Mike Myers

Looking back at the Shrek movies, what’s been one of your favourite moments over the last 10 years?

When Jeffrey (Katzenberg) said “Would you like to be in an animated movie?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “It’s a movie called Shrek.” I said, “That’s the worst title I’ve ever heard in my life.” I didn’t know what it was going to be. The first time I saw it with an audience the line, “But you are beautiful to me,” got gasps. People were so into the whole romance and the whole heart of it that I was just blown away. It was something that people could be invested in and I think that’s been the most satisfying thing for me.

What do you like most about the Shrek movies?

I love the message of these movies. The lessons that Shrek has to learn and has learned are ones that we all can relate to. To be able to inhabit a character and convey that process is an amazing journey for me as an actor.

So is your character Shrek still the intimidating giant in the final chapter?

No, he is not the ogre he was in the first Shrek films. My character has now become somewhat domesticated after three films. Now the father of three, Shrek has responsibilities, duties and obligations. He is no longer the intimidating giant we met at the beginning of the first film, who caused the people of Far Far Away to run screaming in the other direction. Now, he’s treated like a local celebrity, with townspeople treating him with awe, tipping their caps and offering cordial greetings when they see respectable Shrek in the street.

And what is Shrek up to this time?

As Shrek is now domesticated and has become a local celebrity, he misses the days when he felt like a “real ogre”. Shrek is later duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin (voiced by Walt Dohrn). Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate reality of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. So now, Shrek has to undo all he’s done in the hope of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one true love.

Do you think the message of the movie is skewed more towards the adults?

I think that Shrek is a little bit like Flintstones vitamins. You’re eating Barney and Dino and you don’t know it’s good for you. It has built-in vitamins but the delivery system is very enjoyable. Would anyone like to hit me in the face right now?

Do kids come up to you and ask you to do the Shrek voice? Tell us about your relationship with the voice and the kids who love you.

Oh yes, they do approach me and request me to do the Shrek voice. I’ve even called kids who have measles or are sick or whatever and I’m always shocked by how incredibly accepting they are that Shrek is calling them. So it’s like ‘ah Shrek’, good. Isn’t this a little extraordinary?

Cameron Diaz

How do you think your character Fiona has grown in the last 10 years?

When I first met Fiona, she just was this young princess trapped in a tower and I’ve watched how she’s grown over the last four films. We’ve seen what a wonderful mother and partner she’s become and how she’s grown as this person and as an ogre and accepted herself for who she is and embraced that and brought the people that she loves into her life. It has not only been a pleasure but an honour to be able to portray her.

Walt Dohrn is the latest addition to the voice cast, how was it working with him?

I had the great pleasure of working with Walt. He used to do all the different voices when we used to record and he’s just fantastic. He’s such a great actor and he’s given so much in performance back to me in the readings for our recordings.

Now that your character will be in an alternate reality of Far Far Away, will there be any alterations in Fiona’s character?

Of course, there are alterations in my character. Fiona has now traded in her tiara for a knife and battle-axe and her gown for a leather vest and battle armour. Fiona has become a force to be reckoned with, and feared. Fiona embraces her ogreness in this movie, and hides her human form from those around her. For a princess who one day dreamed of becoming Mrs Fiona Charming, Shrek Forever After re-imagines the ogress as a fearless leader, determined to overthrow Rumpel and ensure freedom for all ogres.

Finally, what do you have to say about the Shrek series and your journey so far?

This film’s legacy — and all the previous films of Shrek — is really quite extraordinary. What Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Puss have all accomplished, and what they’ve given the audiences is something we’re all very proud of, and I’m proud to have been a part of this amazing journey.