'The Boondocks' Characters

'The Boondocks' Characters

The Boondocks characters aren't your typical cartoon characters, with nice manners and punchlines. When Aaron McGruder wanted to make an animated TV series based on his controversial comic strip, , he had a hard time finding a network that was willing to air it. He was turned down by FOX, HBO, Showtime and MTV. Finally, in 2005, Adult Swim gave him the greenlight, and The Boondocks became one of the network's most popular cartoons.

The Boondocks ended its four-season run in 2014. The fourth season premiere was the most-watched telecast for Adult Swim going back five years. Click through to see the cast of characters who starred in The Boondocks.

Jump to

• Huey Freeman
• Riley Freeman
• Granddad
• Uncle Ruckus
• The DuBois Family

Huey Freeman

10-year-old Huey and his little brother Riley have at least one thing in common: they're both angry young Black men stuck in the suburbs. But instead of causing mayhem, Huey's most powerful weapons are his disapproving glance and biting commentary. A future revolutionary, he's a present-day pessimist and intellectual terrorist.

On , Huey attends J. Edgar Hoover Elementary School in lily-white Woodcrest. He's not afraid to point out rampant hypocrisy, racism or destructive behavior, which leads to plenty of awkward moments, particularly when White people are involved.

He'll change the world someday, but it's hard to fight the power when you can't even drive.

Huey Freeman is voiced by Regina King (American Crime).

Riley Freeman

For Riley Freeman on , "keeping it gangsta" includes the occasional temper tantrum or hissy fit.

To this corn-rowed 8-year-old, who changed his name to Riley Escobar in the second grade, white-bread Woodcrest is the perfect place for his favorite pastime--juvenile delinquency.

A proud product of contemporary rap culture, he looks up to 50 Cent and once sported a temporary tattoo that said "Thug Blood." Unfortunately, some of it came off in the tub, and all he was left with was "Hug Boo."

But it's not all gangsta life for Riley. When he's not defending R. Kelly on the courthouse steps, he can be found in the Freeman living room getting whipped by his big brother at video soccer.

Riley Freeman is voiced by Regina King (American Crime).

Granddad

When Robert Jebediah Freeman became the legal guardian of his rambunctious grandkids, he moved the family from Chicago's South Side to the quiet and safety of "The Boondocks," a.k.a. suburban Woodcrest, in hopes that he can ignore the kids altogether and enjoy the fourth quarter of his life in peace. Things aren't quite working out that way.

And although the boys torture each other and provoke the neighborhood, they are still no match for Granddad, who is eccentric even by "crazy-ass-old-Black-man" standards.

Granddad is voiced by John Witherspoon (Black Jesus).

Uncle Ruckus

Uncle Ruckus hates Black people. Which is kind of awkward, since he appears to be a Black man himself. But more than that, he has a deep respect, admiration and love of White people. To him, there's only one King, and that's Elvis, not Dr. Martin Luther King.

And the only reason that Black people have topped the White man when it comes to cooking pork is that, in his words, "His big brain is just focused on more important things, like running the world and space ships."

With a worldview like this, it's curious that Ruckus and Granddad can stand to be around each other.

Uncle Ruckus is voiced by Gary Anthony Williams () on , who won a Behind the Voice Actors Award for Best Male Vocal Performance in a Television Series in a Supporting Role - Comedy/Musical for The Boondocks.

The DuBois Family

More characters on :

Tom DuBois

Tom is Huey and Riley's next door neighbor. As a successful African-American attorney, he probably could qualify as a role model to these boys. But instead, he's seen more as a tool of the establishment, working to keep the Black man down. And to top it all off, he's married to a White woman.

Tom DuBois is voiced by Cedric Yarbrough (The Goldbergs).

Jazmine DuBois

At the tender age of 10, Jazmine Dubois has her share of anxiety. Not only did she spend two years locked in her room after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, she was equally traumatized after finding out there was no such thing as the Tooth Fairy.

Jazmine must deal with being the child of an interracial relationship, and withstand the teasing of Huey and Riley, her next-door neighbors. Despite all this, she manages to remain optimistic and slightly naïve.

Jazmine DuBois is voiced by Gabby Soleil (Half & Half).

Sara DuBois

Sara is Tom's wife and Jazmine's mother. Sara DuBois is voiced by Jill Talley (Adventure Time).