No compensation was received for this post. I attended a press junket, which facilitated the writing of this post. Accommodations were provided.
He’s a legend in Mexico…and in the Bailey household. El Chupacabra, the Gee Bee Model R racing plane voiced by Carlos Alazraqui, brings laughter, culture, and dimension to Disney’s latest animated film Planes. After walking out of the theater over the weekend, my son couldn’t get over his infamous line “I swish my cape at you…you have been shamed!”
During my time at DisneyToon Studios, I spent a lively 20 minutes talking to Alazraqui, who’s talented beyond measure with a resume to prove it. You may know him as Deputy James Garcia on Comedy Central’s “Reno 911″ but his voiceover work spans a host of children’s animated classics. Alazraqui has voiced Gidget, the Taco Bell Chihuahua, Nestor, the Latin Penguin in Happy Feet 1 & 2, King Magnus in Disney’s Sofia the First, Bobbi Fabulous in Phineas and Ferb, and Sigmund in Beverly Hills Chihuahua (to name a few).
In most films there is a main protagonist, and in Planes, that role is fulfilled by Dusty. But as the plot develops, audiences soon find themselves drawn into El Chu’s character and his romantic plight. El Chupacabra is large, named after the legendary monster said to live in parts of America, with a personality to match his immense size. He is confident…filled with “bravado” from his infamous telenovelas appearances and musical sensations. But El Chu’s character provides more than simple comic relief. “When El Chu meets Dusty, there’s an instant connection…they form a great friendship that’s built on trust” (Alazraqui). As the movie progresses we see these 2 racing competitors help each other out despite their rivalry, which shows children the importance of being a good friend in all circumstances.
What began as a simple table read turned into a role that Alazraqui identifies as one of his favorites. Working on a Disney film is no easy feat, albeit a dream, and he spent two years refining his role as El Chupacabra. Here are three things you didn’t know about Carlos Alazraqui:
1. Alazraqui initially had no formal training and “fell into” voice work, which is quite impressive for someone so talented.
2. The Argentine actor/comedian is multilingual and studies dialects by watching people move their mouth/lips, then attempting to replicate them.
3. El Chupacabra is Alazraqui’s most prominent role to date and one he is proud of, particularly because of his character’s positive, heroic personality.
See Alazraqui in Disney’s Planes, now in theaters nationwide.
Images: Disney, unless otherwise noted.
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