“Smiling Friends” was created by Australian animator Michael Cusack and American animator Zach Hadel for Adult Swim.

Main creators

  • The show is credited as an adult animated sitcom created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack for Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block.
  • Both serve as writers, directors, and primary voice actors on the series, shaping its surreal tone and visual style.

Who is Michael Cusack?

  • Michael Cusack is an Australian animator, writer, director, and voice actor, also known for “YOLO” and “Koala Man.”
  • He co-created and co-stars in “Smiling Friends,” bringing an intentionally rough, highly expressive animation style from his online work into the series.

Who is Zach Hadel?

  • Zach Hadel, also known online as Psychicpebbles , is an American animator and voice actor who built a following through Newgrounds and YouTube cartoons.
  • He co-created “Smiling Friends” and previously collaborated on projects like “Hellbenders,” which helped lead to his eventual Adult Swim show.

How the show came together

  • Cusack and Hadel met in Burbank while working on separate animation projects and developed the idea for “Smiling Friends” together.
  • Adult Swim aired the pilot in 2020 and later picked up the show as a full series, with season one completed by 2022 and streaming through partners like Max.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.