A Disney fan-favorite is making a comeback – and it’s adding an NCIS star to the mix!
Wilmer Valderrama, best known as Special Agent Nick Torres on NCIS, is trading in his badge for a microphone as he joins the voice cast of Disney’s highly anticipated sequel, Zootopia 2.
The actor, who first stole hearts as Fez on That ’70s Show, has spent nearly a decade on NCIS, working alongside fan favorites like Brian Dietzen (Jimmy Palmer) and Sean Murray (Timothy McGee). Now, he’s stepping into the animated world as Higgins – a hippo working for the Zootopia Police Department (ZPD).
Valderrama revealed the news on Instagram with a playful caption: “The hippo is out of the bag. I’m joining the Zootopia family as Higgins! Watch #Zootopia2 only in cinemas November 26th.”
Higgins will team up with another hippo officer, Bloats, voiced by Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Twisted Metal star Stephanie Beatriz. Fans went wild online, calling the casting “amazing” and “so fun,” with one NCIS viewer gushing, “Here comes Special Agent Torres to Zootopia!”
It’s been nine years since the original Zootopia wowed audiences, following rookie cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and con artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) as they unraveled a citywide mystery.
Alongside Valderrama, the sequel welcomes Frozen’s Josh Gad, Dwayne Johnson, and The Princess and the Frog’s Anika Noni Rose. Voice recording kicked off in April 2024, with Zootopia 2 set to hit theaters on November 26, 2025.
The countdown to return to the animal metropolis is officially on – and this time, the ZPD’s newest recruit might just steal the show.
