By: Lynn Barker
Katy voices the iconic Smurfette in the new Smurfs movie.
Songstress Katy Perry, famous for her cool yet wacky outfits (okay maybe less wacky than Gaga but pretty out there) and her pop tunes “California Gurls”, “I Kissed a Girl”, “Teenage Dream” and more, is a big fan of animated films and was thrilled to voice little blue Smurfette in the new film.
Kidzworld wanted to know why the producer and director matched up Katy’s voice to the tiny, iconic, blonde-haired, blue-skinned beauty and how Katy feels about her first “acting” gig… even if it is just her voice.
Smurfette and Gutsy
Kidzworld: What was it about Katy’s voice that grabbed you and what was that Smurfette casting process like?
- Director Raja Gosnell: There are some amazing actresses and everybody wanted to be Smurfette. She’s such an icon of all the Smurfs particularly for the ladies of the world. So we had our casting people grab voice samples of a lot of different actresses; some who’d done only voice, some were major movie stars and we taped Smurfette’s picture on the wall, looked at that and listened to take after take of different actresses doing it.
- When Katy’s voice hit, there was such a cute, babydoll/sophistication/innocence all mixed together in one voice and she managed to contain all those things in a few short sentences. That, to us, was Smurfette.
- Producer Jordan Kerner: Katy had no acting experience so Raja worked with her very closely during her performances but watch out! She is a major comedienne and she’s beautiful. She came to us to record like she rolled out of bed often but she is sweet and an incredibly hard worker.
- She just has a natural comedic talent. She will be a huge star.
Smurfette Poster
Kidzworld: Katy, how did you enjoy the process of recording and creating Smurfette with your voice?
- Katy: When I do the voice of Smurfette, I get to be a part of creating her character and adding little nuances to who she is on the big screen.
- That’s really fun. I like taking little liberties here and there. It’s basically my voice if you throw some rocks in it like I had too many cups of coffee. It’s fun because I get to see the evolution of the cartoons from sketches to moving storyboards to “Oh my gosh, they’re basically 3-D now”. So, it’s fun to be there from the beginning and feel like I’m part of molding who Smurfette is.
Kidzworld: Why did you want to be the voice of Smurfette in the film?
- Katy: I wanted to be part of The Smurfs because I’m such a big fan of the animation world and the animated films because they (target) so many people; people my age, younger, much older. Everyone can enjoy them.
- I’ve always been interested in doing voice-related things. That’s my job. I use my voice every single day so it’s very natural and I feel very cartoony a lot of times because of the way I present myself so it was a natural progression.
Smurfalicious
Kidzworld: Did the filmmakers pick you from just your voice?
- Katy: They had done a blind test where they took certain voices from previous interviews and matched them with the character. They liked my voice without even knowing who it was and when they found out, it was me, they thought that would work out. My personality was just a plus.
- They asked me to add my own nuance to it so I was able to be sassy and cute, a little mischievous and funny.
Kidzworld: Who is the film for, in your opinion?
- Katy: It’s a film that all ages can enjoy.It caters to the young person inside of you because the Smurfs (T.V.) show existed in the past and those kids have grown up and [they now want] to reminisce and have that familiar feeling of when they were a kid watching the show. Then you get to introduce it to a whole new audience now. There are no sneaky innuendoes or taboo things. It’s a positive story with a sweet side. It’s a great message. It’s family-oriented and that’s why I wanted to be a part of it.
Katy Perry recording Smurfette
