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Lou Romano
Lou Romano
Lou Romano
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Lou Romano is an American animator and voice actor. He did design work on Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles, and provided the voices of Bernie Kropp in The Incredibles, Snot Rod in Cars, and Alfredo Linguini in Ratatouille.

Key Information

Romano was interested in drawing and painting at an early age. He studied theater arts, performing in plays throughout junior high and high school. He studied acting at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). After graduating in 1990, he studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts. He then completed workshops at The Groundlings in Los Angeles. He later went on to work as an art director and designer for animated projects, such as The Powerpuff Girls and The Iron Giant.

In 2000, Romano joined Pixar as the production designer of The Incredibles, for which he won an Annie Award in 2005. His artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art and the Gallery at The Metropolitan Opera in New York City and has been published on the cover of The New Yorker. In 2009, Romano left Pixar to work at Laika in Portland, Oregon.[1] He and his wife reside in the Bay Area.

Filmography

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References

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Lou Romano

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Lou Romano (born April 15, 1972) is an American animator, , and voice actor, best known for his contributions to Animation Studios films during the 2000s. Romano joined in 2000, where he served as on (2004), earning an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design in an Animated Feature Production in 2005. He also provided character design and visual development for Monsters, Inc. (2001) and voiced supporting roles such as Bernie Kropp in and Snot Rod in (2006). His most prominent voice role came as the hapless protagonist Alfredo Linguini in (2007), a performance that highlighted his ability to blend comedic timing with emotional depth in animated storytelling. In 2009, Romano departed to join Animation Studios in , contributing to stop-motion and CG-hybrid projects including visual development on The Boxtrolls (2014) and has since worked on films such as Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), Missing Link (2019), and Wendell & Wild (2022). Earlier in his career, he lent voices to characters in television series like The Powerpuff Girls, establishing his versatility across animation formats before his Pixar tenure.

Early life and education

Childhood in San Diego

Lou Romano was born on April 15, 1972, in , . Raised in , Romano developed an early interest in drawing and painting during his childhood. As a youngster, he also became drawn to theater arts, beginning to perform in local junior theater programs that nurtured his creative inclinations. This early exposure to performance was partly inspired by his father, a charismatic singing waiter at a Manhattan restaurant, whose entertaining presence left a lasting impression on Romano. Public information on his family remains limited, with no further details on parents or siblings disclosed.

Theater and animation training

Romano developed an early interest in theater during his adolescence in , participating in plays throughout junior high and high school, including programs at San Diego Junior Theatre. This involvement honed his performance skills and sparked a passion for that would influence his future career in voice work. He attended the School of Creative and (SCPA), a focused on the performing arts, where he emphasized studies. Romano graduated from SCPA in 1990, having built a strong foundation in theatrical through rigorous training and stage experience. Following high school, Romano enrolled at the (CalArts) to pursue studies, attending from 1990 to 1992. At CalArts, renowned for its program, he acquired essential techniques in drawing, storytelling, and visual design that bridged his theater background with the demands of animated . He then completed workshops at in . This education equipped him with the skills to transition into professional animation, combining expressive performance with technical artistry.

Professional career

Entry into animation and voice work

Following his graduation from the California Institute of the Arts in 1994 with a focus on character animation, Lou Romano transitioned into professional roles in the animation industry during the mid-1990s, leveraging his theater background from Groundlings workshops to blend design work with voice performance. His earliest credited voice acting gig came in 1992 with the pilot short Whoopass Stew!, where he provided the original voices for the Amoeba Boys, bumbling villains in the precursor to The Powerpuff Girls. In the late , Romano secured entry-level positions in production, contributing as a character designer and visual development artist on feature films like (1999), where he helped shape the film's aesthetic elements. He also worked as an and background designer on the Cartoon Network series (1998), voicing minor characters such as Bossman, Daddy Bird, and Junior across multiple episodes. Romano's involvement in smaller, independent projects further honed his skills in combining animation design with voice work. In the short film Herd (1999), he voiced Bible Boy #1, a quirky supporting role in this sci-fi comedy about an alien encounter. These early endeavors in television, features, and shorts established his versatility before his move to larger studio productions.

