First News interviewed Eddie Izzard, the voice of Sir Miles Axlerod in the brilliant Cars 2!

What do you like the most about your character?

I love the Richard Branson-esque quality of Miles. I like his style and his love of great new ideas, even though there is a twist to my character that takes him to a different place. He’s been a lot of fun to play. 

Did you have Richard Branson in mind when you recorded the dialogue for your character?

The idea of Richard Branson was mentioned early on in the production and I definitely identify with the businessman in Sir Miles Axlerod, so the character was a great fit. I love his style of doing business and the idea of being very positive while thinking outside of the box.

How does voicing an animated character differ from acting in a live-action movie?

When you work in animation, you have to put as much effort as you can into your voice, but you never know what’s going to happen. You rarely see any of the animation until it’s finished. Animation is a director’s work of art. You give everything to the director and then you leave them to play around with it. 

How difficult is it to work in the sound booth alone?

This is my fourth animated movie, so I’ve gotten used to it by now. You have to tap into that childlike sensibility you had when you were a little kid, because you’re imagining the entire world of Cars 2. Even though you’re standing alone in a little space, you have to imagine you’re standing alongside all these wonderful characters. 

What is it like to visit Pixar Animation Studios in California?

It’s amazing. You feel like you’re walking into a whole new world when you step inside Pixar. The animators are allowed to decorate their work areas however they want to, so you see their imagination come to life as you wander around the place. It’s very exciting. It’s certainly not a drab, gray business office. There’s a lot of life and imagination there. 

Cars 2 is out now on Disney Blu-ray and DVD