Equally Sarcastic and Charming

“A sizable flock of admirers was left adrift after HBO grounded Flight of the Conchords in 29 after only two seasons,” Susan Wloszczyna writes for USA Today. “Turns out these Kiwi lads were a band with a plan. After infiltrating the world of pay cable, the duo simply set their warped sights on another entertainment target: family films. While McKenzie is working behind the scenes supervising the music and contributing songs to Disney’s November relaunch of the Muppets movie franchise, Clement has claimed a showstopping role as the voice of the villain in Rio: The Movie. Clement plays Nigel “a cockatoo who is both molting and revolting.” “‘I love animation as an art form,’ says the actor, whose résumé includes TV’s The Simpsons (he and McKenzie were depicted as camp counsellors) and the 3D comedy film Despicable Me. Clement takes on a different kind of villain for Men in Black III. ‘I’m an evil alien named Boris the Animal.’ No New Zealand-flavoured vocalising this time. ‘I speak with a British accent — that is the standard in evil-alien accents.’”