the Ghostbusters’ world over time.
William Atherton returns as Walter Peck. Peck is a recurring character who has opposed the Ghostbusters in earlier films. His return is a callback for longtime fans, but you do not need to remember every detail of his past appearances to follow the main story.
New characters joining the Frozen Empire cast
The new cast members bring in characters who connect the team to the film’s supernatural mystery and its New York setting. Some have direct ties to the main threat, while others help the Ghostbusters research and respond to it.
Kumail Nanjiani as Nadeem Razmaadi
Nadeem is a new character whose family history becomes relevant to the story. He is connected to a strange object that draws the Ghostbusters into a dangerous situation. Nanjiani’s role gives the film a character outside the established Ghostbusters families who becomes part of the central case.
Emily Alyn Lind as Melody
Melody is a ghost who develops a connection with Phoebe. Their relationship brings a more personal thread into Phoebe’s story and raises questions about trust, loneliness, and the boundary between the living and the dead. Lind plays Melody, not a member of the Ghostbusters team.
Patton Oswalt as Dr. Hubert Wartzki
Dr. Hubert Wartzki is a researcher with knowledge that helps explain the supernatural events. Patton Oswalt plays him. The character’s role is useful for viewers because he helps supply information that the Ghostbusters need, rather than serving as another field-team member.
James Acaster as Lars Pinfield
Lars Pinfield is a scientist and inventor associated with the Ghostbusters’ research work. James Acaster plays the character. He contributes to the film’s technical side, where the team’s equipment and experiments matter as much as their ability to catch ghosts.
How the cast groups compare
If you want a quick way to sort the names, think of the cast in four groups: the Spenglers, their young allies, the original Ghostbusters, and the newer supporting characters. This distinction helps because the film moves between family concerns, team history, and a new supernatural investigation.
| Cast group | Actors to recognize | Story function | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spengler family | Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace | Centers the family and the new generation’s Ghostbusters work | Following the main family storyline |
| Younger allies | Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim | Continue the young-team relationships from Afterlife | Identifying the returning young characters |
| Original team and allies | Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, William Atherton | Connects the new case to the earlier films | Spotting the franchise’s familiar faces |
| New supporting characters | Kumail Nanjiani, Emily Alyn Lind, Patton Oswalt, James Acaster | Adds story links, research, and new character relationships | Understanding who helps drive the new mystery |
Which cast members return from Ghostbusters: Afterlife?
The main returning cast from Afterlife includes Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor, and Logan Kim. They continue the story of the Spenglers and the younger characters who became involved with Ghostbusters work in the previous film.
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts are familiar franchise performers who also appear in Frozen Empire. William Atherton returns as Walter Peck. These performers connect the newer story to the original Ghostbusters films, but their characters do not replace the Spenglers as the story’s central family.
A common mix-up is to treat every returning actor as a member of the active field team. Some familiar characters have different jobs or appear in supporting roles. The cast list tells you who is in the movie; it does not mean every actor spends the whole story busting ghosts.
What to know before watching the film
You can follow the cast without memorizing the full franchise, but a little context makes the relationships clearer. Phoebe and Trevor are Egon’s grandchildren, Callie is Egon’s daughter, and Gary is closely connected to the family. Ray, Peter, Winston, and Janine come from the original Ghostbusters group.
If you are choosing a film to watch first, Ghostbusters: Afterlife gives the most direct background on the Spenglers, Gary, Lucky, and Podcast. The original Ghostbusters films help explain the older team and Walter Peck, but the new movie’s basic cast relationships are understandable without a full series marathon.
For a simple viewing refresher, keep these points in mind:
- The Spenglers are the family at the center: Callie is the mother, and Trevor and Phoebe are her children.
- Gary is a family ally: he is not one of the original Ghostbusters.
- Lucky and Podcast are young returning characters: they first joined the story in Afterlife.
- The original team includes Peter, Ray, and Winston: Janine is a longtime ally, while Peck is a recurring opponent.
- The new supporting cast is tied to this case: Nadeem, Melody, Dr. Wartzki, and Lars each have a different connection to the story.
One practical tip: if you are looking up a cast list while watching, search by both the actor and character name. Logan Kim’s character is credited as Podcast, for example, and that nickname can make it harder to identify him if you search only by character names. Similarly, remember that Melody is a ghost character played by Emily Alyn Lind, not one of the young Ghostbusters.
The cast of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire combines the Spengler family and their young allies with familiar original Ghostbusters and new supporting characters. Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and Mckenna Grace lead the newer group, while Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson return as the original team.
For the clearest cast refresher, match each actor to the character in the table, then watch Afterlife if you want the background to the Spenglers and their young friends. That makes it much easier to follow who is who in the new film.
So, who is the cast of ghostbusters frozen empire? It is a mix of returning franchise favorites, the family introduced in Afterlife, and new performers who bring fresh characters into the latest ghost story.