In Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, which Disney will release on DVD September 21, Michael Sheen voices the father, Dr. Griffiths, a no-nonsense scientific illustrator. When we spoke with Sheen earlier this month, we asked him why a guy better known for playing British heads of state, vampire kings, and Liz Lemon’s possibly fated husband would do a children’s movie. Turns out, just like every other actor who has ever gotten a paycheck for some lighthearted voice-over work, he’s doing it for his kids: “I’ve got an 11-year-old daughter, so I knew about the Tinker Bell films because she’s been a big fan in the past, and it seemed like an opportunity to be a part of the classic tradition of Disney films that involve fairies, London, Big Ben, and flying. I’m a sucker for all that.” So if you find yourself dozing off while your children happily watch the movie, you’ll know why you’re having weird dreams about Tony Blair debating a fairy about whether to go to Iraq.
