The Voice Actors ofThe Nightmare Before Christmas: Where Are They Now?

Mar. 15, 2025

Left: Sally from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Catherine O’Hara at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Peacock Theater on Sept. 15, 2024, in Los Angeles.Photo:Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

As equally as iconic as the monsters and beings inThe Nightmare Before Christmasis the cast whose voices brought the characters to life.In the Halloween film,Chris SarandonandDanny Elfman, respectively, lend their speaking and singing voices to Jack Skellington.Catherine O’Harapulls double duty as the blue-skinned, Frankenstein-esque rag doll Sally and the crafty trick-or-treater Shock. Rounding out the other talented voice actors involved in the animated movie is William Hickey, who breathes life into the mad scientist Dr. Finkelstein.Since its release, the fantasy flick has reached a new generation of fans, from the New York Botanical Gardenunveiling its ownNightmare Before Christmas-inspired light trailin fall 2024 toBillie Eilishperforming in the Disney live-to-film concertin 2021. Needless to say, the holiday classic has remained a timeless favorite among Halloweeners wanting to revisit Halloween Town and its spooky inhabitants.While some of the voice cast members have continued participating in various events for the movie, others have gone on to reach new heights of success beyond the film.See what theNightmare Before Christmasvoice actors have said about their part in theTim Burton-produced stop-motion movie since it arrived in theaters on Oct. 29, 1993.

As equally as iconic as the monsters and beings inThe Nightmare Before Christmasis the cast whose voices brought the characters to life.

In the Halloween film,Chris SarandonandDanny Elfman, respectively, lend their speaking and singing voices to Jack Skellington.Catherine O’Harapulls double duty as the blue-skinned, Frankenstein-esque rag doll Sally and the crafty trick-or-treater Shock. Rounding out the other talented voice actors involved in the animated movie is William Hickey, who breathes life into the mad scientist Dr. Finkelstein.

Since its release, the fantasy flick has reached a new generation of fans, from the New York Botanical Gardenunveiling its ownNightmare Before Christmas-inspired light trailin fall 2024 toBillie Eilishperforming in the Disney live-to-film concertin 2021. Needless to say, the holiday classic has remained a timeless favorite among Halloweeners wanting to revisit Halloween Town and its spooky inhabitants.

While some of the voice cast members have continued participating in various events for the movie, others have gone on to reach new heights of success beyond the film.

See what theNightmare Before Christmasvoice actors have said about their part in theTim Burton-produced stop-motion movie since it arrived in theaters on Oct. 29, 1993.

01of 09

Chris Sarandon as Jack Skellington

Left: Jack Skellington from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Chris Sarandon at the Vineyard Theatre gala at the Edison Ballroom on March 14, 2017, in New York City.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Walter McBride/Getty

In 2019, Sarandontold ComicBook.comthat he still gets booked for gigs to portray his skeletal persona and is amazed at how warmly the film is still received today.

“I’m still doing the character,” he said. “We still get calls from Disney, going, ‘Come down. We’re doing the Halloween show this year. It’s a live-action show, and we need you to do Jack.’ "

Sarandon added, “I walk in, and I sit down in the studio, and suddenly, ‘There he is. He really cares.’ I have no idea why or how, but it just happens, and it’s always a wonderful surprise, on the one hand. And on the other hand, I’m constantly feeling a humility and a gratefulness for being a part of it.”

Speaking to PEOPLE to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary in 2023, Sarandon expressed that seeing its “multigenerational” impact throughout the decades has been beyond words. “A lot of young people come up to me and say, ‘This was a movie that made me feel like I belonged,’ because it was so strange and at the same time so beautiful, and its message was so positive,” he said. “And as it turns out, they, in turn, now are watching it with their children.”

In addition toThe Nightmare Before Christmas, Sarandon starred inFright Night(1985),Child’s Play(1988) andCurse of Chucky(2013). In 1976, he earned anOscarnomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Leon Shermer inDog Day Afternoon.

