For decades, George Lucas has been the architect of galaxies far, far away, but it turns out the legendary filmmaker has a soft spot for some smaller, yellow, gibberish-speaking troublemakers. In a delightful twist, Lucas makes a surprise voice cameo in Illumination's upcoming Minions & Monsters, and the story behind how it happened is as charming as the film itself.
Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri recently sat down with Collider to discuss the cameo, revealing that Lucas is a huge fan of the studio's work—especially the Despicable Me and Minions franchises. “I had this privilege of meeting George about two years ago, and what led to my meeting him is how much he loves Illumination movies, and specifically Despicable Me, and even more specifically, the Minions,” Meledandri shared. “It was such a thrill to learn that and then to share it with the team, because obviously he's among a very small group of people who the entire studio shares a level of respect for that is just off the charts.”
That mutual admiration sparked an idea. As the story for Minions & Monsters developed, Meledandri pitched the notion of casting Lucas to director Pierre Coffin, co-writer Brian Lynch, and producer Bill Ryan. “I just said, 'Well, what if we could get George?' And they're like, 'Are you kidding me?'” Meledandri recalled. “I had no idea, but I got such a fast yes. It was incredible.”
The recording session came together with surprising speed. Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, were in Paris, and Meledandri coordinated with Hobson to get Lucas into a studio while Coffin was also in the city. “Pierre met him at a recording studio in Paris, and it was done,” Meledandri said. The ease of the process hints at Lucas' genuine enthusiasm for the project.
Lucas isn't the only legendary figure making an appearance. The scene also features an animated version of iconic actor and director Orson Welles. Meledandri, who has a personal connection to Welles—he once spotted the Citizen Kane auteur dining alone at a Hollywood restaurant early in his career—said the references to Welles in the film are a particular joy. “One of my greatest early Hollywood memories is when I was a gofer, a runner, and I had to deliver a script to my boss, who was eating lunch at what was then sort of the, probably, Patrick Terrail, who went on to create Spago, was the chef at a restaurant called Ma Maison,” Meledandri recalled. “I went in, I'd been out of school for, like, six months, and I went in to deliver this script to my boss at his table, and my eye sees behind him, and there, eating alone, was Orson Welles. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, I guess I did come to Hollywood to work.'”
Meledandri also revealed that Lucas is already eager for more. “I saw him recently, and he's already talking to me about the role he wants to do next in the next Minions movie,” he said. “So, it's pretty incredible.”
This isn't Lucas' first time stepping in front of a microphone—he's made cameos and done uncredited voice work before—but it marks a playful new chapter for the Star Wars creator. For fans who grew up on his sci-fi epics, seeing him lend his voice to a world of mischievous yellow creatures is a reminder that even legends love a good laugh.
Minions & Monsters hits theaters this July. For more on Illumination's upcoming projects, check out our coverage of the animated Barbie movie update from Meledandri.
