List of Austin Powers characters
The following is a list of fictional characters from the Austin Powers series of films.
Austin Powers is a series of American spy action comedy films: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember. The films were produced and written by Mike Myers, who also starred as the title character and Dr. Evil. They were directed by Jay Roach and distributed by New Line Cinema.
The franchise parodies numerous films, TV shows and characters—including the [James Bond|James Bond series], Jason King, Danger Man, The Prisoner, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Matt Helm and The Avengers, to name just a few—and incorporates myriad other elements of popular culture as it follows a British spy's quest to bring his nemesis down. The character represents an archetype of 1960s Swinging London, with his advocacy of free love, his use of obscure impressions and his clothing style.
The films poke fun at the outrageous plots, rampant sexual innuendo, and two dimensional stock characters associated with 1960s spy films, as well as the cliché of the ultra suave super spy.
The general theme of the films is that the arch villain Dr. Evil plots to extort large sums of money from governments or international bodies but is constantly thwarted by Powers, and his own inexperience with life and culture in the 1990s.
In Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin and Dr. Evil are awakened after being cryogenically frozen for thirty years. Continuing to incorporate cultural elements of the 1960s and 1970s, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember feature time travel as a plot device and deliberately overlook inconsistencies. A proposed fourth film, Austin Powers 4, has reportedly been in development since 2005, but due to numerous issues regarding the death of Verne Troyer and sensibilities regarding minors being exposed to explicit sexual content, it is currently being stalled.
Main characters
Austin Powers
- Portrayed by: Mike Myers
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: James Bond and other secret agents
In all three films, Austin learns of a new plot by Dr. Evil and intervenes to prevent it. His quests to prevent Dr. Evil from carrying out his schemes often involve his meeting various types of people, getting into fights, and getting caught up in wacky situations. He has a new young and sexy female ally in every film.
Dr. Evil
- Portrayed by: Mike Myers
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Ernst Stavro Blofeld
Dr. Evil's schemes often include an attempt to take over the world or to blackmail it. One example is when he threatened to destroy Washington, D.C. and further major cities unless he was paid one hundred billion dollars. Aside from his schemes, Dr. Evil and his son Scott talk to each other, but he is a completely awful father, and Scott is often shown to be far more intelligent than his father.
He was originally born Douglas Powers, son of Nigel Powers and twin brother to Austin Powers. He has a son with Frau Farbissina named Scott Evil, who is also the grandson of Nigel Powers and the nephew of Austin Powers.
Austin's allies
Basil Exposition
- Portrayed by: Michael York
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: M
Vanessa Kensington
- Portrayed by: Elizabeth Hurley
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- Based on: Tracy Bond
In Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, she is revealed to be a Fembot when she tries to kill Austin while they are in their honeymoon suite. Later, Basil claims the ministry knew this ahead of time.
Felicity Shagwell
- Portrayed by: Heather Graham
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- Based on: Anya Amasova, Holly Goodhead
Felicity is notable for having slept with Fat Bastard in the line of duty to place a tracking device on him, which at first Austin is unhappy with. However, he eventually forgives her, and they work together to defeat Dr. Evil. She was originally intended to appear in the third film, in a scene that explained what happened to her character, but the scene was cut from the final release.
Foxxy Cleopatra
- Portrayed by: Beyoncé Knowles
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Rosie Carver, blaxploitation-style characters
Her character is inspired by "blaxploitation"-style characters played by Pam Grier and Tamara Dobson.
Number 3
- Portrayed by: Fred Savage
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
Nigel Powers
- Portrayed by: Michael Caine, Scott Aukerman
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: James Bond, Harry Palmer, Charlie Croker for use of Mini as spy-car.
He and his son are very much alike: they both enjoy a jet-setting, playboy lifestyle, and both are incomparable ladies' men. Their relationship is nevertheless strained, as Nigel was absent for much of Austin's childhood, and seems uninterested in having anything more than a casual friendship with his son. During Austin's knighthood ceremony, Nigel did not show up to be there for him, and Austin is later seen singing "Daddy Wasn't There" with his band, Ming Tea. He later reveals that he feels neglected by Nigel, who often gives him minimal respect. However, they manage to make up by the end of the film.
Nigel is also extremely prejudiced against Dutch people, but hypocritically claims that he does not tolerate anyone who cannot stand the cultures of other people. He shared the same feelings with the Belgians after they made his son, Dougie, Evil, while pointing out that they share a border with the Dutch.
