With director Pierre Perifel’s The Bad Guys opening in theaters this weekend, I recently spoke with Zazie Beetz and Lilly Singh about making the animated action comedy. Based on the popular Scholastic book series by Aaron Blabey, the film follows a criminal crew of animal outlaws as they attempt their most challenging con yet — becoming model citizens. The Bad Guys also features the voice of Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Richard Ayoade, and Alex Borstein. The film is written by Etan Cohen and Hilary Winston and produced by Damon Ross and Rebecca Huntley. The executive producers are Aaron Blabey, Cohen and Patrick Hughes.
During the interview, Beetz and Singh talked about what it’s like making a heist movie for families, what people would be surprised to learn about the making of the film, how Beetz recorded herself dancing so the animators could use it for her character, their reaction seeing the finished film for the first time, and what someone should watch if you’ve never seen their work. In addition, with Beetz having wrapped on the final season of Atlanta, she talks about what it’s like being finished with the series.
Zazie Beetz and Lilly Singh
If someone has never seen anything they’ve done before, what is the first thing they should watch and why?
How this will be the first caper/heist movie for some kids.
What might surprise people to learn about the making of The Bad Guys?
Beetz on how she recorded herself dancing which the animators used to animate her character.
Did the film change a lot during production?
What was it like watching the finished film for the first time?
Beetz on if she’s sad being done filming Atlanta?
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