Q: So Melman and Gloria fell in love in the last movie. I just wanted to get your thoughts on what Melman's idea of a dream date with Gloria would be when they get back to the city.
David Schwimmer: Oh, my. It would be something very romantic. Probably the Chrysler Building, a little tour of that, and then maybe the Rainbow Room. Maybe a walk along the Brooklyn Bridge ending in Dumbo with a great meal.
Q: Well, perfect. I'm wondering what you like to do when you're off-set with your spouse and your kids.
Jada Pinkett Smith: That's a broad question. What I like to do when I'm off set with my kids? Well, I love snowboarding and I love surfing with my kids. We kind of do some kind of extreme things outdoors. Both of my kids like being outdoors. And I've had to learn to do a lot of different activities in order to keep up with them, which is good because I'm actually pretty good at snowboarding and surfing – really good. Like, I keep up with my son. So I'm really proud of myself with that. And what else? I do a lot of baking with Willow sometimes. She loves to bake. She likes to cook. I don't really like to cook. But she does. I think she's going to be a young lady that cooks, which I think is fantastic. But I do bake. So we do – we're in the kitchen messing around a lot. And we like to read. My daughter is also an avid reader. So we spend a lot of reading time like before we go to sleep and things like that. So kind of boring, but really cool.
David Schwimmer: That doesn’t sound boring at all.
Jada Pinkett Smith: Really cool stuff. We make fantastic memories.
Q: I have a question for both of you. I wanted to know if you get to improvise your characters when you're doing Madagascar films or is a script handed to you and you have to speak to it.
David Schwimmer: Well, it's a little of both. There's definitely a script that we're handed during each recording session. And I think for all of us what we try to do is do the lines as scripted, because we're always recording in the booth alone without the other actors in front of us to respond and react to. I think we all try to do the lines as written in a variety of ways. And then I also like to, you know, try to throw in some different versions, some alternate versions or lines or jokes if so inspired and encouraged. And the directors have been really generous that way.
Jada Pinkett Smith: I pretty much love doing the same things, as well as kind of incorporating kind of my little personality, you know, making Gloria a little hood when I can. So, you know, just kind of creating different lines, different kind of sassy attitudes.
Q: My question can go to either one of you. We wanted to know how you would say your roles differ from acting just by voice than on the big screen?
Jada Pinkett Smith: You know, it's a bit different because basically, usually, in a movie, you use your complete body as a tool, you know. And in an animation, you really only have your voice. And so it's quite an interesting exercise to have to really concentrate on conveying everything within how you deliver, you know, words and really trusting the creative team around you to create gestures and facial expressions that match.
Q: As parents you know we're always multitasking and parents love for their kids to be entertained and learn at the same time. So for both of you, what's the most important takeaway the kids can learn from this film?
David Schwimmer: I think there are several great lessons – in addition to being, I think, hysterical and a wonderful adventure story and introduce kids to different wonderful cities across Europe. I think the big message is, well, I think there are two. First, I think it's about friendship and loyalty to your friends, and working through obstacles together, challenges and overcoming them if possible. But working together to do that I think is a big message of these films and this one in particular. And the other thing I think is about facing your fears and, whether you succeed or not, it's facing them and hopefully overcoming them, again, about challenging yourself, and growth.
Jada Pinkett Smith: Yes, I would say that, you know, all the Madagascar films, one of the things that I love about them is that it is always dealing with friendship on some level, which I think is an issue that children and even adults are still dealing with, you know, what is it to be a good friend and what does that look like. And, so, you know, just the theme of friendship and what it takes to be a good friend. I would say that children would get a lot of different ideas and approaches. Also, learning how to communicate, I think that one of the great things in all the films is how we communicate with each other. And even though we might get upset and we might storm off, you know, at times, how we can eventually come back together and kind of get an agreement or, you know, communicate in a way that speaks to the situation or gets clarity or brings reality to a problem. And I think, especially for children, that's a huge idea, that you can use your communication skills in order to make things better, and that you don't have to sit on your feelings and, you know, you can actually communicate what is needed to people who are actually your friends to help make things better and to help make things right.
