Cameron Diaz and Norika Fujiwara TOKYO Joining the list of movie characters coming back for a third installment this summer are a big green ogre by the name of Shrek and his wife Princess Fiona. Although the film has not been getting good reviews in the U.S.
, first-time director Chris Miller, producer Aron Warner and Cameron Diaz who provides Fiona s voice, know that Japan is a big market for the ogre and flew in for the premiere this month. 'Shrek the Third' is the best film in the series and it can stand alone, gushed Diaz, 34, who has changed back into a blonde, just two months after her last visit to Japan. It's very exciting to see Fiona ushered into the next part of her life.
She has to deal with lots of ogres and the story is full of surprises. In Shrek the Third, the kingdom of Far Far Away is in turmoil after King Harold dies, leaving Shrek next in line. Stuck in his in-laws castle, he doesn t want the throne and would rather go back to his swamp.
But first he must find a suitable replacement, a dweeby King Arthur. While he is away, his nemesis Prince Charming recruits an army of villains to take over the kingdom. Adding to the drama, Fiona is expecting a little ogre.
Along the way, the film has its usual amount of gags such as belching, butt-scratching, pooping and projectile vomiting. The star-studded voice cast includes Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, John Cleese, Regis Philbin, Larry King and Justin Timberlake. Part of the film series appeal in Japan is that high-profile actors were carefully chosen for the Japanese-language version, among them Norika Fujiwara (for Diaz), Masatoshi Hamada (Myers), Kouichi Yamadera (Murphy), Naoto Takenaka (Banderas) and Keita Tachibana (Timberlake).
Diaz said that over the years, she has gotten to know Fiona much better. She is a person who remains true to herself. She has become much more beautiful inside as an ogre princess than she was as a human princess.
Of course, she s animated and I m not. She s got her hands full and the cast of characters in my life aren t nearly as crazy. Director Miller, who also wrote the screenplay with three other writers, said he saw this installment as the conclusion of a journey with Shrek.
In the first one, he learned to love himself. In part 2, he learned to love another. Now, he is learning to take responsibility for those around him.
Miller said he considered himself fortunate to be blessed with so much talent. When you have that sort of a cast, you try to keep an open atmosphere during the recording sessions. It takes 3 years to make these films and anytime you can get something extra from talent like Mike Myers or Eddie Murphy, it s a good thing.
Joining Diaz for the news conference and publicity on the red carpet at the Japan premiere was Fujiwara, who said that providing the voice of Fiona in all three films has been one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. Diaz and Fujiwara have become good friends over the years at the various Shrek premieres in LA, Cannes and Tokyo. During her stay in Japan, Diaz was frequently asked by female reporters for advice on fashion (when she was here in March to promote The Holiday, she was asked for advice on love).
Fashion is one thing, style is another, she said. The key is to wear something that you are comfortable in and which is authentic to yourself. Of course, you would ask me that today when I ve changed about 10 times.
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