Mrs. Kensington
- Portrayed by: Mimi Rogers
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Based on: Emma Peel
Dr. Evil's allies
Frau Farbissina
- Portrayed by: Mindy Sterling
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Rosa Klebb
Farbissina and Dr. Evil had sex at one time, but now she identifies herself as a lesbian. She introduces her former lover to Scott when he returns. However, she actually cares about Scott and wants him to be happy, unlike his father. Scott did not know that Farbissina was his biological mother until Scott's next appearance on The Jerry Springer Show.
The character is a parody of Rosa Klebb from From Russia With Love. However, she also resembles Irma Bunt from On Her Majesty's Secret Service both physically and in that she is a butch female character with a close association with their films' central villains.
Number 2
- Portrayed by: Robert Wagner
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Emilio Largo, a henchman to Ernst Stavro Blofeld who has the codename Number 1 in the novel Thunderball and Number 2 in the film adaptation.
In the first film, Number 2 has developed Virtucon, the legitimate front of Evil's empire, into a multibillion-dollar enterprise by the time Dr. Evil is thawed. During the fight between Austin Powers and Dr. Evil, it is interrupted by Number 2 who attempts to betray Dr. Evil by making a deal with Powers. Dr. Evil uses a trap door to eliminate Number 2.
In the second film, Number 2 has survived the trap door and the base's self-destruction, which have left some burn scars on his face. He introduces Dr. Evil to his clone Mini-Me and reveals that Virtucon has purchased Starbucks. Using a time machine, Dr. Evil and Mini-Me meet with a younger Number 2 and Frau Farbissina.
In the third film, Number 2 does not sport the scars seen in the previous film and has established the Hollywood Talent Agency for Dr. Evil which has signed George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Leonardo DiCaprio so that Dr. Evil would make huge sums of legitimate money. He is with Dr. Evil and his followers at his base behind the Hollywood sign when Dr. Evil unveils his new plan to time-travel back to 1975 to enlist Goldmember.
Scott Evil
- Portrayed by: Seth Green
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
Scott becomes increasingly evil in the third film, and eventually replaces Mini-Me. Mini-Me eventually feels rejected by Dr. Evil and defects to Austin's side. At the end of Goldmember, Scott swears revenge on Austin and his father, and has taken over his father's criminal empire.
Scott is also Nigel Powers' grandson and Austin Powers' nephew biologically. Since Mini-Me is a clone of Dr. Evil, that would also make him Scott's uncle.
Mini-Me
- Portrayed by: Verne Troyer
- Appearances: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Nick Nack, Majai
Dr. Evil babies Mini-Me, treating him both like a child and a pet. He carries him in a baby carrier strapped to his body at one point, and even later has him on a leash. Mini-Me also enjoys making Scott Evil's life miserable, which makes Dr. Evil have to restrain him.
Although he is incredibly small, he is a very strong fighter. Over time, Dr. Evil begins to neglect him as Scott becomes increasingly evil, and Number 3 eventually manages to successfully convince him to defect to Austin's side.
Fat Bastard
- Portrayed by: Mike Myers
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
In the second movie, he infiltrates the British Intelligence as a Scottish bagpiper and steals Austin's mojo, which is later taken back by his enemies. Later, Felicity Shagwell reluctantly sleeps with him in the line of duty to place a tracking device on him..
In the third movie, he is shown to have left Dr. Evil's employment, and has become a professional sumo wrestler in Japan. However, he is still doing strange jobs for Dr. Evil. At the end of the film, he is shown to have lost a lot of weight as a result of a Subway diet, but has a very large amount of excess skin
Goldmember
- Portrayed by: Mike Myers
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Auric Goldfinger
Having lost his genitals in an unfortunate smelting accident, he replaces them with a golden key that activates the "Preparation H" tractor beam. His other peculiarity disgusts both Dr. Evil and Austin alike; he has a habit of peeling off his own skin and then immediately eating it, hence small portions of his skin are seen missing from his body.
Alotta Fagina
- Portrayed by: Fabiana Udenio
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Based on: Pussy Galore, Fiona Volpe
In edited versions of the film, her name is sometimes censored to "Alotta Cleavage" due to the pronunciation of "Fagina" is referenced to a woman’s genitalia.
