Well, feature animation fans it’s time to empty out that big change jar and head down to the video arcade. You know, right next to the multiplex. What to do you mean it’s gone? Why the next thing you’ll tell me is that the Blockbuster Video is…uh, oh. That sums up the challenge for the folks at the Walt Disney Animation Studios. In 2010 they finally had a hit that almost rivaled their friendly (same company by then) neighbor at Pixar, a modern attitude take on the Rapunzel fairy tale called TANGLED. And two years later WDAS had an even bigger hit with WRECK-IT RALPH a zany look at what goes on after hours at a video arcade, a clever mix of TOY STORY and WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (lots of cameos from game superstars from several companies). Six years later WDAS decides to finally produce a theatrical sequel (most follow-ups to their features go right to home video or TV), but video arcades are on the outs, unless they’re part of those big family fun places that include food (pizza primarily) and interactive activities (bumper cars, mini-coasters, etc.). Where are folks playing video games now? At home mostly, with gaming systems and online with other folks across town or the globe. There’s now only one option for that brick smashing game icon, as we try to maintain our WiFi connection when RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET.
Yes, the setting of this new flick is today, and somehow Litwak’s Arcade is still open. Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) spend their days entertaining the kid clientele via their respective games, “Fix-It Felix Jr.” and “Sugar Rush”. At night, the two meet down at the electrical outlet power strip and spend the wee hours at different games before heading to Tappers for a frosty root beer before heading back to their respective home games. Vanellope enjoys their time together but ponders to Ralph whether there’s more to do. One day their routine is disrupted when one of the other games is unplugged and replaced with a WiFi router. The two are curious but are warned away by Surge Protector (Phil Johnston). Hours later, the ultimate disaster occurs, the steering wheel on the Sugar Rush game is broken. Ralph and Vanellope overhear Mr. Litwak (Ed O’Neill) say that he’ll have to order a new one from the internet. Now the duo has a mission, as they sneak into the world wide web via the router cord. The helpful guide/search engine KnowsMore (Alan Tudyk), gets them to the eBay site which has a wheel up for auction. The two bid way too much, thinking the point is to top each other’s number, and so they need to make some quick cash. In their travels the two stumble into the gritty game, Slaughter Race, where Vanellope becomes fast friends with its racing star Shank (Gal Gadot). While they bond, Ralph visits the BuzzTube offices of Yesss (Taraji P. Henson) who plans to make him a viral video superstar (lots of hits=lotsa’ dough). Then the unthinkable happens. Vanellope thinks that she may want to stay online in Shanks’ game. Will these inseparable best buds be …separated? And can Ralph prevent that from happening without, well, breaking the internet?
The returning voice actors easily slip back into their gaming personas, like, um, a comfortable old pair of slippers. Reilly is that same big, friendly affable lunkhead with a soft heart to match his head, at times. He always has the best intentions, though never truly thinks out the consequences. But he’s a devoted pal to Vanellope who still has the right mix of innocence and sass thanks to the spirited vocal stylings of Silverman. This time out, though there’s a touch of pathos to the mischievous imp. Like some many Disney heroines before her, she’s yearning for something and eager to explore the world, newly expanded thanks to the “interweb”. Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch also return as the oddest of arcade couple, eternal lovebirds perky, peppy Felix and tough somewhat surly Calhoun. As for the new additions, Gadot is smooth and sultry as the street-smart Shank making her the ideal big sis to Ms. V. While Henson brings an infectious energy to the also cool, though much flashier Yesss who nearly flings herself across her opulent digs when formulating a plan. Tudyk, who may be WDAS’s good luck charm as much as John Ratzenberger is over at Pixar, makes KnowsMore a very funny and endearing “know-it-all”. SNL vet Bill Hader pops in and out as a motor-mouthed pop-up ad pitchman, similar to a cyber member of Nathan Detroit’s crew from GUYS AND DOLLS. But not everybody’s helpful and pleasant. Alfred Molina represents the “dark side” of the web as the growling, gruesome underworld…er web kingpin known as Double Dan (if you’re reminded of a 1990 sci-fi misfit, then you have TOTAL RECALL). Plus there are loads of familiar voices showing up as the online incarnation of their famous media roles.
Rich Moore, who snagged a well-deserved Oscar for ZOOTOPIA a couple of years ago, returns for this sequel sharing the director reigns with first-time feature filmmaker Phil Johnson. Oh, and the two share story and screenplay credits with Jim Reardon, Pamela Ribon, and Josie Trinidad. Big kudos to them all for bringing us a follow-up that just as funny, and perhaps, emotionally richer than the first flick. Happily, the look of the new supporting players is just as interesting as the “Mutt and Jeff” dynamic of Ralph and Vanellope, while bringing us a variety of design and styles. And somehow they all work well together. There are the “cartoony” short and squat looks (inspired by the UPA shorts of the 1950’s) of KnowMore and the “pop-up” pitchmen. But they’re distinct from the icons representing internet viewers with cubed heads and spindly-thin bodies (look for one that recalls a very recently departed, much-beloved superstar). Then we’ve got the fairly realistic, almost out of an adventure comic strip, denizens of the Slaughter Race site, with the fine details of Shank’s streetwear and chopped frayed hair. Somewhere in-between is the slick, curved rendering of Yesss, who has a neo-futuristic fashion sense, sort of hip-hop meets Hirschfield (the caricature genius that inspired the Genie in ALADDIN). Speaking of character design, as the ads and trailers heavily tout, the Disney Princesses appear all together here. The artists have made the icons from different eras look pleasing in CGI 3D (many were originally drawn in 2D cell animation), and they interact without any jarring visual gaffes. So, Snow White can hang with Moana, and it seems natural. Happily, not all the best jokes and gags are in the ads. There’s a winking sense of affectionate satire in the interactions that will delight Disney fans of all ages. But that’s just a few scenes in this smart script that mingles cyber jokes about that annoying buffering spinning colored circle to the dangers of reading the comments section with a sweet, touching story of relationships. It extolls the joys of friendship while having much to say about a “selfish love” and the destructive results of trying to hold a friend back, for fear of losing them. Heady stuff in a family flick, eh? Oh, about the look of the internet, well it’s a glistening blue-tinged mix of Oz and METROPOLIS (the silent classic, not Superman’s home turf), that is often too jampacked with widgets and “gee-gaws” (maybe I should spring for the 3D upgrade on the next viewing). Yes, it’s a visual feast loaded with heart and humor. When RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET, he and his old and new friends will delight movie audiences of any age.
Wreck-It Ralph is escaping out of his arcade and into the expansive universe of the internet next year when RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 hits the big screen. Dave Hollis, head of distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, revealed the much-anticipated sequel’s title and told CinemaCon attendees that Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer would be returning to the roster.