Pixar contributions

Lou Romano joined Animation Studios around 2000, initially contributing as a designer on (2001), where he worked in the art department to help shape the film's monstrous world and character aesthetics. His role expanded significantly as on (2004), overseeing the film's visual development from early concepts to final color and lighting schemes. Romano drew from architecture and Greek mythological art to craft the film's environments, such as Edna Mode's lair, which he described as "very modern and minimalist" yet infused with subtle motifs reflecting forgotten heroes. This process involved creating detailed color scripts and environmental designs to evoke a retro-futuristic style that supported the story's themes of heroism and suburbia. Romano continued his design contributions on subsequent Pixar films, serving as a concept artist in the art department on Cars (2006), where he helped develop the anthropomorphic vehicle's world with vibrant, road-trip-inspired visuals; providing visual development on Ratatouille (2007), focusing on the bustling Parisian culinary scenes; and contributing as a development artist during pre-production on Up (2009), incorporating practical models to refine the film's adventurous, balloon-laden aesthetic. In addition to his design work, Romano provided for characters, including the beleaguered teacher Bernie Kropp in and the hyperactive hot rod Snot Rod in . His theater arts training from high school and college, which honed his skills in emotional expression and performance, informed these roles by allowing him to deliver nuanced, character-driven vocal interpretations that aligned with the films' animated dynamics. Romano departed Pixar in 2009 to join Laika, concluding nearly a decade of multifaceted contributions to the studio's acclaimed features.

Post-Pixar projects

After departing in 2009, Lou Romano joined the stop-motion animation studio in , where he contributed to several high-profile projects, leveraging his expertise in production design and to shape visually distinctive worlds. His tenure at began with involvement in early development stages, transitioning to key creative roles that emphasized atmospheric storytelling through intricate set designs and character environments. This move marked a shift toward diverse animation techniques beyond 's computer-generated style, allowing Romano to explore tactile, handmade aesthetics in stop-motion features. Romano's notable LAIKA contributions included serving as additional character designer on The Boxtrolls (2014), contributing to the film's quirky, inventive stop-motion world of underground trolls and eccentric inventors; and as a concept artist on Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), where he helped develop the film's mythical Japanese-inspired landscapes and folklore elements, contributing to its richly layered visual narrative that earned critical acclaim for blending Eastern artistry with Western animation innovation. Separately, during this period, Romano served as co-production designer on (2015), a hybrid animated adaptation of de Saint-Exupéry's classic, overseeing the fusion of 3D CGI with hand-drawn 2D sequences to evoke a whimsical yet poignant interstellar journey. Venturing beyond , Romano expanded his portfolio in with roles at other studios. As art director on (2019), a and production, he guided the film's vibrant, imaginative amusement park aesthetic, emphasizing playful color palettes and fantastical creature designs to support its themes of creativity and loss. That same year, he worked as a visual development artist on The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019) for Warner Animation Group, aiding in the expansion of the franchise's brick-built universe with dynamic, modular environments that enhanced its meta-humor and action sequences. In 2021, Romano returned to in a freelance capacity as a development artist on Luca, contributing early conceptual artwork for the film's setting, which captured the sun-drenched coastal vibes central to its about and self-discovery. His most recent major credit came as co-production designer on (2022), a stop-motion directed by , where Romano shaped the eerie, gothic underworld populated by demons and hair cream factories, drawing on to underscore themes of redemption and family. As of 2025, Romano has not been publicly credited on new projects, though his influence persists in the industry's emphasis on integrated design across hybrid formats.

