Space Chimps

When a $5 billion Space Agency probe disappears into an intergalactic wormhole,

the agency recruits Ham III, grandson of the first chimpanzee in space, to help retrieve

the wayward craft. But Ham is a free-spirited circus performer more interested in zero

gravity high jinks than living up to his illustrious heritage. The simian slacker becomes a

reluctant hero and learns the true meaning of courage as he and his crewmates, the plucky

Lieutenant Luna and their by-the-book commander, Titan, risk everything in an effort to

save the peaceful inhabitants of a distant planet from an evil dictator.

The Right Stuff meets the wrong stuff in this witty, out-of-this-world adventure.

State-of-the-art CGI animation from Vanguard Animation, makers of the avian charmer

Valiant, take this tale of a reluctant astronaut into another dimension. The film is directed

by Kirk DeMicco, whose screenwriting credits include Quest for Camelot and Racing

Stripes. It is written by Kirk DeMicco and Rob Moreland, from a story by Kirk DeMicco.

Space Chimps features the voices of Andy Samberg (“Saturday Night Live”),

Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Patrick Warburton (“Rules of Engagement”),

Kristin Chenoweth (“The West Wing”), Stanley Tucci (Robots), Kenan Thompson

(Snakes on a Plane), Jane Lynch (The 40 Year Old Virgin), Carlos Alazraqui (Happy

Feet), Zach Shada (Ice Age: The Meltdown), Patrick Breen (“Boston Legal”), Kath

Soucie (“The Replacements”) and Omid Abtahi (“Sleeper Cell”).

The film is produced by John H. Williams (the Shrek trilogy) and Barry

Sonnenfeld (Men in Black), the latter also serving as creative consultant. Tom Jacomb is

associate producer and Curtis Augspurger is the film’s co-producer. Executive producers

are Neil Braun, Eric M. Bennett, John W. Hyde, Jerry Davis, Steve Brown and Morris

Berger. Music is by Chris Bacon and the Blue Man Group. A Vanguard Animation film,

Space Chimps is presented by Starz Animation. It will be distributed by Odyssey

Entertainment internationally and by Twentieth Century Fox in North America.

Ham (Andy Samberg), the grandson of the first chimp in outer space, has been

happily eking out a living as a chimp cannonball in a third-rate circus when the Space

Agency makes him an offer he can’t refuse. A wormhole has transported the Infinity

Space Probe into the farthest reaches of the universe. As a political PR stunt, Ham is

recruited to join a team of specially trained ape astronauts assigned to rescue the lost

vessel.

His love of flashy acrobatics and aerial maneuvers make Ham a successful high-

flyer, but his irreverent antics and goofball humor quickly alienate his professional astrochimp

colleagues. Ham spends most of his time tweaking the ship’s pompous

commander, Titan (Patrick Warburton), or flirting with Luna (Cheryl Hines), his fetching

lieutenant, but as the only one immune to the effects of the wormhole, he is indispensable

to the mission.

After a crash landing on the planet Malgor, Titan is taken prisoner by Zartog (Jeff

Daniels), a megalomaniacal alien who has commandeered the Infinity and enslaved the

other Malgoreans. In exchange for her help navigating the dreaded Valley of Really Bad

Things to rescue their commander, Ham and Luna promise a desperate alien named

Kilowatt (Kristin Chenoweth) they will free her people.

Titan is about to be turned into a statue in Zartog’s growing gallery—made up of

uncooperative minions dipped in molten lava and displayed as a reminder of his

omnipotence—when his companions stage a heroic rescue and retake their ship. As they

prepare for takeoff, Ham is reminded of his vow to Kilowatt and must decide whether to

return home or take a giant step for chimp-kind and live up to his grandfather’s legacy.

The Space Chimps Roundtable

From two of “Saturday Night Live’s” hottest young performers, to an Emmy®

Award nominated alumna of the renowned Groundlings comedy troupe, to a singer

trained in opera, each of the cast members brought his or her distinct gifts to the project.

Space Chimps is the story of Ham III, the grandson of the original Ham who went

to space and became a national hero. The concept of astronaut primates exerted a strong

gravitational pull on the film’s voice cast. Andy Samberg, who has established himself

as a cutting-edge comedian through his edgy and off-kilter “SNL Digital Shorts,” plays

Ham, the circus performer turned space traveler. His fellow astronaut and love interest

Lieutenant Luna is played by Cheryl Hines, an Emmy Award® nominee for her work on

HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Commander Titan, the third space chimp, is voiced by

Patrick Warburton, who stars on the CBS sitcom “Rules of Engagement.”

Kristin Chenoweth, a bona fide Broadway star with two Tony Awards® to prove

it, provides the voice of the brave alien Kilowatt and Kenan Thompson, another “SNL"

cast member, plays the ringmaster of the circus where Ham III performs as a human, er,

chimp cannonball.

We caught up with the cast members during the voice sessions of Space Chimps

for a freewheeling discussion, starting off with a surprising revelation from Samberg...

What interested you about this project?

Andy Samberg: What I liked most about the script was probably the space part. And the

chimp part. I would say of my many totem spirits, chimp is definitely one of them, so I'm

pretty much interested in any project that involves chimps, whether that means actually

working with real chimps in the forest or pretending to be one with my voice. I also am a

big fan of space. And if you put the two together, I mean, that's like, two full fans' worth

of person.

Kenan Thompson: It’s true. For some reason, I love to see animals controlling

spacecrafts and going to different places. It's kind of like pigs in space. You gotta love it.

And it's about monkeys. I always love stuff about monkeys.

Andy Samberg: And I just love comedy and there's plenty of comedy in the film, as

there almost always is with an animated movie. It's not exactly like what I do normally.

It's a little more for everybody. But they were great about incorporating my ideas and

allowing my sense of humor to sort of influence the character, which was important to

me. I think it translates well.

Cheryl Hines: Well, I got involved in Space Chimps through Barry Sonnenfeld. He sent

me the script, and I read it and I thought it was a cute story. You don't have to be a rocket

scientist to figure out what the movie's about. The title alone kind of says it. I mean, my

first reaction was, am I one of the chimps? Because if it's titled Space Chimps, you at

least want to be one of the chimps that goes into space. And did you like how I worked in

rocket science with Space Chimps? Thank you. And good night.

Kristin Chenoweth: Like Cheryl, I had done RV with Barry Sonnenfeld. And he called

me and said, “I have something that I want you to read, no pressure. Please don't feel

pressure. I'm just really thinking of you for it.” I read it and I then read it twice. I liked it.

And so I called Barry and said “I want to do it.”

Kenan Thompson: I think it's a great script. And it’s got a great cast. You know what

I'm saying? It's energetic. It’s funny. Nice people are involved. And it's about monkeys.

Kristin Chenoweth: I’m also one of those freaky women who love the Alien movies,

who love anything that has like four heads and 10 arms. So the fact that this kind of thing

has been put into an animated feature is right up my alley.

Patrick Warburton: I thought it was time for the subject to be dealt with on the big

screen. I've always felt like chimps were the real astronauts. They were the first ones up

there. They've never gotten enough credit, really. And it's a crime. This is an opportunity

to make that right. Plus my kids are into space and monkeys, so this is perfect.

Sometimes I like to just surprise the kids, you know. Here's a little something Daddy did.

It's opening in theaters all over the world—I'm shameless when it comes to self-

promotion and my kids. That goes back to me explaining to them that that is Daddy's

voice on television. They just thought that Daddy was crazy. Apparently Daddy is very

needy.

Can you tell us about the parts you each play?

