Gabriel Iglesias On Backlash For Voicing Speedy Gonzales: "First Mexican to voice Speedy Gonzales."

TL;DR

Gabriel Iglesias reveals he was the first Mexican to voice Speedy Gonzales and defends the character's cultural importance to Mexican audiences.

Key Points

• 1.Iglesias was the first Mexican to ever voice Speedy Gonzales. All previous voice actors for the character were non-Mexican, making his role in Space Jam: A New Legacy historically significant to him.
• 2.He pushed back against modernizing Speedy's voice. Producers wanted him to use his regular voice, but Iglesias insisted on keeping the original Speedy accent, then demonstrated it and told them to 'cut the check.'
• 3.A Speedy Gonzales solo movie is in development at Warner Bros. Iglesias has already been asked to star, with the film expected sometime around 2027–2028.
• 4.Iglesias passed on Happy Feet for road comedy gigs, losing out on a film that made nearly $400 million. His manager dismissed it as a 'stupid movie about penguins,' and Robin Williams ultimately took the role Iglesias auditioned for.
• 5.He lost his Mater-equivalent role in Planes because he skipped the table read. Replacement Carlos Alazraqui performed so well that producers fired Iglesias without even letting him read, teaching him to always prioritize animation work.