Gru

Former villain and good father

Former villain and good father, unique inventor and leader appearing in Illumination's Despicable Me series.

Quotes

  • "Me, a villain? That's old news."
  • "Family is a team."
  • "Minions, let's go!"
  • "Lizards are the best pets."
  • "I thought the plan was perfect."

Trivia

  • Gru's beak-shaped nose is his trademark.
  • Voice actor Steve Carell gives the character a unique voice.
  • Actually, growth as a father is the story's theme.
  • Minions were originally created as Gru's experimental subjects.
  • Gru's clothing features villain-appropriate dark colors.

Alternate names

Friedrich Gruenthal Master Thief Gru Gru

Tags

villain master thief father comedy Minions family love Illumination lizard lover

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Profile

Species
Human
Gender
Male

Appearance

Overall appearance
Middle-aged man with a large head, distinctive beak-shaped nose, bald head, and wearing a black long coat.
Height
Approximately 170cm
Weight
Unknown
Eye color
Brown
Hair color
Black
Distinguishing features
  • Large beak-shaped nose
  • Bald head
  • Tall and lanky build
Iconic items
  • Minions (yellow subordinates)
  • Black long coat
  • Gloves loaded with gadgets
  • Lavender scarf

Personality and abilities

Core personality
Humorous
Detailed personality
Calm and quick-witted, with strong family devotion. Sometimes comical and mischievous, boldly tackling difficulties.
Keywords
  • Family love
  • Humor
  • Quick-witted
  • Hard worker
  • Inventor
  • Reliable leader
Motto
Family is the most important
Talents
  • Invention
  • Strategic planning
  • Communication skills
  • Problem-solving skills
Skills
  • Executing plans as a villain
  • Commanding Minions
  • Child-rearing as a father
  • Disguise
Motivation
Having reformed from his past as a villain, protect his daughters dearly and live a happy life with his family.
Habits
Unique movements of his beak-shaped nose, and occasional clumsy moments.
Favorite foods
Lizard, Hot dog, Sweets
Favorite colors
Black, Purple
Disliked situations
Failing, Betrayal, Unplanned actions

History

Backstory
Originally famous as a villain, but upon meeting his three adopted daughters, he reformed and transitioned from villain to father. Deepens family bonds through comical adventures.
Debut date
July 9, 2010
Work title
Despicable Me
Media type
Movie

Moon Theft Plan

Significant event
Moon Theft Plan
Description
In the first film, attempted to steal the moon but failed ephemerally. Met his adopted daughters during this and awakened to his fatherly side.

Encounter with the Minions

Significant event
Encounter with the Minions
Description
Leads loyal Minions into new adventures.

Growth as a Family

Significant event
Growth as a Family
Description
Transforms from villain to loving father.

Relationships

Margo

Child

Eldest daughter, reliable one. Gru's good confidante.

Edith

Child

Mischievous second daughter. Receives all of Gru's love.

Agnes

Child

Innocent youngest daughter. Gru's source of healing.

Agnes's Unicorn Plush

Pet

Cherished as a family member.

Minions

Teammate

Loyal subordinates who always act together and support each other.

Lucy

Spouse

Gru's partner and wife. Supports the family together.

Minions

Minions: leader

Media appearances

Despicable Me

Movie / Protagonist

2010 movie

Despicable Me 2

Movie / Protagonist

2013 movie

Despicable Me 3

Movie / Protagonist

2017 movie

Minions

Movie / Cameo

2015 spin-off movie

Despicable Me: Minion Rush

Game / Protagonist

2013 game

Voice cast and creators

Koichi Yamadera

Voice actor
Koichi Yamadera
Language
Japanese
Version or series
Theatrical anime

Steve Carell

Voice actor
Steve Carell
Language
English
Version or series
Original language theatrical version

Illumination

Creator name
Illumination
Role
Original author

Illumination Entertainment

Creator name
Illumination Entertainment
Role
Animation studio

unknown

Creator name
unknown
Role
Character designer

Related goods

Gru Figure

Item name
Gru Figure
Category
Figure
Availability
Regular

Minions Plush Set

Item name
Minions Plush Set
Category
Plush or doll
Availability
Regular

Find Gru goods