Phyllis finds favour with Bugs

Kids love bugs. And I have a confession to make. So do I. I've kept four as pets. The first was a beetle, illegally imported from Mexico, with rhinestones pasted on his back. He was on a little chain, about three inches long, that I could attach to a brooch and wear around town.

I've also had three Madagascar cockroaches over the years, which also make great pets because they have no natural enemies in Madagascar. Neither do I. But as for the roaches, since they have no natural enemies they never run away. And when you pet them, they make a noise. Imagine that, a bug making a noise.

Of course none of this had any bearing on my casting in A Bug's Life. Like everything else in my career, I had to go in and audition for it. Originally, I was going to play one of the Circus Bugs. I studied hard, read it over and over and eventually decided how to approach it. Of course when I got there they handed me another part. The Ant Queen. I read that one cold and, much to my surprise, I got the job. In Hollywood, you see, it's still a pretty big thing if you can read at all.

This isn't my first animated movie. I've been doing them for years - Scooby Doo, Mad Monster Party, The Nutcracker Prince - but this one is my favourite. I wish I could tell you more about how they put this all together - but the truth is I have no idea how it's done, probably magic, for all I know. As an artist, the only thing I seem to be able to draw is love. And I'm mighty thankful for that.