00:00This is 30 years after the original 1994 Lion King.
00:04What do you think is different or similar to this origin story?
00:09Well, this is an extension of the story.
00:11This is a part of the story we've never heard.
00:13And Barry Jenkins and his whole team, Barry Jenkins is the director, he's a masterful director.
00:18He's added so much complexity to it, to the Mufasa backstory, and also to the Taka, a.k.a. Scar
00:25backstory.
00:26No one's born a villain and no one's born a hero, as Barry always talks about.
00:30So to watch how they developed traits that would be associated with either of those, I think it's fascinating.
00:36But also it's so relatable.
00:39The songs by Lin-Manuel are great.
00:41New songs.
00:42And me and Seth Rogen doing our shtick.
00:45Take it or leave it.
00:47And it's just so fun.
00:48And this is a story about brotherhood, right?
00:52So what do you want audiences to get from that?
00:55I think it's about brotherhood and it's about found family.
00:58It's about chosen family, which for me is a huge part of my life.
01:01I have a ton of friends here tonight.
01:02They are my family.
01:04And I think that's so important.
01:06I think a lot of people can relate to that as well.
01:09Why do you think this story was important to tell now in 2024?
01:13I think it's always important or at least interesting to evolve a story, you know, to look backwards and forwards
01:20into where a story is.
01:22I mean, we've seen that with Wicked, right, which I also, which I just saw and loved.
01:26And it is so interesting, you know, how did the Wicked Witch become quote unquote wicked?
01:30How does Scar become quote evil or the villain, you know?
01:34So to add that complexity to it and that humanity to it, I think is important.
01:38Absolutely.
01:39What do you want kids and families to get out of this?
01:42After watching it and letting it marinate, what do you want them to walk away with it?
01:46This movie, when I watched it alone in a screening room even, made me feel like a kid.
01:51It really did in a great way.
01:53I know that sounds cheesy, but it really did.
01:55It just has that sense of wonder about it that Barry and his team were able to instill in it.
02:01The action adventure sequences are mind blowing.
02:04I mean, it's lions chasing each other and going down waterfalls and underwater and on a snowcap mountain.
02:10I don't even know how the hell they do it.
02:12But then I'm just happy to be a part of it.
02:14It's really astonishing.
02:16You mentioned working alongside Seth Rogen.
02:18So what was that like?
02:19Love Seth so much.
02:20We played Timon and Pumbaa.
02:22Seth and I, they encourage us to improvise a lot.
02:25And I think maybe 90% of what made it into the movie was improvised.
02:29Things that me and Seth came up with in the booth together.
02:31We get to record together, which is awesome.
02:34I love that man.
02:35He feels like a brother.
02:36We spend a lot of time making these movies together and promoting them.
02:39And I adore him.
02:40And you guys' characters are kind of like comedic relief, but also comforting.
02:45So how did you guys tap into that part of it?
02:47Well, Timon and Pumbaa, they need each other.
02:49They're best friends.
02:50They aren't their chosen family on some level.
02:54And, you know, they're an unlikely duo.
02:57And they're the ultimate outsiders.
02:58They're always desperate to be in the center of the story, which they never are, unless Disney makes a Timon
03:04and Pumbaa prequel, which we're very excited about.
03:06That hasn't been announced.
03:08We're just putting that out there.
03:10But, yeah, I think it has that heart because they're family, too.
03:14What would that ideal prequel look like?
03:16Oh, I don't know.
03:17But Lin-Manuel, who did not write us, who had the audacity not to write a new Timon and Pumbaa
03:22song for this movie, better write some songs for the prequel.
03:25I would love a Timon and Pumbaa prequel.
03:28You know, when Timon met Pumbaa, we see how they met, how they became friends.
03:32Later, we watch them aging gracefully in a remorseless industry.
03:39But, you know, it would be so fun.