Andy Samberg: I’m Ham III, the grandson of Ham, the original Space Chimp. This

Ham's a little down-and-out, although he doesn't think of it that way. He's working at the

circus, getting shot out of a cannon. And when the Space Agency loses one of its very

expensive satellites, they need to send someone after it through a wormhole. Since it's too

dangerous to send humans, they recruit Ham because he's a big name in the chimp world

of space travel.

Cheryl Hines: Ham has an extraordinary story because his grandfather was an astronaut,

a chimp-naut—I just made that up—and I don't think he really appreciated it until he

walked a mile in those space shoes.

Andy Samberg: Ham falls in love. They free a bunch of aliens. There's dancing and joy

and romance. Some other crazy stuff. Pure high-octane chimp adventure.

Cheryl Hines: My character, Lieutenant Luna, is second in command on this mission.

She’s very proud that she gets to go. Then Luna and Ham see sparks, as you often do

when you're stuck in a spaceship or on a new planet with someone.

Cheryl Hines: The military aspects of Luna’s personality were a challenge for me. She's

very straightforward and by the book. I'm usually never like that. And just some of the

words that I had to say: all the “space words,” as I liked to call them. That was a

challenge. “Parsecs” and “wormholes,” I still have nightmares about those.

Patrick Warburton: Titan is the alpha male chimp. Commander Titan has been an

astronaut for many, many years. And then here comes this chimp, Ham, who's nothing

but trouble, a circus freak. He doesn't have much respect for Ham in the beginning, but

they eventually become a team and they get a lot accomplished together. Titan’s a pretty

much no-nonsense kind of guy. In real life, I get bossed around a lot. I have four kids and

four dogs and a wife. That's nine and I'm pretty much at the bottom of the food chain. But

gosh darn it, Titan is the commander of the ship. Actually, he's always pretty much losing

control. He thinks he's in control, but he's not. Just like a daddy.

Kristin Chenoweth: I play Kilowatt, a creature from space. I really didn't do a lot of

research because of the space aspect of it and the alien aspect of it. She’s this precious

little thing that has a big head, a huge head. I picture her as maybe green and she does

have light around her. She's got a great heart.

What was it like working with Barry Sonnenfeld and Kirk DeMicco?

Andy Samberg: It was definitely a little bit outside of what I would normally do.

Cheryl Hines: I absolutely adore Barry Sonnenfeld, but he kept telling me the same

thing over and over: “More chimp, less Jewish.” Which is really odd because I'm not

Jewish. And I feel like I'm pretty chimp-like in real life. So most of the time when he

gave me direction, I had no idea what he was talking about. I just nodded and I smiled

and did it again.

Andy Samberg: If you really want the voice to sound funny, you have to be doing stuff

that you're comfortable with. So I've been trying to come up with as many jokes as

possible. And Barry and Kirk have been very open to me in that regard, which I

appreciate.

Patrick Warburton: I know Kirk and Barry, the great Barry Sonnenfeld, from other

projects. Barry and I did a show together called “The Tick” years ago, which is just about

the most fun I've ever had in my life. I can't say that wearing the blue suit was all that

much fun, but I got to be the Tick, which was just this fantastic character. So it's great to

get to be working with Barry again after a few years.

Andy Samberg: And Kirk DeMicco is the best. He's in the top five Kirks I've ever

worked with. In fact, we're getting married. That's pretty much the best part that's come

out of it. Creatively, we do not get along. But marriage-wise, we’re a match made in

heaven.

Can you talk about some of the differences between working in animation and live

action?

Andy Samberg: Time commitment's a big one. Making an animated movie you don't

have to be there for nearly as long. Plus, you don't have to look nice and have haircuts,

etc. (Points to his head.) Case in point.

Kristin Chenoweth: It is a relief that it doesn't really matter what you look like.

However, I am one of those actresses who really likes to come in feeling like the

character. If I'm going to play a squirrel, I want to have maybe a faux fur tail, or if I'm

playing Kilowatt, I want to feel light and happy. So I always try to do things for myself

that day that make me feel good. Today, it's stupid, but I had a donut. I love donuts. They

make me feel good.

Patrick Warburton: For animation, you're sequestered on a sound stage. You're almost

never recording with other actors, so you have to use your imagination. You’ve got to

sometimes try to get out of ruts just to give some variation to it all.

Cheryl Hines: Being in the recording booth is like being in a fishbowl. They can hear

every little sound that you make. And that’s not always attractive. Once you get over the

idea that there are 10 people in the sound booth watching you and listening to you, you

can kind of let it flow and let it ride and have a good time.

Kenan Thompson: For someone like me, animation is great. My brother was four years

older than me, so he got a little too cool for me at some point and I was left to play by

myself, you know. It just leaves you wide open to the imagination. And that's kind of like

what voiceovers do. You're just in this room and you're picturing all these different things

in your mind and the whole situation and breaking down the scenarios. And since its

animation, instead of having to just read it in a normal voice, I get to scream and shout

and really use the space in the booth.

Cheryl Hines: My background is sketch comedy, and I think it's very helpful to have an

improv background for animation, especially when you're doing comedy. It keeps you

loose and it keeps you on your toes. If somebody has a suggestion, you can try it right

away without having to step outside and rewrite it. You can just try a few different things

and whatever's funny, they'll use.

Kristin Chenoweth: I relied heavily on the directors to tell me where we were in the

story. They reminded me of who's talking to me and what's just happened. And in a way,

there's a freedom there because there is no wrong answer. I mean, there is no wrong

reading. And if it is wrong, you can do it 20 other different ways.

Patrick Warburton: Another thing is that, in an animated film, you may not be given an

idea of what your character will look like. There’s usually a character design that's been

preconceived and then they incorporate certain characteristics of the actor. You could be

a chimp. You could be a robot. Whatever it is, they'll find something about you and put it

in there. It can be disturbing 'cause they always find your least attractive quality or trait.

Kristin Chenoweth: I'm always a little nervous to see what the character looks like

because I don’t want it to influence me in any way. I always find something in the script

about my character that I fall in love with and I want to be able to hold on to that.

Cheryl Hines: What really set this project apart for me was having to do chimp noises.

When you're recording for animation, a lot of times you have to do just noises. Walking

noises. Jumping noises. Drinking. I had to do kissing once, which was real attractive. In

this particular case, not only am I running and jumping, but I’m doing it as a chimp. So I

had to do some running and jumping and literally scratching under my arms. Just to get

me in the mood. And that's when you feel really special in your little fish bowl—doing

your chimp noises while everyone's laughing and pointing in the booth.

Kristin Chenoweth: I was able to create some interesting sounds for the character. I did

a lot of my own vocal warm-ups as my character. My background is in opera and I'm a

singer. So I started thinking of some of the vocal exercises that we did when I was taking

voice. My teacher would always say, “Let's do the siren,” and that ended up in the movie.

And Kilowatt goes to just a flat-out high C when she's nervous or scared or excited.

Patrick Warburton: Every now and then, if I've had enough coffee, I may get physical.

Although I’m more likely to go to sleep in these rooms because it's incredibly quiet and

it's a perfect temperature. You might get an odd look or two from the outside if you do.

“What's he doing?” “He's taking a nap. He has four kids. He should sleep. Let's go get a

coffee and we'll come back and then we'll wake Mr. Warburton up.” Everybody calls me

Mr. Warburton—'cause I make them.

Kristin Chenoweth: Oddly enough, the challenge of acting without another actor doesn't

bother me. I get great response from the booth. I relate it to being on stage in concert,

singing a song to a mass of people I don't know. It's not like I'm singing to one person.

I'm singing for myself. So you find ways to make it true within yourself. If you can do

that successfully, it will be true for the audience.

