MIAMI—Ke Huy Quan is still glowing when he talks about joining the world of Zootopia 2. During a visit to Miami, the Oscar-winning actor couldn't hide his excitement about stepping into the role of Gary De'Snake, a charismatic and surprisingly lovable reptile who becomes one of the sequel's new and standout characters.
"I feel very grateful to be along for the ride on Zootopia 2, because the first one was so good, so clever, so entertaining. To me it was an instant classic," Quan said in an interview with The Latin Times and ENSTARZ. "So when I got the call to be in this one, you can imagine how excited I was." Even if he had to conquer a childhood fear.
Disney's 2016 Zootopia became one of the studio's most praised modern animated films, earning over $1 billion worldwide and winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The film introduced audiences to a world where mammals of every size coexist in a sprawling metropolis that mirrors human society, with all its biases, beauty, and complexity.
Now, nearly a decade later, the sequel expands that universe by introducing new ecosystems and new species, including reptiles, a boundary the first film never crossed. Gary, voiced by Quan, represents that shift.
Quan joked that snakes don't have the best PR. "They don't have a good reputation," he laughed, but he believes the character will change perceptions. "Before this movie, I was nervous about snakes like a lot of people. But I got to hold one while preparing, and he was so sweet. I loved him."
That experience, he says, mirrors one of the franchise's core messages: challenging prejudice and seeing individuals beyond stereotypes.
"That's what's so beautiful about a movie like Zootopia, it makes us question the way we see things," Quan noted. "To look beyond stereotypes and labels, and actually see someone for who they are."
The Music of Zootopia
While the first film gifted audiences Shakira's hit "Try Everything," the sequel continues its musical legacy, this time also giving Gary his own sound.
"I don't think Gary has a song, but I'm proud to say Gary has his own theme," Quan revealed, crediting Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino. "And we have a new song from Shakira." The track tittled 'Zoo' is an English/Spanish banger.
When the interview took place, Quan hadn't met Shakira yet, as most voice actors recorded separately, but he laughed when asked if he'd be starstruck: "I know her songs. I'm a fan. I'm looking forward to meeting everybody on the red carpet." And so he did. The 'Zootopia 2' gang met in LA during the weekend.
From Lego Minifigures to Animated Reptile Icon
Quan is no stranger to iconic characters, including Indiana Jones and The Goonies, roles that recently earned him his own LEGO miniatures. But Gary might bring a new kind of fandom.
"I'm going to suggest to LEGO: a Zootopia set would be incredible," he said, laughing. "And yes Gary needs his own figure."
For Quan, who already fulfilled a lifelong dream by joining the Marvel universe in Loki, Zootopia 2 is another milestone not just professionally, but emotionally. "To be able to play a character for Disney animation is truly a dream come true," he said.
And when audiences meet Gary De'Snake with a misunderstood past, a big heart, and a theme song, Quan hopes they'll leave with something bigger than laughs.
Like the first film, he says, this sequel is fun, and has something important to say.
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