00:00This is 30 years after the original 1994 Lion King.
00:04What do you think is different or similar to this origin story?
00:08A story we've never heard.
00:10And Barry Jenkins and his whole team, Barry Jenkins is the director, he's a masterful director.
00:15He's added so much complexity to it, to the Mufasa backstory, and also to the Taka, aka Scar backstory.
00:23No one's born a villain and no one's born a hero, as Barry always talks about.
00:27So to watch how they developed traits that would be associated with either of those, I think it's fascinating.
00:33But also it's so relatable.
00:36The songs by Lin-Manuel are great, new songs, and me and Seth Rogen doing our shtick, take it or leave it.
00:44And it's just so fun.
00:45Absolutely.
00:46And this is a story about brotherhood, right?
00:49So what do you want audiences to get from that?
00:51I think it's about brotherhood and it's about found family.
00:54It's about chosen family, which for me is a huge part of my life.
00:58I have a ton of friends here tonight.
00:59They are my family.
01:01And I think that's so important.
01:03I think a lot of people can relate to that as well.
01:06Why do you think this story was important to tell now in 2024?
01:10I think it's always important or at least interesting to evolve a story.
01:15You know, to look backwards and forwards into where a story is.
01:19I mean, we've seen that with Wicked, right, which I also, which I just saw and loved.
01:23And it is so interesting, you know, how did the Wicked Witch become quote-unquote wicked?
01:27How does Scar become quote-unquote evil or the villain, you know?
01:31So to add that complexity to it and that humanity to it I think is important.
01:35What do you want kids and families to get out of this?
01:39After watching it and letting it marinate, what do you want them to walk away with it?
01:43This movie, when I watched it, alone in a screening room even, made me feel like a kid.
01:48It really did in a great way.
01:50I know that sounds cheesy, but it really did.
01:52It just has that sense of wonder about it that Barry and his team were able to instill in it.
01:57But the action-adventure sequences are mind-blowing.
02:01I mean, it's lions chasing each other and going down waterfalls and underwater and on a snow-capped mountain.
02:07I don't even know how the hell they do it.
02:09But then I'm just happy to be a part of it.
02:11It's really astonishing.
02:13You mentioned working alongside Seth Rogen.
02:15So what was that like?
02:16Love Seth so much.
02:17We played Timon and Pumbaa.
02:19Seth and I, they encouraged us to improvise a lot.
02:21And I think maybe 90% of what made it into the movie was improvised.
02:25Things that me and Seth came up with in the booth together.
02:28We get to record together, which is awesome.
02:31I love that man.
02:32He feels like a brother.
02:33We spend a lot of time making these movies together and promoting them, and I adore him.
02:37And you guys' characters are kind of like comedic relief, but also comforting.
02:42So how did you guys tap into that part of it?
02:44Well, Timon and Pumbaa, they need each other.
02:46They're best friends.
02:47They are their chosen family on some level.
02:51And, you know, they're an unlikely duo.
02:54And they're the ultimate outsiders.
02:55They're always desperate to be in the center of the story, which they never are, unless
03:00Disney makes a Timon and Pumbaa prequel, which we're very excited about.
03:03That hasn't been announced.
03:05We're just putting that out there.
03:07But, yeah, I think it has that heart because they're family tuned.
03:11What would that ideal prequel look like?
03:14Oh, I don't know.
03:14But Lin-Manuel, who did not write us, who had the audacity not to write a new Timon and
03:19Pumbaa song for this movie, better write some songs for the prequel.
03:22I would love a Timon and Pumbaa prequel.
03:25You know, when Timon met Pumbaa, we see how they met, how they became friends.
03:30Later, we watch them aging gracefully in a remorseless industry.
03:34But, you know, it would be so fun.
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