Also returning are the team behind the original “Wreck-It Ralph,” who won an Oscar last month for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ billion-dollar-box-office-blockbuster “Zootopia.” Directors Rich Moore (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “The Simpsons”) and Phil Johnston (writer, “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Zootopia,” “Cedar Rapids”), and producer Clark Spencer (“Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Bolt”) are hard at work on the movie. “To take these characters we love and have them enter the enormous world of the internet has given us so much to explore,” said Moore. “Our production team has been hard at work designing a world that takes something we all think we know – the internet – but shows it in a whole new, imaginative way.”
Added Johnston, “We’re so excited to be working with Ralph, Vanellope von Schweetz, Fix-It Felix and Sergeant Calhoun again, and we have new characters we look forward to unveiling. At the center of this film, as in the first one, is the relationship between Ralph and Vanellope, two once-outcasts, who in each other, found true friendship.”
When “Wreck-It Ralph” opened on Nov. 2, 2012, it turned in the highest opening weekend ever for a Walt Disney Animation Studios film at the time of release. Nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe® for best animated feature, “Wreck-It Ralph” won the PGA Award for outstanding producer of an animated theatrical motion picture as well as five Annie Awards, including best animated feature, director, cast and screenplay.
The film was named best animated feature by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, earned outstanding achievement in casting for an animated feature by the Casting Society of America, and won the Kids’ Choice Award for favorite animated movie.
RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET: WRECK-IT RALPH 2 hits U.S. theaters on March 9, 2018.
Wreck-It Ralph is heading back to the big screen, and this time, he’s wrecking the internet. The Oscar®-nominated Walt Disney Animation Studios team from the original film is reteaming for the follow-up, including director Rich Moore (“Zootopia,” “The Simpsons”) and producer Clark Spencer (“Zootopia,” “Bolt”). Phil Johnston (writer, “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Zootopia,” “Cedar Rapids”) joins Moore as director and a writer on the project. John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman return as the bad-guy-turned-good, Ralph, and the girl with the game-winning glitch, Vanellope von Schweetz. The untitled sequel will hit theaters—literally—on March 9, 2018.
“From the moment we started working on the first ‘Wreck-It Ralph,’ we knew there were so many possibilities with these characters,” said Moore, who has been developing it since shortly after the release of the first film, and while directing this year’s critically-acclaimed hit “Zootopia” with Byron Howard. “This time, Ralph’s wrecking wreaks havoc on the Web—as only he can do. Characters we loved in the first film are back and we are ecstatic to be working with them—and the actors who voice them—once again.”
“The world of the internet is the perfect place to send Ralph and Vanellope,” said Johnston. “The scope and scale are so vast and the possibilities for comedy are endless.”
“Ralph is a character very near and dear to my heart,” added Reilly. “I’m really looking forward to playing the big lug again. Making the first ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ was one of the most special experiences I’ve ever had and I’m really looking forward to bringing him back to life. So many kids I’ve met all over the world are excited to see him again, too. They tell me all the time!”
When “Wreck-It Ralph” opened on Nov. 2, 2012, it turned in the highest opening weekend ever for a Walt Disney Animation Studios film at the time of release. Nominated for an Oscar® and Golden Globe® for best animated feature, “Wreck-It Ralph” won the PGA Award for outstanding producer of an animated theatrical motion picture as well as five Annie Awards, including best animated feature, director, cast and screenplay. The film was named best animated feature by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, earned outstanding achievement in casting for an animated feature by the Casting Society of America, and won the Kids’ Choice Award for favorite animated movie.
At 12 p.m. PT today, Disney’s hit mobile game, Disney Crossy Road, will be wrecked by Ralph in celebration of the announcement. As fans play through the 12 different Disney and Pixar worlds of Disney Crossy Road, Ralph may appear and ‘wreck’ part of their gameplay.
“Wreck-It Ralph has been one of the most popular worlds to play in Disney Crossy Road, so it made perfect sense to celebrate Ralph’s return by letting him go outside his world and ‘wreck’ other parts of the game,” said Chris Heatherly, SVP & GM, Disney Apps and Games. “We are big fans of the first film, as are our players, and can’t wait to see how the next chapter unfolds.”
The animated feature GIGANTIC, originally announced as Disney’s March 9, 2018, release, will be released on November 21, 2018.
Disney’s WRECK-IT RALPH won the Best Animated Feature honor at the 40th Annual Annie Awards held Saturday, February 2 at UCLA’s Royce Hall . This year’s expanded list of categories topped 30, honoring many more nominees and team entries as in years past. New to the awards this year was the addition of the Best Student Film.
The Best Animated Special Production was awarded to “Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem” (Illumination Entertainment); Best Animated Short Subject to “Paperman” (Walt Disney Animation Studios); Best General Audience Animated TV Production for Preschool Children “Bubble Guppies ‘A Tooth on the Looth'” (Nickelodeon Animation Studios); Best Animated Television Production for Children “Dragons: Riders of Berk ‘How to Pick Your Dragon'” (DreamWorks Animation); Best General Audience Animated Television Production “Robot Chicken ‘DC Comics Special'” (Stoopid Buddy Studios); Best Animated Video Game “Journey” (Sony Computer Entertainment America); and Best Student Film “Head Over Heels” ( Timothy Reckart).
“What a great evening filled with a lot of fun and surprises,” said ASIFA-Hollywood President Frank Gladstone . “A variety of individuals and studios participated and joined in celebrating the best in animation across project, studio and geographic boundaries.”
Former Annie Awards host and movie reviewer Leonard Maltin and voice actors Rob Paulsen and Maurice Lamarche shared hosting duties, along with a special appearance by long time Annies presenter-favorite, actor and animation industry professional, Seth Green.
Honored with the Winsor McCay award were Terry Gilliam, Oscar Grillo and Mark Henn. The Winsor McCay stands as one of the highest honors given to an individual in the animation industry in recognition for career contributions to the art of animation.
Howard Green was honored with the June Foray award which is presented to an individual who has given significant and benevolent contributions to the art and industry of animation, and Toon Boom Animation was honor with the Ub Iwerks award created and given to individuals or companies for technical advancements that make a significant impact on the art or industry of animation.
Often a predictor of the annual Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Annie Awards honor overall excellence as well as individual achievement in a total of 30 categories ranging from best feature, production design, character animation, and effects animation to storyboarding, writing, music, editing and voice acting. Entries submitted for consideration were from productions that originally aired, were exhibited in an animation festival or commercially released between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012.
Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for the past four decades.
A live streaming of the ceremony was made available again to animation enthusiasts as well as those who were unable to attend the event at www.annieawards.org/watch-it-live. A complete list of winners can be viewed at www.annieawards.org.
