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Dr. Nefario is the elderly, hard-of-hearing scientist who builds Gru's weapons and gadgets. He's been at Gru's side since Gru was a kid, and sometimes he understands the plans better than the boss does.
In 1976, Nefario is a scientist working at a record store. One of his inventions helps young Gru steal the Zodiac Stone. In the end, Gru hires him out of gratitude, and the partnership begins.
Years later, Nefario works out the perfect day to steal the Moon, and it lands on the girls' ballet recital. Sure that Margo, Edith and Agnes are distracting the boss, he calls Miss Hattie and sends them back to the orphanage. Then he finds out the shrink ray wears off: the bigger the object, the faster it grows back. And he helps Gru rescue the girls.
With Gru making jelly, Nefario misses villainy and takes a job with another boss. That boss is El Macho, who uses PX-41 to make purple Minions. When he sees Lucy in danger, Nefario warns Gru, whips up an antidote, mixes it into the jelly and comes back to save the Minions.
Early in the third movie, Nefario accidentally freezes himself in carbonite. With him out and Gru refusing to return to crime, most of the Minions walk out.
In the fourth movie, Nefario is voiced by Romesh Ranganathan. After Maxime turns Gru Jr. into a cockroach hybrid, Nefario is the one who reverses the baby's transformation.
Russell Brand voiced Nefario from 2010 to 2022. In Despicable Me 4, Romesh Ranganathan took over.
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