In a live action movie would you ever believe Ray Romano and Queen Latifah as a couple? Yet, that is exactly what we get in “Ice Age: Continental Drift,” the fourth film in the amazingly popular Sony Pictures animated series. The sequel goes a step further in casting a love interest for Denis Leary with the voice of Jennifer Lopez. Leary and Lopez may be slightly more likely a hook up than Latifah and Romano but not by much.
Here’s a look at some of the more unusual animated romantic pairings.
Owen Wilson and Bonnie Hunt in “Cars”
Don’t get me wrong. Bonnie Hunt is cute as a button but she’s about as likely to play a romantic lead opposite Owen Wilson as this writer is. Consider the facts; Wilson’s previous romantic comedy co-stars include Jennifer Aniston, Rachel McAdams and Reese Witherspoon. In voice however, Hunt’s relaxed charm and Wilson’s eager to please hamminess were perfectly matched.
Meryl Streep and George Clooney in “The Fantastic Mr. Fox”
Clooney and Streep probably could make a fascinating movie together but no one see’s them as a couple. In the 2009 claymation comedy “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” cast Clooney and Streep as a long married pair of Foxes who must save their community of fellow forest dwellers from evil, land developing farmers. From the first moments of this often slow and meandering bit of whimsy Streep and Clooney banter effortlessly as they make the best of what is one of Mr. Anderson’s most pointless efforts.
Woody Allen and Sharon Stone in “Antz”
Ok, admittedly, Woody Allen would have no problem casting himself romantically opposite Sharon Stone but that doesn’t make it believable. In the groundbreaking 1998 Dreamworks CG animated “Antz” Woody gives voice to a worker Ant who becomes a hero by accident of trying to impress Stone’s Princess Bala. Even in voice Allen and Stone are an unlikely pair and yet “Antz” works because Allen tries very hard and Stone’s usually vampy vocal is touched with just enough sentimentality to be believable.
Tim Allen and Joan Cusack in “Toy Story 3”
If you think a cowgirl and a spaceman are an unlikely couple imagine them played by Tim Allen and Joan Cusack. In voice in “Toy Story 3” this pair made a terrific budding romance. In reality however, Hollywood would never cast Allen and Cusack as romantic leads. It’s nothing against these two stars that could likely be very funny together but modern Hollywood has no interest in making a movie with two stars over the age of 50 who aren’t the biggest stars in the world.
