Mike Myers recently did an interview with GQ that suggests there’s a chance we could be in for more Shrek. According to Myers, it’s been one of his favorite roles. It’s clear from his interview that in his opinion, Shrek is more than just a crude, belching ogre. For him, Ogres have layers. He’d do a Shrek movie every year if he were given a chance.
Myers had an extremely erudite take on Shrek, saying:
The Euro-centric form that is the fairytale is really about classicism. When I was approached to do Shrek I originally did it as a Canadian and then I re-recorded it as Scottish because that seemed to be the most working class [accent]. I also I love the Scottish people. I have Scottish ancestry. I’m mostly English but Liverpool is the pool of life between Scotland, England, and Ireland.
He also made it clear that he’s always enjoyed playing the character, and that extra bit of insight he gave into the character makes it very clear why. Shrek is all about subverting the tropes found in fairy tales and Disney movies, and it would seem even from a class perspective, that Shrek does just that. Myers said he played the film as a drama, not a comedy:
There’s an emotional center there, You know the old joke: I wouldn’t want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member. I have always felt that way. The concept of going from a self-loathing ogre to a self-accepting ogre was meaningful to me. I love playing Shrek. If I had to do one Shrek a year I’d be thrilled.
The first two films did incredibly well, both commercially and critically. The series has also spawned a couple of spin-offs, starring Puss-In-Boots. The second of these, entitled Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is due for a December release. But maybe after that we’ll see a new story about that lovable ogre.
You can watch GQ’s full interview with Mike Myers below:
The Best Animated Shorts on Disney+
Can’t find time for a feature-length cartoon? Check out these great shorts streaming on Disney+.
