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"Movin' It" with the Cast of Madagascar 2by Lynn Barker
Why did this bunch of A-list stars return to voice a posse of animated critters? They luv 'um. We wanted to know why each actor is enamored of his or her particular misfit animal and about Jada and Ben making it a family affair this time around by letting their young kids provide voices in the film. We met with the actors at a hotel in Westwood, Ca. near the UCLA campus to chat critters, family and voice acting.... AGW: Jada and David, since you two play the would-be boyfriend and girlfriend Melman and Gloria, have either of you ever had an unrequited love and did you actually tell the person that you had a crush on them? Jada: Nope.
AGW: Jada, does it get easier playing the same character the second time around? Jada: It's a lot easier, the second go-round, because you know who the character is. You're basically putting this character into new circumstances. In the first Madagascar, I had a really difficult time trying to figure out this whole animation world and what I was supposed to do, and it's difficult for me, it's really challenging. This time I knew about the process, I knew what it took, and Gloria's a lot of fun and it was easy for me. AGW: Ben, were you there when your son played you (Alex) as a child? Ben: Yeah, I was there, my wife was there and my daughter was there. It lasted about 90 seconds, the amount of time that he was into it, and then he started to cry and got upset, and that’s of course what we used in the movie. So it was a real method acting performance. It was real emotion that you’re hearing. Yeah, it was probably extremely traumatic for him [he's kidding]. Jada: Dreamworks actually called and asked Willow if she would play baby Gloria in this movie, and so she jumped at the opportunity to play baby Gloria. She was very excited to do that. AGW: We understand that they film you while you are doing the voices so did anyone recognize your animated character doing something that you actually did? David: I think, from what I remember, I've seen a rough cut of it many months ago, but it was early in the movie when the plane is going down, and the crash, and I blurt out, 'I love you Gloria', and then the other two guys turn around and just look at me, and I just kind of froze (and say) 'you know, I love the beach, or a good book, or, the beach'. When I saw that, I was like, 'how did they get my face?' Ben: I think they put in a little "Zoolander". I do think that they incorporate aspects of who we are into the animation but the great thing is that it just sort of stands on its own too. AGW: Jada, I heard you went on a safari in Africa and I was wondering if the vistas in this film compare to that at all.
AGW: David, what kind of affinity do you have with your character Melman the giraffe in this movie? David: Well, I love this character Melman, I think he's a sweetheart. My heart goes out to how awkward he feels. I mean it must be awkward being in that body (laughter) you know, and I think I related to that when I was a certain age, and his neuroses. I'm not a hypochondriac, but I just really feel for him, and this unrequited kind of love he has for Gloria, where he finally summons the courage to do something about it, so it's a big story for him, I think a big thing. AGW: Jada, you talked about enjoying playing Gloria, we live in a culture right now where thinner is better no matter what and she's a big old girl... Jada: (laughs) Yep! AGW: What kind of mindset do you have to play, do you play it a little different when your character weighs six times as much as you do? Jada: Well, I've been that girl that's always wanted more body, so this was a great opportunity for me. My dream came true. I got a lady that's got a lot of body, and she's very proud of it, and I think that's a really wonderful message for adults as well as children, that your body is what you have, and you got to be happy within your own skin. And happiness comes from within. Self love comes from within. And if you, can truly, authentically love yourself, that will exude and permeate through the physical universe, and you will attract people that will love you. And so, you know, that's who Gloria is. She's a lovable, hefty mamma. AGW: Ben, what is up with Alex the lion this time around? Ben: Let's just say that Alex isn't at his best when he's thrown by something. Even thought he's been through a sort of 'Jungle 101' in Madagascar, the stakes are so much higher in Africa, and the world is so much bigger. And, since his birth family is there and his dad happens to be the alpha lion of the pride, expectations are also very high. At first, Alex thinks that it's all under control; he'll just do what he does back home and that should prove his worth but he has to play by the rules of this brave new world where the losers don't get the part. This all comes as a big shock to Alex. AGW: Chris, wazzup with Marty? He always wanted to meet more zebras. Now he meets a whole herd!
