CHRIS Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith talk about voicing their characters for animated sequel Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and how they’re handling their own success…

Q. How much has your involvement in these films raised the kudos you have at home with your kids?
Chris Rock: Well, my kids never liked me [laughs] until these movies came out. And even when they came out they didn’t really like me until they saw the grosses [laughs]. I guess it means something to their friends. Their friends kind of giggle about it.

Q. How did you enjoy returning to your characters this time, especially now knowing what the film looked like? Was it less of a leap of faith this time?
Jada Pinkett Smith: I had such a difficult time on the first Madagascar because, of course, I’d never done animation, and I didn’t know what was expected of me. But then when I saw the end product, I was like: “Oh, there goes Gloria… nice to meet you!” But you try so many different things and then the director cuts together a performance for you. So, the second time round was much easier and I enjoyed this process much more.

Q. Did you find the stakes were raised second time around because you had a lot to live up to?
Chris Rock: Yes. It’s weird. This movie is so much better than the first one. I think one of the reasons it’s better is that in the first one there was a lot of riffing… a lot of riffing. It was almost more sit-comish… filling up space and getting funny people to fill up space. In this one, the script was really precise and there were real character arcs. You got a chance to really craft a performance in this one.

Q. Did either of you actually get the chance to work with the late Bernie Mac [who voices the character Zuba in the film]?
Chris Rock: I knew him as a stand-up. He used to host this place called The Cotton Club in Chicago. If you had a gig in Chicago, you had to go by his club… he’d stalk you outside your gig if not. [In Bernie Mac voice]: “You know you’ve got to come by the Cotton Club!” I actually got to direct him in Head of State a few years later and he was by far the funniest thing in the movie. He was a funny guy, great husband, great father… the whole package.

Q. Did you like the fact that your character gets to hook up with one of the other main characters?
Jada Pinkett Smith: Sure, and I think there’s a great little message there. The idea that Gloria was looking for love in a frame that was quite similar to hers. She was like: “I’m going to find a gorgeous hippo!” And she finds Moto Moto and he’s the guy… but then she realises he’s just full of air and that he doesn’t really have any substance. But here’s Melman, who she’s known forever, and he doesn’t really fit her idea of what romantic love was. He’s not the package. But he authentically cares about her… and it just shows that love comes in many different packages and it’s really about being connected to someone who can truly appreciate you and love you for who you are. I think it’s a really wonderful message for young people.

Q. There’s a theme in the film about success not always living up to expectation. Did that resonate with either of you in particular?
Jada Pinkett Smith: It’s very challenging. You do get to a level of success and you think it will cure all the ills of your world and: “Oh man, if I could just get this part!” And: “If I could just make this amount of money…” And then you get there and it’s like: “What?! You mean I’ve gotten this far and I’m still struggling?” Then you realise it’s not about that and you really do have to learn how to manage the success and staying true to yourself, because that’s where the real happiness is. It takes a minute. I know I started very young… too young. I was 19 and completely out of my mind. So, it took me a minute to just gain the sense of maturity to really deal with what I was asking for. I’m staying pretty balanced now [laughs]. But it’s always a challenge because our worlds are always changing and you have to learn how to flow like water and just keep it moving.

Chris Rock: I find that success has cured all my ills. When I started I had a club foot… a couple of movie parts than went right out!

Q. How would you cope with being in the wilderness?
Chris Rock: I’d start by eating my arm…

Jada Pinkett Smith: I’d probably look for shelter and do everything I could to just survive. Hey listen, I’ve been married to Will [Smith] for 11 years and he’s taught me well.

Q. Jada, what will we be seeing you in next?
Jada Pinkett Smith: I’ll probably be playing stage mummy, which is not a role I play very well. But it looks like I’ll be in China with my son while he’s shooting The Karate Kid.

Q. Will he be able to swing mum a cameo?
Jada Pinkett Smith: No. My son is very particular. It’s like: “I need you here just as mummy!” So, I’ll be doing that. I’ve also just finished producing a television show as well, so I’m hoping that’ll fling this year and if it does I’ll have a very busy year. My focus right now is just concentrating on my son and making sure that whole movie goes well and that he’s handled properly.

Q. Chris, do you have projects coming up?
Chris Rock: I’ll take my kids to acting class…

Read our review of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

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