Mel Brooks stars in animated short film Addicted to It

Mel Brooks Lands Starring Role in Animated Short Film Addicted To It

At 100 years old, legendary filmmaker Mel Brooks has taken on a brand-new starring role, voicing a mischievous, device-bound antagonist in the animated short film Addicted To It. Co-produced by LA-based and Kilkenny-native Nigel Tierney, the seven-minute project explores the modern grips of smartphone obsession through a kinetic, highly colorful lens.

Casting the Ultimate Agent of Chaos in California

Tierney, who has previously worked on major studio projects like Shrek Forever After, The Croods, and Kung Fu Panda 3, explained how the concept came to life from personal device habits.

When discussing the inspiration behind the central antagonist, Tierney stated, When we stumbled onto the bunny character as the idea, it was this notion of something that is charming and sweet but also chaotic.

The character, dubbed ‘Phoney Bunny,’ serves as a narrative anchor pulling the main character, Dace, away from the real world and down a rabbit hole of endless scrolling. Tierney added, We loved the idea of the bunny, like the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, pulling you into that portal of the mobile phone. So neither bad nor good but this agent of chaos who is definitely manipulative, the ultimate narcissist trying to keep your attention.

When evaluating who could pull off the dual requirement of delivering comedy and a distinct cautionary message, the filmmakers immediately thought of the comedy icon. We thought ‘who could play this role comedically but also deliver the message?’ And no better an agent of chaos than Mel Brooks! Tierney noted.

An In-Person Recording Session Without the Hollywood Fuss

Rather than calling in lines remotely from home, Brooks opted to record his vocal performances directly in the studio alongside the production crew. Tierney recalled receiving a swift response after sending over the early visual concepts.

First off, we sent him the video and right away we got an email saying Mel has seen the video and is interested, Tierney shared. So we asked did he want us to set up a remote system and they said no.

The arrival of Mel Brooks surprised the team with its absolute lack of pretense. He showed up to the studio with his wonderful production partner and assistant. No entourage, no fuss. He wore a lovely suit with a red pocket square, Tierney said.

The collaboration extended well beyond the microphone stand. He was great and so generous with his time. He hung out afterwards, signed things and took pictures with everyone and offered to promote and support the film as best he could. He loved it, Tierney noted, before adding a personal reflection on the experience: Selfishly, I’ll tell you he told me I did a good job of directing him and for someone who grew up watching his movies, I don’t need any other compliments after that.

Addicted To It Qualifies for the Oscars

Directed by Tierney and Federico Heller, Addicted To It represents a massive international collaboration spanning Argentina, Ireland, and the United States, utilizing a crew of over two hundred artists and musicians. The short also features original music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jeff Marx, alongside vocal contributions from singer Dionne Warwick and Tierney’s eight-year-old daughter, Crystal.

The project has successfully qualified for consideration in the Animated Shorts category for the upcoming Oscars ahead of the final shortlist announcement. The festival run includes upcoming international screenings:

• BITBANG in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 27
• Tampa Animation Festival in Tampa Bay, Florida on November 5
• Open World Animation Festival in Pennsylvania on November 5
• Coronado Island Film Festival in San Diego, California on November 7
• Manchester Animation Festival in Manchester, England on November 8
• Anchorage International Film Festival in Anchorage, Alaska on December 4

A Human-Made Message Against Purely Generative Filmmaking

While addressing a modern digital dilemma, the production team drew a firm line regarding how the animation was actually crafted. The end credits explicitly state that the short was made entirely using human hands and hearts without the use of artificial intelligence.

I can see opportunities for AI to help artists do more, to make more minutes of animation, to realise ideas they might otherwise never have the resources to attempt, he explained. My hope is that it expands what people can create and supports their livelihoods. But purely generative filmmaking holds very little interest for me. I want to make things. I want to work with artists.

That philosophy extends to the viewer experience, balancing a lighthearted tone with genuine reflection on device dependency. If you want people to care about what you’re making, you have to care about how you make it. That means meaningful music, meaningful visuals, and thought behind every pixel and every note, Tierney concluded. You’re asking someone to give you a few minutes of their life. You should care enough to make those minutes worth their while.