Zazie Beetz & Lilly Singh Interview: The Bad Guys | Screen Rant
Dreamworks' latest animated adventure, The Bad Guys, arrives in US theaters this weekend and is sure to make a splash. Starring Sam Rockwell (who's proven his voice acting prowess in Trolls World Tour and The One and Only Ivan) stars as Mr. Wolf, the leader of a group of animals who decides to try walking the straight and narrow path. Loosely based on Aaron Blabey's book series of the same name, the film is stacked with comedic talent, from Awkwafina (Shang-Chi) and Craig Robinson (Peacock's Killing It) as Tarantula and Shark respectively to Lilly Singh (Dollface) and Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) as Tiffany Fluffit and Diane Foxington.
Beetz & Singh spoke to Screen Rant about seeing their animated characters for the first time, leaving their mark in the recording booth, and which member of The Bad Guys gang would know all the coolest hangout spots.
Screen Rant: Congrats on this movie. I have to admit, I watched it twice because I loved the animation so much. How did you react to seeing your character for the first time? How does that moment go, Lilly?
Lilly Singh: I was very, very happy. Because I was very adamant on her looking a little bit like me, but having very extreme facial expressions and the long hair. I saw her relatively late. I saw her at almost, I think, my last session or my second to last session.
It was so heartwarming, and I think she's adorable and perfect and exactly what I wanted her to look like.
Zazie Beetz: I got to see my character before we started shooting, because they already had sketches of her. So, I actually knew what she was going to look like. Which was part of the draw, because she was just so cute. And I was like, "I'm going to be this little cutie fox with an eyebrow ring."
It's really cool to see what kind of mannerisms they put into the character, because they do pull from your own motions. Because they videotape you while you're recording. And I love seeing those details.
Was there anything specific that you were like, "Oh, that was 100% me. I was doing that in the studio?"
Zazie Beetz: Actually, the dancing. Because the woman who choreographed it, Susie - she works with Sam Rockwell all the time; she's his movement person. She called me, and we talked about the dance. Sam and I actually wanted to get together and dance together, but our schedules never aligned.
So, I sent Susie a video of me just free dancing, because she wanted to incorporate my movement in it. And there are definitely moves in the dance that I'm like, "I 100% did that in free dance." So, that's cool to know that was actively Incorporated.
That's really cool. Because I feel like a lot of times when I talk to people for animated films, they're like, "I did it by myself." But it seems like they tried to get you all in studio together as much as they could.
Zazie Beetz: They try...ish.
Lilly Singh: I was completely alone. I never did it with anyone else, minus Pierre. I often didn't even leave my house. I just did in the sound booth in my house.
Zazie Beetz: I did it virtually with Sam a couple of times. And then Sam had somebody, his friend, who would also sometimes read for him when Sam couldn't. So, I did that with him too a few times. And then besides that with just Pierre.
But Sam and Marc, I think, had actual studio time together. If I'm not mistaken.
I was asking them the most surprisingly great thing about doing animation, and Marc was like, "My commute. It was eight minutes."
Zazie Beetz: [To Lilly] You had none.
Lilly Singh: I had none. I just did this in my PJs, almost every session.
What is your favorite takeaway or lesson in The Bad Guys?
Zazie Beetz: I think my favorite takeaway is that other people don't really get to write your story. You write your own narrative around who you want to be in the world. And people can have their expectations or their ideas of who you are, but ultimately, you are your own determiner.
I like that a lot. And that, currently I think, is resonating in my own life.
Lilly Singh: Yeah, I agree. I think it's a really timely film, because it really encourages people to think critically and think like, "Who do I think is a bad guy? Why do I think that? Where am I getting this information from, and who gets to decide that?" Especially on the internet these days, we label people so easily.
But I hope this movie encourages people to take a step back and think, "Hey, maybe I don't need to do that. Maybe I can treat people like humans."
Zazie Beetz: We're animals.
Which of the Bad Guys would you most want to go out on the town with?
Lilly Singh: Oooh, Diane. Diane is the coolest. She's so cool. I want to dance with her. I feel like we would have a blast.
Zazie Beetz: Honestly, out to town? Like, to party with? Piranha. He seems kind of crazy; I feel like you would know where to go.
Lilly Singh: Shark is also...
Zazie Beetz: Yeah, Shark, I feel like I want to go to a lounge with and have a little martini with. Snake would be just in a bad mood. Honestly, Wolf would probably know the cool hidden spot. Webs doesn't go out. Webs is, like, hacking.
Lilly Singh: Yeah, Piranha would be good. Piranha would get in trouble.
Zazie Beetz: That's true. Piranha might get us all arrested.
I know it's early days, but how did you feel about the announcement of Deadpool 3 being directed by Shawn Levy? Are we getting my girl Domino back?
Zazie Beetz: I'm so excited. I don't know, you tell me.
I am so excited. I am crossing my fingers, hoping that Domino will be a part of this. And if not, it's also all good. But it's just such a great crew; such a great team. I just love Deadpool. I love Domino so much.
If it's not this, maybe I'll do my own Domino: Origins or something like that. I would love to do something in that space and face that fear, honestly. So, yeah, I'm excited. But we'll see what happens.
I feel like you and David would do a kick ass Domino series.
Zazie Beetz: I would love that.
Lilly Singh: We're gonna manifest it. It's happening.
Zazie Beetz: It's happened, Done. In the future, it's happened.
After a lifetime of legendary heists, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet -- becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they're turning good.
Check out our interviews with The Bad Guys stars Marc Maron, Craig Robinson and Anthony Ramos, as well as director Pierre Perifel.
The Bad Guys is out in theaters starting April 22.