‘Zootopia 2’: Judy and Nick face a new mystery that will test their empathy.
Los Angeles (USA), Nov 25 (EFE)
A new adventure with new characters and more complex challenges tests Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Zootopia’s most beloved detectives, with a new case that challenges not only their cunning, but also their ability to understand others.
“If we dare to dedicate a little more time to understanding the stories and experiences of others, and we succeed, the world would be a better place,” American actor Ke Huy Quan, the voice of Gary De’Snake, one of the protagonists of the Disney animated sequel that arrives on the big screen this Wednesday, tells EFE.
After saving the city on their first mission, Judy and Nick return with a mystery that forces them to question the prejudices of their society with characters like Gary, a snake with a huge heart and a secret past that destabilizes the city.
His arrival not only moves the plot of this second installment, but also becomes the catalyst for reflection for Judy and Nick after discovering his heartbreaking story.
“If you think about empathy, you think of Gary. You can only imagine what it’s like to live being constantly misunderstood. Even so, he’s able to maintain a positive and hopeful attitude, and simply looks at everything with wonder and curiosity,” he explains.
Judy: From rookie cop to relying on her expert nose
After becoming the first bunny to achieve the impossible within the metropolis police force, Judy now faces her own insecurities.
“There’s a kind of cloud of doubt hanging over her. They saved the city in the first installment, and now she’s wondering if it was really based on her talent and merit. And that, strangely enough, makes her feel worse about herself. She feels like now she has to prove that she deserved this victory and that she even has to surpass it,” Ginnifer Goodwin, the voice of Judy in the English version of the film, told EFE.
Even so, her instincts become Judy’s greatest asset, as she sacrifices her partner’s advice to try and solve the mystery surrounding her new friend. “She opens up completely to Gary and doesn’t let anything control her; she knows very well how to separate her emotions,” he adds.
The bunny uses the experience of her successful first case to take it a step further and learn “how to see beyond things that other creatures in her society are only just beginning to be aware of,” Goodwin explains.
“What I love about his character, and Zootopia reminds us of this so well, is that he’s able to see beyond the preconceived notion of Gary: a venomous snake. All the stereotypes and labels that come with being that animal,” says Ke Huy Quan.
Animation, the antidote for humanity
Bringing such a fascinating character as Gary to life has been “a dream come true” for the actor of Vietnamese descent. “I loved the first film, so I was very happy to be involved in this one,” he says.
“We’re often given roles as cartoonish characters, and that’s because of our voices and personalities. In fact, I think they take into account how we behave in the recording booth and how to incorporate that into the character,” explains the actor who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2023).
It is precisely this ability to deal with such human issues that makes Disney animated films timeless, universal, and gives them room to tell new stories from different perspectives.
“There’s always room to explore different ways of achieving that, of being better people or better animals. So we’ll continue with that theme, but there are still other ways to explore it,” Goodwin concludes.