Cheryl Hines: Well, Barry was on the other side of the glass prompting me sometimes

with lines. I don't know if he knows this or not, but he's a terrible, terrible actor. So as

much as it's helpful to have someone read the lines, you have the voice of Ham being

played by Barry Sonnenfeld going, “I love you, too.” Sometimes, I had to stop and just

laugh out loud and then continue. So I don't know if it was as helpful as it might be,

actually.

What’s your favorite part of Space Chimps?

Cheryl Hines: Don't ask me why, but I really enjoyed Ham saying, “You can't blame a

chimp for trying.” It’s just the idea that you can't blame a chimp for trying. I don't know

why, but I say that all the time. But it's usually “you can't blame a lady for trying” when I

say it.

Patrick Warburton: I love a good film, a good animated picture that’s entertaining for

kids but has enough stuff happening on more of an adult level. Space Chimps is clever

enough that they can get a little naughty, but not be offensive or cross the line. As a

parent, I want to be able to take my kids to a movie and not worry about stuff that will

affect them in a negative way.

Cheryl Hines: I think when I saw Finding Nemo, my idea of animation changed. I’d

always thought it was for kids or immature men. But to see a compelling story so well

done gave me a much deeper appreciation for it. This script, I think, will appeal to

parents who watch it with their children. There are some jokes that the kids probably

aren't going to get and there are others that five-year-olds are going to find hilarious.

Kristin Chenoweth: I just love Kilowatt so much because she really does have a good

heart. I view her a little bit as the heart of the show because it is her story. She's not the

lead but it's about helping each other. And I think that's the greater message in a world in

which that's not what's forefront on our minds. This movie is truly about community, as

silly as it sounds. And that's one of the reasons that I love her, and it, so much.

Cheryl Hines: I watch a lot of children's movies and family movies because I have a

three-year-old. So when I read a script in that genre, I have a different point of view

about it now. And I think, “Would my daughter like to watch this? Would my nieces and

nephews like to watch this?” Usually, my daughter doesn't care about my work so much.

I guess not every three-year-old loves Larry David—understandably so. It'll be very

exciting to see her watch it again in a few years, when it'll seem different to her because

she'll see it through a different pair of eyes. And then when she's 10, I'll make her watch

it again. I'm going to make her read this interview, too.

Does anyone have any closing thoughts?

Andy Samberg: I think I speak for everyone when I say that the appeal-o-meter for

Space Chimps is going to go through the roof. (Not to be confused with the peel-o-meter,

like on a banana.) Space and chimps every time.

HAM -THE ORIGINAL SPACE CHIMP

1957-1983

Space Chimps pays lighthearted tribute to the original Ham, one of the first

heroes of the American space program. The John Glenn of the monkey world, Ham

blasted off from Cape Canaveral on January 31, 1961 and traveled 155 miles in 16.5

minutes before splashing down safely in the Atlantic. Ham's reward? A delicious apple.

Ham’s incredible journey began in the central African nation of Cameroon. When

he was three years old, the intrepid chimp left the equatorial jungle for Alamogordo in the

Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico. With five other specially selected

chimpanzees, Ham attended a rigorous training program to prepare for space flight. His

name is an acronym for the lab that prepared him for his historic mission, the Holloman

Aerospace Medical Center, located at Holloman Air Force Base.

Because of the unknown risks of space travel, NASA decided to send a chimp

where no man had gone before. Ham and his classmates were chosen for this

monumental mission because of chimps’ close physiological resemblance to humans and

their high intelligence. The chimpanzee assigned to the historic Mercury-Redstone

suborbital launch would be asked to perform a lever-pulling chore throughout the

mission. This would test the capsule’s life-support systems and prove that levers could be

pulled during launch, weightlessness and reentry.

Training for the recruits was tough. A team of 20 medical specialists and animal

handlers supervised as Ham and his classmates learned the control panel of the Mercury

Redstone. Their assignment included pulling a right-hand lever when a white light came

on and a left-hand lever when a blue light came on. They were rewarded with banana

pellets for making the correct choice.

Once their training was complete, the space chimps were taken to Cape

Canaveral, Florida. While small primates and other animals had gone into space on

earlier flights, the capsule’s occupant had never been more than a passenger. The stage

was now set for NASA to take an enormous step toward achieving the goals of Project

Mercury.

Only one chimp would be selected for the inaugural flight. Ham was not yet four

years old when he received the assignment of a lifetime. A smart, loveable chimp with a

sunny personality, Ham was affectionate, cuddly and loved the spotlight. He was the

perfect candidate.

When the launch day finally came, the ship’s liftoff and entry into space went

smoothly, but the fuel burned more quickly than anticipated, propelling Ham more than

100 miles farther than planned. Traveling too high, too fast, the Mercury-Redstone was

out of fuel in just over two minutes. Ham withstood gravitational forces of up to 14.7

G’s, about 3.3 G’s more than planned.

Despite the increased speed, Ham maintained his concentration and performed his

required tasks with great accuracy. His lever-pushing performance was just marginally

slower than on Earth. The capsule partially lost pressure during the flight, but Ham's

space suit prevented him from suffering any harm. He also experienced about seven

minutes of weightlessness during the flight, with no ill effect.

Just over a quarter hour after liftoff, Ham’s capsule splashed down in the Atlantic

Ocean. His spacecraft took on water due to the impact, but he was successfully recovered

and taken to a waiting vessel. Ham’s only injury was a bruised nose.

Safely back on Earth, Ham was given a physical examination and pronounced

fatigued but medically sound. In apparent good spirits, Ham happily posed for pictures

with the sailors on the recovery ship before enthusiastically enjoying his apple.

With the flight a success, Ham became an international celebrity and received the

ultimate pop culture honor of the day—his picture on the cover of Life magazine. Using

the information gathered during Ham’s successful flight, Mercury Seven astronaut Alan

Shepard would make the same flight aboard the Freedom 7 just four months later.

After completing his mission, Ham lived in the National Zoo in Washington, DC

for 17 years. He was extremely popular with visitors, but not with his fellow chimps.

Like many a human superstar, Ham had trouble adjusting to private life. He later moved

to a zoo in North Carolina and found a lovely lady chimp with whom to share his life.

Ham died of natural causes on January 19, 1983 at the age of 27 and was buried in

the front lawn of the International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, NM.

ABOUT THE CAST

ANDY SAMBERG (Ham III) has proven his diverse range of comedic talents

on screens big and small. Starring in his third season as a cast member on “Saturday

Night Live,” he is best known for his innovative “SNL Digital Shorts,” which have reinvigorated

the series and spurred water-cooler moments over the past two seasons with

sensations like “Lazy Sunday” and “D**k in a Box.” Samberg’s feature film debut came

in August 2007 with Paramount’s comedy Hot Rod, co-starring Ian McShane, Sissy

Spacek, Isla Fisher and Bill Hader.

Samberg attended college at U.C. Santa Cruz and graduated from NYU's Tisch

School for the Arts with a film degree in 2000. Prior to joining “Saturday Night Live,” he

performed stand-up comedy in both New York and Los Angeles for seven years and was

featured on Comedy Central's “Premium Blend” in 2005. In addition, he started

filmmaking group The Lonely Island with his childhood friends Akiva Schaffer and

Jorma Taccone, who are now writers on “Saturday Night Live.” Samberg, Schaffer and

Taccone were honored by Wired magazine with a Wired Rave Award for Television in

2006, alongside notable innovators ranging from geneticists to fellow online pioneers.

Samberg’s first significant breakthrough was the music video "Lazy Sunday," a

performance collaboration with “SNL” alum Chris Parnell. The short was an online

phenomenon that amassed over five million hits on YouTube.com within a few days and

sparked a legion of Internet imitations. The controversy surrounding the legal

ramifications of online video content thrust the story into the media spotlight,

highlighting Samberg as the poster child for a new generation of DIY filmmakers and

comics.

