Escape from Virtual Islandis the wacky comedy adventure story your ears need right now. From the mind and pen of John Lutz, the prolific writer at Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, this zany story features a full cast of comedic actors—and though you probably know their names, you’ve never heard them quite like this. Escape from Virtual Island is that rare piece of entertainment that happens when an ensemble cast gets together to create something even more magical than the sum of its parts.
Fast forward to 2038, when the rich seek paid entertainment adventures on the five-star Pengalaman Island Resort and Virtual Reality Theme Park, located on a privately owned South Pacific island. Wealthy guests can pay to have their secret fantasies made real in virtual reality simulations.
Things take a turn when billionaire Mr. Wagner (Jason Sudeikis) disappears into a simulation. To retrieve the high-profile guest, bumbling resort heir Derek Ambrose (Paul Rudd) puts together a search-and-rescue team made up of quirky characters. With absurd humor and an episodic format, this Audible Original from Broadway Video is a bingeable escape narrated by a cast of comedy legends.
As you listen, you’ll doubtless be hearing some familiar voices. But don’t stress about trying to identify each one! In this guide to the starring cast members, learn about the all-star core actors.
Who’s Who Among the Escape from Virtual Island Cast
1. After studying drama, Paul Rudd saw early fame from his breakout role in Clueless (1955). Next, Rudd guest-starred in Friends as recurring character Mike Hannigan, a love interest and eventual husband of Phoebe. Rudd next landed several high-profile movie roles in blockbuster hits, including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and I Love You, Man (2009). Rudd joined the cast of Parks and Recreation in a featured role as Bobby Newport, then played the titular lead role in Ant-Man (2015). Rudd returned to television as the lead in Netflix’s sci-fi comedy Living With Yourself in 2019.
2. Georgia-born Jack McBrayer appeared in more than 80 sketches on Late Night with Conan O’Brien from 2002 to 2004, frequently channeling his Southern background for laughs. McBrayer starred in 30 Rock as a main cast member, portraying perpetual NBC page Kenneth Parcell, a role for which McBrayer received multiple Emmy nominations. McBrayer is also known for his voice work in animated TV shows such as Ugly Americans and Phineas and Ferb, the hit movie Wreck-It Ralph (2012), and the audiobook A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo (2018). Before Escape from Virtual Island, McBrayer appeared on the stage in the 2019 London West End production of Waitress.
3. If you’re a Saturday Night Live fan, chances are you know some of Paula Pell’s hilarious sketches. From 1995 to 2013, Pell wrote for SNL, creating iconic characters such as the Spartan Cheerleaders and Debbie Downer. Pell went on to produce and write for the Emmy-winning show 30 Rock before lending her pen to Judd Apatow’s films Bridesmaids (2011) and This Is 40 (2012). An accomplished comedic actress, Pell appeared in guest roles on 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation as well as on the big screen in Sisters (2015) and Inside Out (2015). You might have caught her most recently in Netflix’s comedy Wine Country (2019).
4. In her early days as a comedic actress, American writer Amber Ruffin trained and performed with legendary improv companies. Ruffin auditioned for an acting role on Saturday Night Live in 2014, but shifted gears when Seth Meyers hired her to write for his show, Late Night with Seth Meyers. As the first Black woman to write for an American late-night network talk show, Ruffin has helped usher in a new wave of diversity in the industry. Prior to joining the cast of Escape from Virtual Island, Ruffin began writing for HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show in 2019.
5. 30 Rock viewers will likely recognize Scott Adsit’s voice in Escape from Virtual Island. Adsit starred in the NBC show as the long-suffering producer, Pete Hornberger, and colleague of Liz Lemon (portrayed by Tina Fey). Before 30 Rock, Adsit performed in Chicago’s legendary improv group The Second City as a mainstage cast member. After his stage days, Adsit worked on the Adult Swim show Moral Orel as a producer, writer, director and actor from 2005-2008. Adsit’s voice work has been featured in Disney’s Big Hero 6 (2014) and the spinoff TV show Big Hero 6: The Series.
6. You might remember Sue Galloway’s memorable 30 Rock character Sue, the Dutch, quirky, token female writer. Originally cast as an extra, Galloway was soon elevated to a speaking role with subplots of her own. Galloway’s background in comedy started with New York’s prestigious Upright Citizens Brigade improv theater, where she met her husband, John Lutz, who starred as J.D. Lutz, another writer character in 30 Rock and the writer of Escape from Virtual Island. Galloway has also written for Saturday Night Live and Escape from Brooklyn.
