Exclusive Interview with the Actors of Ice Age: A Collision Course

 

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE – IN THEATERS NOW

Scrat’s epic pursuit of the elusive acorn catapults him into the universe where he accidentally sets off a series of cosmic events that transform and threaten the Ice Age World.  To save themselves, Sid, Manny, Diego, and the rest of the herd must leave their home and embark on a quest full of comedy and adventure, traveling to exotic new lands and encountering a host of colorful new characters.  The animation for this film is just fantastic and I love the story.  I think all of us can relate to the feeling that our children are growing up just too darn fast for our liking!

 

Director:  Michael Thurmeier

Co-Director: Galen Tan Chu

Producer: Lori Forte

Cast:  Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, Keke Palmer, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Adam Devine, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Max Greenfield, Jessie J, Nick Offerman, Wanda Sykes, Stephanie Beatriz,  Michael Strahan,  Melissa Rauch, Neil deGrasse Tyson.

 

 

 

 

We had a chance to meet and interview some of the actors from Ice Age. It was great seeing how much thought and work goes into each Ice Age as you can tell that the actors and writers really care about this franchise. Here is Ray Romano and Queen Latifah had to say about working together on Ice Age.

Mr. Ray Romano:  So, this is Ice Age 5.

Queen Latifah:  Yes.

Mr. Ray Romano:  It’s Ice Age 5.  And I have been in there since 1.  And she was there–in Ice Age 2 she came along.  So now, the question is–.

Blogger:  –Revisiting it.

Mr. Ray Romano:  Yes, it’s fun.  It’s every couple years.  I get to see Queen every couple years beause we never see each other when we record, believe it or not.

I don’t know if you guys know that, but I have never seen another actor in the recording studio in all five of them.

Queen Latifah:  I don’t think I have either.

Mr. Ray Romano:  Somebody is on the East Coast, West Coast, whatever.  So, it’s fun.  It’s always fun to do and to see a new story and to see the family evolve because for me it’s fun because whatever is happening in the movie usually is happening in my family because my daughter had just moved out of the house about two years ago, and that’s what’s happening now to Manny and Ellie.

Blogger:  So, you could relate.

Mr. Ray Romano:  I could relate.  I have three boys, though, and they’re not going anywhere.

Mr. Ray Romano:  Yes, and I have twin 23-year-old boys, and they’re locked in, I think.

Blogger:  What is your parenting style?  Are you similar to Manny?

Mr. Ray Romano:  Well, yes, I’m kind of like Manny, but our relationship is kind of like my relationship because she is the

relationship is kind of like my relationship because she is the smart one, and she is the one who tells me to shut up.  And I assume Ellie spends all the money, too, right?

Queen Latifah:  Why not?

Mr. Ray Romano:  Yes because that’s what happens, my wife gets all the money.

Queen Latifah:  Ellie should.

Mr. Ray Romano:  Yes.  That’s all I need, clean clothes and an apple.  That’s all I need.

Blogger:  Then you’re good.

Mr. Ray Romano:  I’m ready, yes.  But, I’m kind of like Manny.  I’m a little worrysome. And it’s a big transition when that happens, when they move out, because that’s what you prepare them for, but you’re not prepared for it. I lived at home–you know, tell them.

Queen Latifah:  Until he was 29.

Mr. Ray Romano:  Yes.

Queen Latifah:  Yes.

Mr. Ray Romano:  True.

 

 

It was delightful seeing the fun exchanges between these two!  And I was super excited to see John Leguizamo in person as I’ve been a big fan of his work for a long time!  Here is what he shared with us about making the movie alongside Wanda Sykes.

 

Blogger:  Tell us what your trick to the voice of Sid is.

Mr. John Lequizamo:  Well, because I gave them a lot of different voices for Sid the sloth because sloths are slow.  So, I thought it was going to be like a Southern–like I started talking like this, a little bit like Bill Clinton.  They didn’t like it, so I tried a Southeastern kind of–maybe something will a little more flavor like that.

Perhaps it would be wonderful for Sid the sloth.  And they didn’t like that either.  So, I looked up a Discovery Channel footage, and I went to the zoo.  And I found out that sloths stored food in their cheek pouches, and so I walked around with a sandwich.  And I was like, “How am I going to come up with this voice?  Oh, my God, this is the voice.”  I called the director, “Guess who this is?”  He is like, “Who is that?”  “This is Sid the sloth.  I found myself.”  And that’s how we came up with that voice.

Blogger:  What did you put in your mouth?

Mr. John Lequizamo:  I didn’t have to after a while.  What’s hard is getting rid of that thing after I’ve been doing it.  I end up talking like that for like days, like my wife is like, “Stop.”  I go, “I can’t stop.”

