FILM-MINIONS/PREMIERE Sandra Bullock walks yellow carpet for "Minions" world premiere

Record ID: 151314

  • Title: FILM-MINIONS/PREMIERE Sandra Bullock walks yellow carpet for "Minions" world premiere
  • Date: 11th June 2015
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, SANDRA BULLOCK, SAYING: "Oh it's fantastic because she's justified, she's misunderstood, that's what I keep saying. She's just misunderstood. She's an 8-year-old little girl who's throwing temper tantrums because she wants what she wants. But it was really fun to play." BULLOCK BEING INTERVIEWED WITH MINIONS BEHIND HER (SOUNDBITE) (English) A
  • Embargoed: 26th June 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVABSXVJ0RKSH708L41IZ4PMQ1U6
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hollywood star Sandra Bullock walked a bright yellow carpet in London's Leicester Square on Thursday (June 11) for the world premiere of "Minions".
    The new animation, a spin-off of the "Despicable Me" franchise, focuses on the Minions before they met Gru (voiced by Steve Carell in the original series). In this film, the Minions find themselves at a loss after accidentally killing off so many of their evil masters. Without a leader to serve, they fall into a deep depression while living in an icy tundra. But one brave Minion named Kevin decides to venture out into the world to find a new despicable boss. Along with two other Minions, Stuart and Bob, the trio embark on a journey that takes them to Swinging Sixties London where they become the latest recruits of Scarlet Overkill (Bullock), a super-villain who has her eye on the crown jewels.
    The role marks a milestone for Bullock as she has never played an archvillain before. When asked whether she enjoyed the part, the Oscar-winning actress replied: "Oh it's fantastic because she's justified, she's misunderstood, that's what I keep saying. She's just misunderstood. She's an 8-year-old little girl who's throwing temper tantrums because she wants what she wants. But it was really fun to play."
    In addition to Bullock, "Minions" features voicework from Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan, Allison Janney and Jennifer Saunders.
    Despite her long career, Bullock admitted she found it difficult to maintain energy levels when locked alone in a soundbooth. She said she survived on "lots and lots of green tea and apples".
    "I mean I just ate more apples and drank more green tea just to sort of keep your energy up. It's hard because I like having other actors to play off of or other minions to play off of and I didn't have that. So you really discover a lot of what you don't know, you really rely on the director and the whole team that's behind that sort of glass partition to help guide you, because they're the professionals, our director is the voice of the minions," she told Reuters.
    In fact Bullock said "Minions" might be her last voice role.
    "I don't know, it was so hard and I don't think it's my forte. I don't think I'm as good at it as other people are. And if it worked out, great, I think might be the last time," said the 50-year-old star.
    "Minions" is directed by Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin. The latter helmed both "Despicable Me" films and voices the quirky yellow characters.
    Both explained why villains made for entertaining subjects.
    "I mean I think the villain's always one of the most interesting characters in films. And so to be able to explore those as main characters and you know all their neuroses and complexities and things like this. And then the contrast with the, you know, these sweet minions that are quite innocent that they want to do nothing more than to serve them," said Balda.
    "It's a great source of humour actually, the contrast between freak characters having to serve like evil ones. It's like super great," added Coffin.
    "Minions" opens in the UK on June 26 and in the U.S. on July 10.
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