Hulk Hogan Worked With Barbie’s Director On A Forgotten Sitcom

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Terribly sad news: Terry Bollea (better known as Hulk Hogan) passed away at the age of 71 on July 24, 2025. His impact within the entertainment world is undeniable – from his electrifying wrestling performances that boosted World Wrestling Entertainment’s popularity to his victories against Marvel Comics and acting roles in films like “Rocky III” and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch.” Unfortunately, many of his projects didn’t receive as much attention, such as an unusual animated role where Hogan shared the screen with Greta Gerwig, who later directed the 2023 movie “Barbie.

In another role, Hogan portrayed The Dean on the animated series “China, IL,” airing on Adult Swim. This show chronicles the misadventures of the most disreputable university in the nation. Here, even the students and teachers prefer to get hammered instead of studying. The program is known for its outlandish storylines, which include a giant infant, a deceased professor resurrecting as a spirit, and a contest reminiscent of “Running Man.” The Dean, who embodies Hogan’s real-life personality as an overly macho alpha male, fits this description perfectly. In contrast, Gerwig lends her voice to Pony Merks, a teaching assistant in the history department who appears to be the most diligent at this lackadaisical school.

The small-town comedy series “China, IL” might not have received much attention compared to other shows on Adult Swim during its run from 2011 to 2015, but it lasted for three seasons nonetheless. Shows like “Rick and Morty” were more popular during that period. However, despite this, critics highly praised the show. It was unique enough to pair personalities as different as Hogan and Gerwig on screen.

Hulk Hogan brought his daughter onto China, IL

In an interview with Fan Voice, Brooke Hogan shared how she seized the opportunity to join her father, Hulk Hogan, in his recurring role on “China, IL.” Since her father was already providing the voice for a character and played the dean, Brooke, who had long aspired to do cartoon voices, took advantage of their relationship. When she found out that her dad was voicing characters for Adult Swim, she eagerly asked him to introduce her talents to the show’s creators. Impressed by what they heard, the producers of “China, IL” gave Brooke a chance and featured her as numerous characters across the first two seasons.

In a unique manner, Hulk Hogan wasn’t simply one of the voice actors for the show; he was a defining presence, as Daniel Weidenfeld, the executive producer of “China, IL”, explained to CBR: “Many renowned individuals visit… But he was the Pied Piper. Upon his arrival, there was a line of around 3,000 people trailing behind him. I had never witnessed anything quite like it.” This statement carries significant weight, given the impressive roster of stars who were also part of the “China, IL” cast, including Donald Glover, Jeffrey Tambor, Hannibal Buress, and Chelsea Peretti.

Following appearances in movies and TV shows during the ’80s and ’90s, Hollywood largely ignored Hulk Hogan after that period. Consequently, “China, IL” serves as one of his last acting roles. You can enjoy the entire series without charge on Adult Swim’s website.

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2025-07-24 22:00