Q: I have a question for both of you. I would like to know how does your character – each of you, Melman and Gloria, how does that relate to you personally?
Jada Pinkett Smith: I think for Gloria, how I relate to Gloria, she's kind of the mama of the group. And that's kind of how I've always been to many groups that I'm a part of. Pretty much all of my life, I've been kind of the mama and kind of the glue. And so I would say that that's the part that I relate to most as far as Gloria is concerned.
David Schwimmer: I guess for me, it's actually more of a stretch for me because in life I'm really not much of a hypochondriac. I never go to the doctor or anything. I'm hard pressed to get my annual physical. I get that probably every three years. I mean, I just don't, you know, I just – I'm not like that. But I guess what I try to connect to is the comedy of it, the comedy of a guy who is afraid, who lives in fear and is kind of paralyzed by it. And I think there's some great comic opportunity in that. And I've certainly – you know, I've certainly had fears in my life. So I just kind of, I guess, I'm drawn to that in Melman.
Q: I wanted to ask you if David could quickly summarize the plot of the movie because we haven't seen it yet, so can we have a quick rundown?
David Schwimmer: Basically, we are trying to get back to New York. And they find themselves with the help of the monkeys and this crazy super plane in Monte Carlo. And in Monte Carlo, with, again, the help of the monkeys in disguise, they – and they kind of – they don't knock off the casino, but they come into money, shall we say, and then find themselves being chased by this incredible character, an animal control captain played by Francis McDormand, Captain DuBois – Chantel DuBois. And she is after our heads. So we hightail it and we are trying to lose her. And the way we do that is we hop on the train. We escape her by hopping on a train. And we learn that we're actually on board a circus train of a kind of dilapidated, rundown circus that has lost its kind of juice. And it's all the characters, all these new, you know, animals that we meet in this circus are kind of broken and down in the dumps basically. And we realize that we have all this money, so we actually buy the circus and then try to convince them that we are all circus performers. And we then become a traveling circus together. And the four friends try to rejuvenate and bring new life and vitality and inspire these circus, these old circus hands, these animals to kind of, you know, spruce up of their act. And we do. And we do it successfully. And so we travel in Europe. You know, we're in Rome and end up – I can't say, you know, where we end up, but it's warm welcome home in a way.
Q: Hi, Jada. I know that you're a mom and you have these very talented children. And so I wanted to know kind of what it's like to see them in the spotlight, and if you worry about them and the fame and kind of how you advise them, you know, about their work life and their life as children.
Jada Pinkett Smith: Well, you know, I get asked that question a lot. I'm glad that I have something like their careers to kind of help teach them about life. Truly, it's better than how the environments that Will and I had to grow up in. So I would give them Hollywood any day than the streets of Philadelphia and Baltimore. Trust me. And so I think that they have, you know, between Will and I, we have about 45 years of experience in this industry, including, you know, some of their managers and friends. I would all of us put together, there's about a hundred years of experience that these two young people have behind them. And I can't think of a better start for two young people to have. And so, you know, I don't really concern myself too much, only because I feel like they have an incredible team and they have – they're surrounded by people who really love them. And it really, for me, makes me really happy to be able to see two young people kind of take hold of their lives at a very young age and to see them blossom in the way that they best fit for themselves, because I think that as adults and as parents, our job is not to dictate what our children should do or protect them in a sense of keeping them from things, but to create situations that are safe in which they can have as much as possible and that they can learn as they go how to create the lives that they actually want. And so I just look at this for Jaden and Willow both as a training ground.
Q: Since the movie is based around a circus, do you have any favorite circus memories of your childhood going to the circus? Do you have a favorite circus animal? Or if you could join a circus, what would your role or talent be?
Jada Pinkett Smith: I think today I'd probably be – I never really was big on circus – big on circus or zoos, to tell you the truth, as a child. But I do love animals. I really, really love animals. And I have gone to Africa. And in Africa they have reserves where they have animals that are in huge protected areas, but still get to live in their habitat and to live, you know, in the natural way that they would live. And I would have to say that there, my favorite animal was a black panther. I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life than possibly my children when they were first born. But I love black panthers. They're my favorite animals.
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