The not-so-secret life of Eric Stonestreet

Adventures in animation with the US comedy star.

Eric Stonestreet is one of the most recognisable faces in US comedy, but for his younger fans, it’s his voice that will be familiar. Stonestreet is the actor behind Duke, the larger-than-life dog from The

Secret Life of Pets and its sequel, which was released earlier this year.

Speaking to The Week Junior during a visit to the UK, Stonestreet talked about his entry into the world of animated films. Having made his name working in TV comedies in the US, Stonestreet was fascinated by what you can do with animation. He explained, “Anything is possible with animated films because anything can happen. I don’t necessarily need to be on TV any more, I know what that feels like. It’s a nice cuddly hug when people see me and know who I am, and that will never get old, but animation is something I’d love to do more of.”

Fans of the original Secret Life of Pets, which is one of the most successful animated films of all time, will know that the series follows a group of pets who live together in the same apartment block in the US. Even though the story is about the animals’ close friendships, each actor records their lines separately. Stonestreet explains, “We’re not in the same room, and that’s a testament to the director and editors that bring it all together. When I saw the first film and I saw scenes I was in, I was blown away by how fluid they were. People had a difficult time believing we weren’t in the same room.”

Stonestreet has always loved animals, having grown up surrounded by farm animals, dogs and cats. He jokes, “I have lots of great friends and a great girlfriend, but the relationship between me and my dog... well you’d have to experience it to appreciate it.”

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is available now on digital download, and on Blu-ray and DVD from 7 October.