<Li> Jordan Nagai as Russell . Throughout most of the film , he makes several comments to Carl that suggest that Russell 's father and mother are no longer together . Russell 's design was based on Pixar animator Peter Sohn . Docter auditioned 400 boys in a nationwide casting call for the part . Nagai , who is Japanese American , showed up to an audition with his brother , who was actually the one auditioning . Docter realized Nagai behaved and spoke non-stop like Russell and chose him for the part . Nagai was eight years old when cast . Docter encouraged Nagai to act physically as well as vocally when recording the role , lifting him upside down and tickling him for the scene where Russell encounters Kevin . Asian Americans have positively noted Pixar 's first casting of an Asian lead character , in contrast to the common practice of casting non-Asians in Asian parts . </Li>
<Li> Jordan Nagai as Russell . Throughout most of the film , he makes several comments to Carl that suggest that Russell 's father and mother are no longer together . Russell 's design was based on Pixar animator Peter Sohn . Docter auditioned 400 boys in a nationwide casting call for the part . Nagai , who is Japanese American , showed up to an audition with his brother , who was actually the one auditioning . Docter realized Nagai behaved and spoke non-stop like Russell and chose him for the part . Nagai was eight years old when cast . Docter encouraged Nagai to act physically as well as vocally when recording the role , lifting him upside down and tickling him for the scene where Russell encounters Kevin . Asian Americans have positively noted Pixar 's first casting of an Asian lead character , in contrast to the common practice of casting non-Asians in Asian parts . </Li>
who does the voice of russell from up
who does the voice of russell from up
Jordan Nagai
Jordan Nagai