Walt Disney Animation Studios will debut the hit arcade-game-hopping adventure WRECK-IT RALPH marking a Disney first with the early release of the HD Digital and HD Digital 3D on February 12, 2013. The 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, SD Digital and On-Demand release will follow on March 5, 2013.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios, “Wreck-It Ralph” takes viewers on a hilarious journey. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman). The film is directed by Emmy®-winner Rich Moore.
Featuring an all-star voice cast including Jack McBrayer as the voice of Fix It Felix, Jr. and Jane Lynch as the voice of Sgt. Calhoun, plus breakthrough bonus features that take viewers even deeper into the world of video games, Disney’s “Wreck-It Ralph” has something for every player. Over an hour of all-new bonus material is featured on the Digital and Blu-ray Combo Pack, including deleted and alternate scenes, the theatrical short “Paperman,” plus much more.
The home entertainment debut of “Wreck-It Ralph” will be available in multiple ways, containing exciting all-new bonus features that extend the fun-filled movie experience.
Bonus Materials Overview for These Products:
HD Digital
SD Digital
4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray +DVD + Digital Copy)
2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray +DVD)
Includes:
• Bit by Bit: Creating the Worlds of “Wreck-It Ralph” – Fans of the film will get a look at five new worlds created for “Wreck-It Ralph.” The short takes viewers into Game Central Station with the artists who brought Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Jr. to life.
• Alternate & Deleted Scenes – Four separate scenes are highlighted with an introduction and optional audio commentary from director Rich Moore.
• Video Game Commercials – Viewers can check out the commercials created for the video games featured in the film – Fix It Felix Jr., Sugar Rush, Hero’s Duty and Fix It Felix Hammer.
• “Paperman” – This animated short film played in theaters before “Wreck It Ralph.” It tells the story of a young man in an office who sees the girl of his dreams in a skyscraper window across the street. But how can he get her attention?
Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Materials
Includes:
• Disney Intermission: The Gamer’s Guide to “Wreck-It-Ralph” – When the film is paused, host Chris Hardwick appears on screen to guide viewers through a series of 10 video segments offering an inside look at the many video game references, Disney references and other hidden surprises featured in the film.
Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Materials
Includes:
• Disney Intermission: The Gamer’s Guide to “Wreck-It-Ralph” – When the film is paused, host Chris Hardwick appears on screen to guide viewers through a series of 10 video segments offering an inside look at the many video game references, Disney references and other hidden surprises featured in the film.
Suggested Retail
4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack Prices: (Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray +DVD + Digital Copy) $49.99 US and $56.99 Canada
2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray +DVD) $39.99 US and $46.99 Canada
DVD $29.99 US and $35.99 Canada
Digital and On-Demand Consumers should check with their television provider or preferred digital retailer for pricing and additional information
Feature Run Time: Approximately 101 minutes
Rating: Feature Film:
“PG” in U.S. and Canada
“Paperman”: “G”
Additional Bonus Features Not Rated
Aspect Ratio:
Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Feature Film = 2.39:1 1080p High Definition
DVD Feature Film Film = 2.39:1 – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions
Audio:
Blu-ray 3D Film = English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and DVD 2.0 Dolby Digital
Blu-ray Feature Film = English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks
DVD Feature Film = English 5.1 and DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital; Spanish (U.S. Only) and French (Canada Only) 5.1 Dolby Digital Language Tracks
Languages:
Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray Feature Film = English SDH, French and Spanish Subtitles
DVD Feature Film = English SDH; Spanish (U.S. Only) and French (Canada Only) Subtitles
The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 40th Annual Annie Awards™ recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. The Annie Awards cover 30 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects and Outstanding Individual Achievements.
The slate of nominations for Best Animated Features this year includes: Brave (Pixar Animation Studios), Frankenweenie (The Walt Disney Studio), Hotel Transylvania (Sony Animation Studios), ParaNorman (Focus Features), Rise of the Guardians (DreamWorks Animation), The Pirates! Band of Misfits (Aardman Animations), The Rabbi’s Cat (GKIDS), and Wreck-It Ralph (Walt Disney Animation Studios).
“I am very exited about this year’s slate of nominees!” remarked ASIFA-Hollywood president, Frank Gladstone. “We had more submissions to choose from this year than for any prior year in Annie Award history, running the gamut from big studio features to indie films, television series to internet shows, games, shorts and, for the first time, student films, all showcasing the huge variety of venues, creativity, technical innovation, and story-telling that our art form has to offer.” Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for four decades.
Winners will be announced at the 40th Annual Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, CA.
Juried awards honoring career achievement and exceptional contributions to animation will also be awarded. Three Winsor McCay recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors – Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliamand Mark Henn for their career contributions to the art of animation; June Foray Award – Howard Green for his significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation; and Ub Iwerks – Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Animation Pipeline for technical advancements that make a significant impact on the art or industry of animation.
With WRECK-IT RALPH about to smash into theaters (November 2nd), I got to sit down with Wreck-It Ralph himself, Mr. John C. Reilly, in a round table at the Beverly Hilton Hotel (Beverly Hills, CA). We talked music legends, video games, and sharing a booth with Sarah Silverman.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.
On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time? “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.
Check out our round table discussion with John C. Reilly here:
What came first? Was it the sketch or did you already have a voice down when they pitched you this idea?
John C. Reilly: No. I was surprised to learn the way these animation movies work a lot of times is it’s really fluid in the beginning. So I came in and Rich (director Rich Moore) had the idea. There was a script that was slightly different from what the story ended up being and actually was pretty different. And then, the animators make all these crazy sketches like stream of consciousness. At one point, I was like a monster with a single horn coming out of my head with orange skin. It just had to be a bad guy in a video game. At one point, it was that same horned monster with my hair photo-shopped on top of it. I’m like, oh, that looks weird. But the process of making the movie was really collaborative. Rich brought me in a lot of times for story meetings which is unheard of for an actor. It was sort of a process of me becoming the character and the character becoming me. More and more of my own expressions seeped into the character, and then my own facial gestures because their filming you when you’re doing it. So it’s this kind of synthesis that happens over time.
Were there any special challenges in terms of setting the right tone for your character?
Reilly: Well, it was a challenge in the beginning for how wrong-headed he is. Because knowing and really feeling for the character and playing the character myself, I felt like alright, but he means well. He’s got a big heart. So doing things like smashing the cake at the party, even though it’s an accident, I don’t know. He starts out in somewhat of a self- pitying, negative, the world owes me kind of attitude and that was hard to play. But, to his credit, Jim Reardon, the story editor, was like “No, you’ve gotta start out in a place that’s a little bit dysfunctional in order to find the path of the hero later on in the movie.” So yeah, that was a challenge. And, the other challenge when you’re doing animation, which you overcome quickly when you’re doing live action, is you don’t really have to memorize anything when you’re doing voiceover. There’s always the challenge of making it sound like you’re really speaking instead of reading. Then you do the live action movie and that just goes away once you memorize the dialogue. There were a couple of challenges there, but in general, it was like a dream job and actually the longest job I’ve ever had of my whole life. Yeah, the longest term of employment I’ve ever had and I got really used to it. I was like “Can’t I have an office here? I’ll come and give acting advice to actors or something. You could study my movements.”
