Despicable Me 2
“Gru’s Girls” Featurette
In the first Despicable Me, Gru was made out to be a menace who was seemingly incapable of love. However, that all changed when Margot, Edith, and Agnes entered his life. After adopting them from Ms. Hattie’s Home for Girls, the three girls ultimately proved to Gru that he is not all that bad underneath. By taking them to the amusement park, Super Silly Fun Land, and going to see their dance recital, the trio made Gru realize that fatherhood was much more important to him than villainy.
In Despicable Me 2, their familial bond continues to grow as Gru fully embraces his new role as a parent. The girls, though, are still as rambunctious and adorable as ever. While watching the featurette, “Gru’s Girls,” in our Despicable Me 2 “Extras” section, you’ll see just how much Margot, Edith, and Agnes have changed Gru’s life.
At the start of this featurette, producer Janet Healy says “In thinking about the girls for a sequel, how do we take the personality traits that we established for them in the first movie and see them as a family unit with Gru?”
In the first Despicable Me, the three girls had the same exact situation: learning how to live with the madman that was Gru. Now that they have all become part of a loving family, Margot, Edith, and Agnes start to develop their own individual problems. Agnes wonders what it would be like to have a mom; Margot has a crush on a boy; and Edith has a hard time not being Edith. The only thing that hasn't changed is that the same three actresses returned to voice these characters.
Once again, Miranda Cosgrove (star of “iCarly”) voices Margot; Dana Gaier voices Edith; and Elsie Fisher voices Agnes. The cast and crew all agree that these three actresses voice Gru’s girls perfectly. When talking about Elsie Fisher, for example, director Pierre Coffin says “It’s so cool seeing that little girl being so expressive. Elsie’s character is very much that of Agnes.” Elsie Fisher exhibits the same amount of energy and excitement that Agnes has in the films. This kind of personality makes her perfect for the role, and her soft and innocent voice only adds to the adorableness of Agnes.
Edith, on the other hand, is (for a lack of a better term) the most despicable of the three girls. She is often seen wearing her ninja outfit and swinging her num-chuks around in Despicable Me 2. However, this is what Dana Gaier likes so much about the character. Dana Gaier says that Edith “is not your typical girlie-girl. I like that she wears pink but she sort of has that edge to her. We both like to make trouble, definitely.” As you can see while watching the movie, there isn’t a moment when Edith is not finding herself in some sort of trouble. However, that’s what fans love about her and that’s what makes Edith so unique.
Just like Elsie Fisher and Dana Gaier, Miranda Cosgrove was very excited about returning for a sequel to Despicable Me. This time around, though, her character is falling head-over-heels for a boy. According to co-screenwriter Cinco Paul, “Margot has always been so sensible, and once she falls in love, she kind of loses it a little bit.” With Margot becoming boy crazy, Gru starts to not like it because he doesn’t want his girls to grow up. However, it’s this kind of protectiveness that shows just how much of a family the four of them have truly become.
If you loved reading about this exclusive, be sure to buy Despicable Me 2 on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM* so that you can actually watch it for yourself!
*Bonus features are only available at select digital retailers. Check the retailer for details.
Like this article? Read more about the making of Despicable Me 2 here: