Sonic got off to a rocky start with prospective audiences, but it’s racing ahead once more after a successful redesign a Baby Sonic-centered Super Bowl commercial. The upcoming Paramount production has another ace up its sleeve, though, in Ben Schwartz’s voice performance.

Schwartz rose to fame playing the iconic Jean Ralphio in Parks and Recreation, but he’s also done great work in animated series like DuckTales. He’s now gotten the chance to bring another animated character with a rich history to life, and he was all too happy to share the process of finding Sonic’s voice with Screen Rant.

Sonic is amazing. The film is amazing; knocked it out of the park. How do you find Sonic’s voice? Because usually in the in the video game, you don’t really get to hear him that much. So, where do you find his voice?

Obviously, Sonic has a bucket list. Seeing a great Sonic movie was on my bucket list, so check that off.

Ben Schwartz: Yeah. The first couple of video games, he really doesn’t talk. And then as it [goes on], there are different iterations that these great people have done in cartoons. You had Roger Craig Smith, you have Jaleel White, you have Ryan [Drummond], Jason, [Griffith] - you have all these great people.

For me, I played the video games again, the first two. And I was like, “Okay, I love the idea of the speed and I love the idea of the attitude.” Then when I read the script, I was like, “You know what he is? He’s like a little kid that so badly wants to get out into the world and, like, just do everything. He’s so excited.”

It’s like, if I could play this guy like he’s an excited little kid, I feel like kids would relate more and adults would relate more. So, I kind of try to do it that [way], where the performance never feels too big and broad and crazy. It always feels like it’s coming from an excited little youth.

Huge fan.

Ben Schwartz: Were you a fan before this?

The original. That was literally my first video game system.

Ben Schwartz: That makes me so happy. What was your game?

That’s right, it came with the Genesis. So, what’s on your bucket list?

Ben Schwartz: Came with the Genesis if you got the Genesis late enough. After Altered Beast, c’mon.

Now, you have the great Jim Carrey playing Dr. Robotnik in this.

Ben Schwartz: In terms of stuff? I mean, there’s a lot of directors and actors and actresses I would love to work with, a huge list.

But personal-wise, I only kind of travel for work now. I’d love to see the world. I’ve seen London for two days; I’ve never been to New Zealand or Australia; I’ve never been in Japan. I’d love to go and just travel and see places, because I think that’ll only make me better at the other things I do.

Amazing. It took me so back to my childhood.

Ben Schwartz: He is unbelievable in this movie.

Exactly. How much leeway did you have in the booth when you’re doing Sonic’s voice?

Ben Schwartz: It is like touching a part of your brain from when we were kids.

Where do you want to see Sonic go next?

Ben Schwartz: I had quite a bit. We would always do as is, because the screenwriters are great. We did that, and then Jeff Fowler would always let me do whatever I wanted. Because we’re there, it doesn’t cost extra money. There’s no cameras - I mean, there’s a camera there, so I got the dots on the face and a camera to get my emotion.

But after a while, it was just us in the booth. And if I had jokes, I was allowed to do anything I wanted. And then if they don’t like it, they just don’t use it, It wasted three seconds. There’s not another camera setup, there’s not another whatever.

So, we really went [for] that. And also, just because I cared about the movie so much, oftentimes I’d be like, “You know what, can I see what I did in the past? Let me watch that part of the movie.” I’d watch and be like, “I can think of better jokes.” And then we would come in, and we would kind of think of better stuff. Always trying to make it better, always.

I saw a little bit too, and I don’t want to spoil that either.

Ben Schwartz: I mean, where I want to see Sonic go is kind of where I think the story will go. So, I don’t think I’m going to say it. They’re going after it in a way that is what I would want as a fan.

How would Jean Ralphio react to Sonic the Hedgehog?

Ben Schwartz: I mean, the ending is so fun in more than one way. So, I hope that stays the same. Because I’m, like, a big Marvel guy and I love all these nerdy [things]. The tags at the end, the button, and so the idea that we could have like a little secret that people can kind of wait for? I really like that idea.

I would agree!

Ben Schwartz: Oh, he would be - first of all, he would be like, “Where’d you get those rings? I want to see those rings. Let me see those rings.” He would try to basically use those teleportation things to probably go to different clubs throughout the world.

He would love Sonic. I feel like Sonic and Jean Ralphio would be a great pair.

I heard one of the one of the best things you’ve ever worked on was Standing Up, Falling Down. 

Ben Schwartz: Their hair already is like the same exact hair.

Can you talk to me about it a little bit?

Ben Schwartz: Yes! You want to talk about that? I’d love to.

More: Sonic the Hedgehog Official Trailer

Ben Schwartz: Yes. Standing Up, Falling Down is a movie that’s coming out February 21. It’s Billy Crystal, who is a legend of legends, and I. And it’s a small independent movie, which, we’re so lucky we have Sonic The Hedgehog, where people know about this. Standing Up, Falling Down, the only way you hear about this is if you watch this video. It’s one of those small little gems that I’m really proud of my performance.

But, man, Billy Crystal gives an incredible performance and I really hope people get to watch it. But it’s about a failed comic. He kind of fails; he has to go back home to his parents. And it’s kind of a messed-up character leaning on another messed-up character, trying to see if they can make lives.

  • Sonic the Hedgehog Release Date: 2020-02-14