The beloved animated film Madagascar first graced our screens in 2005.
If you’re unfamiliar with the movie, it’s an American animated survival comedy that boasts a star-studded cast including Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith.
The plot revolves around a group of Central Park Zoo animals who find themselves stranded on the island of Madagascar, and their subsequent struggle to adapt to life in the wild. Despite being released two decades ago, fans are only now discovering a major detail about the film.
It turns out that an iconic Friends actor lent his voice to one of the characters, Melman, a revelation that has left viewers gobsmacked. We truly do learn something new every day.
A TikTok video revealing this intriguing piece of trivia has left people stunned. The content creator asked if others knew that David Schwimmer, better known as Ross Geller from Friends, is the voice behind Melman.
One person exclaimed: “Omg it does sound like him.” Another noted: “I knew he sounded familiar.”
A third chimed in with: “Definitely sounds like how Ross would talk.” Meanwhile, a fourth admitted: “Omg, I’ve been watching this, and only just realised it really.”
To the surprise of many, Schwimmer, who portrayed Ross in Friends from 1994 to 2004, has been voicing the character all along. As many have pointed out, once you listen carefully, it’s quite easy to spot.
Now aged 58, the actor has embraced a variety of roles since Friends concluded in 2004. Naturally, he reprised his voice role as Melman in Madagascar II, and also featured in Big Nothing and Little Death.
In terms of television work, he starred in Will and Grace and, more recently, Goosebumps. Schwimmer has also ventured into directing, with credits including Since You’ve Been Gone, Run, Fatboy, Run and Trust.
While many remember him fondly as Ross, it’s clear he’s contributed to some of our favourite films and TV shows over the years. When it comes to cinema, there’s always something new to discover.
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