Sarandon and actress Joanna Gleason tied the knot in 1994. He was previously married toDead Man WalkingstarSusan Sarandonfrom 1967 to 1979 and shares two daughters and one son with ex-wife Lisa Ann Cooper.

02of 09

Catherine O’Hara as Sally

Sally from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Catherine O’Hara at the season 2 premiere of Netflix’s ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ at Metrograph on March 29, 2018, in New York City.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

O’Hara voices Sally, Jack’s love interest and a stitched rag doll creation of Dr. Finkelstein. Sally uses poisons to liberate herself from Finkelstein’s captivity and has psychic powers that warn her about bad things to come.

In December 2018, O’Hara recalled the “beautiful but difficult” experience of singing “Sally’s Song” for the stop-motion film.

“I like voicing characters for films and television. It’s challenging but fun,” O’Haratold Live for Filmsin 2018. “Recording Sally’s song was intimidating — that song is beautiful and difficult to sing — but it’s been even more thrilling to sing the song live onstage with an orchestra while the audience watches the film.”

Thirty years after the film’s release, O’Hara took the stage in October 2023 toperform “Sally’s Song”at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.Speaking with theLos Angeles Daily Newsahead of the show, the actress shared her secret to nailing the “tricky” number for live performances.

“The first time I did [the live-to-film show] there was no dialogue, and I happened to add the dialogue. You know, ‘Jack, dear, Jack, whatever,’ just to help remind myself and that audience that this a character, not a singer on the stage. Which I don’t pretend to be,” O’Hara said. “So as long as I’m in character … that gets me through the song.”

O’Hara and Burton worked together in 1988’sBeetlejuiceand 2012’sFrankenweenie,and shereprised her role as Delia DeetzinBeetlejuice Beetlejuice(2024). She’s also starred inHome Alone(1990)and its sequel,Best in Show(2000),Penelope(2006) andArgylle(2024).

Since 1992, O’Hara has been married to director and production designer Bo Welch, whom she met on the set ofBeetlejuice.They have two sons, Matthew and Luke.

03of 09Catherine O’Hara as ShockLeft: Shock from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Catherine O’Hara at the premiere of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ season 4 at ArcLight Hollywood on Jan. 16, 2018, in Hollywood, Calif.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Brandon Williams/GettyO’Hara also voices Shock, one of the trick-or-treaters working for Oogie Boogie. Shock, along with friends Lock and Barrel, loves to make trouble.The actress has continued amassing a long list of voice acting credits throughout her career, including films such asRock & Rule(1983),Pippi Longstocking(1997),Where the Wild Things Are(2009),Elemental(2023) andThe Wild Robot(2024).In an official statement during Pixar Press Day in 2023,Elementalproducer Denise Ream praised O’Hara’s voice acting performance in the animated comedy.Ream said, “Pete [Sohn] and I are huge fans, so we were delighted when she accepted the role. Her improv skills were amazing, and she brought so much fun and entertainment to the role.”

03of 09

Catherine O’Hara as Shock

Left: Shock from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Catherine O’Hara at the premiere of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ season 4 at ArcLight Hollywood on Jan. 16, 2018, in Hollywood, Calif.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Brandon Williams/Getty

O’Hara also voices Shock, one of the trick-or-treaters working for Oogie Boogie. Shock, along with friends Lock and Barrel, loves to make trouble.

The actress has continued amassing a long list of voice acting credits throughout her career, including films such asRock & Rule(1983),Pippi Longstocking(1997),Where the Wild Things Are(2009),Elemental(2023) andThe Wild Robot(2024).

In an official statement during Pixar Press Day in 2023,Elementalproducer Denise Ream praised O’Hara’s voice acting performance in the animated comedy.

Ream said, “Pete [Sohn] and I are huge fans, so we were delighted when she accepted the role. Her improv skills were amazing, and she brought so much fun and entertainment to the role.”

