"Bee Movie" Cast of Characters
(Photo right: JERRY SEINFELD behind-the-scenes as Barry B. Benson in DreamWorks’ BEE MOVIE, to be released by Paramount Pictures in November 2007. DreamWorks Animation SKG Presents, in Association with Columbus 81 Productions, “Bee Movie,” which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Patrick Warburton, Barry Levinson, Megan Mullally, Larry Miller and Rip Torn. The film is directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner and written by Jerry Seinfeld and Spike Feresten & Barry Marder & Andy Robin. DreamWorks’ “Bee Movie” is produced by Jerry Seinfeld and Christina Steinberg. The music is by Rupert Gregson-Williams. This movie has been rated PG for mild suggestive humor. Photo Credit: Kelvin Jones
JERRY SEINFELD (Barry B. Benson) was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Massapequa, Long Island. He graduated from Queens College in 1976.
Seinfeld went straight from his college graduation to an amateur night try-out at New York’s “Catch a Rising Star.” He continued to perform in local clubs until his career took off after his first successful spot on Johnny Carson’s ”The Tonight Show” in 1981 at age 27.
Appearances on David Letterman’s and Merv Griffin’s shows followed, and he became a headline stand-up comedian.
In 1989, Seinfeld teamed up with fellow stand-up Larry David and created “The Seinfeld Chronicles” for Castle Rock Entertainment. The show became the hit NBC television series “Seinfeld.” In 1998, after nine extraordinarily successful years, the last episode aired to a national audience of 75 million people. In its 12th year in syndication, “Seinfeld” is still a frontrunner in the ratings. In the TV Guide listing of the Greatest Shows of All Time, “Seinfeld” was voted #1.
After retiring from his hit series, Seinfeld immediately returned to what he loved most, stand-up comedy. He performed in a sold-out, week-long engagement at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City. The last show was telecast live as an HBO special, “I’m Telling You for the Last Time” in August 1998.
In 2001, Seinfeld began creating a new stand-up act, which was chronicled in the documentary “Comedian,” a behind-the-scenes look at the world of stand-up comedy. After its run in theatres, the film developed a cult following and was highlighted and screened at The Comedy Festival presented by HBO and AEG Live in Las Vegas. Seinfeld was presented with the festival’s first annual Comedian Award in recognition of his influential role in furthering the art of stand-up comedy.
In 2003, Seinfeld penned a best-selling children’s book entitled Halloween, which has become a household perennial for both kids and adults alike.
Since his departure from “Seinfeld,” Seinfeld has been performing stand-up across the country. He can be seen at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas on a regular basis.
He lives in his hometown of New York City with his wife, Jessica, and their three children.
RENÉE ZELLWEGER voices New York City florist Vanessa in DreamWorks’ BEE MOVIE, to be released by Paramount Pictures in November 2007. DreamWorks Animation SKG Presents, in Association with Columbus 81 Productions, “Bee Movie,” which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Patrick Warburton, Barry Levinson, Megan Mullally, Larry Miller and Rip Torn. The film is directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner and written by Jerry Seinfeld and Spike Feresten & Barry Marder & Andy Robin. DreamWorks’ “Bee Movie” is produced by Jerry Seinfeld and Christina Steinberg. The music is by Rupert Gregson-Williams. This movie has been rated PG for mild suggestive humor. Photo Credit: Hisashi Murayama
RENÉE ZELLWEGER (Vanessa) received an Academy Award®, a SAG Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and a Broadcast Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Cold Mountain.”
She also received an Academy Award® nomination for her role in “Chicago,” and won the 2003 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Lead Role, as well as a 2003 Golden Globe Award, for Lead Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
Zellweger gained much attention in the smash hit “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and its sequel “Bridget Jones’s Diary: The Edge of Reason.” For her role as Bridget, she won the 2005 People’s Choice Award for Favorite Leading Lady. She was nominated in both 2002 and 2005 for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy and, in 2002, for an Academy Award® for Best Actress in a Leading Role, a BAFTA Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, a Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy, a Golden Satellite Award, an Empire Award and an MTV Movie Award and a Screen Actor’s Guild Award.
She first received acclaim for her vulnerable performance opposite Tom Cruise in “Jerry Maguire,” directed by Cameron Crowe, and for that performance, she was named Best Breakthrough Performer of 1996 by The National Board of Review, received a Blockbuster Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy and was nominated for a SAG Award.