How long did it take?
Reilly: It was a little under two years that I was involved. They had been working for four years altogether, I think.
How much improv did you get to do in this film?
Reilly: We did a lot. We used the Will Ferrell model, let’s say. It’s like the way Will and I worked together on “Talladega Nights” and “Step Brothers” which was sort of a comedy democracy. The funniest idea in the moment wins. You do the written material a few times until you feel like alright, we did that. It’s starting to feel flat. Now we have some time left. Let’s just throw everything out the window and see what happens. Yeah, we did that. And then, how much of that ended up in the movie? I don’t know. A certain amount of it did, I know for a fact. When you do that, it also ends up giving you a sense of ownership about the material that you didn’t come up with. If you feel the freedom to change things however you want in the moment, you feel less constrained when you’re doing the material that was written for you.
What were your favorite kids’ movies growing up or even now looking back?
Reilly: Animated movies?
They don’t have to be.
Reilly: I would say the big three when I was a kid were “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” the original “Planet of the Apes,” and “The Great Escape” which is a really awesome movie if you’re into G.I. Joes.
Are those still your favorites now or do you have a more expanded list?
Reilly: I still love all three of those movies. I think they stand the test of time. And then, animated movies, it’s like maybe younger people now don’t realize how limited the world of kids’ entertainment was when I was a kid. I grew up in the late…well, I don’t want to give it away. Let’s say I was a child of the 70s and around then there was no home video. There were no computers. There was no internet. So anything that you saw was either first run in the movie theater. Although later in my childhood, the second run phenomena started to happen at the movie theaters. But, for the most part, it was first run in movie theaters, or maybe once a year, like “Wizard of Oz” would be on TV around Thanksgiving or something, and you made damn sure you were sitting in front of the TV at that time. So the movies that really affected me as a kid were experienced in a movie theater, or the Disney movies when they would deign to release them, those were much more rare occasions, so movies like “Dumbo” and “Snow White.” When you can’t watch it four times a week, you’re paying attention in a different way. You’re really soaking it up in such an intense way. I can’t believe that I’m the lead character in a Disney movie. If you think about it, all those dreamy nights of sitting in front of a TV and watching Tinker Bell go over the castle, not even animated movies but different Disney shows and stuff that would be on TV, I think all of us were so shaped by that. And then, I found out that I was standing in the same room when we were recording the voice for this as when they did “The Jungle Book.” Ralph starts to remind me a little bit of the bear character in “Jungle Book.” (imitating the bear) “Hey, hey, Babaloo.” I think the bear’s name is Baloo. I was like I’m getting kind of a Baloo vibe from Ralph today. The engineer who knows the history of the building was like “Actually that guy recorded right where you are standing, the same spot.” “Whoa!” And then they had this TV display showing archive photos and stuff and sure enough there was the actor who did it whose name I should know by now. It’s a little early in the morning.
Phil Harris.
Reilly: Thank you. You’re saving me the annoying thing of looking it up on my phone.
You and Sarah (Silverman) are both known for having a more adult sense of humor. When you were working together and doing some of the improv, was there anything that definitely couldn’t make the cut?
Reilly: Uh yeah, but you’ll never hear it. Never, ever. It’s gone into the Disney vault deep underground. Yes, I mean, I would say for Sarah, for sure. She’s pretty R-rated in her stand-up. Me? I don’t know. Am I known for R-rated? I don’t know. I feel like I’m a little more harmlessly goofy than that in the comedy stuff that I’ve done. Now I’m thinking of a few things. Maybe you’re right. You know what’s funny, what surprised me about Sarah’s work in this was how sweet and sentimental she is really as a person. She’s into musical theater. She really channeled that little girl so easily, and then the dramatic scenes that we did, I was really impressed. I was like “Wow! You should do this more often, Sarah. It turns out you do have a heart.” Just a smart aleck.
“Walk Hard” is my favorite movie of the last ten years. Do you find you get a lot more love for that now?
Reilly: Oh, thanks. Oh yeah, a friend of mine who worked on that with me was like “Look, John, you can either have a blockbuster or a cult movie. You can’t have both at the same time.” And if I had to pick one, I’m pretty happy that we have a cult movie. Musicians, especially, come up to me. They think of that movie as a documentary. I was at a Lakers game and not Don Henley…the other fellow from the Eagles…
Glenn Frey?
Reilly: No, it was Don Henley or one of them. Bonnie Raitt, Robert Plant, like all these different musicians come up to me, [deep voice] “Walk hard, man.” And I think as big as we were trying to be and as satirical as we were trying to be, the true life of a rock star is even more ridiculous than that movie.
That’s what takes it to the next level. You talked about the hero’s journey with Ralph. That was the ultimate American hero’s journey, too.
Reilly: I guess so. Bio Pixar, that’s kind of what we were making fun of, how every musician is a hero.
Have you had that same experience with porn stars saying “Boogie Nights, man”?
Reilly: Don’t rub elbows, or anything else, with porn stars very often. But yeah, that’s a beloved movie for a lot of reasons, not just in the porn world. That movie is set in the porn world, but it’s really a movie about a family. The truth is it’s family entertainment. That’s my story and I’m sticking by it.
With this movie, I’m curious, do you find that Ralph’s crisis is one that a lot of actors can go through? Actors who are cast only as the bad guy, only as the funny guy?
Reilly: Yes. I was definitely attracted to the part for that reason. This guy’s having a mid- life crisis. How awesome. So am I. Not that I have to do the same character over and over, but doing the same job. I’ve been in movies now for about 30 years. You just get to be a certain age, and I’m not going to reveal what that is, although a quick check on your phone will tell you. You get into your forties and you just start to think “Is that it? Is that all there is to life?” When you’re younger, you’re used to feeling like “Well the book of my life is unwritten. Here I am. Chapter 2.” And then, you get into your forties and you get deep into a career or whatever, like everyone has to do something for a living, and you get to be even a little further down the line and you start to think like “Is that all there is? Wait! The book of my life only has a couple more chapters. Is this it?! I thought maybe I had a shot at being an astronaut or a doctor. I guess there’s no way I’ll be able to remember all that information now.” So yeah, that’s definitely something I think actors, and anyone who does a job for 30 years, goes through and I think that’s one of the reasons that not just young audiences but… The movie is like a marketer’s dream because all different age groups are responding to the movie, and I think older people are responding to it for that reason. What does it feel like to have put in all this time and then just be staring down a short road in front of you.
What would you have done had you not become an actor?
Reilly: Gosh, I don’t know.
Was there a plan B?
