Celebs Swarm Seinfeld's 'Bee Movie' NYC Preview

Jun 20, 05:00 AM

Current Headlines: By Donna Freydkin

NEW YORK -- How is this for building movie buzz?

Have the cast of Bee Movie show up at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday to promote the film -- five months before it hits theaters Nov. 2.

Bee Movie is Jerry Seinfeld's first major project since his legendary sitcom went off the air in 1998. In the animated comedy, Seinfeld is Barry Bee Benson, a bee who has just graduated from college but isn't thrilled about the one career option he has available: to make honey for humans. He meets a florist (Renee Zellweger) and ends up in a battle with the human race over their rampant consumption of honey. And Chris Rock rounds out the cast as Mooseblood the mosquito, who joins up with Barry.

After a 30-minute preview of the movie, the famous co-stars shared why they signed up with Seinfeld.

Fellow comedian Rock didn't hesitate. "Jerry called. I said, 'yeah.'" Bee is Rock's second turn as an animated character. He was the voice behind Marty the zebra in 2005's Madagascar. And do daughters Lola Simone, 4, and Zahra Savannah, 3, think he's a superstar after the two animated films? "It's more with their friends. They think I am."

Matthew Broderick, who also is a bee in the film, says son James Wilke, 4, is "going to be thrilled." Broderick didn't have to stretch to play Seinfeld's best friend in the movie. "We're friends. I love Jerry's work," he said. However, he added, "I'm not like the character I play. I don't play by the rules."

Zellweger had no bug phobias to overcome for this film, but added, "Ticks are not my favorite." She also was impressed with the leader of the gang. "Jerry's comedy comes from his intelligence," she said.

Man of the hour Seinfeld showed up with wife Jessica, whose arm was in a sling. When asked what happened to her, he replied, "a little backtalk. She got plowed over on the ski slope." And with everyone buzzing over Bee, will he do another film project? "I never plan anything," he said. "I'll do a little stand-up."

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