One of the things I admire about Pixar is that they don’t go for the biggest stars to sell their movie; they go for the best ones, and they’ve assembled another great and surprising cast for their latest film, Inside Out.

For those who are unfamiliar with the movie, it takes place inside the mind of 11-year-old girl Riley Anderson, who is guided by her emotions Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Fear (Bill Hader), and Anger (Lewis Black). It’s a talented lineup, and they all do great voice work that plays to their strengths while also reminding us of why we like them so much in their live-action roles.

Below, I’ve highlighted a clip, sketch, or bit that I think points out some of these actors’ best work and why they’re a unique presence in entertainment today. To be clear, this isn’t a comprehensive “Best of” list for each actor, but rather, an example of their talent and comic skills.

Amy Poehler

I’ve been a fan of Poehler’s since she was on Comedy Central’s The Upright Citizens Brigade, and somehow she’s only become funnier in the many years since. She’s been so good in so many things over the years, from her time on SNL, to co-hosting the Golden Globes with Tina Fey, to her film work, but ultimately it has to be Parks and Recreation, one of the best sitcoms of the 21st century.

Leslie Knope is a whirlwind superhero that’s also a lovable goofball. Poehler perfectly nailed the difficult balance between a character that was exceedingly competent and yet needed to be flawed in order to be funny. The show also allowed Poehler, who also worked as a producer, writer, and director on the series, to skewer all forms of idiocy. In this clip, Poehler does a rapidfire take down of misogyny in a way that only she could.

Phyllis Smith

Smith has a great story. She was actually working as a casting associate on The Office and got the character of “Phyllis”, who was created specifically for her. While Steve Carell may have been the heart of that series, it worked well because the ensemble was tremendous, and Smith provided a unique sense of humor to the comedy dynamic.

However, she moved closer to the forefront by taking on a key supporting role in Bad Teacher by playing off Cameron Diaz’ raging narcissist. Smith does timid and reserved so well, and while she doesn’t get any of Diaz’ eviscerating dialogue or lewd comments, she contributes a reserved comic style that’s all her own.

Mindy Kaling

Confession: I haven’t watched as much of The Mindy Project as I should. I liked the handful of episodes I’ve seen, and so while the clip below may not be “The Best”, it was indicative of why I find the show, and Kaling, so charming. Like she did with Kelly on The Office, Kaling has the skill to take an obnoxious character and make her funny. In some ways, Mindy Lahiri feels like an evolution of Kelly in that the character is still obsessed with celebrity gossip, trends, and other silliness, but she’s not a total airhead. Kaling has shown her genius in deriving depth from shallowness, and it makes her one of the best comic talents around.

Bill Hader

I could just do “Stefon. Nuff’ said,” but that would be a discredit to someone as versatile and charming as Hader. I’m still baffled as to why Hader is still doing character actors and supporting work when he has the presence to be the leading man in comedy films. He’s incredibly affable and immensely talented, and I hope that someone is going to figure out that he can do so much more than just voice work, although he excels that too.

Lewis Black

Black follows in the grand tradition of angry, topical comics, but he doesn’t feel like an imitator or a lesser version of those who came before. He’s made his own stamp not just with his insight and intelligence, but by tapping into a comic persona that feels directed but never contrived. He knows just how to balance the gentle ribbing that comes before a vitriolic shout. And yet there’s almost something melodic in his delivery, even though that melody is drenched in rage and swearing.