Despicable Me 3's Dana Gaier Reveals Her Favorite Minion! (Exclusive)

There’s only one day left until the premiere of Despicable Me 3 and we can hardly wait!

JJJ had the chance to talk with star Dana Gaier to chat all about the new big bad, how her character Edith has grown and the Minions!

“Bob. Definitely Bob,” Dana shared when we inquired about her absolute favorite Minion ever.

She adds, “He’s kind of like the baby of the group and he’s so adorable. He’s got two different colored eyes and carries around a doll — you really can’t help but fall in love with him.”


We just saw his picture — we are 100% in LOVE with Bob!

Click inside for the rest of our interview with Dana Gaier…

JJJ: How similar are you and Edith?
Dana Gaier: I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a tomboy, but I wouldn’t say that I’m super girly either. I’m kind of a mix. I am like Edith in the way that she is a troublemaker and likes to mess with her sisters. I have an older sister and when I was younger I definitely liked to make trouble for her.

Edith also loves her family though and wants to protect them regardless of how mischievous or sassy she’s being. I would say the same for me.

JJJ: How much has Edith grown up in the films?
DG: Edith is actually the same age as she was in the other films. However, I think as time goes on she becomes more of an older sister figure for Agnes.

JJJ: Are there any particular moments in the movie you love the most?
DG: I love the scene where Gru meets his twin brother Dru for the first time. When Gru finds out that Dru has a full head of hair you can just see the devastation in his eyes. There are a lot of funny lines in that scene and the girls definitely find the sibling rivalry between Gru and Dru amusing.

JJJ: Of all the villains in the three movies, which one is your favorite?
DG: Honestly, I’m really excited about Balthazar Bratt in this movie. He’s stuck in the 80s and I can’t wait for all of the 80′s music and culture attached to his character. His background story is so funny and clever. When the writers told me about him I couldn’t stop laughing.

JJJ: How did you first get involved in the Despicable Me franchise?
DG: I was 11-years-old and I actually missed the original audition because I was on my sixth-grade camping trip. When I returned, I found out that they still hadn’t found the right voice for the role so I got the chance to audition.

I record most of my voiceover auditions at my agency so I went in and auditioned. The project was super top secret at this point and didn’t even have a project name or lines from the movie to read. I read lines from the movie Definitely, Maybe for my audition. A few weeks later I found out the team wanted to fly me out to California for a working session and I got the part! It was a crazy and incredible experience.

JJJ: Have you had a real chance to bond with this cast?
DG: It’s interesting because we all record separately so we don’t get to see each other that much, but when we do it’s great. Steve Carell and Miranda Cosgrove and everyone else in the cast are so humble and kind. It’s awesome when I get to see and catch up with them. I’m so fortunate to get to work with these talented actors.

JJJ: If you could create a Minion yourself, who would s/he be like?
DG: I think I’d create a sassy girl minion. She’d say one word and the rest of the minions would know that they’d have to follow her. She’d be a complete boss.

JJJ: What was the biggest challenge for Edith?
DG: I think Edith likes to hide the fact that she can be vulnerable. She seems really tough on the outside, but she definitely gets sad sometimes like everyone.

JJJ: This is an animated film, where you can’t actually take anything from the set. But, if you could take something from the animated set we’ll see on screen, what would it be?
DG: Wow, that’s a really good question. Definitely all of the cookies that the girls sell in the first movie. Universal sells those at Universal Studios and they’re delicious. I would take that wagon-full of cookies and go nuts.

JJJ: What are the top 3 songs on your favorite playlist?
DG: I feel like it’s constantly changing. Right now, it’s “Movin’ Out” by Billy Joel, “Galway Girl” by Ed Sheeran, and “The Schuyler Sisters” from Hamilton.

JJJ: What’s one song that you’re dying to learn on guitar?
DG: Absolutely anything on Ed Sheeran’s new album. He’s so talented and his music is inspiring.

JJJ: Not a lot of people know that you’re in college. How has that experience been for you?
DG: It’s been awesome. I’m going to be a junior at UCLA next year. It’s definitely challenging to balance acting and school, but I have some really great friends at school and it’s been going well. I love learning and I feel like college opens your eyes to a lot of new things and ideas.

JJJ: What is your major and why did you choose it?
DG: My main goal is to double major in Communications and Sociology and minor in Film. I don’t want to limit myself. I have such a great opportunity to study at one of the best universities and I don’t want to waste it. I also think studying these subjects will give me a good understanding of life, people, and the entertainment business.

JJJ: What’s one thing about voice acting that people generally get wrong?
DG: I feel like a lot of people think that we all record in the booth together, which for the most part isn’t true about voiceover acting. We are all reading the lines individually, which is fun, but also difficult at times because you have to pull the emotion out of thin air and you don’t really have anyone to react to. The director gives us some context of the scene we’re recording, which is awesome, but overall, we could be recording a sad scene in one moment and then have to be joyfully screaming in the next.