Rio 2 premiere: In conversation on the red carpet in London

Prior to the screening of Rio 2, The Upcoming spoke with comedian-turned-actor Rufus Hound, singer and actress Michelle Heaton, ornithologist Bill Oddie, and radio and TV presenter Jenni Falconer. Here is what they told us: 

Rufus, are you looking forward to the film? 

Rufus Hound: Yes, very much. 

Did you see the first one?

RH: No but we saw the trailer for this and it was really funny and my son absolutely loved it, so he said “I really want to go and see that!” As I haven’t seen the first one I’m hoping you can just jump on in.

Your new show has just started in the West End (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is currently on at the Savoy). As an actor, would you fancy working on a film like this? 

RH: Yes, I’ve done a few tasters and a few different vocal things for low-scale animations, but being in something like this would be really good fun and probably very freeing. From the few little bits and pieces I have done, you do just close your eyes and think I am a blue macaw or I am – what did I play? – I played a weevil.

What was that for?

RH: It was for a pilot for Disney. They’re still animating that now – whether it gets made we’ll see but yes, it’s funny closing your eyes and thinking he’s, like, a punk weevil…let’s go with that!

What would be the kind of character you’d quite like to do? Would you like to be the baddie in a film like this or would you like to be one of the heroes?

RH: It’s always fun playing baddies. You get to do your full English actor-y (in a dark voice) “Oh yeah? Well we’ll see about that…”

Michelle, how are you? 

Michelle Heaton: So hot! Carrying a two-year-old is challenging.

Is she excited about the film?

MH: She doesn’t quite understand what’s going on. She knows we’re at the movies but all of this is a bit overwhelming.

Did you see the first one?

MH: No, she wasn’t born then but I’m really excited about seeing this one. Pre-kids, you don’t tend to watch animated movies so much but now that’s all I watch.

So what’s your favourite animated movie?

MH: Frozen, we love it.

Jenni, you’ve just been abroad haven’t you?

Jenni Falconer: Yes I’ve been to Brazil, where this film is set.

So what do you think is the worst danger the film’s heroes could be confronted with?

JF: I saw crocodiles, tarantulas, snakes and frogs – each of them is quite dangerous in itself. To be honest, there are a lot of dangers out there. 

Bill, what kind of tropical bird would you like to be? 

Bill Oddie: I wouldn’t like to be a tropical bird, I would be condemned to extinction. I’d rather not be a tropical bird, it’s not a good life. I’d be one that’s going to survive – a hummingbird. Small, buzzy and irritating – like me!

Anne Korn
Photos: Marine Candel

Rio 2 is released nationwide on 4^th April 2014.

Watch the trailer for Rio 2 here: