Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dave Foley, David Hyde Pierce, Bonnie Hunt, Denis Leary, Madeline Kahn, John Ratzenberger, Jonathan Harris and Phyllis Diller are among the top talents providing voices for "A Bug's Life," the highly "ant-icipated" new computer animated comedy-adventure from Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. This latest film from Pixar, the creators of the landmark 1995 animated blockbuster, "Toy Story," wings its way into theaters this November and is being directed by Oscar-winner John Lasseter and co-directed by Andrew Stanton. Darla Anderson and Kevin Reher are the producers. Also featured in the vocal cast are Michael , Richard Kind, Roddy McDowell, Brad Garrett, Alex Rocco, Panettiere and Joe Ranft.
"A Bug's Life" is an "epic of miniature proportions" which follows the exciting adventures of a misfit ant named Flik (Dave Foley ) as he tries to save his colony from a group of greedy grasshoppers led by Hopper (Kevin Spacey). Flik's attempts at heroism seem headed for disaster when he turns to a bunch of inept performers from a flea circus. With Hopper preparing to descend for another raid, Flik and the circus bugs rally to the occasion leading to a comic confrontation that will delight and amaze moviegoers of all ages.
Commenting on the announcement, Lasseter said, "'A Bug's Life' brings together an incredible group of voice talents and we are thrilled beyond belief with all of the performances we are getting. Dave Foley is absolutely fantastic as Flik and he brings all the right comedic and emotional nuances to the character. Kevin Spacey is brilliant as our villain, Hopper, and we are really fortunate to have such a versatile and talented actor for that role. The rest of the cast is equally fantastic and we couldn't have asked for a more talented group to work with."
Peter Schneider, president of Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, added, "John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and the rest of the folks at Pixar Animation Studios are doing an amazing job and have assembled a great group of actors to add to the fun and entertainment. Their emphasis on great story-telling coupled with their incredible blend of artistry and technical innovation makes 'A Bug's Life' a film that is truly original and appealing on many levels.
The cast for "A Bug's Life" includes Dave Foley, best known for his roles on "Kids in the Hall" and "NewsRadio, who provides the voice of Flik, a common ant with an uncommon vision who decides to take a stand against the grasshoppers. Among the film's other prominent ant actors, Phyllis Diller gives a royal performance as the Queen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("Seinfeld") takes charge in her portrayal of Princess Atta and young Hayden Panettiere (a veteran performer since the age of five) adds to the fun and adventure as Princess Dot. The colony cast also includes Roddy McDowall as Mr. Soil, Alex Rocco as Thorny, David Ossman as Cornelius and Edie McClurg as Dr. Flora.
Academy Award-winner Kevin Spacey (a Best Supporting Actor for his role in "The Usual Suspects") adds bounce and menace to the voice of Hopper, the leader of a gang of greedy grasshoppers. Richard Kind ("Spin City") wings it as Hopper's spineless sibling, Molt.
John Ratzenberger (the voice of Hamm in "Toy Story" and one of the regulars on "Cheers") lends his vocal talents to the character of P.T. Flea, the obnoxious and unscrupulous owner of a run-down flea circus. Jonathan Harris (the unforgettable Dr. Zachary Smith in "Lost in Space") is heard as Manny, a praying mantis magician who prays for the good old days, while Madeline Kahn gives an valuable vocal assist as a moth named Gypsy, his long-suffering stage partner and devoted wife. David Hyde Pierce (an Emmy winner for his role as Niles Crane in the hit TV series, "Frasier") is in fine form as a stuck-up walking stick named Slim, who has the misfortune of being a serious actor cast in the role of a clown. Denis Leary sounds off as Francis, a male lady bug with a chip on his wing. Bonnie Hunt weaves a wonderful performance as Rosie, a black widow spider whose talents range from high wire acrobat to wild insect tamer. The primary insect that she tames is Dim, a lovable, not-so-bright beetle who is voiced by Brad Garrett (seen regularly as Ray Romano's big brother on the hit TV series, "Everyone Loves Raymond").
Rounding out the bug cast is Michael McShane (whose feature film
roles include playing Friar Tuck in the 1991 version of "Robin
Hood"), who does double duty providing voices for Tuck & Roll,
identical twin Hungarian pillbug acrobats who don't understand
a
word of English. The voice of Heimlich, a clown caterpillar who is
constantly thinking of food, belongs to the multi-talented Joe
Ranft,
veteran story man, who has long provided scratch track for animated
characters and makes his leading bug debut here.
Thank-you to an animator from Pixar Animation Studios for sending this to me.