The following season, Samberg again made waves with the short video "D**k in

a Box," co-starring Justin Timberlake in a spoof of early-nineties R&B. The song reached

unprecedented levels of popularity both online and in print, culminating in Samberg

joining Timberlake on stage at Madison Square Garden in February 2007 and performing

the song live for more than 18,000 fans. In September 2007, “D**k in a Box” was

honored with a Creative Emmy® for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.

Samberg currently resides in New York City.

CHERYL

HINES

(Luna)

is a two-time Emmy nominee for her role as ‘Cheryl

David’ on HBO’s Golden Globe® Award-winning series “Curb Your Enthusiasm,”the

brainchild of Larry David, co-creator of “Seinfeld.” The show has been nominated for

numerous Emmy Awards including Best Supporting Actress for Cheryl, Best Actor for

Larry and Best Comedy Series. The show recently aired its sixth season on HBO. Cherylis currently shooting the romantic comedy "Labor Pains"where she will star opposite Lindsay Lohan. The film is to be directed by Lara Shapiro and is set to be released in 2009.

She will next be seen starring opposite William H. Macy in the independent

feature “Bart Got a Room,”," which made its world premiere at the 2008 Tribeca Film

Festival in April. Directed by Brian Hecker, the comedy centers on a nerdy high-schoolseniortrying to find a date to the prom while his parents’marriage is falling apart.

Cheryl will also be seen co-starring in the 2008 Sundance hit “Henry Pool Was Here”for

writer Albert Torres and director Mark Pellington. Hines, who co-stars opposite Luke

Wilson, plays a pushy real estate broker who sells Wilson a home. The film is executive produced by Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucceshi for Lakeshore Entertainment.

It also stars Adriana Barraza and Radha Mitchell.

She recently finished shooting the film, "Farlanders" for Focus Features by director Sam Mendes. Cheryl co-stars opposite JohnKrasinski and Maya Rudolph.

The film follows an expectant couple (Krasinski, Rudolph) as they travel the country in

search of a place to put down roots and raise a family. Also “The Ugly Truth,” co-starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. In the romantic in production this spring is

comedy, Cheryl will portray a polished news co-anchor who is in a troubled marriage.

Robert Luketic directs the film which is set to be released by Sony on April 4, 2009.

Cheryl is currently in post-production on her feature film directorial debut with

the indie “Serious Moonlight,” from a screenplay written by the late Adrienne Shelly. The film is a dark comedy centered on the troubled marriage of a highfemale attorney (played by Meg Ryan) who learns that her husband (Timothy -powered

Hutton) is about to leave her for another woman.

Cheryl alsorecently starred in the indie feature “The Grand.” In “The Grand,”Cheryl stars opposite Woody Harrelson, David Cross, Dennis Farina and Ray Romano.

The improvised comedy is set in the world of professional poker and was filmed entirely

in Las Vegas. The film was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment in March 2008.

Cheryl’s other film roles include starring opposite Keri Russell in the romantic comedy “Waitress,” whichwas written, directed and co-starredAdrienneShelly. A huge hit at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, the film garnered unprecedented critical acclaim. In the film, Cheryl portraysBecky, a long time waitress who is married to aninvalid and longing for some affection and adventurein her life.Other film credits include the Columbia Pictures comedy “RV,”starring Robin

Williams and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

Cheryl has broadened her experience in television to include producing and voice

over. She was the executive producer on the critically acclaimed improvised and award-

winning comedy series “Campus Ladies” for the Oxygen Channel and the Starz Networks

first original comedy series “Hollywood Residential,” which recently premiered in

January. The show follows a fictional, faltering celebrity home makeover show on a

struggling home improvement cable network.

Cheryl was also handpicked by Jeffrey Katzenberg as the lead voice in

DreamWorks Television’s primetime animated series, “Father of the Pride,”an innovative

comedy that aired on NBC. The “Shrek”-like CGI cartoon was about a family of white

lions who work as performers in the Las Vegas act of illusionists Siegfried & Roy.

As a member of the Groundlings Theater, Cheryl has spent a great deal of time

writing and performing sketch and improvisational comedy. This experience made her

feel very at home with the improvised dialogue format of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

PATRICK WARBURTON (Titan) has been a familiar face since his recurring

role as Elaine’s laconic boyfriend, Puddy, on the classic NBC comedy “Seinfeld.”

Warburton currently stars in the hit CBS comedy “Rules of Engagement,” co-starring

David Spade, Oliver Hudson and Megyn Price, which focuses on two couples and their

single friend—all at different stages in their relationships—as they deal with the

complications of dating, commitment and marriage. Warburton recently contributed his

voice acting to the blockbuster Bee Movie alongside such stars as Jerry Seinfeld, Renée

Zellweger, Uma Thurman and Oprah Winfrey. Warburton’s performance was nominated

for an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature, his third such honor.

Warburton began his television career with regular appearances on the CBS

sitcom "Dave's World," with Harry Anderson. He originally guest-starred on “Seinfeld”

as the face-painted New Jersey Devils’ fan and Jerry’s mechanic, only to become one of

the show’s funniest fixtures as Puddy, the enigmatic Saab salesman. He also has featured

in commercials for American Express (as the voice of Superman alongside Seinfeld),

Cadillac and M&Ms.

On the big screen, Warburton starred in The Woman Chaser, which received

critical acclaim at the prestigious New York Film Festival and The Sundance Film

Festival. He appeared opposite Sam Neill in The Dish, an Australian comedy about the

first manned mission to the moon. Other film credits include Big Trouble, Joe Somebody,

Scream 3 and Men in Black 2.

Barry Sonnenfeld directed Warburton in the Columbia Tri-Star half-hour comedy

“The Tick,” which has enjoyed a huge cult following since its release on DVD. The show

gained popularity with audiences due to its relaxed, adult-friendly comedy. He also

starred on ABC’s hit comedy “Less than Perfect” as Jeb Denton, an opinionated network

anchorman; and “NewsRadio” as Johnny Johnson, the unscrupulous businessman who

takes over the station.

As a voice actor for animated series, Warburton played the character Rip

Smashenburn in the UPN series “Game Over,” Brock Samson in the adult series “The

Venture Brothers,” Mr. Barkin on Disney Channel’s “Kim Possible” and Joe the neighbor

on Fox’s popular animated series “Family Guy.” He also provided the voice of The

Savior of the Universe in Disney’s animated Saturday morning series “Buzz Lightyear.”

Warburton voiced the character of Ian, the ultimate alpha-male, in the Sony

animated film Open Season, opposite Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence. Playing in

both regular theaters and IMAX 3-D, it was No.1 at the box office in its opening week.

Warburton’s voice was heard alongside those of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sigourney

Weaver, George Carlin, Andy Dick and Freddie Prinze Jr. in the animated feature film

Happily N’Ever After, from the producers of Shrek. He also played the arch-villain Cad in

Disney’s live action comedy hit Underdog, based on the 1964 cartoon television series.

Warburton’s recent performance in the independent film The Civilization of

Maxwell Bright, as a vicious and self-destructive antihero desperately trying to save his

soul, netted him Best Actor awards at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, New York

VisionFest and the Boulder International Film Festival. Essentially a modern re-telling of

Beauty and the Beast, this festival favorite explores what happens when a modern

Neanderthal is locked in close proximity with a kind and loving woman. Written and

directed by David Beaird, the film co-stars Jennifer Tilly, Marie Matiko, Simon Callow

and Eric Roberts. Its other honors include Viewer’s Choice at the Beverly Hills Film

Festival, the Special Jury Award at WorldFest Houston and the Florida Film Festival,

Grand Jury Prize at the Florida Film Festival and the Vision Award for director David

Beaird at WorldFest Houston.

