Behind the Scenes: Betty White fools us on great Lorax performance

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax hit theaters on on March 2nd and my favorite celebrity Grandma Betty White‘s role seemed like it was written just for her. I had a chance to get up close and personal with Betty and she was fabulous.

When walking into her interview with us, a woman complimented her on a great performance, and Betty replied with “Have I got her fooled.”

It’s no surprise that this spunky woman is playing an adventurous grandma who gets into just as much mischief as her grandson. I tried to pull a few of my favorite answers from our interviews with Betty so you can see how truly genuine and spirited she is. Hope you enjoy as much as I did. Here’s a snapshot of all the bloggers hanging with Betty – we just adored her!

On her Funny Personality

Blogger: You have the most brilliant comic timing. Have you always been? Were you the funny kid? I just think you have the best delivery.

Ms. Betty White: Oh, bless your heart. I was an only child with the best mother. I did a magnificent job of choosing a mother and father. And there wasn’t a straight man in the house. I mean that in a nice way.

But, we would have Sunday morning breakfast together or we’d have dinner together every night around the table, and my dad would always ask me how things were at school and somehow, we’d get into silliness and fun. And we also would talk very seriously. It wasn’t all giggle time.

But, I think those dinner tables and those breakfast tables went a long way on teaching me how to appreciate the positives as opposed to the negatives.

On Obama sending Betty White birthday wishes:

Blogger: How did it feel to have the world celebrate your birthday and to have the President wish you a happy birthday?

Ms. Betty White: Do you believe what he did? He broke me up. I’ve never met him. I’m a tremendous fan of his, but I’ve never met him, anything like that. So, my agent called and he said, “Wait till you see what President Obama did.” I mean, the people out here didn’t generate that.

They did that in Washington, and I loved him picking up my picture and putting it so it blocked Michelle’s picture. I still can’t believe it. I play it over and over again, and that kind of sense of humor and the fact that he would take the time to do that. But, it really blew me away and made me laugh and still makes me laugh.

Blogger: Happy belated.

Ms. Betty White: Oh. That’s a way to celebrate your birthday. He didn’t have to do that to get me to vote for him. He didn’t have to go to all that trouble.

On Betty White recording her voice for the The Lorax movie:

Blogger: Was it hard to do the animated voice over alone like in a studio without other actors? How was that?

Ms. Betty White: Well, you feel kind of silly because they ask you to make all these weird noises and you don’t know what they mean by, well, it’s a gasp, but you’re doing this. So, you’re sitting there by yourself and you finally feel rather ridiculous.

But, somehow, pretty soon, you get into it, and then you get into the beautiful visual thing that it is as well as the Dr. Seuss loveliness. And so, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really enjoyed it.

On Betty’s thoughts about The Lorax:

Blogger: What was your favorite part of the movie? What was your favorite part of creating the movie or your favorite scene of being the voice?

Ms. Betty White: Overall, the beautiful colors and the celebrating the environment and the caring about the environment, which is one of my big, big, big things, and the fact of looking for trees and wanting to find trees. Dr. Seuss has a way of doing, you could get into it. I hope everybody else loves it as much as those of us involved in it.

On why she chose to be in The Lorax:

Blogger: How did you get involved with it?

Ms. Betty White: They called me and asked me. It’s all the things that I believe in and love. And I think it’s a great message to send out to kids to get the thing across about appreciating trees, for example.

Blogger: I love strong empowering female roles. So, in this, you’re the kickass grandma. I was just wondering how it felt? You’re just that granny that just makes it happen, because you’re all soft and sweet, and then you make it happen.

Ms. Betty White: Oh, that’s the fun of it. And I love the way they wrote it because it doesn’t make fun of anybody. It’s not mean spirited.

On her growing popularity with the young audience:

Blogger: It seems like you’re really connecting to the teenagers.

Ms. Betty White: I think it’s honesty. I think they’re pretty honest at this point, and if you start talking down to them, they’ll turn you off in a minute. But, please thank them for me.

Watch and share The Lorax trailer on Facebook! Watch clips, play games, get free mobile downloads and download printables! 

THE LORAX is now on Pinterest! Browse the film’s boards at http://pinterest.com/theloraxmovie 

Disclosure: Thanks to Universal Pictures for paying for my travel expenses to attend The Lorax press junket in Los Angeles, CA – which hits theaters in 3D on March 2nd, 2012. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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