04of 09Ken Page as Oogie BoogieLeft: Oogie Boogie from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Ken Page at the 2014 Motor City Comic Con at Suburban Collection Showplace on May 16, 2014, in Novi, Mich.Touchstone; Monica Morgan/WireImageKen Page voiced the villainous bogeyman of Halloween Town, Oogie Boogie, who has a passion for gambling.Pagetold Direct Conversationsin 2014 that he still gets hired to sing the villain’s “Oogie Boogie’s Song” at various Disney events.“Disney has been wonderful to me over the years,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of events at the park in California and at the El Capitan Theater around Halloween time before.“Page continued, “When I see little kids, because they don’t often connect the person and the voice of a character they see on film, I’ll bend down and go, ‘Well, well, well. What have we here?’ When you see their faces light up, it’s worth a million bucks.“For the movie’s 30th anniversary in 2023, Page shared his approach to Oogie’s character and baritone singing voice. “I went up to San Francisco to sing for them and not actually thinking that I was going to do the speaking role. I thought they just wanted somebody to sing a song,” hetold CT Insiderin a Zoom interview.He continued, “They asked me about the character and what did I think. I had seen some of the storyboards. I said, ‘To me, maybe it’s a cross between Burt Lahr from theWizard of Oz, Cab Calloway and the voice of the demon in [The Exorcist].“Apart fromThe Nightmare Before Christmas, Page’s other film credits includeTorch Song Trilogy(1988),All Dogs Go to Heaven(1989),Cats(1998) andDreamgirls(2006).Page appeared in multiple Broadway productions, includingThe Wiz,Guys and Dolls,Ain’t Misbehavin’andCats. The thespian was also a popular stage performer in his hometown of St. Louis, where he was beloved as the “Voice of the Muny” and had acted in more than 45 shows at the Muny outdoor theater since the 1970s,according to the amphitheater’s website.Pagedied at the age of 70on Sept. 30, 2024.“He was the one and only Oogie Boogie Man. He was simply one of the best, most generous souls I know,” Elfman wroteon Xin Page’s memory. “Full of life and overflowing with joy. Talented and then some. Ken, my friend, you will be deeply missed.“After the news of Page’s death, Sarandon also paid remembrance to his late costar in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE: “Ken was a big man: big in body, big in voice, but mostly big in heart. He became my dear friend, and I admired and loved him.”

04of 09

Ken Page as Oogie Boogie

Left: Oogie Boogie from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Ken Page at the 2014 Motor City Comic Con at Suburban Collection Showplace on May 16, 2014, in Novi, Mich.Touchstone; Monica Morgan/WireImage

Ken Page voiced the villainous bogeyman of Halloween Town, Oogie Boogie, who has a passion for gambling.

Pagetold Direct Conversationsin 2014 that he still gets hired to sing the villain’s “Oogie Boogie’s Song” at various Disney events.

“Disney has been wonderful to me over the years,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of events at the park in California and at the El Capitan Theater around Halloween time before.”

Page continued, “When I see little kids, because they don’t often connect the person and the voice of a character they see on film, I’ll bend down and go, ‘Well, well, well. What have we here?’ When you see their faces light up, it’s worth a million bucks.”

For the movie’s 30th anniversary in 2023, Page shared his approach to Oogie’s character and baritone singing voice. “I went up to San Francisco to sing for them and not actually thinking that I was going to do the speaking role. I thought they just wanted somebody to sing a song,” hetold CT Insiderin a Zoom interview.

He continued, “They asked me about the character and what did I think. I had seen some of the storyboards. I said, ‘To me, maybe it’s a cross between Burt Lahr from theWizard of Oz, Cab Calloway and the voice of the demon in [The Exorcist].”

Apart fromThe Nightmare Before Christmas, Page’s other film credits includeTorch Song Trilogy(1988),All Dogs Go to Heaven(1989),Cats(1998) andDreamgirls(2006).

