List of Madagascar (franchise) characters
Wikimedia list article
This is a list of characters from the DreamWorks Animation franchise of Madagascar films and TV shows.
Concept and creation
Tom McGrath explained in an interview that the intention of Madagascar was not to take a political stance on whether "zoos are bad and the wild is better, or that the wild is bad", but to show "the most extreme 'fish out of water' story that (they) could do". McGrath stated "the basic irony to the story is that, you think animals do belong in the wild, but if they're so accustomed to civility, they wouldn't know where food even came from", and the animals were meant to "love the zoo and to love where they are because they've got" 5,000 square feet (460 m2) "right off Fifth Avenue".
McGrath also described, during the research of Madagascar, they "found these crazy, weird animals that were already cartoons in their own right."
Primary characters
Animals of Central Park Zoo
Alex
Alex (born Alakay; voiced by Ben Stiller in films and TV specials, Wally Wingert in first video game, spin-offs, Ride Attractions, Quinn Dempsey Stiller as a cub, Declan Swift as a cub, Crispin Freeman in second and third video games, All Hail King Julien, DreamWorksTV Animations, Ride Attractions, Commercials, and Tucker Chandler as cub in A Little Wild) is a male, happy-go-lucky African lion who is best friends with Marty (voiced by Chris Rock). He is the star attraction at zoo but learns to adapt to the wild. A dancer by nature, Alex often impresses others with his aerobatic feats. He does tend to be a little self-absorbed, often not seeing the problems of others above his own.
As a cub, Alex was born on an African wildlife reserve, and was named Alakay. He was the only son of the alpha lion, Zuba, and was constantly given lessons on hunting, though he displayed no interest in the activity. During one of these lessons, Alex was captured by poachers, but the crate he was contained in fell into a river and eventually floated to New York.
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