7. You probably know Jane Krakowski best as 30 Rock’s Jenna Maroney, the fragile lead actress. Krakowski has also appeared on TV, most notably on Ally McBeal, and on film in movies like National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) and Fatal Attraction (1997). Like her 30 Rock character Jenna, Krawkowski has performed on stage. Krakowksi has acted in multiple Broadway shows, including Nine (2003), for which she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Viewers might also recognize Krakowski from her performance as Jacqueline Voorhees, the eccentric wealthy socialite in Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, or as the recently widowed Veronica in
the tenth season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.
8. If comedy is your favorite TV genre, chances are you’re familiar with Jason Sudeikis. As a guest star on 30 Rock, Eastbound & Down, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, among other shows, Sudeikis is noted for his comedic timing and wacky characters. These talents were honed at Saturday Night Live, where Sudeikis started out as a writer in 2003. Not long after getting hired to write for SNL, Sudeikis transitioned into performing on the sketch show and became a regular cast member from 2005 to 2013. Sudeikis has also starred in many successful films, like Horrible Bosses (2011), and lent his voice talent to The Angry Birds Movie (2016) and its 2019 sequel. In his most recent performance, Sudeikis appeared on the Star Wars TV show The Mandalorian in 2019.
9. For nearly two decades, Seth Meyers has had an influential role in comedy. Meyers cut his chops on Saturday Night Live as an actor and head writer from 2001-2014. Notably, Meyers co-hosted SNL’s signature sketch, Weekend Update, with Amy Poehler and later Cecily Strong. In 2014, Meyers became the host of NBC’s Late Night show. Meyers has also hosted the Emmy Awards and Golden Globes. Meyers has had a decorated career, with multiple nominations and wins from the Writers Guild of America and the Emmys.
10. As a kid, Kenan Thompson began his comedy work on Nickelodeon’s All That in fan-favorite sketches like “Good Burger” from 1994 to 1999. Building off their chemistry on All That, Thompson and Kel Mitchell starred in the sitcom Kenan & Kel from 1996 to 2000. With movies like D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994), Good Burger (1997), and Fat Albert (2004), Thompson began his movie career. Thompson debuted on Saturday Night Live in 2003. Thompson was later promoted to the core cast in 2005. Still performing with SNL after 17 seasons, Thompson has set a new record as the longest-tenured cast member in the history of the show.
11. You might have spied Olivia Wilde in early screen roles on Skin and The O.C., but more likely you know her from her breakout roles as Remy “Thirteen” Hadley on the Emmy winning medical drama House from 2007 to 2012. After leaving House to focus on her film career, Wilde appeared in multiple films, including Drinking Buddies (2013) and Better Living Through Chemistry (2014), among others. Wilde has also taken to the stage and performed on Broadway in the 2017 production of 1984. Wilde’s talents extend behind the camera, too; the star has worked as a producer, screenwriter, and director, most notably as the director of Booksmart (2019). Prior to Escape from Virtual Island, Wilde starred in Clint Eastwood’s drama Richard Jewell (2019).
12. Comedy fans will likely recognize Rachel Dratch’s iconic voice. After training with Chicago’s improv scene, Dratch joined the cast of Saturday Night Live. During her SNL years from 1999 to 2006, Dratch originated many beloved characters, most notably Debbie Downer. As a guest star, Dratch has appeared on 30 Rock, Broad City, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Dratch has also appeared in multiple films, most recently Wine Country (2019), and in several off-Broadway productions. She is the author of Girl Walks into a Bar…: Comedy Calamities, Dating Disasters, and a Midlife Miracle (2012).
13. In a career spanning close to 50 years, Henry Winkler has played a pivotal role in American comedy. Winkler launched into stardom as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli in the sitcom Happy Days from 1974 to 1984, for which he won two Golden Globe Awards. Following Happy Days, Winkler moved into producing and directing films,
including Memories of Me (1988). Winkler appeared in several 1990's blockbusters, like Scream (1996) and The Waterboy (1998). Winkler has played several recurring
characters on sitcoms like Arrested Development and Parks and Recreation. In 2018, Winkler won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work as acting coach Gene Cousineau in HBO's comedy Barry.