Page appeared in multiple Broadway productions, includingThe Wiz,Guys and Dolls,Ain’t Misbehavin’andCats. The thespian was also a popular stage performer in his hometown of St. Louis, where he was beloved as the “Voice of the Muny” and had acted in more than 45 shows at the Muny outdoor theater since the 1970s,according to the amphitheater’s website.

Pagedied at the age of 70on Sept. 30, 2024.

“He was the one and only Oogie Boogie Man. He was simply one of the best, most generous souls I know,” Elfman wroteon Xin Page’s memory. “Full of life and overflowing with joy. Talented and then some. Ken, my friend, you will be deeply missed.”

After the news of Page’s death, Sarandon also paid remembrance to his late costar in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE: “Ken was a big man: big in body, big in voice, but mostly big in heart. He became my dear friend, and I admired and loved him.”

05of 09Danny Elfman as BarrelLeft: Barrel from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Danny Elfman at the Amazon Studios premiere of ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’ at ArcLight Hollywood on July 11, 2018.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Allen Berezovsky/WireImageIn addition to providing the singing voice for Jack, Elfman voices two other characters in the film: Barrel, one-third of Oogie Boogie’s henchmen, and the Clown with the Tear-Away Face.The Emmy-winning composer — who has performed the film’s score live at the Hollywood Bowl almost every Halloween since 2015,according to his official website— reflected on what inspires him to return toNightmare Before Christmasafter all these years.“When the movie came out, it didn’t do well. It was misunderstood … The perception [was that it was] weird, scary, and kids wouldn’t like it,” Elfmantold NMEin December 2022. “Ten years after it came out, I was in Tokyo with Tim Burton doingCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, and there was Jack and Sally merchandise everywhere.“He continued, “[Burton] said, ‘I’ve never even seen this stuff before,’ but it became clear that there was this life around [Nightmare], beyond when it first opened, and it really bloomed after it. It was such a wonderful surprise for me because I put so much of myself into it and to have it [disappear] in a cloud of misunderstanding was disappointing.“The musician and former Oingo Boingo singer has composed scores for over 100 feature films, includingBatman(1989),Edward Scissorhands(1990),Spider-Man(2002),Charlotte’s Web(2006),Fifty Shades of Grey(2015) andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness(2022).His work on Netflix’sWednesdayearned him two Emmy nominations in 2023. He has also received four Oscar nominations for Best Music forGood Will Hunting(1997),Men in Black(1997),Big Fish(2003) andMilk(2008).Since 2003, Elfman has beenmarried to actressBridget Fonda, with whom he shares son Oliver. He has two daughters, Lola and Mali, from a previous relationship.

05of 09

Danny Elfman as Barrel

Left: Barrel from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Danny Elfman at the Amazon Studios premiere of ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’ at ArcLight Hollywood on July 11, 2018.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Allen Berezovsky/WireImage

In addition to providing the singing voice for Jack, Elfman voices two other characters in the film: Barrel, one-third of Oogie Boogie’s henchmen, and the Clown with the Tear-Away Face.

The Emmy-winning composer — who has performed the film’s score live at the Hollywood Bowl almost every Halloween since 2015,according to his official website— reflected on what inspires him to return toNightmare Before Christmasafter all these years.

“When the movie came out, it didn’t do well. It was misunderstood … The perception [was that it was] weird, scary, and kids wouldn’t like it,” Elfmantold NMEin December 2022. “Ten years after it came out, I was in Tokyo with Tim Burton doingCharlie and the Chocolate Factory, and there was Jack and Sally merchandise everywhere.”

He continued, “[Burton] said, ‘I’ve never even seen this stuff before,’ but it became clear that there was this life around [Nightmare], beyond when it first opened, and it really bloomed after it. It was such a wonderful surprise for me because I put so much of myself into it and to have it [disappear] in a cloud of misunderstanding was disappointing.”

