Madagascar was an immensely popular movie. What according to you made it so popular? I think people simply loved the characters of the movie and they could somewhere relate with the characters. It was fun to see friendship among different animals and all the little, little guys like the penguins, it was quiet adorable. And you know, even characters like Mort (mouse) were also liked. Everybody re- ally seemed to have their own favourites. And kids just loved it and they c o u l d connect with dif fer- ent characters.
What you have to say about the characters journey in Madagascar 2? In the first one, everybody was sort of trying to figure out how to get home. And they were sort of fish out of water. And then when they get to Africa, they’re all sort of feeling connected to who they are and discovering things about themselves, so it is a different sort of feeling.
What you think of your colleagues David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith as Melman and Gloria respectively? David Schwimmer is so funny as Melman.
He’s just amazing in that character. He always makes me laugh. And Jada as Gloria is simply fabulous. She has some great stuff with her new suitor in this film. And that whole subplot between her and Melman according to me is really one of the strongest elements in the movie.
Your character Alex reunites with his family, can you elaborate on that? Yes. Alex actually meets his mom and dad.
He never imagined he would meet his parents as he thought he had lost them as he was raised in a zoo. But he really missed out on having a family. It’s amazing to see Alex connect with his parents. He is told about his childhood and where he slept and all those things that connect him with something that he’d not been in touch for all these years. So, it sort of, you know, gets him back in touch with his inner lion.
The late Bernie Mac voiced for Zuba, your father in Madagscar 2, what memories do you have of the late actor? He was an amazing presence and obviously a really, really funny guy. It’s so sad and unfortunate that he is not with us anymore.
I felt such a connection with him, though I didn’t dub with him in the studio, but I would hear his dialogue and they would play it back for me. Or I ’d l o ok a t scenes that we had done together, separately that they played back together.
I just loved him in Zuba’s character, and I felt such a connection to him as a dad in the movie. There was a warmth that he conveyed so effortlessly through Zuba.
And what you think of Alec Baldwin, who plays Makunga, the contributing factor for your disappearance? You know Alec Baldwin is one of a kind. He’s got such a great voice and he’s got such a great sense of humor, and can play sort of the serious nature, but also, you know, gets the comic side of it all. So, it’s great, he is a great guy.