July 1, 2009

A Dino-Sized Tale

Ray Romano returns as the voice of Manny the mammoth in the latest Ice Age adventure

By Vickie An

Everyone's favorite subzero heroes are back on the big screen in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, in theaters today. In the series' third installment, which is also playing in 3-D, Manny the mammoth and his prehistoric pals discover a dinosaur paradise hidden beneath the ice. When Sid the sloth gets into trouble with an angry mama T. rex, the gang must come to his rescue. Luckily, they get a little help from a crazy weasel named Buck who guides them through the dino-filled jungle.

BLUE SKY STUDIOS Manny and the rest of the Ice Age gang return for an all-new adventure.

Saving Sid isn't the only thing on Manny's mind, though. He and Ellie are having a baby! Comedian Ray Romano is the voice of the soon-to-be daddy. TFK chatted with Romano about how he got back into "Manny mode" and his top picks for baby names.

TFK:

What was it like stepping back into the role of Manny?

Romano:

There's a little bit of time between movies so I kind of forget what it's like to be Manny. Sometimes I have to listen to my voice from the first or second movies. Or there are a couple of lines I say that get me in Manny mode. But it's good. He's a good guy, Manny. I like being him.

TFK:

What lines get you back into Manny mode?

Romano:

There's a scene in the first film where there's this little animal trying to get me to migrate south because the ice age is coming. I tell him I'm not going, but I say it like, [ as Manny] 'I'm not going!' That's my prep to get into Manny voice. 'I'm not going!' That's my mantra for about a minute.

TFK:

Manny and Ellie are expecting a baby in this one. Is it a boy or a girl?

Romano:

I can't give that away! They don't know, so I can't tell you. It's a surprise. Back then I guess they didn't have sonograms for mammoths.

TFK:

What would you name the baby?

Romano:

Hmm. If it's a girl, maybe Missy to match Manny. And if it's a boy, Thunderhead. [Laughs] I don't know, maybe Manny Jr.

TFK:

What kind of father do you think Manny will be?

Romano:

He's going to be overprotective, of course. And he's going to be a father who tries to do his best, but is probably clueless in certain areas. Kind of like how I am in real life. But like anything, you learn as you go. I think he's going to be a great parent.

TFK:

Being a father, what's the one piece of parenting advice would you share with Manny?

Romano:

Let's see . . . I guess it would be to not be afraid to show them how much you love them. As long as you show your kids you love them, everything else will fall in place.

TFK:

There are dinosaurs this time around. Do you have a favorite dinosaur?

Romano:

I guess the T. rex. I took my kids to see the dinosaur recreation at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They have life-sized mechanically operated dinosaurs, and of course, the T. rex is the biggest and the loudest. He's just cool. His arms are too short, though. I also like the pterodactyls, with their huge wingspans.

TFK:

What's the best part about doing voiceover work?

Romano:

You don't have to shave or wear nice clothes or brush your hair. It doesn't matter what you look like. There's no make-up. And you get to improvise to a certain extent because [the dialogue] is not tied to any shot. For the most part, they do the animation after the sound is recorded, so you can be loose.

TFK:

If you could voice another character for a day, which would it be?

Romano:

I wouldn't mind if Scrat actually talked. I'd like to be Scrat when he finally says something. It'd be such a different voice from Manny's. Scrat is so frustrated [from chasing that acorn], so it'd be fun for him to be able to say something.

TFK:

Do you think Scrat will ever get his acorn?

Romano:

I hope not, because where would we go from there? The whole fun of it is seeing him chase it. I mean, if he got the acorn, we'd have to find something else for him to not be able to get. The acorn is his goal. It's kind of a metaphor for life - you have to keep striving for something.

BLUE SKY STUDIOS Sid the sloth gets into some trouble with a mother T. rex after he accidentally takes her eggs.

TFK:

You are the voice of Manny in the Ice Age 3 video game too. Is it weird seeing people be able to control your movements?

Romano:

[Laughs] Yeah, especially if it's my kids and I want them to do their homework. And they're like, 'I can't, Dad. I'm playing you.' It's weird.

TFK:

What advice would you give to kids who want to follow in your footsteps?

Romano:

The truth is that there are no shortcuts. It's just getting up onstage and performing as many times as you can. That's where you learn. It's the same for acting. I mean, you can take acting classes and that's all good. But the best way to hone your skills is to perform in a local theater or in a restaurant that has a comedy night.

TFK:

If there were a fourth film would you come back?

Romano:

If I felt like it was a good idea and we weren't overstaying our welcome. I definitely feel like Ice Age 3 was worth coming back for. And, you know, they're going to have a little baby now. The baby is going to get older, so who knows what stories there are to tell. Manny will be in a walker or a wheelchair, but yeah, I'll do it.

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