Voice acting roles

Animated films

Lou Romano's voice acting in animated feature films is most prominently associated with Pixar Animation Studios, where he brought to life supporting characters known for their humor and relatability. In the superhero family adventure The Incredibles (2004), Romano voiced Bernie Kropp, the beleaguered fifth-grade teacher of the speedster Dash Parr. Bernie represents the everyday adult frustrated by unexplained mischief, culminating in a memorable classroom scene where he reacts to a thumbtack prank with escalating indignation, exclaiming, "Coincidence? I think not!" His performance emphasizes sharp comedic timing, delivering lines with building exasperation that underscores the film's themes of hidden extraordinary abilities clashing with ordinary life. Romano reprised a similar vein of quirky humor in the racing comedy (2006) and its sequel (2011), voicing Snot Rod, a member of the Delinquent Road Hazards gang. Snot Rod, an orange 1970 customized as a , is defined by his chronic allergies, which Romano portrays through a distinctive nasal tone interspersed with explosive sneezes, enhancing the character's dim-witted, antagonistic persona. This voice style contributes to the gang's role as comic foils to protagonist , highlighting themes of rivalry and redemption in the high-speed world of anthropomorphic vehicles. Romano's most substantial role came in (2007), where he voiced the lead human character, Alfredo Linguini, a shy and inept garbage boy at the famed Gusteau's restaurant in . Linguini's backstory unfolds as the illegitimate son of renowned chef Auguste Gusteau and Renata Linguini, who left him a note revealing his heritage upon her death; this inheritance thrusts him into the culinary spotlight when he unknowingly becomes the restaurant's owner. Initially lacking any cooking skills, Linguini forms an unlikely partnership with the rat Remy, who puppeteers him under the table to execute masterful dishes, allowing Romano to evolve the voice from awkward stammering and self-doubt—reflecting the character's outsider status and fear of failure—to growing confidence and passion for . This performance, blending vulnerability with triumphant discovery, drives the film's core narrative on pursuing dreams against odds and earned Romano acclaim for capturing Linguini's emotional arc. He briefly reprised the role in the franchise's (2007), educating audiences on rat-human coexistence.

Television and other media

Lou Romano provided the voice for the Amoeba Boys, a trio of bumbling villains, in the 1992 pilot short Whoopass Stew!, a precursor to The Powerpuff Girls series. He also voiced Bossman, Junior, and other minor characters in the pilot and series. He later voiced Daddy Bird, a minor character, in the episode "A Very Special Blossom" (1999) during the show's 1998-2005 run. In animated shorts, Romano reprised his role as Alfredo Linguini from Ratatouille in the 2007 Pixar short Your Friend the Rat, where the character appears in a live-action/2D hybrid segment advocating for rat-human coexistence alongside Remy and Emile. This short was included in DVD releases and Pixar collections, extending his contributions to non-theatrical formats. Romano's video game voice work primarily draws from his Pixar characters, including Snot Rod in the Cars series titles such as Cars (2006), Cars: Mater-National Championship (2007), and Cars: Race-O-Rama (2009). He also voiced Bernie Kropp in the 2005 game The Incredibles: When Danger Calls and Linguini in later titles like Kinect Rush: A Disney•Pixar Adventure (2012) and Lego The Incredibles (2018). No significant guest appearances in additional TV shows or were recorded for Romano through 2025.

Personal life

Family and marriage

Lou Romano is married, though the name of his wife and details of their wedding remain private. The couple resides in the Bay Area of . Romano has no publicly confirmed children, and he maintains a high degree of regarding his family life, with little additional information available in public sources.

Residence and hobbies

Lou Romano and his wife have maintained a long-term residence in the Bay Area of northern California.

Awards and honors

Annie Awards

Lou Romano received recognition from the Annie Awards, the premier honors in the animation industry presented annually by the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA-Hollywood) to celebrate excellence in creative and technical achievements in animation. In 2005, at the 32nd Annie Awards, Romano won the Annie Award for Best Production Design in a Feature Production for his work on Pixar's The Incredibles, where he served as the film's production designer, contributing to the film's distinctive mid-century modern aesthetic and superhero-inspired environments. Romano earned a nomination at the 44th in 2017 for Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Feature Production for , sharing the recognition with Alexander Juhasz and Celine Desrumaux for their collaborative efforts in creating the film's whimsical, storybook-like visual world blending hand-drawn and CGI elements. These accolades highlight Romano's impactful contributions to production design, a category that underscores the ' emphasis on the artistic vision driving animated and visual .

