Bruno Mars As "Roberto" Lends Voice to "Rio 2"

BRUNO MARS’ JUNGLE ADVENTURE IN “RIO 2”

There’s something that Jewel (Anne Hathaway) did not talk about with Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) in the first “Rio” family adventure outing – that is her childhood friend named Roberto (Bruno Mars).  In the upcoming adventure 3D movie “Rio 2,” Blu is suddenly pitted against Jewel’s childhood friend, Roberto who is the epitome of a Blue Macaw - a perfect specimen of a wild bird who charms everyone around him and makes Blu self-conscious.

Bruno Mars joins the vividly delightful and upbeat musical world of Blu and Jewel in “Rio 2” where director Carlos Saldanha brings the adventure into the wild thick forest of the Amazon.  With the success of “Rio” the call for a sequel came quickly.  Having already teased a new life together for Blu and Jewel – and their three new arrivals – in the film’s finale, Saldanha pitched his idea for a new story.  What if Blu and his family aren’t the last Blue Macaws, he posited.  What would happen to the family dynamic?

Saldanha decided to set his new story in the mammoth Brazilian wilderness.  “I wanted a setting very different from the one we explored in ‘Rio,’ he explains.  “I thought we should move away from the city.”   So, in “Rio 2,” it’s on…in the Amazon, not only visually, but musically.  “We wanted to look at different musical ‘flavors,’ sounds and exciting new beats that make the soundtrack for “Rio 2” even bigger than the first film’s,” says the director.

If meeting a critical father-in-law, Eduardo (Andy Garcia) weren’t enough, Blu must also contend with Jewel’s childhood friend Roberto, played by Bruno Mars. “Roberto is pretty much the opposite of Blu – all charm and suaveness – and he can sing like an angel,” says Hathaway.  Eisenberg notes that, “Roberto and Jewel have a history and an almost secret language.  So Blu feels not only threatened by Roberto, but is frustrated because Roberto seems like the perfect guy.  Everything he does is heroic – and he’s a great singer!”

Roberto owes his vocal prowess to the music icon who voices him: Bruno Mars. The Grammy winner, who has sold over 115 million records worldwide and has a catalog of 22 Hot 100 hits as a singer, producer and songwriter, enjoyed his first foray into feature animation.  “I like that Roberto has a good heart,” Mars explains. “He’s a genuine dude and he really has love for Jewel – genuine love.  They grew up together, so they have a bond that’s pretty special.”

The filmmakers considered a long list of candidates for the role, but a Mars appearance on “Saturday Night Live” helped sealed the deal.  “I saw a clip of Bruno acting on SNL, and I thought he was really funny,” Saldanha remembers.  Producer John C. Donkin notes that casting Mars “transformed our thinking about the character.   He added a unique quality we initially hadn’t envisioned for Roberto, which we came to embrace, and the character really blossomed.”

If Roberto’s looks, talent and friendship with Jewel weren’t intimidating enough for Blu, the songbird hosts the clan in his magnificent mansion, located in one of the Amazon’s most impressive trees.  Interweaving roots create open pockets, perfect for rooms housing Blu and his family.  As the family settles into this exciting new world, Blu finds his learning curve to be a steep one.

Bruno Mars lends his signature vocal stylings to the track “Welcome Back,” in which his character Roberto expresses his joy in reuniting with Jewel.  The song was written by Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and John Powell, and produced by Bruno Mars and John Powell.

“Rio 2” (in 2D and 3D) will open April 9 (Saturday) nationwide in cinemas from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

LESLIE MANN COMEDIC TALENT SHINES IN “MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN,” “THE OTHER WOMAN” & “RIO 2”

LESLIE MANN’S COMEDIC TALENT SHINES IN “MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN,” “THE OTHER WOMAN” & “RIO 2”

Leslie Mann’s impeccable timing and improved skills will soon be seen in the upcoming comedy movies “Mr. Peabody & Sherman, “Rio 2”” and in “The Other Woman.”

In DreamWorks Animation’s “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” Mann is the voice of Patty, parent to Sherman’s friend Penny where they set foot in Peabody’s home to settle the brawl that happened between their children. Director Rob Minkoff was thrilled to be working with comedy actress Leslie Mann, “Leslie has incredible charm and a great and unexpected attitude in her voice,” he says.

The worldwide smash hit “Rio” by Blue Sky Studios brings the wacky group of Blu and Jewel back in the height of adventure in “Rio 2” with Carlos Saldanha at the helm once again where Mann lends voice to Linda who is now married to Tulio (voiced by Rodrigo Santoro), Blu’s best pal.  The newlyweds are exploring the Amazon, where they discover there may be more Blue Macaws, and set out to find them.    Mann describes the game-changing discovery in “Rio 2,” “From the sky, a little blue feather falls between Linda and Tulio.  He tastes it and he realizes it’s a Blue Macaw feather.  And they go off in search of more Blue Macaws.”

In the upcoming hilarious estrogen-filled comedy, The Other Woman, Mann plays wife to a cheating husband played by Nikolaj Coster- Waldau.  Together with Cameron Diaz , whose role as Waldau’s girlfriend who is unaware that his boyfriend is married, teams up with Mann’s character to teach their man a lesson and hit him where it hurts the most. Uncovering yet another philandering act, the two women further find out another ‘other woman’ in the mix played by Kate Upton.  In this laugh-out-loud comedy, three women are brought together by the same man who have wronged then and ultimately become the best of friends, forming a bond like no other.
Leslie Mann’s comedic timing and standout performances captivate audiences and critics alike. She recently starred opposite Paul Rudd in Judd Apatow’s “This Is 40.”  Mann’s stand out performance as Debbie in “This Is 40” earned her a Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nomination in the category of Best Actress is a Comedy.
Mann continued her recent voice performance work in the Oscar nominated “ParaNorman,” an animated 3D, stop-motion film from the team behind “Coraline,” including writer/director Chris Butler, Focus Features and LAIKA.  In 2011, Mann starred opposite Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman in David Dobkin’s “The Change-Up” and in 2009 was seen in the indie hit “I Love You Phillip Morris” alongside Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor.
Among her other feature films are “The Bling Ring,” “17 Again,” “Big Daddy,” “Little Birds,” “George of the Jungle,” “Timecode,” “She’s the One,” “Drillbit Taylor,” “Orange County,” “Funny People” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin.”

A native of Southern California, Mann studied acting with the improved troupe the Groundlings whose alumni include most of the familiar faces in comedy today. One of her first big breaks was Ben Stiller’s “The Cable Guy” with Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. While auditioning for the film she met future husband Judd Apatow. This film marked their first collaboration and the beginning of their creative professional partnership.
Mann and Apatow are longtime supporters of the non-profit organization 826LA. Founded by Dave Eggers, the organization focuses on encouraging disadvantaged youth’s writing skills by offering a range programs on-site at their tutoring center and for teachers to implement in their classrooms. Mann and Apatow’s philanthropic contributions were honored earlier this year with the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program’s 2012 Children’s Choice Award for their work with children, and their families, who are dealing with pediatric cancer.  In 2009 the couple was also recognized by The Fulfillment Fund who honored them at their annual benefit gala.