Audiences continue to pile into the theater for theSonic the Hedgehogfilm series. Sonic and the gang are animated beautifully and bring the high-octane action. Tom and Maddie Wachowski (James MarsdenandTika Sumpter) offer heart and warmth to the series, but it’s the hilarious relationship between Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and Agent Stone, played byLee Majdoubthat remains bedrock to the series and a massive attraction for returning (and brand new) viewers of the series. Majdoub is back for the third installment, portraying Agent Stone inSonic the Hedgehog 3and having the time of his life playing with the one and only Jim Carrey.
InJeff Fowler’s latest chapter of theSonicSaga, Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) must unite against a mysterious and wildly powerful new enemy, Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves), a former military experiment that has escaped containment. Now, Sonic and the gang are going to have to rope in their familiar foe, Dr. Ivo Robotnik to help them save the planet and stop Shadow.
Majdoub was kind enough to sit down with Collider’s ownSteve Weintraubto talk all thingsSonic 3after the UK premiere. In this interview, Majdoub discusses working with living legend Jim Carrey, the importance of Agent Stone’s representation throughout the series, and whichMel Brooksmovie he wishes he could have starred in.
Lee Majdoub Wishes He Was Cast In This Mel Brooks Movie
“That movie is a yearly go-to for me.”
COLLIDER: Congrats on the movie. I think this is the best one yet. I think it’s going to make at least $5. It’ll do okay.
LEE MAJDOUB: It’s got at least five bucks in there somewhere.
I’ve been throwing a curveball in a lot of interviews. If you could be an extra in any movie or TV show going back to the beginning of cinema, what would you love to have been on set for? It’s a big question.
MAJDOUB: Okay, okay, here it is:Young Frankenstein. I’m a huge Gene Wilder fan. Mel Brooks. That movie is ayearlygo-to for me. I’d love to be on that movie.
What’s great is there’s no wrong answer. It’s just a way for people to express what they’re a fan of.
MAJDOUB: I mean, there’s so many. TheTerminatorfilms. But that was the first one that popped into my head, and I’m sticking with it.
Lee Majdoub Says Working With Jim Carrey Is “Incredible”
“Is this real life?”
Jumping into this film. You’ve worked with Jim [Carrey] now a few times. When you think back on all the times you’ve worked with him, what’s your go-to memory? Because I am asuper fanof Jim Carrey.
MAJDOUB: Aren’t we all? [Laughs] Right?
But you were actually watching him work firsthand and seeing his process.
MAJDOUB: One of the biggest things I learned from him was watching how specific he is and how meticulous, and how much he cares about the work he does.To be working with him is incredible.There’s always this fear I have that I’m going to wake up and realize that none of theSonicshappened. We’ve done three now, and I’m still like, “Okay, hold on. But did[Sonic 1]happen? That really happened? Is this real life?” It’s incredible. It’s real pinch-myself moments, for sure.
Why Lee Majdbou’s Agent Stone Is So Important in ‘Sonic 3’
“That was a big moment for me.”
I would imagine that there are a lot of kids or younger people that watch these movies. Can you share an experience you had in a random place of someone recognizing you? What is that like?
MAJDOUB: I’ll be honest with you, I was at an Ikea recently, this kid, I see him pop his head around the corner. He’s just looking at me. I clocked him, and I gave him a little wave. He pulls his phone out, and it’s a poster of Agent Stone, and he’s like, “Are you him?” I was like, “Yeah, do you want to come talk?” He turns around and runs away. I hear, “Dad! It’s him!” They come over, I talk to the kid, we take pictures. It’s those moments, man. It’s indescribable.
I had a parent come up to me and tell me when the poster of Agent Stone was revealed forSonic 2,her kid came up to her and was like, “Mom, he looks like me.”That was a big moment for me in regard to the importance of representation, which I hadn’t really been thinking of with this film, and how much it would mean to so many.
Thank you for sharing.
MAJDOUB: Thank you.
How Does Stone and Robotnik’s Relationship Grow?
“What does their friendship truly mean?”
One of the things about this film is it was more emotional than I expected. That’s why I think it’s the best one, besides the action. Talk a little bit about the story and the script and how it’s a lot deeper than the first two.
MAJDOUB: With having to go into Shadow’s story,you really do have to dig into the emotional depth of what happens to Shadowwith regards to his friendship with Maria. You take that, and then you put it into the relationship that Sonic has with Tails and Knuckles. You get to see Sonic struggle with anger and really attempt to process what that is. Then, with Stone and Ivo, we dig deeper into that relationship as far as what’s at stake and what does their friendship truly mean, and what do they mean to each other. I think we had to go that route with this film to dig deeper and have way more at stake.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3is now playing in theaters.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance.
