Stephanie Hsu and Keke Palmer lead a star-studded animated comedy.
It seems like there’s no shortage of animated sci-fi comedies on streaming these days, but The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy looks poised to stand out from the crowd.
In a review for RadioTimes.com, contributor David Opie described it as “Prime Video’s best animation“, which is no small feat for the home of Invincible, Undone, The Legend of Vox Machina and Hazbin Hotel.
The series follows two intergalactic surgeons, played by Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu and Emmy winner Keke Palmer, as they take on everything from anxiety-devouring parasites to deep-space STIs.
A number of other big name actors are along for the ride – if you recognise one of the voices in the trailer or are just keen to know who you can expect, read on for everything we know about The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy cast.
The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy cast: Full list of actors
- Stephanie Hsu plays Dr Sleech
- Keke Palmer plays Dr Klak
- Kieran Culkin plays Dr Plowp
- Natasha Lyonne plays Nurse Tup
- Maya Rudolph plays Dr Vlam
- Sam Smith plays Dr Azel
- Andrew Dismukes
- Lennon Parham
- Gary Anthony Williams
- Bowen Yang
- Phil LaMarr
- Kemah Bob
- Abbi Jacobson
- Tracee Ellis Ross
- Cirocco Dunlap
- Jay Ellis
- Grey Griffin
- Christian Culkin
Stephanie Hsu plays Dr Sleech
Who is Dr Sleech? Dr Sleech works at the titular Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, alongside her best friend Dr Klak. They take on all manner of wild and unpredictable medical cases.
What else has Stephanie Hsu been in? Hsu rose to international stardom in the cast of Academy Award winner Everything Everywhere All at Once, where she played Joy, the troubled daughter of Michelle Yeoh’s Evelyn.
Last year, she followed it up with underrated comedy feature Joy Ride. On the small screen, she’s known for playing Mei Lin in Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, as well as for recent guest appearances in Poker Face and American Born Chinese.
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Keke Palmer plays Dr Klak
Who is Dr Klak? Dr Klak is another of the top medical staff at the Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, who is particularly close with Dr Sleech.
What else has Keke Palmer been in? Palmer earned acclaim for her performance in Jordan Peele’s Nope, which hit cinemas in 2022. Her other credits include Jennifer Lopez thriller Hustlers, Ryan Murphy’s horror-comedy Scream Queens, plus animated series Big Mouth and its spin-off Human Resources.
Kieran Culkin plays Dr Plowp
Who is Dr Plowp? Dr Plowp is one of the colleagues of Dr Klak and Dr Sleech, whose alien form somewhat resembles an anthropomorphic chicken.
What else has Kieran Culkin been in? Of course, Culkin is best known for his celebrated role of Roman Roy in Succession, which ended just last year in spectacular form. Previously, he had appeared in Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Fargo season 2. His career began as a child actor, appearing in Home Alone (opposite brother Macauley) and Father of the Bride.
Natasha Lyonne plays Nurse Tup
Who is Nurse Tup? Another regular character on the show, Nurse Tup will be lending a vital hand to the doctors as they’re thrown into wacky sci-fi situations.
What else has Natasha Lyonne been in? Lyonne has had an acclaimed run on streaming television in recent years, giving stellar performances in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black and Russian Doll, before hopping over to Peacock for Rian Johnson’s Poker Face. Her earlier credits include comedy films American Pie and But I’m a Cheerleader.
Maya Rudolph plays Dr Vlam
Who is Dr Vlam? Another series regular, Dr Vlam appears to be some kind of robotic member of the team.
What else has Maya Rudolph been in? A big name in American comedy, Rudolph rose to prominence on Saturday Night Live before finding success in a wide variety of other projects. These include feature films Grown Ups and Bridesmaids, as well as television sitcoms Big Mouth and The Good Place.
Sam Smith plays Dr Azel
Who is Dr Azel? Rounding out the series regulars is Dr Azel, seen performing surgery in the image above.
What else has Sam Smith been in? Smith is primarily known for their music, having released four studio albums, as well as the theme song for 007 film Spectre – which earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Lennon Parham
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing.
What else has Lennon Parham been in? Parham is a comedy character actor, whose long list of credits include Veep, Lady Dynamite, Arrested Development, Adventure Time, Bob’s Burgers, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Minx.
Gary Anthony Williams
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing.
What else has Gary Anthony Williams been in? Williams has an extensive filmography comprised of both animation and live-action. His recent credits include Netflix’s Agent Elvis, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and DC’s Harley Quinn.
Bowen Yang
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing.
What else has Bowen Yang been in? Yang is one of the most prominent members of the current Saturday Night Live cast. He is also known for comedy films Bros and Fire Island, as well as Awkwafina’s acclaimed sitcom Nora From Queens.
Phil LaMarr
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing.
What else has Phil LaMarr been in? LaMarr is best known as a voice actor, whose most famous roles include Hermes from Futurama and Samurai Jack in the fan favourite Cartoon Network animation.
Abbi Jacobson
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing.
What else has Abbi Jacobson been in? Jacobson is best known for her acclaimed Comedy Central sitcom Broad City, where she was co-creator and co-star opposite Ilana Glazer. She went on to play Princess Bean in Netflix’s Disenchantment and spearheaded Prime Video’s recent reimagining of A League of Their Own.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing.
What else has Tracee Ellis Ross been in? Ellis Ross recently had a supporting role in Best Picture contender American Fiction, where she appeared opposite Jeffrey Wright.
She is better known for her celebrated performance as Dr Rainbow Johnson in long-running sitcom Black-ish, which earned her a Golden Globe and five Primetime Emmy nominations. It followed earlier comedy success in the cast of Girlfriends.
Cirocco Dunlap
Who are they playing? They have been confirmed as a guest star in season 1, but no character details have been revealed at the time of writing. Dunlap is also the creator of the show.
What else has Cirocco Dunlap been in? Dunlap is best known as a writer, having previously penned scripts for Russian Doll, Little Voice and Miracle Workers, as well as providing material for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy is available to stream on Prime Video from Friday 23rd February 2024. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video and pay £8.99 a month after that.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
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