Kristen Bell voices Cora in "Astro Boy."
Eager to embark into the world of Metro City, Kristen Bell sets off in her first animated feature film: Astro Boy, the story of a young robot with incredible powers, and his adventure-filled journey in search of his destiny.
Cora, the character voiced by Bell, is a young runaway with a thorny exterior. She meets Astro Boy on the surface of the earth, after he flees Metro City - a gleaming metropolis in the sky. Lost and unsure of his identity, Astro Boy seeks simply to fit in. Hiding his true nature, he tries to pass himself off as a human being with a gang of child-vagabonds, of which Cora is the leader. Astro's innate goodness eventually leads him back to Metro City, finding his place as a true superhero.
In our exclusive interview with the actress, Bell chats about Astro Boy, her upcoming movie When In Rome and reminisces about her days on TV's "Veronica Mars".
Q: What did you enjoy the most about making this film?
Bell: Coming to work in my pajamas. [Laughs]. My work schedule was every easy. I went in about three or four times over the last year, and over the course of going in, I got to see different sketches and portions of the film. It's just fascinating how many hands it passes through, and how each animator is given a different section of the film to work on. It's exciting to see it go from a pencil drawing, to something with color, then a background, to the final product.
Q: What were your initial thoughts when you read the script?
Bell: Well I knew nothing about Astro Boy going in. I knew I wanted to be part of something animated. [But] the script itself has so many important messages. It talks about environmentalism, pollution, not judging a book by its cover, acceptance and tolerance—all important messages. I learned how iconic Astro Boy was overseas, and how he's been the Mickey Mouse of Japan for quite some time. So, it was exciting to be a part of a project that's important to so many people.
Q: The movie has many underlying themes - a predominant one being discrimination. Can you comment on that?
Bell: It is a fantastic theme throughout the movie. In Astro Boy's world, they consider robots second class citizens, and you're told not to get too close and not to [regard them having] feelings. Yet, throughout the movie you, see the robots actually having feelings and getting their feelings hurt. On the other hand, there are a set of kids who are faced with the decision to either continue to feel betrayed by Astro Boy because he is a robot, or to follow their hearts because their friendship is true and take his side, which they do and I think that's a really important example to set.
Q: Tell us about your character.
Bell: I play Cora, who is a young runaway. She's sassy with a tough exterior. She's very opinionated, with a soft heart.
Q: Did you identify with Cora?
Bell: Oh, yeah, absolutely. We definitely share the love of sass and wit. I consider myself a softy at heart, too.
Q: Were you able to see any sketches of your character before you began recording?
Bell: I was shown a picture of my character right when I started. They asked for my opinion but what I found interesting is how they go about choosing a look of a character. Animated characters don't change their clothes so you can learn a lot from a character's wardrobe.
Q: What's your next upcoming project?
Bell: When in Rome is a romantic comedy about a girl who is very focused on work and goes to her sister's wedding in Rome. After getting a bit tipsy [at the wedding], she takes some coins from a wishing fountain as souvenirs, but what she doesn't realize is that it's an enchanted fountain and that the coins hold the love of whoever threw the coin in and made a wish. So, she is now obsessively stalked by five men in NYC who believe they are in love with her. So, she needs to figure out which love is real.
Q: How do you go about selecting roles? Have you thought about branching away from romantic comedies?
Bell: I don't know. I look out for good material. It depends on what I read…I feel like I can be slightly picky but not much. I still audition for every role that I want. I think it's a common misconception that most people don't audition. But it's hard for me to say what role I'll do next because I don't want to count anything out. I want to stay in the moment.
Q: When you think back to your "Veronica Mars" days, what comes to mind?
Bell: I feel very nostalgic when I think about "Veronica Mars"…Often times, I go into each job feeling like it's my first. I don't often think of my resume or where I've been as much as I think where I am now. All of the jobs that I've done have been fantastic but I don't think about them on a daily basis—it takes being reminded of something.
Q: Any actors you're itching to work with?
Bell: The list is so long, but I was definitely living a dream when working with Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, and Jon Favreau in Couples Retreat; they are best guys out there in comedy. I just worked with Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis in You Again. It was a real treat to work with fantastic women. I would like to work with Catherine O'Hara. I've loved her for a very long time. But we'll see what comes to me.
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