George Lopez Video Interview On ‘Rio,’ His Advice On Women

Comedian George Lopez lends his voice to the animated film Rio along with Tracy Morgan, Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway. Lopez, who didn’t get to work much with the other actors, was amazed by the film’s editing. “We did very little together, but what the director did was a great job of making – especially Jesse and Anne – seem like every moment they spent on screen together, you think they recorded together,” Lopex told Uinterview exclusively. “The conversation doesn’t lag, the story builds… I [could not believe], especially all the things that those guys have done, that we were in this movie, that we were fortunate enough to be part of something so good, and so big so fast.”

Lopez enjoyed experimenting with his voice work for the film. “I believe that Carlos, the director, wanted me to be a little Brazilian-sounding, and it didn’t really sound like me,” he said. “I think they all agreed that it would be better if it sounded a little bit like me, so I’m happy the way my voice came out.” Lopez did, however, have some trouble with the Portuguese pronunciations required for the character. “I’ve been saying ‘maraca’ my whole life and it took me like 12 times to finally say ‘maraca’ correctly.”

Lopez’s character has some womanizing tendencies, and Lopez shared his own advice when it comes to women. “Always wear cologne,” he said. “And also, I’m finding out that, you know, be present, listen. Listening is very good, listening is very good. And eye contact never hurts. It’s all the stuff that worked 50 years ago! All that stuff still applies.”

Transcript:

Q: Rio had such a fantastic cast. What was it like working with Tracy Morgan, Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway on the film?

A: We did very little together, but what the director did, was a great job of making – especially Jesse and Anne – seem like every moment they spent on screen together, you think they recorded together. The conversation doesn’t lag, the story builds. For one guy, Carlos the director, to keep all that in his head and in his computer and with the same people that he worked with to keep that together. I always make a rule of watching the movie at the premiere, because I wanted the first time to be very exciting. I sat across the aisle from Jaime and I talked to will that day. They could not believe, and neither could I, especially all the things that those guys have done, that we were in this movie, that we were fortunate enough to be part of something so good, and so big so fast.

Q: The dialogue is hilarious. Did you get to do any ad-libbing on the film?

A: Well, in the beginning, I believe that Carlos, the director, wanted be to be a little Brazilian sounding, and it didn’t really sound like me, and I think they all agreed that it would be better if it sounded a little bit like me, so I’m happy with the way my voice came out. I had to redo maraca because in Portuguese, it has a different inflection. I’ve been saying maraca my whole life and it took me like twelve times to finally say maraca correctly.

Q: Your character in Rio is something of a ladies’ man in the film. What’s your advice for keeping the ladies interested?

A: Always wear cologne, I think is one. And also, I’m finding out that, you know, be present, listen. Listening in very good, listening is very good. And eye contact never hurts. It’s all the stuff that worked 50 years ago! All that stuff still applies. And conversation rather than text. [Laughs]

Q:  If you go to Carnival next year, what outfit will you wear?

A: [Laughs] It would be something orange and it would be something tight. Now that, probably, those two things will probably keep me from going to Carnaval, but if I did go, it would be orange and it would be tight.