“We thought ‘who could play this role comedically but also deliver the message?’ And no better an agent of chaos than Mel Brooks!” said director Nigel Tierney.
Mel Brooks, who celebrated his 100th birthday last June, stars in a new animated short film titled Addicted To It. The seven-minute production serves as a cautionary tale regarding mobile phone use and has qualified for consideration in the Animated Shorts category for the upcoming Oscars.
The Role of Phoney Bunny
In the film, a character named Dace attempts to walk through the Redwoods without his mobile device. The phone transforms into “Phoney Bunny,” a character voiced by Brooks. Tierney describes the character as a manipulative “agent of chaos” and the “ultimate narcissist” who attempts to lure the owner back into “doom scrolling.”
Tierney, an LA-based director originally from Kilkenny, compared the character to the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, noting the goal was to create something that appeared “charming and sweet but also chaotic.”
Brooks Visits Studio to Record Role
Tierney’s eight-year-old daughter, Crystal, also has a singing role in the short.
Tierney, who has previous credits on The Croods, Kung Fu Panda 3, and Shrek Forever After, noted that Brooks was interested in the project immediately upon receiving the concept. Rather than recording remotely, Brooks visited the studio in person wearing a suit and red pocket square.
Personal Inspiration
The project addresses the issue of obsessive phone use and its impact on children, including 13-year-old Nigel Jr. Tierney noted that children are seeing their father “not paying them attention.”
Regarding the experience of working with the legendary filmmaker, Tierney said, “Selfishly, I’ll tell you he told me I did a good job of directing him and for someone who grew up watching his movies, I don’t need any other compliments after that.”