Her other film credits include 20th Century Fox’s comedy “Me, Myself & Irene” directed by the Farrelly brothers, starring opposite Jim Carrey, Universal’s critically acclaimed “One True Thing” with William Hurt and Meryl Streep, Warner Bros’s “White Oleander” with Robin Wright-Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer, Universal’s “Cinderella Man,” in which she starred opposite Russell Crowe, DreamWorks Animation’s animated comedy Shark Tale, to which she lent her voice, and director Neil Labute’s dark comedy “Nurse Betty” with Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman, for which she won a 2000 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
Zellweger will soon begin production on the Ed Harris directed film “Appaloosa” in which she stars with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortenesen, and “Chilled in Miami” with Harry Connick Jr. Zellweger was recently seen as Beatrix Potter in the Weinstein Company film “Miss Potter.”
She next will be seen starring in “Leatherheads” directed by George Clooney, which debuts in December 2007 and Paramount Pictures’ “Case 39”due out in early 2008.
MATTHEW BRODERICK (Adam Flayman) a two-time Tony award-winning stage actor and instantly recognizable film presence, whose latest release is “Then She Found Me” opposite Helen Hunt, who also directed. Broderick recently starred in the hit comedy “Deck the Halls” alongside Danny DeVito. In 2008, he will be seen in “Margaret” with Matt Damon and Mark Ruffalo.
In 2005, he starred in the blockbuster Broadway production of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” on Broadway. He also starred in the hit off-Broadway play “The Foreigner” at the Roundabout Theatre. Also in 2005, he starred in the feature film version of “The Producers” reprising the Tony-nominated performance he gave on Broadway in this smash hit musical. Broderick stars in Kenneth Lonergan’s “Starry Messenger” this fall.
Broderick also starred in Longergan’s critically acclaimed film “You Can Count on Me” opposite Laura Linney. He earned considerable acclaim for his performance3 opposite Reese Witherspoon in the critically lauded and Independent Spirit Award-winning political satire “Election” directed by Alexander Payne.
A New York native, he made his professional stage debut at age 17 opposite his father James Broderick in “On Valentine’s Day.” His performance in Harvey Fierstein’s “Torch Song Trilogy” won him the Outer Critic’s Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. Broderick won his first Tony Award for Neil Simon’s “Brighton Beach Memoirs” and starred in the play’s sequel “Biloxi Blues.” He won his second Tony for his role as J. Pierrepont Finch in the Broadway revival of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Other films include “Godzilla,” “Addicted to Love,” “The Cable Guy” and “Inspector Gadget.”
In addition, Broderick starred in such blockbuster movies as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Glory,” “War Games” and Disney’s “The Lion King” as the adult voice of Simba. Additional credits include “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle,” “Max Dugan Returns,” “Project X,” “Family Business,” “The Freshman,” “The Night We Never Met,” “The Last Shot” and “The Stepford Wives.”
In addition to his stage, screen and Broadway credits, he has also appeared in the Showtime film “Master Harold…and the Boys” and received an Emmy nomination for the TNT production of David Mamet’s “A Life in the Theater,” in which he starred opposite Jack Lemmon.
Broderick resides in New York with his wife Sarah Jessica Parker and son, James Wilke Broderick.
JOHN GOODMAN (Layton T. Montgomery) remembers the day in 1975 when he left St. Louis for New York, armed only with a degree in fine arts from Southwest Missouri State University, $1,000 his brother had lent him and a dream of being a professional actor. He didn't want to look back 15 years later and say, “I wonder if I could have ...”He made the rounds, worked at odd jobs and just tried to keep busy. He’s been quite busy ever since.
Today Goodman is one of the entertainment industry’s most respected actors. He earned a Golden Globe nomination in 1992 for his chilling performance in the Coen brothers’ heralded “Barton Fink,” and this year won an Emmy Award as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Judge Robert Bebe on the NBC series “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”
Goodman's breakthrough motion picture performance was in “Raising Arizona,” also a Coen brothers film. He has since teamed with them in “The Big Lebowski” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Goodman is currently filming “Speed Racer,” with Susan Sarandon, based on the classic 1960's Japanese animated series. He was most recently seen starring opposite Steve Carell in Universal Pictures’ comedy “Evan Almighty,” the sequel to “Bruce Almighty.” He recently completed production on the film “Death Sentence” for Twentieth Century Fox, opposite Kevin Bacon.