The musician and former Oingo Boingo singer has composed scores for over 100 feature films, includingBatman(1989),Edward Scissorhands(1990),Spider-Man(2002),Charlotte’s Web(2006),Fifty Shades of Grey(2015) andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness(2022).

His work on Netflix’sWednesdayearned him two Emmy nominations in 2023. He has also received four Oscar nominations for Best Music forGood Will Hunting(1997),Men in Black(1997),Big Fish(2003) andMilk(2008).

Since 2003, Elfman has beenmarried to actressBridget Fonda, with whom he shares son Oliver. He has two daughters, Lola and Mali, from a previous relationship.

06of 09

Glenn Shadix as Mayor of Halloween Town

Left: Mayor of Halloween Town from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Glenn Shadix posing near a set prop at the 10th anniversary screening of ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., in October 2003.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Barry King/WireImage

Glenn Shadix voiced the Mayor of Halloween Town, whose wild mood swings cause his head to spin between his “happy” and “sad” faces.

Shadix died at 58 on Sept. 7, 2010, after falling in his home,per AL.com.

07of 09

William Hickey as Dr. Finkelstein

Hickey voiced the mad scientist and creator of Sally in a role reminiscent of Dr. Frankenstein, the original creator of the monster in the horror classic.

Hickey’s film credits includePrizzi’s Honor(1985), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor,National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation(1989),Major Payne(1995) andTwisted(1996). He earned his first and only Emmy for his guest appearance on the HBO horror seriesTales from the Crypt.

08of 09

Paul Reubens as Lock

Left: Lock from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Paul Reubens at the AOL Build Speaker Series to discuss ‘Pee-wee’s Big Holiday’ at AOL Studios on March 25, 2016, in N.Y.C.Touchstone/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; Mike Pont/WireImage

After starring as the titular character on CBS’Pee-wee’s Playhousefor five seasons, Reubens reprised the role in Burton’sPee-wee’s Big Adventure(1985) andPee-wee’s Big Holiday(2016). He also appeared inDoctor Dolittle(1998),Mystery Men(1999),Blow(2001),The Smurfs(2011) and on shows such asMurphy Brown,The BlacklistandMosaic.

Reubensdied at the age of 70on July 30, 2023, with his rep confirming to PEOPLE in an exclusive statement that thecontroversial actor"bravely and privately fought cancer for years.”

09of 09Joe Ranft as IgorLeft: Igor from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Joe Ranft celebrating the 15th anniversary of Pixar Animation Studios on Jan. 9, 2002, in L.A.Touchstone; Eric Charbonneau/Berliner Studio/BEImages/RexJoe Ranft voiced Dr. Finkelstein’s assistant, Igor, who’s a clear homage to Frankenstein — but this version loves receiving dog biscuits from his master as a reward for a good job.The Oscar-nominated animator and screenwriter wrote and appeared in various popular films, includingThe Brave Little Toaster(1987),Toy Story(1995),A Bug’s Life(1998) andCars(2006).Ranft died at age 45 in a car crash on Aug. 16, 2005,perVariety.

09of 09

Joe Ranft as Igor

Left: Igor from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’; Right: Joe Ranft celebrating the 15th anniversary of Pixar Animation Studios on Jan. 9, 2002, in L.A.Touchstone; Eric Charbonneau/Berliner Studio/BEImages/Rex

Joe Ranft voiced Dr. Finkelstein’s assistant, Igor, who’s a clear homage to Frankenstein — but this version loves receiving dog biscuits from his master as a reward for a good job.

The Oscar-nominated animator and screenwriter wrote and appeared in various popular films, includingThe Brave Little Toaster(1987),Toy Story(1995),A Bug’s Life(1998) andCars(2006).

Ranft died at age 45 in a car crash on Aug. 16, 2005,perVariety.

source: people.com