The first Ice Age film came out 20 years ago, and the property is still going strong two decades later. New installment The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is now streaming on Disney+, bringing back Simon Pegg in the titular role as Buck goes on a journey to the Dinosaur World. Of course, the movie introduces some fresh faces to the series as well. Chief among the newcomers is Justina Machado, who voices Zee.
Screen Rant spoke with Machado about joining the franchise, her Ice Age fandom, and much more.
Congrats on joining the Ice Age franchise. It is so popular. Were you a huge fan before joining?
Justina Machado: I was a fan. I was a fan of the movies. I remember seeing the original 20 years ago. So, yes, I was a fan. And I've always been a fan of the universal themes that the movie has of family, of chosen family, community, justice, equality - all of those things.
And what do you love about this movie? How does it compare to other Ice Age movies that have come before?
Justina Machado: I can't really answer that question, because I haven't seen the movies in a long time. But I do know that it follows the same kind of [themes]; it's in the same world.
I think that this is the first time that we see Buck with some sort of history, with somebody from his past that just kind of came up. There's a backstory there, so that's very new. And Zee's new to this wacky family.
I think that there's more similarities than there are differences in all the movies.
Who in your life is the most excited that you're joining Ice Age, or you're excited about because you can watch this movie with them?
Justina Machado: A lot of my friends, when I told them I was doing press for Ice Age. They're like, "What? You're in Ice Age?" These are a lot of my friends, so they got me excited. Because I was like, "Yeah, that's right. This is huge! It's exciting."
It is a franchise that spans so many decades too, because people that were kids when it came out are at the bar now.
Justina Machado: And me, when it came out, I was already an adult. It's interesting that it's been 20 years, and they're still making these movies that little kids love, that adults love, and that families love watching together. I mean, that's always fun to be able to watch something with your family, and everybody gets something out of it.
For the voice recording aspect of it, I remember that in the first one, the actors were encouraged to improv as much as they could just to make the animation wacky. Did you have that experience?
Justina Machado: You're telling me new stuff! I'm like, "What?" But I think that if I'm lucky enough to do another movie, I would probably be very comfortable improv-ing. I don't think I would have been comfortable the first time, because it was kind of fitting into this new world and seeing how we sound together.
I mean, I never even met Simon Pegg until yesterday. We never recorded together, and we were never in the same room together. But I think after seeing the finishing product and being very impressed with our chemistry, I would feel comfortable improv-ing the next time.
I have a question I've wanted to ask you for a few years. In my generation, a lot of people watched Final Destination 2. We are haunted anytime we drive by that car accident scene.
Justina Machado: Everyone says that. It's so funny. My brother says that all the time. If we're behind something, he's haunted by it.
If I see a truck with logs, I am pulling off the freeway. I don't want to be anywhere near it. But I'm just curious, as someone who was in that scene, did it affect you the way that it affected so many people?
Justina Machado: I wasn't even in that scene. That was special - not special effects, but those were stunt people. So, I didn't even see that. I saw it when you guys saw it; that's the first time I saw that scene. None of that has affected me.
I just had a fun time making that movie in Vancouver. That's where we made it.
They just announced that they're going to do a new one, so I'm really excited about that. Bring all the survivors back. You're still alive in there.
Justina Machado: They don't stop, those Final Destination movies. Yeah, I survived!