Warburton recently starred in the independent feature film I’ll Believe You with

Fred Willard, Thomas Gibson and Chris Elliott, a comedy for young adults and teens

about the hunt for an alleged alien living in a small town after a mysterious phone call is

received on a radio broadcast. Other film credits include voice acting for The Emperor’s

New Groove, The Wild, Chicken Little and Sky High.

A native of Huntington Beach, California, Warburton currently resides in Los

Angeles with his wife, Cathy, and four children.

JEFF DANIELS (Zartog) was recently honored with Golden Globe and

Independent Spirit nominations for his work in the highly lauded The Squid and the

Whale, written and directed by Noah Baumbach. Daniels also appeared in Doug

McGrath’s Infamous, with Toby Jones and Sandra Bullock. His most recent film was the

crime thriller The Lookout, directed by Scott Frank and costarring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Daniels won rave reviews for his on-stage performance in the Manhattan Theatre

Club’s SRO production of David Harrower’s provocative play, “Blackbird.” Directed by

Joe Mantello, the two-character play also stars Alison Pill.

The actor made his feature film debut in Milos Forman’s Ragtime, but it was his

performance as Debra Winger’s husband in Terms of Endearment that catapulted Daniels

to stardom. Woody Allen was among the first to recognize his talent and comic ability,

casting him in a featured role in The Purple Rose of Cairo. Daniels went on to star in a

number of films, including Something Wild, The Butcher’s Wife, Checking Out, Fly Away

Home, 101 Dalmatians, Speed, Pleasantville, Arachnophobia, Gettysburg, Dumb and

Dumber, Blood Work, The Hours, Gods and Generals, Imaginary Heroes, Because of

Wynn-Dixie and Goodnight, and Good Luck, directed by George Clooney.

Television credits include the recent “The Five People You Meet In Heaven,”

based on Mitch Albom’s best-selling novel; TNT’s remake of Neil Simon’s “The

Goodbye Girl”; Robert Altman’s “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial”; Lee Grant’s “No

Place Like Home;” A&E’s “The Crossing”; and “Saturday Night Live” and “Cheaters”

for HBO.

His appearances on the Broadway stage include Lanford Wilson’s "Redwood

Curtain” and “Fifth of July,” which won him a Drama Desk Award for Best Supporting

Actor. Off Broadway, Daniels received a Drama Desk nomination for “Lemon Sky,” as

well as an Obie for his performance in the Circle Repertory Company production of

“Johnny Got His Gun.”

Back home in Chelsea, Michigan, Daniels has continued his passion for the

theatre by founding the Purple Rose Theatre Company, which he dedicated to encourage

and develop Midwestern actors, playwrights, directors and designers. All of Daniels’ own

plays have premiered there, including “Shoe Man,” winner of the Detroit News Critics

Award for Best New Play; “The Tropical Pickle”; “The Vast Difference”; “Thy

Kingdom’s Coming”; “Apartment 3A”; “Boom Town”; “Escanaba in da Moonlight”;

“Across the Way,” which was nominated for Best New Play by the American Theatre

Critics Association; “Guest Artist”; “Norma & Wanda”; and most recently “Escanaba in

Love.”

Daniels has been composing songs since the 1970s and recently released his

second CD, “Grandfather’s Hat,” a collection of live performances that humorously and

touchingly reflect on his life and career. Proceeds from the sale of these CDs go to

support The Purple Rose Theatre Company. In addition, Daniels continues to bring his

live concert show, “Jeff Daniels: Live and Unplugged,” to venues coast to coast.

In 1999, Daniels formed Purple Rose Films, a Michigan-based independent

production company. His first film as writer/director/actor was Escanaba in da

Moonlight, a comedy about deer hunting based on his successful stage play. His second

film, Super Sucker, a comedy about Midwestern vacuum cleaner salesmen, won the

Audience Award for Best Feature at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado.

KRISTIN CHENOWETH (Kilowatt) effortlessly transitions between

television, film, stage and concert hall with captivating grace. She is currently starring in

the critically acclaimed ABC series “Pushing Daisies.” Other small screen credits include

last year’s season finale of ABC’s hit comedy “Ugly Betty,” in which she played an

orthodontic technician who loves romantic comedies and becomes overly involved in her

patients’ lives—including Betty’s (America Ferrera). Chenoweth recently starred in

“Stairway to Paradise,” an original Encores Production celebrating the great Broadway

revue.

Fans also know Chenoweth as Annabeth Schott on “The West Wing”; the

librarian, Marian Paroo, in ABC’s movie version of Meredith Wilson’s “The Music

Man”; and Lily St. Regis in the television adaptation of “Annie.” Chenoweth also starred

in her own series “Kristin” for NBC.

Moviegoers have seen Chenoweth in Deck the Halls, with Danny DeVito and

Matthew Broderick; RV, with Robin Williams; Bewitched, with Will Ferrell and Nicole

Kidman; Running with Scissors, with Annette Bening; and The Pink Panther, with Steve

Martin. Her film credits also include a cameo in Stranger Than Fiction, with Emma

Thompson. In her next film project, Chenoweth stars alongside Reese Witherspoon and

Vince Vaughn in the comedy Four Christmases directed by Seth Gordon.

On stage, many remember Chenoweth’s show-stealing, Tony®-winning

performance in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and her triumphant star turn

originating the role of Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked,” which earned the actress a

Tony Award nomination. Chenoweth also performed in the Broadway comedy “Epic

Proportions” and in the Kander and Ebb musical “Steel Pier,” for which she won a

Theatre World award. Chenoweth starred in an off-Broadway production of Moliere’s

“Scapin” for the Roundabout Theatre Company and in the critically lauded limited-

engagement of “The Apple Tree” at Roundabout Theatre Company’s Studio 54.

A highly regarded vocal performer, Chenoweth took the stage in a sold-out solo

concert at Carnegie Hall in 2004 and continues to tour the country. She also had the

honor of playing a sold-out solo show at the famed Metropolitan Opera House.

Commemorating the centennial anniversary of the first “Ziegfeld Follies,” she concluded

New York City Center’s 2007 season with beloved Broadway numbers from the early

20th century.

Chenoweth received glowing reviews for her solo concert at Sam Mendes’s

acclaimed Donmar Warehouse as part of the “Divas at Donmar” series. Since her show in

London, Chenoweth has collaborated with various symphonies, including The New York

Philharmonic, Boston Pops, National Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony and the

San Francisco Symphony. One of her proudest recent accomplishments was performing

Bernstein’s “Candide” at Lincoln Center with The New York Philharmonic. Other

performances include her sold-out Los Angeles solo debut at the Walt Disney Concert

Hall, an evening at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles and the Washington National

Opera’s 50th Anniversary Gala, with Placido Domingo. She is scheduled to have her

Metropolitan Opera debut in March 2010 as Samira in John Corigliano’s “The Ghost of

Versailles.”

Chenoweth is also an accomplished recording artist. Following the success of her

albums “Let Yourself Go” and “As I Am” on Sony Classical, she is gearing up for a third

album.

STANLEY TUCCI (The Senator) has appeared in over 50 films and countless

television shows. Tucci recently completed a film in director Peter Jackson’s adaptation

of The Lovely Bones opposite Mark Wahlberg and Susan Sarandon. Also scheduled for

release this year are Swing Vote, with Kevin Costner and Dennis Hopper; and Kit

Kittredge: An American Girl, with Abigail Breslin and Joan Cusack. He co-starred in the

forthcoming What Just Happened? alongside Bruce Willis, John Turturro and Robert De

Niro. Tucci also stars in the upcoming Blind Date, a feature he directed and co-wrote.