Goodman has lent his voice to numerous animated films, including “Monsters, Inc.,” “The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Tales of the Rat Fink” and “The Jungle Book II.” He also voiced one of the main characters in NBC’s animated series “Father of the Pride.”
Goodman was raised in St. Louis by his mother, his father having passed away when John was two years old. As a tall, broad-shouldered teenager, he attended Afton High School, where he dedicated himself to football (his team won one game). He intended to play football at Southwest Missouri State, but injured a knee and was forced to sit out a year. He spent that year studying drama with fellow students Kathleen Turner and Tess Harper. He never returned to football and graduated in 1975 with a BFA degree in theatre.
Goodman’s stage credits include many dinner theatre and children's theatre productions, as well as several off-Broadway plays. His regional theatre credits include “Henry IV, Parts I and II,” “Antony and Cleopatra” and “As You Like It.” He performed in a road production of “The Robber Bridegroom” and starred in two Broadway shows, “Loose Ends” in 1979 and “Big River” in 1985.
In 2002, Goodman starred on Broadway in the Public Theatre’s “Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.” In 2001, he starred in the Shakespeare in the Park production of “The Seagull.”
Goodman’s film credits include “Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School,” “Beyond the Sea,” “Masked and Anonymous,” “Storytelling,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “Coyote Ugly,” “What Planet Are You From?,” “One Night at McCool's,” “Bringing Out the Dead,” “Fallen,” “The Borrowers,” “Blues Brothers 2000,” “The Runner,” “The Flintstones,” “Mother Night,” “Arachnophobia,” “Always,” “Pie in the Sky,” “Born Yesterday,” “Matinee,” “The Babe,” “King Ralph,” “Punchline,” “Everybody's All-American,” “Sea of Love,” “Stella,” “Eddie Macon's Run,” “C.H.U.D.,” “Revenge of the Nerds,” “Maria's Lovers,” “Sweet Dreams,” “True Stories,” “The Big Easy,” “Burglar” and “The Wrong Guys.”
Goodman made his small screen debut in the HBO production “Mystery of the Moro Castle.” Since then, he has given many acclaimed television performances. For eight seasons, he played Dan Conner in “Roseanne,” a role that earned him seven Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe. He also received Emmy nominations for his starring role in TNT's “Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long” and for his role as Mitch in the CBS production of Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire.” He also starred in the HBO film “The Jack Bull.”
CHRIS ROCK voices Mooseblood the mosquito in DreamWorks’ BEE MOVIE, to be released by Paramount Pictures in November 2007. DreamWorks Animation SKG Presents, in Association with Columbus 81 Productions, “Bee Movie,” which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Patrick Warburton, Barry Levinson, Megan Mullally, Larry Miller and Rip Torn. The film is directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner and written by Jerry Seinfeld and Spike Feresten & Barry Marder & Andy Robin. DreamWorks’ “Bee Movie” is produced by Jerry Seinfeld and Christina Steinberg. The music is by Rupert Gregson-Williams. This movie has been rated PG for mild suggestive humor. Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz
Though he prefers to think of New York as a home base, Goodman, his wife, Annabeth, and their young daughter, Molly, reside in New Orleans. He has sold his New York apartment, which he still refers to as a “hunting lodge.” He says, “It's a place I visited once a year. The bathtub is in the kitchen. I've had this place since the mid ‘70s, and I really didn't want to give it up.” Lauded by awards and critics alike, CHRIS ROCK (Mooseblood) is one of our generation’s strongest comedic voices. The Brooklyn-raised comedian has garnered three Emmys and three Grammy Awards (including a win this past year), has seen his former eponymous talk show become one of HBO’s highest-rated and most talked-about programs and is co-creator and narrator of the acclaimed hit television series “Everybody Hates Chris,” now on the newly-formed CW Network.
Rock made his directorial debut with “Head of State,” which opened #1 at the box office. Rock starred as an unlikely Washington, D.C. alderman chosen to be a presidential nominee, while Bernie Mac portrayed Rock’s older brother, who becomes his running mate.
In 2005, Rock starred in both “The Longest Yard,” with Adam Sandler, a remake of the 1974 classic, and the box office hit “Madagascar,” featuring the voices of Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Stiller, Andy Richter, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer.
This year, Rock reprised his role as director – as well as producer and star – with the romantic comedy he penned, “I Think I Love My Wife.” The film centers around a married man (Rock) who finds his will and morals tested when he’s visited by the ex-mistress of an old friend.
