World Report: March 15, 2002 Vol.7 No.20

TFK Q & A: Ray Romano

WHO: Ray Romano

CLAIM TO FAME: Star of TV's Everybody Loves Raymond and the voice of Manny, the woolly mammoth in Ice Age, in theaters March 15.

Q: Did you ever think you would play a woolly mammoth?

A: It was my goal from the beginning! No, I wasn't looking to do an animated film. The script was good. I knew it would be a cool project.

Q: What do your kids think about the film?

A: They're amazed by the animation. Then there's their father's voice in it. It's pleasantly mind-boggling.

Q: In what way are you most like Manny?

A: Smell! And I'm not very outgoing.

Q: Does Manny's trip remind you of one you've taken?

A: I drove home from Florida once with my father. He's got a hairy back like Manny!

Q: If you could, would you go back to the Ice Age?

A: No, [I'd visit] caveman times. It would be cool to show them sneakers—and how I can make fire.

Q: How did you become such a mammoth success?

A: I just kept trying. I had my mind set on being a stand-up comic. You can't give up.