I can't imagine being a voice-over actor is easy. While some people dismiss it as being paid to stand in a booth and speak into a microphone, a real voice actor fully envisions their character, the world around them and the people they're interacting all while trying to deliver their lines with proper cadence. On that same note, being a live-action character interacting with animated characters can't be easy either. Though steps can be taken to make the process easier, it's hard having a conversation with someone who isn't there (that is, unless you're a schizophrenic). This was the exact challenge facing Hank Azaria and Jayma Mays during the production of The Smurfs.

A couple weeks back I and a group of other journalists had the opportunity to visit Sony Pictures Animation and in addition to having the chance to voice and animate my own Smurf (more on that tomorrow), stars Azaria and Mays were on hand to talk about their experiences making the film. Check out the video below, in which the pair talks about their personal relationship with The Smurfs, Azaria's time in the make-up chair to play Gargamel, and the film's surprising amount of cat abuse.