Blogger:  So, one of my questions, you are so vivacious, and you’re so energetic.  Tell me about Grandma.  I mean, you have played Grandma forever, so how do you feel?  How do you relate to her?

Ms. Wanda Sykes:  Oh, well Granny is, she’s Groucho.  She’s Groucho Marx, basically.  She just comes in the room, just tells jokes and rips on everyone, and then she’s out.  That’s it.  So, and that’s a joy to play.  You know, who wouldn’t want to be able just to speak their mind and not care, you know, with no repercussions at all?  So, yes, it’s a joy.  Yes.

Blogger:  What has been your experience with your kids growing up with the characters?

Ms. Wanda Sykes:  Well, my kids–they were like two, I think, when the first the one that I did, Continental Drift, was out.  I took them to see that, and they didn’t believe it was me.  You know, they just couldn’t relate.  They just didn’t understand, “No, you’re you.  You’re not that character.”  But, now that they’re seven, and I think I’m going to become the cool mom after this, yes.

Blogger:  What about you with your kids?

Mr. John Lequizamo:  Yes.  I mean, the same thing happened when my kids were like two or three and the first one came out.  They were weirded out because I go, “Guys, that’s me.”  They go, “Uh, Dad, but the voice is not like you, but it kind of,” so they didn’t like 1 because it was too confusing for them.  But now, they’re cool with it.  Now, they love it.  And it happens, like when we’re out like in public and the dad recognizes me, he goes, “Hey, can you do Sid the sloth for my son?”  I’m like, “Dude, it doesn’t go well for me.  Kids don’t relate this face to that animal.”  And he goes, “Oh, come on.  It’s his birthday.”  And I’ll go, “Happy birthday, kid.”  And the kid is like freaking out.

Ms. Wanda Sykes:  Yes, right, right.

Blogger:  I told you.

Mr. John Lequizamo:  I did.

Ms. Wanda Sykes:  I tried to warn you.

Mr. John Lequizamo:  I warned him, I warned him.

Ms. Wanda Sykes:  Yes.

 

It was great meeting Max Greenfield and Josh Peck who both were absolutely adorable and down-to-earth (and adorable, oh, did I already say that?).

Blogger:  When you see yourself animated for the first time, and your character, is there something that you automatically recognize of your personality or your walk or your talk that they put in the movie?

Mr. Max Greenfield:  Well, we discussed this a little bit over there.  I mean, you hear your voice, and you start to remember everything that you did in the booth.  But, I think what happens is, and you spoke to this a little bit–that the animators will get your–or hear your performance and I guess see your performance.

And any little nuances or little things that you’re putting on it, they will try and put in.  So, I guess when you watch it, you certainly see things that you go, “Oh, yes, all right.  Yes, that’s what we were doing.”  Or it’s usually a little bit better because then it’s like how you would walk but how you would walk as a–.

Blogger:  –Bird–.

Mr. Max Greenfield:  –Dinosaur or a bird.

Mr. Josh Peck:  When they approached me to be in the movie, and they were like, “We want you to play an animal.”  And I’m like thinking about handsome animals.  I’m like, “What–are we thinking a cheetah, like a dragon?”  They’re like, “You’re a possum.”  And I’m like, “Oh, a rodent, got it.”  So, you definitely see elements of your face in there for sure.

Mr. Max Greenfield:  You know, we got killed.

Mr. Josh Peck:  Yes.

Mr. Max Greenfield:  They were like, “You’re going to be a dinosaur bird.”  And I was like, “Yes, yes.  That’s great.”  And then, they showed me my dinosaur bird.  And I was like, “All right, okay.”  But then, later I saw both Nick [Offerman] and Stephanie’s [Beatriz] dinosaur birds.  I mean, I got killed.  I was humiliated.

Blogger:  Yes, but you were the sweet one.

Blogger:  Yes.

Blogger:  You were the loving one.

Mr. Max Greenfield:  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Blogger:  Voice of reason.

 

Official Websites

Like Ice Age: Collision Course on FACEBOOK: https://fox.co/IceAgeFacebook

Visit Scrat on FACEBOOK: https://fox.co/IceAgeScrat

Follow Ice Age: Collision Course on TWITTER: https://fox.co/IceAgeTW

Follow Ice Age: Collision Course on INSTAGRAM: https://fox.co/IceAgeIG

Connect with Ice Age: Collision Course Online: https://www.iceagemovies.com

 

Note:  We were invited for an early screening of Ice Age: Collision Course, but all opinions are our own. Event was hosted by 20^th Century Fox

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