‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2:’ What Ben Schwartz, the Voice of Sonic, Is Known For
The world’s favorite blue animated hedgehog is back. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hits movie theaters on April 8, 2022, and takes fans back to the Sonic cinematic universe. Ben Schwartz returns to voice Sonic, and though the name might not be familiar, chances are you’ve seen and heard him before.
Schwartz is Sonic, and several other memorable characters, too
Sonic isn’t the first animated character Schwartz has brought to life.
He voiced Rutabaga Rabitowitz in nine BoJack Horseman episodes between 2015 and 2019, per IMDb. That run overlapped with playing Leonardo in the animated Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 2018 to 2020, and he quickly segued to playing Lou Tarleton on Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.
Schwartz lent his voice talents to a handful of episodes of Bob’s Burgers, Robot Chicken, and the recent DuckTales reboot, but you’ve likely seen his face before, too.
We recently saw Schwartz in the Apple TV+ series The Afterparty, and he stars opposite Steve Carell in Netflix’s Space Force, but his guest role as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in Parks and Recreation might be his most well-known role.
Schwartz was a scene-stealer as Jean-Ralphio on ‘Parks and Rec’
Schwartz appeared as Jean-Ralphio, the energetic sidekick to Aziz Ansari’s Tom Haverford, in 20 Parks and Rec episodes. It was a limited part, but Schwartz owned it and made the most of his screen time. The role was akin to how Wayne Knight’s Newman was a fan-favorite recurring character on Seinfeld during that series’ run.
Newman’s “Hello, Jerry,” catchphrase defined his character. Schwartz’s over-the-top, rapid-fire, straight-faced, and physical delivery commanded the screen every time he showed up on it.
The “Hello, Jerry,” catch phrase helped define Seinfeld. In the era of social media, Schwartz’s Jean-Ralphio had one of the most meme-able moments in Parks and Rec’s entire run.
What we know about ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’
Schwartz flew solo as Sonic in the 2020 movie, at least in terms of the video game characters. This time out, he faces off against Knuckles the echidna (voice of Idris Elba), but Sonic has help from Tails (voice of Colleen O’Shaughnessey).
James Marsden (Tom), Tika Sumpter (Maddie), Natasha Rothwell (Rachel), Adam Pally (Wade), and Lee Madjoud (Agent Stone) return on the human side of things. Jim Carrey plays Dr. Robotnik again, bringing his over-the-top energy (and wild mustache) to the screen as an evil scientist out to destroy the world. Sonic and Knuckles are the only ones who can stop him.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 might not be mistaken for fine cinema, but it aims to please a certain crowd and lives up to the task. The sequels are sure to keep coming, too. The first movie made $319.7 million at the worldwide box office (per Box Office Mojo), and Paramount has already confirmed a third Sonic movie, according to Engadget.
