During a post-screening Q&A on Wednesday night, the veteran filmmaker disclosed that the event’s moderator, Spike Jonze, plays a hard-working cat in the Illumination and Universal pic.
Courtesy of Alex Berliner/AB Images
The Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures animated sequel Sing 2 boasts an impressive cast of voice talent including Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Bono, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Pharell Wiliams, Halsey, Bobby Cannavale, Letitia Wright, Eric André and Chelsea Peretti. During a post-screening Q&A at the London West Hollywood on Wednesday evening, the franchise’s filmmaker Garth Jennings revealed that there’s another boldfaced name who turned in a memorable performance but is absent from the official roster.
“Can we draw attention to somebody who isn’t credited as a voice but has a role in the film?” Jennings asked the audience, filled with Academy and guild members and a handful of children. “Do you remember Mr. Crystal, the big bad wolf? Do you remember he has a little cat assistant? That’s Spike.”
As in Spike Jonze, who was seated a few feet away and holding a microphone as he handled moderator duties for the panel which also featured U2’s Bono and The Edge. Sing 2 tells the story of Buster Moon (McConaughey) and a cast of performers as they prepare to launch a dazzling stage show in Redshore City. In doing so, they attempt to persuade the world’s most reclusive rock star, Clay Calloway (Bono), to join the act as they evade the wrath of Jimmy Crystal, a white wolf media mogul who runs Crystal Entertainment.
As Jennings mentioned, Jonze voices the role of the hard-working, and long-suffering cat assistant. After the reveal, Jonze joked, “I was both scared of and in love with my boss,” of his character’s affections for the tyrant. Though he didn’t comment on how he got the part, he did say at one point during the panel that he and Jennings have been friends for more than 20 years. They have similar resumes as filmmakers with strong ties to the music industry after having directed a long list of music videos for artists like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Beastie Boys, Lady Gaga, Radiohead, Beck and Vampire Weekend, among many others. Jonze, who directed Her, Beastie Boys Story and Where the Wild Things Are, produced the upcoming Jackass film, Jackass Forever.
The rest of the panel focused on Bono and the Edge’s participation in the sequel, which includes a new original U2 song in “Your Song Saved My Life,” as well as a cover of the band’s classic, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” Jennings said Bono presented the original song to him right after recording his first pass at dialogue for his character Calloway. “I was trying to hold it together in front of you,” he said when he first heard it. “It’s quite moving. It’s a seriously amazing gesture and an amazing song.”
Sing 2 opens Dec. 22.
Courtesy of Universal Pictures
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