Sonic the Hedgehog was released in 2020 and is based on the Sega video game franchise of the same name, which is one of the most successful games that has ever been released. Despite some initial bumps in the road involving a character design overhaul due to intense backlash from fans, the original film was a major success, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of that year.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released in April of this year and, again, was a huge box office success, becoming the highest domestic grossing video game movie in history. With just two movies, Sonic has become one of the highest-grossing video game movie franchises of all time, and it's not stopping anytime soon. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is officially a go, along with a Knuckles spinoff. In celebration of Sonic 2, here are eight interesting facts about the movie's cast.
8 Idris Elba is a Trained Kickboxer and Mixed Martial Artist
Idris Elba is an established actor and musician, voicing Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and he is an all-around very talented individual. Elba is also a highly trained kickboxer and mixed martial artist and showcased all of this in 2017 in the form of a documentary called Idris Elba: Fighter. He won his professional debut and stated that the experience was one of the most challenging of his entire life.
7 Natasha Rothwell Used to be a Teacher
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Natasha Rothwell plays Rachel. Rothwell has not had a very traditional path to starring on the big screen. She studied theater in college, however, it took some time before she would achieve her big break. In the time before she found success, she took a job as a high school drama teacher, and she credits this as a very formative time in her life.
6 James Marsden Had to Wear Lifts to Appear Taller in X-Men
James Marsden plays Tom in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but he famously starred as Cyclops in the X-Men franchise. In the comics, his character's height is listed to be six-foot-three, which is much taller than Marsden is in real life. In fact, he was actually shorter than Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine. Wolverine, in the comics, is listed as being five-foot-three. As such, Marsden, per Buzzfeed, had to wear lifts in order to appear taller on-screen.
5 Jim Carrey’s Father Inspired Him to Pursue Stand-Up Comedy
Jim Carrey plays Dr. Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. He was born in Ontario, Canada and had an early talent for humor, regularly performing for his family, which included his father, Percy. His father would then encourage Carrey to pursue a professional career in comedy and to find an outlet for his talents. Carrey eventually performed in a comedy club at the age of 15 in Toronto, where he was heckled by the owner. This then inspired him to turn to the New York comedy scene, where he eventually achieved his big break.
4 James Marsden is a Talented Singer
James Marsden is another cast member who possesses multiple talents in addition to acting. He is also a talented singer and two of his previous movies have allowed him to demonstrate this skill on screen, Hairspray and Enchanted. He stated that while working on Hairspray, he would stick around even when it was not his scene in order to soak up the magnetic atmosphere on set. Next, he'll be returning to the musical scene in the highly anticipated Disenchanted, which, per Digital Spy, will release on Disney+ later this year.
3 Natasha Rothwell Worked At Blockbuster
Natasha Rothwell worked a variety of odd jobs that were a far cry from her successful career on-screen, and one of these was working at Blockbuster. This seems poetic given her future career in the film industry, which is likely something that she would daydream about during her years working for the video rental chain.
2 When Idris Elba Lost at the Golden Globes, His Daughter Handmade Him One
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Idris Elba is a very deserving winner of any Golden Globe Award and in 2012, he took home the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television for his role in Luther. He was nominated in the same category the previous year, however, he lost out on the award to Al Pacino. Elba revealed on Twitter that his daughter made him a makeshift award after his loss, which is a very cute story.
1 Jim Carrey Was Featured on a Postage Stamp
In 2014, Jim Carrey received the honor of having his face on a Canadian postage stamp in a limited-edition set of stamps that were issued by the Canada Post. People featured in the release included: Carrey, Mike Myers, Catherine O’Hara, Olivier Guimond, and Martin Short.