The voices behind Petunia Pig, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck talk martini jokes, the need to recognize more women voice actors come awards season, and the challenges working on Warner Bros.Animation’s new sci-fi buddy action comedy, now in theaters.
At the 3rd annual Children's and Family Emmy Awards this past Saturday, host Eric Bauza stood on stage after receiving his own Emmy for Outstanding Voice Performer as Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny in and, in the voice of Daffy said, “Let’s not forget the future is female.”
“My fellow nominees, you guys are legends, but you’re all dudes,” said Bauza at the ceremony.
“I would have rather seen some women up here.I don’t want to cause a fuss, but I think the women in VO, I think maybe next year we’ve got to see them in their own category.” The awards took place the day after director Pete Browngardt’s released in U.S.theaters nation-wide.
Bauza, now a three-time Emmy Award-winner, stars in the animated comedy as both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig, alongside Candi Milo, who voices for Petunia Pig.Milo’s been nominated for three Annie Awards in her career and won the BTVA Television Voice Acting Award for voicing Goat in .But, despite voice acting since the 90s, Milo has yet to be considered for an Emmy. “I think it’s harder for women to get a foothold on these characters because they’re always second bananas,” says Milo.
“But, perhaps,will change that, for her and other female voice actors.” She continues, “This is a Porky and Daffy movie, and I am the Gwyneth Paltrow of this crowd, but we’ve got to bring these characters into the 20th century, and it was fun to do a nod to June Foray and other women who came before me voicing this character.” In the all-new 2D animated sci-fi buddy action comedy from Ketchup Entertainment and Warner Bros.Animation, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck turn into unlikely heroes when their antics at the local bubble gum factory uncover a secret alien mind control plot.Against all odds, the two are determined to save their town (and the world!) ...
that is if they don't drive each other crazy in the process.In the film, Petunia Pig works as a scientist at the Goodie Gum factory and her inventions – from exploding gum to rotten egg extract – serve as vital tools to the trio’s success in defeating the aliens.The character of Petunia has come a long way since first being introduced in 1937 as Porky's scornful, nightmarish wife.
Milo is the latest of over a dozen voice actors for the character. “I don’t think I was ever previously thought of for the role because I was voicing characters like Granny and Witch Hazel,” she says of her previous roles.“But for this movie the producers wanted more of my sound for Petunia, and I’m always excited for the chance to make characters more than they have been before, like with , which was the first time Granny ever spoke.Unfortunately, some of her best jokes didn’t make it in [the film].” She adds, “There were martini jokes for days.
One of my favorites was ‘I think they're green with envy.But not as green as this olive.Oh, pool boy!’ And then Daffy walks up with another drink.” Milo says it has become a rarity in the voice acting world, especially among women in the industry, to find people capable of doing multiple, drastically different voices and who are capable of switching back and forth between those personas on a dime. “I think the genius of Eric in this is that the arguing back and forth of Daffy and Porky worked,” says Milo, who was the voice of dozens of characters on and in .
“It never seemed like he did both voices at the same time.In my opinion, as a voice actor, you need to be able to do multiple voices and then recall them.You have that on all the older shows, but not many of the current ones.
We’re now seeing shows with casts of thousands every week with each person doing one voice, which costs a lot more.But Eric does all these voices, and he does them so well.His range is much more exercised.” Bauza, as Porky, chimes in “Awe, you guys are embarrassing me.” Then, as Daffy, Bauza adds “Not me.
I can hear this all day.” Though known for his skill at playing multiple characters, like 21 different Beagle Boys voices for ’ episode “The Beagle Birthday Massacre,” Bauza was reluctant to accept the roles of both Daffy and Porky for . “To show respect to other performers who have taken these roles before me, I refused,” he shares.“And I refused for months.Pete was just very adamant about having me do both.
Eventually, Sam Register, the president of Warner Bros.Animation, delivered the horse's head in the bed, sending me an animated GIF of Porky going, ‘That's all, folks!’ I was like, ‘Okay, I guess I have to, now.’ For production, Bauza voiced both characters in the same recording sessions, going back and forth with the dialogue.It was exhausting, even for a gifted and enthusiastic actor. “In Interviews like this, which are short, I could do them back and forth with my eyes closed,” notes Bauza.
“But in instances where we have to do a six-hour session – where Porky is very timid and shy and Daffy is always like, ‘They drew me without ears so now I have an ear problem! Am I screaming!?’ – it was a tough job, but someone had to do it.” The craft of voicing multiple characters is how both Bauza and Milo got their start in voice acting.Bauza’s impressions while working in the bullpen as a character layout artist got him noticed by people like ’ Tom Kenny.And Milo’s unique rendition of The Three Little Pigs – with a kosher wolf and suicidal pigs – grabbed the attention of casting director Andrea Romano in the 90s during a audition. “I made it up on the fly,” notes Milo of her adaptation.
“They said, bring a fairy tale and make it your own.I brought a Golden Book, and, on the pages, I wrote ‘Clarence,’ ‘Buddy’ and ‘Gomer.’ I did all three little pigs in different voices and the narrator was a little boy who, at the end, pulled off his mask and said, ‘Ha-ha! I'm really a girl!’ Honestly, I walked out and went, ‘I don't care if I ever do this.’” When starting her career, Milo wanted very little to do with or Hollywood.Before landing her first ever voice role as Sweetie Pie in, she was focused on becoming a rock and roll singer. “This is a little story nobody knows,” she shares.
“My agent found me singing at a funeral.The person who was helping me at William Morris passed away and his assistant was then made an agent, and she gave me her card.I looked at it and read, ‘voiceover and commercials.’ I ripped it up and was like, ‘I am not doing this.’ But then she found my phone number in the white pages and had me come down to the office.” But, after her callback and getting cast, Milo immediately found herself right at home in the universe, a place so friendly to wild ideas and unforgettably funny plotlines.
“When I did my first session with , I sat between Frank Welker, who was Gogo Dodo, and Don Messick, who played Hamton J.Pig,” notes Milo.“When I left, I called my agents and said, ‘Yeah, I'm in.’ It was stand-up, it was acting, and it was singing, all in four hours.
It was the greatest moment.And everybody was weird like me.I think that’s why I love Eric.
We’re just a couple of idiots.” Bauza adds, “We're lucky to have found the things that we do that make us laugh.And entertain us.And we hope that, through that, we entertain you.” is the first fully animated feature to release in theaters.
Previously, the only feature-length films that made it to the silver screen were live-action/animation hybrid movies like , and .The film’s production also overlapped with the production for the film, which was shelved in 2023 and remains in limbo.Though had some release date changes and pushbacks, it has finally made it to the theaters.
“Who knows how we got here but we’re very grateful to Ketchup Entertainment, who stepped up to the plate and gave the film a chance,” says Bauza.“And all over these award season ceremonies, we’re seeing the little guy, the independent films, getting their moment.We are thankful for that.” Milo adds, “2D animation is very expensive to make and less appealing to make without a guarantee that it will hit and make its money back.
The marketplace affects the ability for studios to want to put money behind something.But I do think that there is a sea of change.I think people are looking for levity and lightness and stupidness and slapstick and funniness.
And that's what this movie brings to the table.My goal with this film is for it to do really well, so that Warner Bros.Animation lives to fight another day.
That is my complete goal.I'm in service to the project, and all I want is for there to be more cartoons.” Victoria Davis is a full-time, freelance journalist and part-time Otaku with an affinity for all things anime.She's reported on numerous stories from activist news to entertainment.
Find more about her work at victoriadavisdepiction.com.
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