Reilly: I was thinking maybe about being a lawyer. At some point, I realized I was interested in becoming a priest at one point. I was just interested in stuff where I could do something I really believed in. And then, I realized if I become an actor, I don’t have to choose. I get to do everything. It’s worked out so far. But what I really want to do is direct.
Did you ever go through a video game period where you had an addiction?
Reilly: Yeah. I was the test audience for Space Invaders. I was of the age when those games came out. My quarters were the ones they wanted. I just will never forget when Space Invaders landed in the bowling alley where I used to hang out. I went from pinball machines to that. What? You can manipulate the TV! We’re so used to computers and being able to interact with media in the way that we do now. People forget at that time that was outrageous to be able to and even to control that sound effect – ping, ping – it was like getting to be in “Star Wars” which also came out around the same time. I went through all those games. I can’t say I played a lot of them now. There’s just not enough hours in the day.
What has been the most surprising part of being in this movie for you?
Reilly: Lately, the most surprising thing is having little kids recognize me just by my voice. [kid’s voice] “You’re Ralph!” And then, they start quoting lines from the trailer. It’s bizarre how aware kids are and I’m talking even little kids. They have the trailer memorized. I open my mouth and they’re like “Ralph!! Say it like you do in the movie.” I go “I’m gonna wreck it!” “No, no, no. Do it like you do in the movie.” “I’m trying! Gimme a break!”
With WRECK-IT RALPH about to smash into theaters (November 2nd), I got to sit down with Sue Sylvester herself, Jane Lynch, in a round table at the Beverly Hilton Hotel (Beverly Hills, CA). We talked politics, video games, and life as Sue Sylvester.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.
On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time? “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.
So did you have any input on your character design because for your character specifically what lady wouldn’t want her hyper-realized form?
Jane Lynch: Oh my God. I’m so thrilled. I kept saying in the movie, I’d lean over my wife and go, ‘I look so good.’ Well, it’s animated. Yeah. I had no input at all, but they videotaped us. And obviously, they replicated my own figure. So she’s much younger and much more fit and much more militaristic then I am, but I think they did use us. As I was watching the movie, I could see Sarah [Silverman] all over Vanellope and John [C. Reilly] all over Ralph and Jack [McBrayer] all over Felix. Pretty cool.
My favorite scene is the Nesquik scene between you and Felix. Did you and Jack bring something different to the scene that wasn’t on the page?
Lynch: We did get to do that one with each other. We recorded that looking at each other doing it. So that was a lot of fun. I think so. When you can get the two actors in the room, you’re going to get more spontaneous. You’re going to get more chemistry, and I think just for technical reasons, they don’t keep us in the room together for the most part. But I know they did for John [C. Reilly] and Sarah [Silverman], and boy, you can hear it. You can hear them. It sounds like they’re in the same room just bouncing off each other.
Was being in a Disney film, doing a voice for an animated character, one of the actor dreams for you to check off?
Lynch: It wasn’t even on my bucket list that’s how preposterous it was. I was thrilled to, and I jumped at it. It’s a huge honor to be on a shelf with ‘Jungle Book’ and ‘Aristocats’ and ‘Cinderella.’ Pretty cool stuff, and John Lasseter, of course, is heading up animation now, I believe, and he’s just the greatest guy in the world. And when he asks you to do something, you say, ‘yes.’
Were there one of those films that you were particularly obsessed with when you were a kid?
Lynch: Not so much obsessed with because we didn’t have copies of films back then. There were no DVDs and there were no VCRs, but I loved ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ and the ‘Aristocats,’ ‘Cinderella.’ I loved ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’ on Sunday nights. That was a big deal. Question: And with this character, you get to play the complete range of emotions. She gets to be the bad ass. She gets to be sensitive. She gets to be really funny. Lynch: Again, we have the great backstory. The broken heart. It’s encoded with a great backstory. It didn’t really happen, but it was just encoded. She, of course, doesn’t see vulnerability as strength, and I think she learns that. That’s her journey, is that having your heart open is not a sign of weakness because she had hers shut. She felt so guilty about allowing the Cy-Bugs to kill the love of her life, and she had committed herself to the destruction of the Cy-Bugs to make it right. And then comes along this sweet, little open-eyed, open-faced guy, just so simple and so sweet, she can’t allow herself, but, of course, she ultimately does.
And she gets to smack him around whenever she wants him to fix it?
Lynch: Yeah, you’re right, exactly. I can do anything to him. He fixed my heart, and then I can boom, boom, boom.
Were you ever a fan of video games?
Lynch: No. I was not an arcade kid.
How young from ‘Glee’ does your fan base go now, and are you ready for it to get really little?
Lynch: I think ‘Glee’ the cut-off is about 10, and even that is kind of young for some of the things that go on in our show. But, yeah, it will be really cool. I’ve done a couple of Disney things. I’ve done ‘Another Cinderella Story’ with Selena Gomez, and there are three and four year olds all over the country. They go [gasp]. They know me from somewhere, and they figure it out quicker than their parents do.
Since we get to see you on TV every week, what’s on your TV watch list?
Lynch: ‘Episodes,’ ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Homeland,’ and ‘Girls,’ I love ‘Girls,’ and ‘Modern Family,’ and, of course, ‘Glee.’
You watch it when it comes on?
Lynch: Yeah, I watch ‘Glee.’ My daughter loves it. So it’s a big deal. It comes on Thursday now, right? Yeah, she loves watching it.
Are you a tough critic of yourself?
Lynch: No. Not really. I’m able to divorce myself from it. If they don’t like me, well, then I get mad. I’m like, they need to like me better. Or if they cut out – some of my monologues are so long, and I work so hard. And my head is bleeding from the effort, and they’ll cut out half of it. Every time I see a long monologue, I’m going, what part of this are they going to cut that I’m going to bother to learn? Because they have to. The show has to be however long, 48 minutes or something like that.
42.
Lynch: 42, and I know that some of that cutting is going to come from my run-on sentences.
Do you have any guilty pleasures as far as reality TV?
Lynch: I don’t feel guilty about this at all, I love ‘What Not To Wear.’ It’s a great show. I’m not a reality TV person. I get nothing out of it. Although, I must say, we were on vacation, and we watched one episode of the Kardashians that led to like a marathon. It was a beautiful day out. We stayed in the hotel and we were transfixed by the Kardashians for one Saturday afternoon because you never know when a new episode starts. It just keeps going. It’s not like there’s credits and the curtain falls, and it goes up again. It just keeps going. Hours, hours, and we all felt so dirty after.
What happens in a position like yours, and you get to watch a show like that and have that binge on it, and then you go to a party, and you run into Kim Kardashian.
Lynch: It’s weird that she’s in the same league as me.
Do you feel like you know stuff about her life even though it was put on television to be watched?
Lynch: No. I don’t.
I do.
