The Secret Life of Pets 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the hugely successful 2016 animated feature that first explored the emotional lives of our pets, continues to follow Terrier Max (voiced by Patton Oswalt), as he copes with some major life changes that are making him a bit nervous and anxious. On this adventure, Max and his adopted canine brother and friend Duke (voiced by Eric Stonestreet) find themselves on a farm and face-to-face with a dog named Rooster (voiced by Harrison Ford), who helps Max find his own inner courage, while cat Chloe (voiced by Lake Bell), Pomeranian Gidget (voiced by Jenny Slate), bunny Snowball (voiced by Kevin Hart), Shih Tzu Daisy (voiced by Tiffany Haddish) and Basset Hound Pops (voiced by Dana Carvey) all have their own various levels of trouble to contend with.

During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, actress Lake Bell talked about why being a part of a film like this is a dream come true, when she realized that she’d get to do a sequel, her hope that she’ll get to continuing playing Chloe the cat, her character’s scene stealing moment, and the bummer of not actually getting to work with Harrison Ford. She also talked about the Season 2 pick-up of her ABC comedy series Bless This Mess, which she also co-created, and the contribution she feels the series is making toward gender parity.

the-secret-life-of-pets-2-poster

Collider:  I had so much fun with this movie and watching these characters again. How cool is it to be a part of a movie like this?

LAKE BELL:  Honestly, it’s a dream come true, given I love doing voice-over. I made a whole movie about it. I love the medium because I think it’s ultimately the most freeing, for an actor. You’re not judged or limited by your physical appearance. You can be anything. You can be anyone. You could be an inanimate object, or an animal. I feel like that part of it makes it the ultimate acting experience. You get to only use your vocal tool to create comedy and emotion.

The first film was a huge hit. When did you realize just how much people were loving it, and that getting to reprise this character was actually going to be a real possibility?

BELL:  That was very, very cool because I have two little kids. Obviously, the first movie was great, and getting to have plush toys, figurines, and whatnot, all in the likeness of a character that I voice, was pretty groovy, in the eyes of my children. My daughter was really young when the first one came out. She was about two, and we were barely doing screen time then. But now, she’s four, and my son is two, so he’ll have to wait a beat, maybe for number three, if we get it, but she’s gonna be my date to the premiere and I’m just so excited to share it with her. She knows the characters now, and she’ll understand the story. It’s just really special. I also am proud of it because it’s really funny for parents, too. It’s smart and it’s kind-spirited, which is something that I always feel like is a good look, in this day and age, when we just need more of that infused into our culture.

bless-this-mess-lake-bell-01
Image via ABC

It seems like there are just endless possibilities for what you can do with this cast of characters. Are you hoping for The Secret Life of Pets 3, or a TV series, or some way to keep playing this character?

BELL:  Look, I’m with you. Even in my writing brain, I’m like, “Gosh, this is such a great group of characters.” I hope we get the opportunity to continue their adventures because this is a fantasy that a lot of people have, especially if you’re a pet owner. You leave for the day and you’re like, “What are my animals doing? Clearly, they must have a bridge game going with the neighborhood animals. Something’s got to be going on.” This really satiates that fantasy. I think we all are desperately hoping for our cat, or dog, or lizard, in my case, to just surprise us, one day, and tell us a joke in English, or something. I just want that to happen, so badly.

I love that Chloe gets one of the best scenes in the movie, when she enjoys herself some catnip. What was your reaction to that moment?

BELL:  First of all, I read it and was like, “Oh, this is hilarious!” It was one of the most fun scenes to record, in my recording history, because you have to stay within the parameters of our G-rating, but just also be totally ridiculous. For a character that’s usually so measured and dry and sarcastic, it’s fun to have her become unhinged, in some way.

How much did this story evolve, from the first time you did voice recording on it, to what we see now? Were there any major changes that happened?

BELL:  There are always some changes, here and there, but I can’t really speak to how drastic those changes were. When you record for an animated anything, it’s surreal because you go in and you’re not looking at any picture. You’re just giving the director and the animators what they need to move forward with their work. Often, you come back in and re-record, or you record new scenes, and it starts to become abstract. So, it’s really exciting when you first see the movie because you haven’t acted any of the scenes with people. They’ve assembled the whole thing, in a way that gives you an experience like you’re in a movie that you’ve never experienced.

It seems like that’s the biggest downside with a movie like this, is that you have the most amazing cast, but you don’t actually get to work with any of them.

BELL : It’s a real bummer that we’re not in the same room with Harrison Ford. I’d like to hang out with all of these people.

Congrats on Season 2 of your ABC TV series Bless This Mess.

BELL:  Thank you!

bless-this-mess-lake-bell-02
Image via ABC

You co-created the show, directed the pilot, and seem to be very involved with it. How was the experience of getting to make a TV series that you are so heavily involved with, creatively, and what are you looking forward to, with getting to do another season?

BELL:  I feel really lucky to be able to come back with these characters because you become so emotionally invested, as creators and executive producers. Liz Meriweather and I love those people. We weren’t ready to say goodbye. Once we got the order, it’s been off to the races. We’re starting our writers’ room on the 3rd of June, and we’ll be nurturing new stories and figuring out what our next season will be like. It’s so fun to be able to write for Pam Grier, Ed Begley Jr., Dax Shepard and myself, Lennon Parham and David Koechner. Those are ace comedy folks, and just brilliant actors. It’s an unusual cast. In general, we’re always seeking to infuse everything we do with comedy, and also with good core values and some kind spirit. I feel like that is one thing that our culture could use more of, in general, so if that’s the one tiny contribution I can make, that means a lot. It’s been a really, really fun experience. To be in a position where I can hire in a way that reflects gender parity necessities in our industry, makes a big difference, and it feels really good. Our production has the Women in Film ReFrame Stamp, which recognizes productions that are pretty equal in their gender department heads. That part of it is also really exhilarating. The behind-the-scenes aspect of our production, as well as the comedy and the tone that we’re putting out there, makes me feel optimistic and excited about the future.

After voicing her for two movies now, do you feel like you have a better understanding of who Chloe is, as a cat, or because cats are so mysterious, do you feel like we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface of who the cat is, underneath all of that fluff?

BELL:  I feel like, with every opportunity that we get, in these movies, we can further delve into Chloe’s way of looking at the world and understanding where her perspectives come from. I think cats are often misunderstood. That’s what I’m learning. It’s okay to not throw all of your love on the floor before your owner, as dogs might. I actually really like that because I’m a dog person, but I appreciate and respect Chloe’s process in her love. I just look forward to unfurling more of her personality. It’s funny, I’m always pitching Chloe shenanigans to the writers and the director. I guess that’s the writer in me. I’m always like, “So, what if . . .,” trying to get them to bite on Chloe’s origin story.

The Secret Life of Pets 2 is now playing.