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“We both studied the first film excessively,” Goodwin revealed. Bateman jokingly added, “The hours at the zoo, this is just forever.” For Goodwin, the process of re-familiarizing herself with Judy Hopps was woven into her family life. “My kids are now nine and eleven, so I spent the last decade forcing this [Zootopia] down their throats,” she explained. “It was the only thing that I’ve ever done that I was able to slip in, that they didn’t know it was me, and they actually loved it and watched it repeatedly. I feel like I learned a lot just from watching it with my kids, about what we had done and about, if given the opportunity, how I would improve upon it.”
Jason Bateman and Ginnifer Goodwin Reveal How Recording Voices for Zootopia Works
The process of voicing an animated character is often misunderstood, with many assuming it requires an exaggerated, larger-than-life performance. However, for the cast of Zootopia, the direction from the filmmakers was precisely the opposite. In our interview, both Goodwin and Bateman shared how they found this method to be a rewarding acting experience.
“The first time I went into the booth for number one, it was like doing voices,” Goodwin said. “And they were like, ‘That’s so cute. If we wanted those actors, we would have hired those actors.’ I don’t feel, when I’m doing this, that I’m acting. I feel like I’m being asked to come in and be as present as humanly possible. I don’t have to keep up with a character of anything, because I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