Lynch: Well, if you do, then you buy it too much. I think they’re just stupid enough to actually allow us to watch their life, and they’re conniving enough to manipulate it. But I think there are some real moments there. I saw someone from the ‘New Jersey Housewives’ being interviewed on a talk show, and she was talking about it like this is her life. And that angered me so much, but I forgive them. I go to church, and I pray. And I think it was a bad thing she did, but I forgive them. And she was serious. That’s stupidity. That’s just dumb.
Is that experience unfathomable to you to put your life out there?
Lynch: God, yes.
I imagine it must be hard as a working actor to see all of these reality shows just eating up all of the time slots?
Lynch: Oh, we have tons of channels. First of all, I don’t worry about that, but this is the greatest time to be on television. Look at the shows we have. ‘Nurse Jackie,’ look at all these great – and we’re all over the place. It’s not just 2, 5, and 7. We’ve got hundreds of channels that people can watch. So go ahead. You can do it.
Are you surprised that Sue Sylvester has endured this long and stayed so consistent to her character?
Lynch: Yeah. What I loved about her, they allowed her to evolve because if I was just beating people up and throwing them into their lockers every week, it would get old. And they know how to use me so that a little bit of me goes a long way. Although this episode coming up is pretty heavy Sue Sylvester, but then I’ll be light for the next three or four episodes. So they know how to use my character, and they also have allowed me to grow. I mean there are times when my character sounds so empathetic and reasonable, and then the next moment, she’s throwing somebody into the lockers.
She hasn’t lost her Sueness?
Lynch: She hasn’t changed her stripes, no.
That must be really fun to get there with the writers.
Lynch: Right. They do it. When they gave me the Down Syndrome sister in the first episode, I thought that was brilliant. It’s almost like the backstory for Sergeant Calhoun. They gave me a reason to be so mean. Why is she so mad?
In this movie, you get to throw out a lot of one-liners. Did you get to adlib any of those?
Lynch: No, they wrote them. In fact, as the script became more and more the one the one that we ended up with, it started to sound more like me. I think that happened for all of the characters. The writers not only started to capture us physically – the animators captured us physically – but the writers captured our voices.
Did you have a favorite?
Lynch: Yeah, something like ‘If Hell and Armageddon had a baby, it would look like this.’
We’re here at the Hilton, where they always have the Golden Globes every year. That was a pretty major experience, I’m sure. Do you have a favorite memorable behind the scenes moment from any of the Globes ceremonies you’ve been to? It’s a really different award show.
Lynch: It is. It was my first award show, when we were nominated. I was nominated the first year of ‘Glee.’ Well, I mean, Ricky Gervais was the host, and he just said whatever he wanted. And I thought he was hilarious. You could see the Golden Globe people, they didn’t care for it at all, but they asked him back. Which I loved that they keep asking him back. I don’t know if he’s doing it again this year, is he?
They haven’t said yet.
Lynch: I remember when I met Glenn Close on the carpet. It was a very strange thing because it was my first time on a red carpet like this, an awards show red carpet. And I’m looking around, and there are all these people that I admire and that I see on TV. And Glenn Close came up to me, and she went, [gasp], like that. And she said, ‘I just love what you’re doing.’ I do say in interviews I think Sue Sylvester is – what’s her name on ‘Damages’? It’s my favorite show in the world. Patty Hewes. I have said that I think Sue Sylvester is a less refined Patty Hewes. And she was very flattered by that. ‘Damages’ is another show that I think is over now. I think it’s one more season.
You’ve gotten to play such diverse characters over the years. Is there any particular type of role that you’re just chomping at the bit to play?
Lynch: Not so much. I’m not chomping at the bit to play so much – though I love acting – I’ve been writing. I’m really enjoying that, and I hope that I’ll be able to bring it to television. I hope that I can sell what I’m writing, and I’ve been working on it for – I work fast. I’m one of those people. I decided three weeks ago. My wife told me an idea, and I went, ah. And I kind of went into a cave and started working it out. So that’s kind of what I’m all about right now, and it’s great. I can do ‘Glee’ and still be cooking away at something.
How did the offer for Comedy Central Roast . . .
Lynch: It’s such an honor. I jumped up and down. I love Roseanne [Barr]. I hosted the Roseanne Roast at Comedy Central. And I got to be friends with her. It was a huge deal. I had these great writers writing things for me, and what a great night that was. That was so much fun. I’d do that again.
Had you met her?
Lynch: No. We’d never met each other before, but she asked that I host it. So I was absolutely flattered. Question: It seems like you’re in such demand. Do you have to say, no to some opportunities to maintain some family time? Lynch: Yeah. It’s not so much work because I’m in ‘Glee,’ and you just can’t do anything while you’re doing a television show. But it’s a political season, and everybody wants someone to stand up for their cause. And I’ve done a fair bit of that. In fact, you’re probably getting a lot of, ‘This is an email from Jane Lynch in your Inbox.’ So I try to be discriminating about that, but it seems like there’s a lot of me out there. I remember how exciting it was when you’d be invited to a magazine’s party, and I would go. They’re just not very fun.
What are your hopes for this election, and are there any frustrations with the debate season so far?
Lynch: I don’t know. It’s just so partisan. It’s just so awful. And everybody’s complaining about Candy Crowley. Even the Obama side’s saying she said some things in the press about – I don’t know. Who cares? Just get it over with and let Obama get re-elected. It’s just getting so ugly. I have to stop reading The Huffington Post is what I have to stop.
Was it ever a choice some actors don’t want to take political positions because they don’t want that associated with whatever they’re doing. Did you have to make that decision?
Lynch: I did. And sometimes I regret that I jumped on some band wagon, even though I maybe support it, I want to be an actor first. I have to be very careful about it because you stop suspending disbelief, if you go, ‘Oh, there’s that gay activist trying to make us believe that she’s married to that guy.’ Question: I ran the race for the Rescues last week, and I saw you host. Lynch: Well, that’s a worthwhile thing.
Is that an easy thing?
Lynch: That’s an easy thing. There are tons of organizations too. There’s PETA, and then there’s the smaller rescues, and you want to do it for everybody. But I have a connection to that organization, so I do that every year. I love it. And you know they adopted every animal that came in.
I raised a few.
Lynch: There were a lot of tears, some terrible stories behind why these dogs were orphaned. It’s all animal lovers. It’s a great day to see all those animals get adopted out.
Going back to ‘Wreck-It Ralph,’ I was wondering what the surprising part of being in the movie was for you?
