We’ve seen a lot of great, funny musicals and an astronomical number of family-friendly movies based on classic children’s books in recent years, and starting this weekend we have another title that fits into both of those categories. Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, the new live-action-CGI hybrid movie based on Bernard Waber’s 1965 book of the same name, is one of the big fall movies coming out in the latter part of 2022, and it brings with it a great story set in New York City and a cast of characters that includes breakout stars, Academy Award winners, and one of the Stranger Things Season 4 all-stars.
If you’ve watched the new movie featuring Shawn Mendes as that lovable reptile with a passion for song and dance, or are at least planning on catching it with the family, you’ll probably be wondering where you’ve seen (and heard) the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile cast before. Well, we’re about to break it all down now…
Lyle (Shawn Mendes)
The star of the show, and the singer-turned-actor taking on the role of the titular singing and dancing reptile in Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, is singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes.
Surprisingly enough, Mendes’ spot at the top of the cast is a first for popular musician, as he has never appeared in theatrical release. His previous film credits include a direct-to-video animated movie called Metegol in 2013 and two concert documentaries — Shawn Mendes: In Wonder and Shawn Mendes: Live in Concert — and both were released by Netflix. Throughout his career, Mendes has appeared on the small screen quite a bit, though all but one TV credit (a small role on an episode of The 100) consisted of musical performances on Saturday Night Live and programs like The Voice and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
To date, Mendes has released four studio albums (all but one have gone at least platinum), multiple live albums, and several EPs and singles dating back to his debut with Handwritten in April 2015.
Winslow Fegley (Josh Primm)
Josh Primm, the young boy who discovers there is a crocodile living in his family’s New York City apartment, is played by Winslow Fegley in Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.
If you liked 8-Bit Christmas after watching the surprisingly heartfelt 2021 holiday movie, then you’ll definitely recognize Fegley from his portrayal of Jake Doyle (Neil Patrick Harris portrayed the older version of the character). Prior to landing a role in the HBO Max original movie, Fegley appeared in titles like Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, Come Play, and Nightbooks. His TV credits include Teachers, Fast Layne, and a 2019 episode of The Good Doctor.
Constance Wu (Mrs. Primm)
Taking on the role of Mrs. Primm in the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile cast is Constance Wu, who can be seen dancing, singing, painting, and cooking up some incredible recipes in the movie’s trailer on YouTube.
Wu, who cut her teeth appearing on shows like EastSiders, One Life to Live, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, came to prominence with her portrayal of Jessica Huang on the ABC sitcom, Fresh Off the Boat, where she appeared alongside Randall Park, Hudson Yang, and the rest of the ensemble cast for a total of five seasons.
Near the end of her run on the series, Wu landed what is perhaps her biggest role yet: Rachel Chu in the incredibly successful Crazy Rich Asians in 2018. In the wake of the worldwide phenomenon that was Jon M. Chu’s landmark romantic comedy, Wu landed roles in movies like Next Gen, Wish Dragon, and Hustlers, alongside Jennifer Lopez. In 2022, Wu showed up on The Terminal List with Chris Pratt, Taylor Kitsch, and Riley Keough.
Scoot McNairy (Mr. Primm)
Next up is Scoot McNairy, who shows up on the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile cast as Mr. Primm, who along with his wife and son, come to terms and learn some valuable lessons from the saltwater reptile living in their attic.
Throughout his career on the silver screen, McNairy has given tremendous performances in low-budget sci-fi thrillers like Monsters, Academy Award-winning dramas like Argo and 12 Years a Slave, and various other film projects like Gone Girl, Frank, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, to name just a few. He even showed up in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
McNairy’s TV presence kicked off in the early 2000s with roles on Good Girls Don’t…, Six Feet Under, and How I Met Your Mother, and has gone on to memorable performances on everything from Halt and Catch Fire to Narcos: Mexico and True Detective to The Comey Rule.
Javier Bardem (Hector P. Valenti)
Taking on the role of Hector P. Valenti, the charismatic showman who has raised and trained Lyle from a young age, is Academy Award-winning actor Javier Bardem, who could very well be the best Bond villain of all time.
Over the years, Bardem has appeared in one great movie after another, including Skyfall, Biutiful, Everybody Knows, Before Night Falls, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. However, he will forever be remembered from his cold, methodical, and iconic portrayal of the emotionless contract killer, Anton Chigurh, in the Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men. The 2007 adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same name earned four Oscars, including Best Picture for the Coens and Best Actor for Bardem.
Recently, Bardem has given commanding performances in epic sci-fi movies like Dune and character-driven biographical dramas like Being the Ricardos. He is set to portray King Triton in Disney’s upcoming The Little Mermaid live-action adaptation.
Brett Gelman (Mr. Grumps)
And then there is Brett Gelman, who serves as the noisy neighbor archetype with his portrayal of Mr. Grumps in the Lyle, Lyle Crocodile cast.
Gelman has become one of the most recognizable faces in show business in recent years thanks in part to his portrayal of fan-favorite Murray Bauman on Stranger Things, but his career goes back more than decade before his arrival in Hawkins. Over the years, he’s appeared on shows like Fleabag, Love, Married, Kroll Show, The League, Bored to Death, and countless other comedies.
During that same stretch of time, Gelman landed roles in movies like The Other Guys, 30 Minutes or Less, Arlo the Alligator Boy, and Without Remorse.
Lyle, Lyle Crocodile is currently playing at a theater near you, but don’t forget to check out the 2022 movie schedule for all the latest on everything else coming out later this year.
