FRANCE: The stars of 'Kung Fu Panda' on the red carpet in Cannes

Record ID: 731136

  • Title: FRANCE: The stars of 'Kung Fu Panda' on the red carpet in Cannes
  • Date: 22nd May 2008
  • Summary: CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 15, 2008) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) JACK BLACK, SAYING: "I have to say, I didn't feel like I was really playing a character when I was playing Po. I was just myself because I kind of think of myself as a bear. I'm very furry and soft and squishy and lazy but sometimes fierce and crazy. I am Po. Po is I and there was really very little acting involved."
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA4R8BK0ZF6UYORYZCNT9QITL1X
  • Story Text: Angelina's Jolie joins Brad Pitt on the red carpet in Cannes after announcing their growing family will get even bigger with the arrival of twins in late August, at a news conference with Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman for the animated film "Kung Fu Panda".
    Who needs movie superheroes like Iron Man when audiences can rely on a panda named Po with a sick kung fu kick? Not Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jack Black or any of the stars of "Kung Fu Panda."
    The computerized movie from DreamWorks Animation, the studio that gave audiences the hit "Shrek" films, stole the media spotlight at the Cannes film festival on Thursday (May 15) with a message that anyone can be a hero if they believe they can.
    A very pregnant Angelina Jolie arrived with Jack Black, who plays the lead character "Po" and Dustin Hoffman is "Shifu", a Yoda-like character in movie.
    For the comic Black, he became inseparable from his character:
    "I didn't feel like I was really playing a character when I was playing Po. I was just myself because I kind of think of myself as a bear. I'm very furry and soft and squishy and lazy but sometimes fierce and crazy. I am Po. Po is I and there was really very little acting involved," said Black -- no svelte movie star himself.
    Jolie, who voices a fighter called Tigress, said "Kung Fu Panda" with its theme of discovering one's true self inside and out, is perfect for kids.
    "The truth is, I would have done this film if I didn't have children because I think the message is great and I had so much fun doing it but it is a real pleasure as a mom to be able to bring your kids to a film that you also really feel is a good film and it comes back to the classic animated film," said Jolie.
    In a summer movie season where "Iron Man" already is nearing 200 million USD at U.S. and Canadian box offices, and other comic book characters like Batman and the Incredible Hulk are due to hit theaters in coming weeks, it's obvious that moviegoers love their superheroes.
    But animated movie "Kung Fu Panda" is an unconventional screen idol built more for laughs than for beating up the bad guys.
    Po (voiced by Black) is fat, lazy and serves noodles at his dad's cafe.
    Yet he dreams of being like the kung fu fighters taught by Master Shifu (Hoffman).
    When Po is mistaken for a mighty warrior who will save the valley in which he and all his animal friends live, he must learn to be the tough-minded panda of his wild imagination.
    But Po is far better at eating than fighting -- unless he has food for motivation. Then, he is quite tough.
    "Kung Fu Panda" debuts around the world starting in June.
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