"Racing Stripes" marks the first time Jeff Foxworthy, the largest selling comedy recording artist in history, has done voice work in a feature film.
INTERVIEW WITH JEFF FOXWORTHY ('Reggie'):
How did you prepare to play a rooster?
(Laughing) You really can’t prepare for it. You know what? The first time I went in there [to do the voice] - I mean, I really liked the script when I read it and I went in and they had it storyboarded and so I kind of had an idea in my head what he would be like. I read it that way and then they went away and filmed it. He’s really kind of a Nervous Nelly. He’s more nervous than I thought so when I read it the second time, it was a little different. He’s kind of like me onstage. The more excited he gets, the higher his voice goes (laughing). He’s got a little bit of a Barney Fife quality to him.
It was a very, very fun thing to do. My kids have been nagging me for years because I would tell them, “I know ‘SpongeBob’” or “I know David Spade. We worked together.” They were like, “Why don’t you do one?” So I finally put in for it and I would love to do this again. It was an absolute gas.
Did you have anything to look at for reference as you were doing your voice work?
No. Well, like the last few times you go through they have film clips and you try to match it up. But for the first several sessions, it’s just you. I think as a comic it was fun because right from the start Frederik [Du Chau], the director, said you can’t be too big. And as a comic, you kind of learn to use your voice because you don’t have the benefit of visual things. And so as an actor, there was that freedom of not having to worry about lights or marks or other people. It was just going out there and having fun with the character.
Did you work with any of the other voice cast in the studio?
No, I have not seen anybody from the movie. I haven’t even seen the movie. I had a chance to but my kids wanted me to wait and see it with them, so this is kind of fun.
Did you study roosters at all?
Well, you know, I kind of grew up the redneck way so I’ve been around roosters (laughing). But most of them are meaner than Reggie. Reggie’s got a little bit of a sweetheart to him. He wants everybody to get along.
What do you think about releasing "Racing Stripes" the same weekend as "Elektra?" Are you worried it might get lost at the box office?
You know what? Being somebody who’s kids are very important to me, I think when you get a story that the whole family can see, and I think that the thing about this and the thing that attracted me to the script was it had heart to it. It seems like through history movies that have heart to them always do well, and they find their audience. I think that will be the case with this.
ADDITIONAL “RACING STRIPES” INTERVIEWS:
Hayden Panettiere / Frankie Muniz / Frederik Du Chau / Bruce Greenwood / M Emmet Walsh / Jeff Gordon