The actor has been acclaimed for his performances in several award-winning

HBO original telefilms. He played renowned director Stanley Kubrick in “The Life and

Death of Peter Sellers.” The drama, starring Geoffrey Rush and Charlize Theron, tied for

the most Emmy nominations with 16 bids in 2004. Tucci appeared alongside Kenneth

Branagh and Colin Firth in another highly acclaimed HBO drama, “Conspiracy,” a film

for which Tucci’s portrayal of Lt. Colonel Adolf Eichmann earned him a Golden Globe

Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Made-for-TV-Movie or Miniseries as well as an

Emmy nomination. He also received a Golden Globe and Emmy Award for his portrayal

of Walter Winchell, a founder of American gossip, in Paul Mazursky’s “Winchell.”

Tucci’s other television work includes a recurring role on TNT’s “Bull” as Hunter

Lasky, one of Wall Street’s most charming and conniving negotiators, as well as guest

appearances on “ER,” “Equal Justice,” “Wiseguy,” “The Equalizer,” “Thirtysomething”

and “The Street.” Tucci also starred in the Steven Bochco drama “Murder One,” a

performance for which he earned an Emmy nomination.

Tucci’s appearance on “Monk,” starring Tony Shalhoub, received critical

attention as well as an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Guest Actor in a

Comedy Series.

In addition to being an accomplished actor, Tucci is a writer, director and

producer. Big Night, which Tucci co-directed, co-wrote and starred in, earned him

numerous accolades, including the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 1996

Sundance Film Festival, a Recognition of Excellence by the National Board of Review,

an Independent Spirit Award, The Critics Prize at the 1996 Deauville Film Festival and

honors from the New York Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics.

Tucci’s second project, The Imposters, a film which he wrote, directed, coproduced

and starred in, was an Official Selection at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival and

was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures later that year. The 1930’s farce stars Tucci and

Oliver Platt as a pair of out-of-work actors who find themselves aboard a cruise ship with

passengers played by Steve Buscemi, Billy Connolly, Alfred Molina, Lili Taylor and

Hope Davis.

His most recent directorial effort was USA Films’ Joe Gould’s Secret, which

starred Ian Holm as bohemian writer Joe Gould and Tucci as Joseph Mitchell, the famed

writer for The New Yorker. The film, set in New York’s Greenwich Village in the 1940s,

tells the story of the strange meeting and long-lasting friendship between Gould and

Mitchell, as well as the stories Mitchell wrote about Gould and his life.

In 2002, Tucci received critical acclaim for his performance in DreamWorks’

Road to Perdition, co-starring Tom Hanks, Jude Law and Paul Newman. He also

appeared in Barry Sonnenfeld’s comedy Big Trouble, co-starring Tim Allen, Rene Russo,

Omar Epps, Janeane Garofalo and Jason Lee, among others.

Tucci offered his voice for the character Herb Copperbottom in Fox Animation’s

Robots (2005); starred opposite Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez in the romantic comedy

Shall We Dance, directed by Peter Chelsom; and appeared in James Redford’s film Spin

with Dana Delany and Ruben Blades. He also worked alongside Tom Hanks in Steven

Spielberg’s The Terminal.

Recently, Tucci starred in The Hoax, with Richard Gere; and the Academy

Award® nominated film The Devil Wears Prada, alongside Best Actress nominee Meryl

Streep and Anne Hathaway. Previous film credits include Woody Allen’s Deconstructing

Harry, William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sidewalks of New York,

America’s Sweethearts, The Alarmist, A Life Less Ordinary, The Daytrippers, Kiss of

Death, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, It Could Happen to You, The Pelican Brief,

Prelude to a Kiss, Billy Bathgate, In the Soup and Slaves of New York.

No stranger to live theater, Tucci has appeared in over a dozen plays on and off

Broadway, including “Execution of Hope,” “The Iceman Cometh,” “Brighton Beach

Memoirs” and “The Misanthrope.” He has also performed in a number of off-Broadway

plays, at Yale Repertory Theater and SUNY Purchase, where he first studied acting.

Tucci resides in New York with his wife and three children.

KENAN THOMPSON (The Ringmaster) is in his fourth season as a cast

member of “Saturday Night Live.” He has made numerous contributions to the show

including impressions of Bill Cosby, Rev. Al Sharpton and Star Jones, and his portrayal

of the fictional character D.J. Dynasty Handbag, the scathingly fierce co-host of “Club

Traxxx.” He stars in the forthcoming Screen Gems comedy Wieners, with Fran Kranz

and Jenny McCarthy.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Thompson made his television debut as a member

of Nickelodeon’s all-kid sketch comedy series “All That.” He and his partner, Kel

Mitchell, debuted in a spin-off show, “Kenan and Kel,” in 1996. The pair later starred in

Paramount’s hit feature film Good Burger. Thompson also had a recurring role on the

WB’s “Felicity.”

Thompson’s feature film credits include Snakes on a Plane opposite Samuel L.

Jackson, Fat Albert, D2: The Mighty Ducks, The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle,

Heavyweights, My Boss’s Daughter and Barbershop 2.

Thompson divides his time between Los Angeles and New York.

CARLOS ALAZRAQUI (Houston) is best known as Deputy James Garcia on

Comedy Central’s “Reno 911!” He is also a veteran voice performer whose work has

been featured in a number of films including the animated box office favorites Happy

Feet and Monsters, Inc. His television work includes “Family Guy,” “Jimmy Neutron:

Boy Genius,” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.” His next project is a live-action role in

horror film The Conjuring, opposite Lou Diamond Phillips and Pam Grier.

Alazraqui got his start on Seth McFarlane’s CBS animated series “The

Schnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show!” in 1993. A number of voice acting jobs

followed, including “Rocko’s Modern Life,” “The Powerpuff Girls,” “King of the Hill,”

“The Fairly Odd Parents,” “Camp Lazlo” and “Hey Arnold!”

Alazraqui’s live-action performances include guest appearances on “Pushing

Daisies,” “Lizzie McGuire” and “That ’70s Show.”

ZACH SHADA (Comet) was born in Boise, Idaho before moving to Los

Angeles at the age of 10. He immediately began auditioning and working on many

different projects including Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, “According to Jim” and

“Lost.” Zack has also had the great opportunity of working on a number of animated

projects including "Princess Stories,” “Tinkerbell,” “Justice League,” “The Ant Bully”

and Ice Age the Meltdown.

Over the past two years, he worked as one of the leads on the television series

"Jane Doe" and is currently very busy as the lead singer in the rock band "L.A. MisFit".

He enjoys surfing when he's not working and performing, and at15, looks forward to

many more great opportunities to come

JANE LYNCH (Dr. Poole) is familiar to film and television audiences from her

roles in The 40 Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Best in

Show, “Arrested Development,” “The L Word” and “Two and Half Men.” She was

recently seen with John C. Reilly in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Lynch has guest-starred on many of the most successful television series of the

last two decades, including “Frasier,” “NewsRadio,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “The X-Files,”

“Judging Amy,” “The West Wing,” “Family Guy,” “7th Heaven,” “Friends” and

“Desperate Housewives.” She has had recurring roles on “Criminal Minds,” “Boston

Legal” and “The New Adventures of the Old Christine.”

Among Lynch’s film credits are Vice Versa, The Fugitive, Collateral Damage, A

Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, Alvin and the Chipmunks and the forthcoming

The Rocker, starring Rainn Wilson and Christina Applegate.