Previously, Rock starred in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced “Bad Company,” opposite Anthony Hopkins; the romantic comedy “Down to Earth,” co-directed by Paul and Chris Weitz and co-written by Rock; and the dark comedy “Nurse Betty,” directed by Neil LaBute, in which Rock co-starred with Morgan Freeman and Renée Zellweger.
Rock’s feature film debut was in “Beverly Hills Cop II” with Eddie Murphy. He went on to write, create, star in and produce the 1993 rap comedy “CB4,” a satire of the world of hardcore rap, which opened #1 at the box office. Other film credits include “Boomerang,” with Eddie Murphy; “Panther,” a drama spotlighting the lives of the ‘60s activist group the Black Panthers, directed by Mario Van Peebles; “New Jack City,” with Wesley Snipes (a film marking Rock’s dramatic debut as a desperate crack addict); and “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” with Keenen Ivory Wayans. The summer of 1998 saw Rock co-star in two $100-million-plus grossing films: “Lethal Weapon 4” and “Dr. Dolittle.” Rock also starred in Kevin Smith’s “Dogma,” which also featured Ben Affleck, Salma Hayek and Matt Damon.
In September of 2005, “Everybody Hates Chris,” the Rock-inspired sitcom about a black kid in a mostly white school in 1980s Brooklyn, debuted on UPN. Since then, it has been named one of Entertainment Weekly’s “top new series,” making it the most-watched comedy in UPN’s history. Rock is the co-creator and narrator of the show. In 2006, the show earned both a Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy and a Writers Guild Award nomination for Best New Series. Rock previously served as an executive producer of the hit sitcom “The Hughleys,” which aired on the UPN Network.
After gaining early success as a stand-up comedian, Rock joined the cast of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in 1989. In 1993, Rock taped his first HBO special, “Chris Rock: Big Ass Jokes,” which was honored with a CableAce Award. Rock served as the sole 1996 presidential campaign correspondent for the acclaimed “Politically Incorrect,” then on Comedy Central, and received an Emmy nomination for a shared writing credit in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program for the show.
Rock’s true emergence can be traced to his next HBO special, “Bring the Pain,” which was honored with two Emmy Awards for Best Writing and Outstanding Special in 1997. “Bring the Pain” was released as a home video, as well as a Grammy Award-winning CD.
Rock went on to host the acclaimed “Chris Rock Show,” which began airing on HBO in 1997. Rock and his popular talk show were honored with several Emmy nominations for writing and host and received an Emmy Award for Best Writing in 1999.
His next HBO stand-up special, “Bigger & Blacker,” taped on the stage of Harlem’s fabled Apollo Theatre, earned three Emmy nominations for Rock, while the CD went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Spoken or Comedy Album. Rock’s most recent HBO special, “Never Scared,” aired in April 2004 and was nominated for two Emmys, with its CD also earning the Grammy for Best Comedy Album.
In 2003, Rock embarked on his North American stand-up tour entitled the “Black Ambition Tour,” which ran in 64 cities with over 80 shows through March of 2004.
Rock hosted “The 77th Annual Academy Awards” in 2005, as well as the “MTV Video Music Awards” in 2003. Rock’s debut book, Rock This, spent time on both The New York Times and Wall Street Journal best seller lists.
Rock will reprise his role as Marty the Zebra in the upcoming “Madagascar: The Crate Escape.”
PATRICK WARBURTON behind-the-scenes as Ken, Vanessa’s wannabe boyfriend, in DreamWorks’ BEE MOVIE, to be released by Paramount Pictures in November 2007. DreamWorks Animation SKG Presents, in Association with Columbus 81 Productions, “Bee Movie,” which will be distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Patrick Warburton, Barry Levinson, Megan Mullally, Larry Miller and Rip Torn. The film is directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner and written by Jerry Seinfeld and Spike Feresten & Barry Marder & Andy Robin. DreamWorks’ “Bee Movie” is produced by Jerry Seinfeld and Christina Steinberg. The music is by Rupert Gregson-Williams. This movie has been rated PG for mild suggestive humor. Photo Credit: Kelvin Jones
You know him from the hit NBC comedy “Seinfeld” as “Puddy,” the laconic, enigmatic, quirky Saab salesman and Elaine’s boyfriend. PATRICK WARBURTON (Ken) starred on the hit ABC comedy “Less than Perfect” as Jeb Denton, an opinionated network anchorman; on the hit show “NewsRadio,” as Johnny Johnson, the unscrupulous business rival who takes over the station; and on the live-action series “The Tick” as The Tick himself. Now, Warburton stars in the hit CBS comedy “Rules of Engagement” with David Spade, Oliver Hudson, and Megyn Price, a show about two couples and their single friend, all at different stages in their relationships, dealing with the complications of dating, commitment and marriage.