Ivana Humpalot
- Portrayed by: Kristen Johnston
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- Based on: Xenia Onatopp
Mr. Bigglesworth
- Portrayed by: A Persian cat, later a Sphynx
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me ''Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Ernst Stavro Blofeld's cat
Mustafa
- Portrayed by: Will Ferrell
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
In the first film, he made a mistake during the unfreezing process and caused Mr. Bigglesworth to lose all of his hair, thereby angering Dr. Evil and prompting his attempt to burn Mustafa alive by sending him down the trap door. However, the flames do not take his life, so Dr. Evil commands his guards to shoot him. Mustafa survives the first shot, but the second one seems to kill him since there's silence afterwards.
In the second movie, Austin and Felicity try to interrogate him in 1969 – aided by the fact that he cannot stand being asked the same question three times in a row—but Mini-Me shoots him in the neck with a blow dart, sending him over the edge of a cliff. A post-credits scene reveals he has survived this, but his legs are broken as he asks any viewers left to fetch the usher.
Paddy O'Brien
- Portrayed by: Paul Dillon
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Based on: Red Grant
He is present during one of the most famous scenes of the first Austin Powers movie. When Austin is sitting on a toilet in a stall at the casino restroom, he appears out of a vent above Austin and sneakily tries to strangle him with his charm bracelet. Austin traps him in-between his legs and asks him "Do you work for Number 2?". The man in the adjacent stall thinks Austin is having trouble defecating and tells him "You show that turd who's boss!" O'Brien is killed in the situation, having been drowned in the toilet, and his charms are later seen on the restroom floor.
Random Task
- Portrayed by: Joe Son
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Based on: Oddjob
When his shoe-throwing gimmick fails, he tries to strangle Austin following the self-destruction of Dr. Evil's lair, but instead gets subdued by Powers, with the use of the Swedish-made penis enlarger pump, and Vanessa knocks him out with an empty champagne bottle.
Robin Swallows
- Portrayed by: Gia Carides
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
- Based on: Bond girls
Her plan to distract Austin while an assassin sneaks up behind him and Austin seeing the assassin reflected in her eyes is a direct reference to the pre-credits opening of Goldfinger, where Bond survives a similar assassination attempt.
Other henchmen
- Portrayed by: Ben Scott, John-Clay Scott, and Hannah Kozak
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Fembots
- Portrayed by: Cheryl Bartel, Cindy Margolis, Donna W. Scott, Barbara Moore, Cynthia Lamontagne
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
Vanessa Kensington is revealed to be a Fembot in the beginning of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. A Fembot version of Britney Spears also makes an appearance in Goldmember, before being destroyed by Austin.
Other characters
Commander Gilmour
- Portrayed by: Charles Napier
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Dixie Normous
- Portrayed by: Gwyneth Paltrow
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Bond girls
Fook Mi and Fook Yu
- Portrayed by: Diane Mizota and Carrie Ann Inaba
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: Bond girls
General Borschevsky
- Portrayed by: Elya Baskin
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Based on: Russian intelligence officers such as General Gogol in James Bond films
General Clark
- Portrayed by: Kevin Cooney
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
General Hawk
- Portrayed by: Charles Napier
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
General Hawk is the second character in the series who is portrayed by Charles Napier; the other one is Commander Gilmour.
Ming Tea
- Portrayed by: Susanna Hoffs, Stuart D. Johnson, Matthew Sweet, Christopher Ward
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers in Goldmember
Mrs. Exposition
- Portrayed by: Kaye Wade
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Mr. Roboto
- Portrayed by: Nobu Matsuhisa
- Appears in: Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Based on: "Mr. Roboto" Mr Osato
President
- Portrayed by: Tim Robbins
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Radar operator
- Portrayed by: Clint Howard
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers in Goldmember
Texan
- Portrayed by: Tom Arnold
- Appears in: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Based on: J.W. Pepper
Paddy O'Brien pops out of a vent above Austin in an attempt to strangle him with his charm bracelet. Austin and O'Brien struggle inside the stall, making many strange noises. The Texan can hear every noise, but can only see Austin's feet moving frantically, making him think Austin is having trouble on the toilet. He continuously provides Austin with advice and other helpful hints. At some point, Austin manages to get O'Brien trapped in-between his legs and hold him above the toilet bowl, asking him, "Do you work for Number 2?". The Texan, confused by this, tells him to "show that turd who's boss." When he exits the stall, the Texan sees O'Brien's dead body and asks, "Jesus Christ boy! What did you eat?!"
Una Brau
- Portrayed by: Mary Jo Smith
- Appears in: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me