PATRICK BREEN (Dr. Bob) is seen regularly on series television, including

appearances on “Boston Legal,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Joan of Arcadia,”

“Monk,” “Law & Order” and “Will & Grace.” Playing George Weiss, he was a series

regular on UPN’s “Kevin Hill” alongside Taye Diggs and Kate Levering. Breen is

currently shooting a romantic comedy, The Neighbor, alongside Matthew Modine.

Other television credits include appearances on “Pushing Daisies,” “Notes from

the Underbelly,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “The West Wing,” “Judging

Amy,” “Angel” and “Frasier.” Breen’s film work includes roles in For Love or Money,

Get Shorty, Men in Black, One True Thing, Galaxy Quest, Radio and Christmas with the

Kranks.

KATH SOUCIE (Dr. Smothers) is one of the top voice-over actors working

today. Her voluminous list of credits includes Pooh’s Heffalump Movie, The Emperor’s

New Groove and Frosty the Snowman, as well as recurring roles on the television shows

“The Replacements,” “My Friends Tigger and Pooh” and “All Grown Up.”

Soucie began her career in New York as a theatrical actress, followed by featured

roles in episodics and movies of the week after her move to Los Angeles. Her natural

acting ability and vocal versatility have created a constant demand for her talents.

Following the enormous success of Paramount’s animated feature Rugrats: The

Movie and the theatrical sequel, Rugrats in Paris, Soucie continues to provide the voices

of Phil, Lil and Betty for Nickelodeon’s Emmy award-winning “Rugrats” series. She

played Jetta in the feature Clifford the Big Red Dog and Wendy in Disney’s animated

feature Return to Neverland. She voiced the character Lola Bunny for the Warner

Brothers live-action feature Space Jam, and gave voice to one of the reindeer in Santa

Clause II.

Other film credits include The Tigger Movie, The Piglet Movie, 102 Dalmations,

Dumbo II, Beauty & The Beast, Annabel’s Wish, Tale of Tilly’s Dragon, The Brave Little

Toaster Goes to Mars, Third Stone from the Sun and The Little Engine.

Soucie has brought life to hundreds of animated characters on television, in both

primetime and daytime series. Soucie’s series regular credits include “101 Dalmations,”

“Pepper Ann,” “Recess,” “Gargoyles,” “Book of Pooh,” “Kim Possible,” “Hey Arnold!,”

“Butt Ugly Martians,” “Casper,” “Invasion America” and “Toonsylvania.” Her voice

acting can also be heard on “Handy Manny,” “Spectacular Spiderman,” “Danny

Phantom,” “The Weekenders,” “Fatherhood,” “Juniper Lee,” “W.I.T.C.H.,” “Curious

George,” “Z Force,” “Dexter’s Lab,” “As Told By Ginger,” “Futurama,” “The

Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius,” “All Grown Up,” “Clifford the Big Red

Dog,” “Clifford the Small Red Puppy,” “ Piggly Winks” and “Cramp Twins,” to name

only a few.

OMID ABTAHI (Dr. Jagu) makes his animation debut in Space Chimps. His

on-camera credits include series regular assignments on Showtime’s “Sleeper Cell” and

FX’s “Over There.” He recently finished shooting Brothers, a film directed by Jim

Sheridan that co-stars Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal. The film is

set for release in December 2008.

Prior to moving to the United States, Abtahi and his family lived in Europe and

the Middle East. In addition to his television roles since arriving in Los Angeles, he

appeared in the film Running with Scissors, starring Annette Bening. Abtahi also co-stars

in the new film Mysteries of Pittsburgh, which premiered at Sundance 2008 and features

Peter Saarsgard, Nick Nolte, Jon Foster and Sienna Miller.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

KIRK DEMICCO (Director, Writer) co-produced and co-wrote Racing Stripes,

starring Hayden Panettiere. His other writing credits include Quest for Camelot, Here

Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie, “Casper’s Scare School” for TV and the upcoming

feature Crood Awakening, directed by Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch). De Micco’s script

for The Twits, co-written with John Cleese, is currently in development at Vanguard

Films and Animation.

ROB MORELAND (Writer) is a screenwriter, director and development

executive. As an MFA filmmaking student at UCLA, Moreland was the first recipient of

the Lew Wasserman Fellowship, for directing his student film (featuring actress Téa

Leoni). He was nominated for a Fulbright Scholarship to study magical realism in Chile.

As a screenwriter, Moreland has sold and optioned scripts to Dreamworks, MGM/UA,

Nickelodeon/Paramount and Sony. Moreland’s original animated feature film Happily

N’Ever After, starring Sigourney Weaver, was released by Lionsgate in 2007. Moreland

also served as a voice director for the film. His current writing projects include an edgy

adult retelling of The Wizard of Oz, to be directed by Mike Johnson.

BARRY SONNENFELD (Producer) has found commercial and artistic success

as the director of such films as Wild Wild West, Get Shorty, RV, Big Trouble, The Addams

Family, Addams Family Values, Men in Black and Men in Black 2. He also produced or

executive produced Enchanted, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, The

Ladykillers and Out of Sight.

Sonnenfeld began his career as an acclaimed cinematographer, collaborating with

the Coen brothers on their first feature film, Blood Simple, and continuing with Raising

Arizona and Miller’s Crossing. Sonnenfeld also served as director of photography on

Penny Marshall’s Big, Danny DeVito’s Throw Momma from the Train and two films for

Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally and Misery.

Sonnenfeld has directed numerous Clio award-winning commercials for Nike,

Reebok and Isuzu. He is also the recipient of the 2007 DGA Award for his directorial

achievement in a comedy series for the pilot episode of “Pushing Daisies,” which he also

executive produced. He executive produced the ABC series “Karen Sisco” and directed

and executive produced “Maximum Bob,” “The Tick” and “Notes From The

Underbelly.”

Sonnenfeld has been a contributing editor for Esquire since September 2003 and

writes a monthly column, The Digital Man. He lives in East Hampton, New York and

Telluride, Colorado with his beautiful wife, Susan, and adorably strong-willed daughter,

Chloe.

JOHN H. WILLIAMS (Producer) started Vanguard Films in 1981. His first

production was a TV production of Steppenwolf Theater's “True West” with John

Malkovich and Gary Sinise, followed by “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Rocket to the

Moon” starring Malkovich and Judy Davis. Vanguard went on to produce A.R. Gurney's

“The Dining Room,” with William H. Macy; George Bernard Shaw's “Heartbreak

House” with Rex Harrison and Amy Irving; “The Rise and Rise of Daniel Rocket,” with

Tom Hulce; and “The Terrors of Pleasure,” with Spalding Gray.

Vanguard produced commercials through a joint venture production company

with Virgin Records. Commercial directors included Tim Pope (The Crow: City of

Angels), The Brothers Quay (Freda, Streets of Crocodiles) and Reggie Hudlin (House

Party, The Ladies Man). Vanguard has also produced documentaries on John F.

Kennedy, Aretha Franklin, George Gershwin, and the history of blues music.

Having brought the book to DreamWorks, Williams was the originating producer

of the Shrek animated film franchise. Williams also produced Shrek 2 and was executive

producer on Shrek 3. Vanguard Animation produced its first animated feature, Valiant, in

2005, which was released by Disney. It was followed by Happily N'Ever After in 2007.

Williams’ live action credits include Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt; The

Tuxedo, starring Jackie Chan and Jennifer Love Hewitt; Sarafina!, starring Whoopi

Goldberg; and the upcoming productions of Jack Kerouac's On The Road, to be directed

by Walter Salles, and Roald Dahl's The Twits. Williams also produced ESPN’s Bear

Bryant biopic “The Junction Boys,” starring Tom Berenger.

CURTIS AUGSPURGER (Co-Producer) partnered with John H. Williams in

2002 to create Vanguard Animation. His production paradigm helped deliver its first

feature-length animated film, Valiant, distributed by Walt Disney Studios, on a two-year

schedule for $40 million. It was followed by Happily N'Ever After in 2007.