Lynch: Seeing the movie. I think it’s so beautiful, not just visually. The animation is great and everything, but I think the message is so good and so powerful. And at the end, I did not expect to be shedding tears, and I was. I loved the relationship between Ralph and Vanellope and how my character, Calhoun, finally opens her heart, and there’s a wedding. It’s about people – you’re stuck in a game, doing the same job, over and over again, and you’re not getting any appreciation. And you finally go, ‘to hell with this,’ and you leave. And when you leave, everything falls apart. And when you come back, after your journey, they all appreciate you. And now you’re doing your job for the love of doing your job. I mean I just think it’s a great message, and that your greatness is in your code, that Vanellope found out. We all have a glitch. I think that’s kind of the success of ‘Glee’ too, to tie it all in. We all feel like we have a glitch in some way, and we’re kind of ashamed of it. You find somebody, and you look in their eyes, and you realize there’s nothing wrong with me. They totally support me.
It’s such an interesting concept for a movie, ‘Wreck-It Ralph.’ I’m curious. If you had to be stuck in a video game, would you choose one of the old-fashioned ones, or would you choose the virtuals?
Lynch: Well, I’d never done a virtual. So I can’t really say, but what I love about Fix-It Felix, Jr. which would probably bore the hell out of me after about a week is that you can mess things up and then just with a [pop sound] of a hammer. I wish I had one of those hammers, not just to fix people in my life, but like the thing came off my faucet in the bathroom. And I don’t know how to put it back on. Just a [clink sound]. Instead of having to call somebody. Who do I call?
Disney’s hilarious arcade-game-hopping adventure “Wreck-It Ralph” will be getting red-carpet treatment in the Video Game Capital of the World, as the Mayor of Ottumwa issues a PROCLAMATION, declaring Friday, November 2, 2012, to be “Wreck-It Ralph Day” in Ottumwa, Iowa.
The Proclamation will be unveiled by Mayor Frank Flanders during ribbon-cutting and cake-cutting ceremonies at the Ottumwa 8 Theatre, on Thursday, November 1 at 11:15 p.m. The event will be attended by many of Ottumwa’s civic, societal and business leaders, as well as by video game fans from around the region.
Mayor Flanders said, “Ottumwa has long been a cultural crossroads for the global video game culture and it’s important for the City of Ottumwa to lend public support to Disney’s creative efforts to produce an animated film that uplifts and nourishes the human spirit as well as celebrates the video game industry’s positive contributions to society.”
Famous for being one of the few municipalities in the world that supports the worldwide video game culture, Ottumwa asks that its Citizens celebrate this Day of Civic Observance, appreciating ”Wreck-It Ralph” as a film that champions the positive, uplifting aspects of the global video game culture through a warm-hearted, family oriented film. “This may be the only instance in the world of a City celebrating a video game movie premiere on an official civic level,” said Walter Day, Twin Galaxies Founder and member of the board of directors of the International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum.
Known for its unique video game legacy, Ottumwa is considered the birthplace of organized video game playing. The city was the site of a legendary photograph published in LIFE Magazine in January, 1983, that captured on film a gathering of history’s first video game superstars. And, in January, 1983, ABC-TV’s “That’s Incredible” filmed history’s first video game world championship in Ottumwa.
In addition to being the birthplace of organized gaming, Ottumwa was the original hometown of the Twin Galaxies Scoreboard and the US National Video Game Team, two organizations founded in the early 1980s that still exist today.
In 2010, the Citizens of Ottumwa launched a project to create the official International Video Game Hall of Fame & Museum in Ottumwa, a project still under development. Ottumwa’s history as a cultural crossroads for the global video game culture has been the subject of many feature documentary films, among them: “The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters” and “Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade.”
On November 30, 1982, Ottumwa Mayor Jerry Parker declared Ottumwa the Video Game Capital of the World. On March 19, 1983, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad joined Atari Games and the Washington, DC-based Amusement Game Manufacturers Assn. (AGMA) in Ottumwa, Iowa to declare the city the “Video Game Capital.”
From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.
On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart-racing game Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time?
Rated PG by the MPAA, “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.
With WRECK-IT RALPH about to smash into theaters (November 2nd), I got to sit down with the super funny Sarah Silverman (voice of “Vanellope von Schweetz”) in a round table at the Beverly Hilton Hotel (Beverly Hills, CA). We talk video games, Disney princesses, and which comedies Sarah liked to watch in her youth.
From Walt Disney Animation Studios and Emmy®-winning director Rich Moore comes “Wreck-It Ralph,” a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero.
On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time? “Wreck-It Ralph” crashes onto the big screen on November 2, 2012, in Disney Digital 3D™ in select theaters.
Check out our round table discussion with Sarah Silverman here:
So, when you first saw Vanellope, how much time did you spend saying “Aww”?
SS: A lot of… Yeah. A lot of the time. 40 percent of the time.
She is adorable, isn’t she?
SS: Yeah. (Moan of delight) (Laughter from table)
How on did you have to be when you were recording the voices. She always seems like she’s perky and on!
SS: Yeah. It’s a lot of energy. You know, it’s a lot of movement. I mean, it’s just my voice but you can’t do that without moving your whole body. I mean, just even if you’re talking on the phone aren’t you walking around and doing this (wild arm gestures).
Is there a little… I think I saw a little Punky Brewster in Vanellope…
SS: Aww! Yes! Sure. She’s very Punky.
Did you get to do much improve with your lines on this, or was it strictly written? It seems like a lot of it is your sense of humor.
SS: They definitely… uh. The script was perfect, but I was surprised. They really let us improvise. We got to record together, John and I… and look into each other’s eyes… and overlap… and really play the scene… and improvise. I think it gives it that extra special sauce that you wouldn’t get if we were all alone in a booth.
How did you feel when you saw the final film?
SS: I couldn’t believe it! I mean, I knew it was gonna be great, but it’s so… Disney makes great movies, so it shouldn’t be surprising. It’s just so special.
How did you land on just the right tone? Cause she’s got that speed, and that energy, and that little kid-ness? Did you fiddle around with a lot of different sounds, or did you know right away?
SS: It was… I mean, like a minute or two we found it. You know, I just (in Vanellope’s voice) “brought my voice over here, and” she’s scrappy, so I just kind of “added, like, a permanent cold” (laughs).
What were your favorite kids movies, either growing up, or even still, now?
SS: Ohhh… I mean, I loved “Finding Nemo”. Things that came out when I was an adult. Growing up, I always loved Disney movies, but I grew up… The first movie I remember seeing is “Sleepers”. (Laughs) So, I wasn’t really big into children’s movies.
What are your favorite comedies then?
SS: Oh my gosh! I was just thinking about this. “Defending Your Life”, “Broadway Danny Rose”… I mean, “Annie Hall” and “Manhattan”, “Real Life”. “Bridesmaids” is up there. Oh! “Borat”! “Borat” is maybe one of my top favorite comedies. Um, “Where’s Poppa?” blows my mind. Check it out, the blank faces I see… Brilliant Ruth Gordan, George Segal… So ahead of its time! Or, maybe not ahead of its time. I think it’s… There are so many older movies that, now… We’re living in such a conservative time compared to the 70’s. There’s a movie called “The One And Only” that Carl Reiner directed by Steve (Gordon). The guy who went on to write “Arthur”. I loved it. It’s one of my favorites.