AGW: Good point. Since most of these recording sessions are done with only one of you at a time, did anyone get to work with the late Bernie Mac who did the voice for Alex's dad Zuba in the film? Ben: I didn't, no. I did my scenes separately but I heard a bunch of the scenes as we were going along. I'd see them edited together and he is amazing in the movie and it's really sad. I feel bad that I never got a chance to talk to him about it because he brings so much heart and warmth to the movie. Jada: I didn't get the opportunity to work with Bernie at all, I knew Bernie, he was a great guy, and I was actually surprised when I saw the movie, I don't know how it got past me that Bernie was actually in the film and I was actually really pleasantly surprised, and I was happy that I was able to be a part of one of his last works. You know, what can you say? Loss is never easy, but I must say that Bernie did a lot of great work while he was here, and he's going to be missed. David: I didn't have the pleasure meeting or working with Bernie, I'm a huge fan of his work and I think you'll see in the movie, he lends a lot of his talent and his warmth and his spirit to the film, so I'm proud to be in the same film as him. AGW: Chris, didn't you and Ben actually record one scene when you were both there in the booth? Chris: We did one session together. Ben: Yeah, which was good. The scene where I mistake him for (another zebra). I ended up just sort of watching Chris improvise and just started feeling intimidated because he was coming up with so many funny lines. You actually get used to being alone, I think because you do have freedom to try things and be bad and not worry. I think you do want to impress your friend when you’re there. A lot of times you have another actor there just to read lines with you, who are very good actors they bring in, but then for me it’s always exciting when I see the scene cut together and you’re actually in it. AGW: What are some of the perks of providing a voice for an animated film? David: I guess getting a whole new audience in this case. There are all these kids that are totally unfamiliar with my previous work (in the popular TV series "Friends") that suddenly I've got five, six, seven year olds that are just dying to have me do the voice and to introduce their friends to Melman, so it's really a pleasure. Jada: I agree. It's very rare that I get to participate in a film that my children can actually watch, that I don't have to worry about 'okay, close your ears, cover your eyes at this part (laughs)'. So for me, that's refreshing and also you know, grabbing some new fans, that are like, you know, three on up. AGW: Jada, you really do it all; acting, producing, directing, singing. How are you able to balance all that with marriage and kids? Jada: I have a lot of help. I have a great husband and I have a mother who helps me with the kids when I'm at work. I've learned in my life that I really can do as much as I want to do and have as much as I want to have, as long as I'm happy. I'm really motivated by happiness and fulfillment and I'm not willing to compromise. I want to be a great mother. I want to be a great wife and I also want to have a great career. And I feel like I can have all those things. That's not to say that every woman should. It's just that that's what I want. This is my life, and I'm determined to have it. AGW: David, you've been directing. What did you learn as a director by recording an animated voice? David: Well, to help the directors as much as possible, because we're never in sync together in the recording studio. I was thinking, 'well for every single line, I would give the directors ten different alternatives, you know, ways of doing it'. So they would have as many options as possible when they get to editing the film and editing all our dialogue together. And I guess because as a director, that's what I would want, I would want choice. AGW: If you do another Madagascar, where would you like the animals to go? Jada: India. I just love India, I think it's a beautiful place. I'd be really interested in knowing what animals are there also, you know, the wildlife of India. Chris: I was pitching Australia. If you’ve been to both, you’ll pick Australia too.
AGW: They seem to want to go back "home" to New York but that home is a zoo. Now they've been free, why would they go back? David: Yeah. That's one of the questions that the film raises; what is the definition of home? Is home Manhattan, is home Africa, is it Madagascar, where is home? I think what it hints at, if not declares, is that home is actually kind of like that old adage, 'home is where the heart is', and home for these guys is each other. So wherever the others are, that's where home is. But I think you raise a good question. Jada: Well, being captive, no, you can't end it that way, I feel like we've seen our characters learn so much being free. The more freedom we give ourselves the more we learn and the more spiritual we are, and so I think we would have to end off our characters somewhere where they just decided, 'okay, this is where our homes going to be', but not in a cage in a zoo somewhere. Maybe it will end up in India. Chris: These movies are about friendship, you know, I think both of them are about friendship. Ben: Yes, for sure, yeah. That, I think, is the core of why people relate to these characters. They’re all there for each other, they’re all unique individuals. It would be interesting if they get back to the zoo and they don't really like it anymore because they've outgrown it. Hummmm. AGW: Ben, Alex does a little dancing "West Side Story" routine. How well would Alex do on 'Dancing with the Stars'? Ben: Better than I would do, because I’m not coordinated that way. It's fun to see that stuff animated when you’re a part of it because they have so much fun with it. AGW: If you are going to do another one of these films, what do you wish they would let Alex do and what do you, Chris, wish they'd let Marty do? Chris: I don't know. A little cross dressing? But, I think it's time for Alex to direct. Ben: And then get really full of himself. Yeah.
All pictures courtesy of and copyright Dreamworks Animation, 2008 |
 
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Okay,
you know you luv 'um; Alex the lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the zebra (Chris
Rock), Gloria the hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melman the giraffe (David
Schwimmer) and they're back in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. This
time the escaped New York zoo refugees, along with their witty penguin
friends and a lemur king, decide to rebuild a crashed plane and fly away
from Madagascar back to NYC but, of course, a little side-crash in Africa
is involved. 
David:
Yeah, I did, I think my first crush, I was eleven, and it was for my piano
teacher and she was a much older lady, like in her late twenties but I
ended up (laughs) not saying anything. And I wonder if she even now knows,
but I hope she will, she was a great teacher and yeah, a nice looking
lady. 
Jada:
They actually did a fabulous job of recreating the aesthetics of Africa,
and you know, Africa's a huge continent, but they definitely captured
the beauty of it. It was a very spiritual experience. Actually I just
got back, and this time, Will and I traveled through Tanzania, we went
through Bagamore, we went to Arusha, and we went to Zanzibar, and we were
literally, in the Bush. Africa's probably one of the most spiritual and
most beautiful places that I've had the pleasure of visiting and just
like the characters in the movie when I step foot, on the grounds of Africa,
I feel like I've returned to my roots, I feel like I'm home. And so, Will
and I try to at least make a trip to Africa once a year. 
Chris:
Not that Marty doesn't appreciate his friends but he has it in his head
that running with his kind is the ultimate. He's a rockin' guy so why
wouldn't the party be even better if he was surrounded by a lot of other
cool dudes who share his interests? But, what if your best friends start
acting like you, dressing like you, talking like you? At first it's probably
an ego booster but then it would start to get irritating. Multiply that
by hundreds, all of 'em acting exactly like Marty. How are you, you when
everyone else is you as well? 
Ben:
Every time out you learn more about the characters and the process and
now that we know the characters I think we can have fun with it. And where
could they go? They could go anywhere.