Augspurger earned his undergraduate degree in architecture from Washington

University in St Louis, graduating cum laude, and earned his master’s degree in

Architecture from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and

Preservation. Augspurger entered production in 1990 when he pioneered the use of

digital visualization for Columbia University’s School of Architecture in New York.

Since then, he has continued to seek and find new and innovative ways to enhance artistic

productivity with computer technology, while maintaining his high artistic ideals.

Augspurger’s eclectic, out-of-the-box approach to digital effects and film

production has brought him management, production and consulting experience with

companies as diverse as Sony Entertainment, Warner Brothers Digital, Disney

Imagineering, ILM, Electronic Arts, Acclaim Entertainment, NBC, Paramount Pictures,

Cinesite, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon and Dream Picture Studios. In 2000, he formed his

own company, Menace FX, where he continued to produce digital content on film and

broadcast projects for numerous production companies across the United States and in

Europe.

TOM JACOMB (Associate Producer) was the line producer on Valiant, the

2005 animated comedy voiced by lead actors Ewan McGregor and Ricky Gervais.

Jacomb began his producing career in 1988 as senior producer for The Moving

Picture Company in London. Shortly thereafter, he became senior producer at Passion

Pictures, one of the world’s leading commercial animation companies. Tom set up

Passion FX, a visual effects unit, with Peter Chiang (who is now a senior visual FX

supervisor and co-founder of Double Negative) and Chris Knott. He produced over 40

commercials from a 3D photorealistic animated dog to the launch of the National Lottery.

In 1995, Jacomb joined James Garrett & Partners, a commercial production

company, where he produced TV commercials for 10 different directors including

Richard Loncraine, Nicholas Barker and Terrance Donavon. Working with budgets

ranging up to $3 million he was responsible for pitching and winning business as well as

producing and production-managing the projects.

Segueing into animation in 1997, Jacomb took over as managing director of Soho

601, a 3D animation and post-production company. He implemented new creative,

management and financial controls to make Soho 601 one of London’s leading creative

post-production companies. Having turned it into a very profitable company, Jacomb sold

Soho 601 to Liberty Livewire/Ascent Media, part of the Liberty Media Group. At the

company’s height, he employed 60 people, with annual revenue of $10 million.

In 2001, Jacomb became joint managing director of Glassworks, a 3D animation

and special effects company specializing in high-end, creative led, technically

challenging projects, utilizing their in-house research and development software team.

They built a network of up to 20 animators (XSI and Maya) and four Discrete Logic

Inferno suites backed up by an R&D department. Jacomb was instrumental in developing

Glassworks into a world leader in 3D animation. The company employs 50 people and

turns over $8 million-$10 million annually.

From 2003 to 2005, Jacomb served as line producer for Vanguard Animation’s

$40 million CG-animated feature film, Valiant. Hiring 190 people from all over the

world, Jacomb helped build out a full studio from scratch. He purchased and supervised

the installation of all hardware and software, as well as the implementation of the

pipeline and the full infrastructure of the company. In addition to scheduling and

managing production on a day-to-day basis, he was fully responsible for managing the

entire production budget. Jacomb ensured the film was delivered creatively on schedule

and on budget, as per the director and producer’s requirements.

CHRIS BACON (Music) received a unique and invaluable education in film

music through working with Oscar nominated composer James Newton Howard since

2005. Bacon’s music has been heard in the films King Kong, RV, and The Great

Debaters. Bacon conducted and/or orchestrated on the films I Am Legend, Michael

Clayton, The Lookout and The Water Horse. He has also composed scores for several

Lifetime Television movies, ABC.com, and prominent commercial and political

campaigns. Space Chimps marks his initial foray into feature animation, but not his last,

as he will be scoring Lionsgate’s first computer animated feature, Alpha and Omega.

BLUE MAN GROUP (Music) received a Grammy® nomination in the Best Pop

Instrumental category for its debut album, Audio, on Virgin Records. The album was

certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The trio has also

advanced into scoring and won critical praise for their first television score with FOX’s

“The Jury.” In the world of cinema, Blue Man Group collaborated with composer John

Powell in creating 25 new percussion instruments to define the sound for 20th Century

Fox’s animated feature, Robots. Blue Man Group has also been featured on Intel’s

Pentium 3, Pentium 4, and Centrino television advertisements.

As the follow up to Audio, Blue Man Group released their first full-fledged rock

album The Complex, which features collaborations with Dan the Automator, Tracy

Bonham, Esthero, Josh Haden, Dave Matthews and others. While recording The

Complex, the trio simultaneously developed a groundbreaking rock concert experience

that became the widely acclaimed and successful The Complex Rock Tour. The tour

visited nearly 100 cities across the United States and Canada. Footage from two of the

shows, along with music videos and select songs from The Complex in 5.1 Surround

Sound, was included on Blue Man Group’s first rock concert DVD, The Complex Rock

Tour Live, which was certified Double Platinum®.

Blue Man Group Records released Live at The Venetian®—Las Vegas, distributed

exclusively on iTunes. The custom-built theater and state-of-the-art sound system at The

Venetian pushes the technological envelope and amplifies the intensity of the Blue Man

Group performance. The goal of this recording is to offer the exuberant Blue Man Las

Vegas experience to audiences beyond the Vegas strip.

Blue Man Group’s latest addition to the touring circuit is the satirical rock concert

How To Be A Megastar, the follow-up to The Complex Rock Tour. In its first year on

tour, Megastar visited arenas in over 104 U.S. cities. The recent summer leg of the tour

brought Blue Man Group to South America and allowed them to translate some of the

songs into Spanish and Portuguese. One of the standout songs was “Canta Conmigo”

(formerly known as “Sing Along”). The song made a distinct connection with the

audience, creating a dynamic new sound that millions of Spanish-speaking fans are able

to share with Blue Man Group. The crowd reaction to “Canta Conmigo” prompted Blue

Man Group to release a promotional CD single with remixes by Funky Junction,

Nickodemus, Onionz and Gaea. “Canta Conmigo” is scheduled for commercial release in

the spring and has already ranked in the top 50 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Play chart.

The song is also featured in the current installment of the Megastar tour, which is

traveling through 140 U.S. cities this winter/spring.

Re-envisioning everyday objects and embracing advanced musical technologies,

Blue Man Group continues to develop instruments built with unencumbered imagination.

# # #

Permission is hereby granted to newspapers and periodicals to reproduce this

text in articles publicizing the distribution of the Motion Picture.

All other use is strictly prohibited, including sale, duplication, or other transfers of this material.

This press kit, in whole or in part, must not be leased, sold, or given away.

Directed by

KIRK DEMICCO

Produced by

JOHN H. WILLIAMS

Produced by

BARRY SONNENFELD

Executive Producers

ERIC M. BENNETT

NEIL BRAUN

Executive Producers for Starz Media

MORRIS BERGER

STEVE BROWN

JERRY DAVIS

JOHN HYDE

Co-Produced by

CURTIS AUGSPURGER

Associate Producer

TOM JACOMB

Story by

KIRK DEMICCO

Screenplay by

KIRK DEMICCO AND ROB

MORELAND

Music Supervisor

JOEL SILL

CURT SOBEL

Music by

CHRIS BACON

Music by

BLUE MAN GROUP

Re-Recording Mixers

KEVIN O’CONNELL

BEAU BORDERS

Supervising Sound Editors

BOBBY MACKSTON

KEVIN O’CONNELL

Supervising Film Editor

TOM FINAN

Production Design

BO WELCH

Casting By

MATTHEW JON BECK, C.S.A.

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