Can you talk about the two movies you have coming up? You have two coming out. One with… oh, I can’t remember. It’s in the notes. But, a dramady with…
SS: The Sarah Pauley one?
Yes, that one.
SS: Oh, that came out.
Oh, did it?
SS: Thanks for seeing it. (In a drawn out, snarky tone). (Laughs)
“Take This Waltz”
SS: “Take This Waltz”. It was on VOD. It came out very limited. It’s a very small movie. It was good. I mean, the other movie out it this one. (Laughs).
This is such an original concept for a movie. Going in, I hadn’t seen anything so I didn’t know what to expect. How was this idea originally pitched to you? Life inside cords of arcade games…
SS: As simple as that. I mean, yeah… Video games, you know… an arcade after closing hours when all the video games you see… the characters come to life. It’s such a no-brainer in that way. It’s crazy that it hasn’t been done before. I feel like it’s this latent fantasy that’s probably been in all of us that makes us go “Oh yeah! I wanna see that!”. It’s so satiating, and what’s interesting is that we respond to things that are familiar. It’s why we respond to things that we can relate to… “That’s like me!” It’s interesting because this is a movie that is filled for people of all ages… except for maybe the veerrryy old. (Laughs). You see characters you know from your childhood. You see these characters that were a part of your life at a key time. Some video games are 30 years old, which in technological years is, like, 100 because it develops so fast. So, there’s a real history there and you see all of these familiar faces. Even in, like, Sugar Rush the candy spans from old-timey candy to new candy. (Laughs) You see all of these things that you know from your life, and that are familiar. Yet the movie is totally unique, and not done before.
How steeped into video games where you when you were a kid? Were you really into them, or just kind of casual?
SS: I would say REALLY into them. We had Atari. I guess all those things developed. I remember “Pong”, but then I remember…
“Joust”?
SS: Come on! You said that because you know I love Joust! (Laughs). Cause nobody knows Joust! There was “Joust” in our Dairy Queen, in New Hampshire, and I mastered it. I spent so much time with that Joust. I loved it! And, all you’re doing is flapping this weird bird… this really long, odd bird with really tiny wings, and you’re like (hitting the table) “This flaps the wings”. But yeah, “Frogger”, “Astroids”, “Centipede”… On Atari there’s the regular joy stick, but then there’s the new joy stick with the dial that you could play “Kaboom!” with. Then, this game “Pitfall!” came out, that, for the time, the graphics were incredible! Now, you would laugh, but I was blown away by “Pitfall!”. When I moved out here, and was actually an adult in my early 20’s, we had gotten a Nintendo 64 at “Mr. Show”. The show “Mr. Show”. Whenever anyone wasn’t shooting they were playing “Goldeneye 007”. There were four windows on this giant tv, and it became my world! (Laughs) Like, I dreamt about it.
Have you seen the new “Pittfall!” for iPhone?
SS: NO! (Laughs)
It’s like a 3D game for iPhone.
SS: I don’t believe that! Wait. But with the vines, and the quicksand?
Yeah. It has all the stuff.
SS: Oh my gosh.
You’ll have to go to the app store and check it out. Have you read “Ready Player One”?
SS: No…
That’s another book that came out a year or two ago, and it’s all about 80’s video games.
SS: “Ready Player One” (laughs). Well, in New Hampshire is Funspot, where “The King of Kong”… yeah.
Because animation takes so long, how many days did you actually record vocals for the movie?
SS: I don’t know. You know, cause it was over a couple of years. Every few weeks I’d get a call “They want you to come in” and “Okay!”, and we’d do a 4 hour session.
Did the movie change a lot from the last few years? Cause, when I talked to Rich yesterday, he said that the second act was suppose to feature you, Felix, and Ralph. Then they changed it a little bit.
SS: Yeah. It definitely changed from the read-through. I mean, I think that’s what makes Disney movies and Pixar movies always so good. They take time and they’re constantly honing, and tweaking, and rejiggering things, and taking influences from every cog… including myself, that can help. Any place where there can be inspiration. They make every moment very layered, and very rich.
I’m curious… What’s the most surprising part of being in “Wreck-It Ralph” for you?
SS: Ughhhhh. (Laughs) I don’t know. I’m curious what possible answers you’re thinking I could say. I don’t know. What’s the most surprising part? I guess the immense amount of press junket. (Laughs). Totally overwhelming amount of press junket.
Is it not fun for you?
SS: This is fun, and the truth is I love talking, and I love people. So, technically I do love it. It’s just when you’re sitting in a chair and every five minutes a new person comes in and asks the same three questions you have to smile and make it fresh. You start honing (laughs) your answers, and, like, I have the routine down. I feel that if it went one more day I would… something bad would happen.
Were you always a comedy nerd? From the time you were a little kid, did you knew the writers of the certain comedy things you loved were? When did you kind of key into that?
SS: Yeah! Well, I was raised by television, so I remember… I don’t know if I was “into it” but I knew that “All In The Family” was Norman Lear because you saw… I could picture the font in my head of Norman Lear. Just like this kids watching “The Simpsons” know “Oh, that’s Al Jean and Mike Reiss cause I can see their names”. I was really into comedy. I listened to all kinds of comedy, because my parents were (into comedy). My mom was. She had “Woody Allen: Double Album”. She had a lot of musicals as well. We watched everything, like “Taxi”, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, “Rhoda”, “Barney Miller”, “M.A.S.H.”. It was my growing up years. Every night “Happy Days”… I don’t know what was reruns and what was new. Cause, kids today watch “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”… it’s new. There’s a French “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” channel. (Laughs).
Were you ever a Disney Princess? Did you ever go through that phase?
SS: Yeah, well I was Minnie Mouse every year when I was little for Halloween. (Laughs) Then, I had the Cinderella night-gown when I was really little that I BEGGED my mother to let me wear to school. Also, I was Snow White a lot because I could be the… you know… like you (points to the woman across the table) could be Mulan every year, right? (Laughs) I could be Snow White, cause I’ve got the white skin and the black hair…
I’ll see you on Halloween. (Laughs)
SS: It’s on… It’s on. (Laughs)
As an 80’s kid, just real quick… if you had to be stuck in a video game over, and over, and over again, would you pick an 80’s or would you pick one of the new, crazy 3-Dimensional games?
SS: Well, I’d probably want to be as many pixels as possible, but not a scary war game. Although, those are the most fun. The killing games are the most fun to play, and most of my dreams are action-adventure, I will say. I’d probably wanna be someplace safe, like “Golf”. (Laughs). “Golf” is a fun game! In video… I could measure the wind.
