Meet the voices of the star-studded flock of sheep in 'The Sheep Detectives' out in PH cinemas on May 6

 

Herding a voice cast for a whole flock of wooly characters is no mean feat, but there’s an additional twist to finding the right actors for The Sheep Detectives. Every sheep has its own unique personality, but the actors’ delivery and mannerisms would directly influence how their sheep would be fleshed out through animation. 

“We actually capture footage of the actors while they’re recording—multiple angles of their faces,” says animator Maya Storm Shrestha. “From that, we translate their physical performances into the animation in a way that balances character expression with how a sheep’s anatomy naturally works.”

In The Sheep Detectives, voices from acclaimed actors like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Rhys Darby, Patrick Stewart, Bryan Cranston, and more lend life to a fluffy cast of characters tasked with solving the mystery of their beloved shepherd George's (Hugh Jackman) death. Driven by their shepherd’s nightly detective novel readings to the flock, the woolly investigators try to prove that even sheep can solve the toughest of mysteries.

We start with Lily, the smartest sheep in the group, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Lawful and loyal, she is devoted to George and helms the investigation for the flock. “Lily’s loyalty to George is unbreakable,” says Louis-Dreyfus. “She’s taken what George modeled for her and applies it not only to solving the crime but also to being a kindhearted leader. In doing so, she addresses her own fears and becomes a better leader.”

The flock's respected elder is the regal Sir Ritchfield, voiced by Patrick Stewart. As a voice actor, Stewart manages to crack up the crew with his unexpectedly humorous line deliveries.  “One of my favorite pieces of voice acting in the movie comes from Patrick Stewart,” says Executive/Animation Producer Tyson Hesse. “We simply asked him to keep repeating the word ‘murderer’ with escalating intensity, and each time it just got funnier and funnier. It became a great, unexpected running gag.”

“The Sheep Detectives” brings mystery and humor to Philippine cinemas on May 6.

Main photo credit: Julia Louis-Dreyfus voices Lily, and Hugh Jackman as Shepherd George, in 'The Sheep Detectives' (Columbia Pictures)