On the Spot – Billy Connolly attends the Brave Premiere in Sydney

On Monday 11 June 2012, as part of the Sydney Film Festival, the Australian premiere of Disney-Pixar’s new animated film Brave was held at Event Cinemas on George Street.

Despite the bad weather, many people still came to see the film almost 2 weeks before its Australian cinematic release. People were well received on the “green carpet” as most of them became part of the action wearing “Brave Wigs” while some Scottish dancers and a Gaita player were warming up the venue, getting ready to welcome a very special guest, the funny man/musician/presenter/actor Billy Connolly who plays the role of King Fergus in the film (also in the upcoming blockbuster The Hobbit, playing Dwarf Dain Ironfoot)

Mr. Connolly, arrived sharp around 6pm and immediately started doing some interviews and meeting some fans, being extremely friendly with everyone, signing autographs, shaking hands and posing for photos. So we had the great chance to speak to him about his part in this new Pixar animated film and we even got some information on The Hobbit.

SR. Hi Billy, great to meet you and good to see you back in Australia.

BC. How are you guys!. It`s very nice to be back here, I really think you have one of the most beautiful countries in the world you know and people is always so lovely…Look around now, with this rain people are still here to see the film.

SR. Regarding the film. What was it like to be involved in a Disney-Pixar Movie?

BC. It was lovely, what a pleasant thing to do. I really enjoyed it a lot as I think they do a terrific work and they are the best in what they do. The only thing I don`t know is this (He points around the carpet), being in movie premieres and that kind of stuff, but still it is great to get to meet all these lovely people because of a film like this.

SR. How much of your own personality did you put into the character of King Fergus in the movie?

BC. All of it, I think its all you can do, you have to be you. Either you expand or shrink your personality while representing a character like this one. You’ll see in few more minutes that he is very much like me for good or bad…I hope for good or I won`t be called for any other animated film ha ha ha.

SR. What is the hardest part of doing an animated film?

BC. The hardest part of doing an animated film is also the best part, and it’s that you are completely alone, and most of the time you don`t have other actors to act with, so you do your own dialogs, expressions as the studio gives you the chance of being yourself, but still sometimes you miss that human contact and that interaction with other actors and there it is when you see the great job of the animators coming to life because after you see the final product all together, you are very moved at the good results.

Spotlight Report and Billy Connolly

SR. How did you react the first time you got the script, especially taking in consideration your Scottish background? Did you sign up straight away?

BC. To be honest, I didn`t really care much about the Scottish theme in the film. I only thought that if it is a Disney-Pixar film, it will be good. I`m not in a crusade to make Scottish proud, it was the Disney-Pixar thing which was the main factor for me to say yes to the project even before finishing reading the script.

SR. And from an epic Disney-Pixar animated film to an epic Journey…We really have to ask you, can you give us an update on The Hobbit?

BC. Oh…I don`t think I`m allowed to say much about it as they wanna be very secretive about the film. What I can tell you is that my make up to get in my character (Dain Ironfoot) took 2 and a half hours to be done every time and the results are very impressive, because you hardly recognize me with that very long beard they put on me. Also I never thought I`ll be playing the role of a Dwarf, just imagine somebody calls you to say you will be a Dwarf ha ha ha ha.

SR. Will we see you at The Hobbit world premiere in New Zealand in November then?

BC. I don`t think I will be there, as the film has been separated into two films as you know and I`m not in the first one, so you will see me later in the second film.

SR. Thanks Billy, and congratulations for the film.

BC. Lovely to talk to you. Enjoy the movie.

After our interview, Mr.Connolly continued doing interviews and meeting fans until before the movie starts, where he did a very funny intro speech about his character King Fergus and about being a Dwarf in the Hobbit. However, his speech ended emotionally as he said to the crowd that the film is about believing in and create your own destiny and is dedicated to all the young people, inspiring them to have the same spirit as Princess Merida.

Here, enjoy some postcards of the venue below:

Brave opens in Australia on 21 June 2012.