This fall, he stars in the independent feature film “I’ll Believe You,” with Fred Willard, Thomas Gibson and Chris Elliott, a comedy for young adults/teens about a hunt for an alleged alien living in a small town after a mysterious phone call is received on a radio broadcast. He was most recently seen as the archenemy Cad in Disney’s live-action comedy “Underdog,” based on the 1964 cartoon television series.
Last year, Warburton shot the independent film “The Civilization of Maxwell Bright,” in which he stars as a vicious and self-destructive anti-hero who desperately needs to save his soul. The film won numerous festival awards, and Warburton captured Best Actor at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, New York VisionFest and the Boulder International Film Festival. The film’s other honors include Viewer’s Choice at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, the Special Jury Award at WorldFest Houston and at the Florida Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize at the Florida Film Festival and the Vision Award (for David Beaird) at WorldFest Houston.
This festival favorite is essentially a modern re-telling of “Beauty and the Beast” which explores what happens when a modern Neanderthal is locked in close proximity with a kind and loving woman. Written and directed by David Beaird, “The Civilization of Maxwell Bright” co-stars Jennifer Tilly, Marie Matiko, Simon Callow and Eric Roberts.
To complement his animated films, he played the character Rip Smashenburn in the UPN animated series “Game Over,” the voice of Brock Samson in the animated adult series “The Venture Brothers,” the voice of Mr. Barkin on the Disney Channel’s “Disney’s Kim Possible” and the voice of Joe on Fox’s popular animated series “Family Guy.” He plays the character of Ian, the ultimate alpha-male, in the Sony animated film “Open Season,” opposite Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence. Playing in both regular theaters and IMAX 3D, it captured the box office on its opening week as #1 and held top spots following its debut. Warburton’s voice can also be heard alongside that of Sarah Michelle Geller, Sigourney Weaver, George Carlin, Andy Dick and Freddie Prinze, Jr. in the animated feature film “Happily N’Ever After,” from the producers of “Shrek,” where he plays the voice of Prince Humperdink. Warburton is heard as the voice of the Saviour of the Universe in Disney’s animated Saturday morning TV series “Buzz Lightyear,” and also in the Disney animated films “The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Kronk’s New Groove” and “The Emperor’s New School.”
Warburton started his television career appearing regularly on the CBS sitcom "Dave's World," with Harry Anderson and Meshach Taylor, and originally guest-starred on “Seinfeld” as the painted-faced New Jersey Devils’ fan and Jerry’s mechanic, only to become one of the show’s funniest fixtures. He also appeared in commercial spots for American Express (as the voice of Superman alongside Seinfeld), Cadillac and M&Ms. Warburton starred in “The Woman Chaser,” which received critical acclaim at the prestigious New York Film Festival and The Sundance Film Festival, as well as opposite Sam Neill in “The Dish,” an Australian production about the first man on the moon. Barry Sonnenfeld directed Warburton in the Columbia Tri-Star half-hour comedy “The Tick,” which has garnered a huge cult following since its release on DVD. The show gained its popularity with audiences due to its relaxed, adult-friendly comedy. “The Tick,” in addition to the DVD, has released action figures, t-shirts and Quaker Oat LIFE cereal (with The Tick character adorning the box). He also paired up with Tim Allen in Sonnenfeld’s feature films “Big Trouble” and “Joe Somebody,” and also appeared in “Scream 3” and “Men In Black II.”
A native Californian, Warburton grew up in Huntington Beach and currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Cathy, and four children, Talon, Alexandra (Lexie), Shane and Gabriel. When talking about his children, Patrick's face lights up as he describes them as the ultimate joy and love of his life. With what little spare time he has, Patrick gets in a game of golf or tennis, does activities with his children and spends time in his cabin on the Rogue River in Oregon with his family.
2007 Film Entertainment Magazine / EMOL.org. All rights reserved.
Bee Movie