Other recognitions

In addition to his , Romano received a Primetime Emmy Award in 2017 for Outstanding Individual Achievement in as background designer for the episode "XCV" of the series . Romano's artwork from projects has been featured in several prominent museum exhibitions. His collage The Jumper (for ) was displayed at the (MoMA) in New York as part of collections highlighting contributions. Similarly, a colorscript by Romano for appeared in the "Pixar: The Design of Story" exhibition at the , which ran from 2015 to 2016 and explored the studio's creative processes through original sketches and designs. In 2020, Romano received a nomination for the Art Directors Guild Excellence in Production Design Award in the Fantasy Film category for his work as a concept artist on Dumbo (2019), shared with Rick Heinrichs and the production design team. Earlier in his career, Romano's paintings were included in group shows at venues such as Nucleus Gallery in Alhambra, California; The Gallery at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York; and MoMA. These displays underscore his dual role as an animator and visual artist, with pieces from films like The Incredibles and Up gaining recognition in institutional settings.

Filmography

Feature films

Lou Romano has contributed to a wide range of animated s, primarily in roles involving visual development, production design, art direction, and . His work spans studios such as , Warner Bros., and , with credits dating back to the mid-1990s. The following table lists his verified contributions chronologically, focusing on theatrical and releases.
YearTitleRole(s)
1994Special effects breakdown artist
1999Visual development artist / character designer
2001Monsters, Inc.Visual development artist
2004Production designer / voice of Bernie Kropp
2006Voice of Snot Rod
2007Voice of Alfredo Linguini
2009UpArt director: lighting
2014Visual development artist
2015Production designer
2016Concept artist
2019Concept artist
2019Art director
2019The Lego Movie 2: The Second PartVisual development artist
2021LucaDevelopment artist
2022Co-Production designer

Television and shorts

Lou Romano began his voice acting career in animated shorts and made select appearances in television series, primarily contributing character voices to early projects associated with his animation work. His roles often featured quirky, supporting characters that complemented his background in character design. In the 1992 animated pilot short Whoopass Stew!, Romano provided the voices for the Amoeba Boys, a trio of bumbling villains intended as recurring antagonists in the proto-Powerpuff Girls universe. This early credit marked his entry into voice performance for animated media. Romano's television debut came in 1999 with The Powerpuff Girls, where he voiced Daddy Bird in the episode "A Very Special Blossom" (Season 2, Episode 7). The character is a hapless bird parent entangled in the girls' chaotic intervention. This single-episode role highlighted his ability to deliver comedic, exasperated tones suitable for ensemble animation. In short films, Romano appeared as Bible Boy #1 in the 1999 animated comedy Herd, a tale of a lonely man befriending an alien, adding to the ensemble of eccentric supporting voices. He followed this with a voice role in the 2003 short Boys Night Out, contributing to the story of a father and son's misadventures during a night out, though specific character details remain uncredited beyond general voice work. One of Romano's most notable short contributions came in with Pixar's , a companion piece to released on DVD. He reprised his role as Alfredo Linguini, appearing in educational segments advocating for rat-kind alongside Remy and Emile, blending humor with pseudo-documentary style. This short extended his character from the feature into bite-sized, informative animation. No additional television series or short-form voice credits for Romano have been documented through 2025, with his later career shifting toward production in features.

References

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  2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0738918/
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  6. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Lou-Romano/
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  31. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Lego-The-Incredibles/Linguini/
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  43. https://powerpuffgirls.fandom.com/wiki/Lou_Romano
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  45. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396513/fullcredits/
  46. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/shorts/Ratatouille/
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