The Actor Behind Tails in the 'Sonic the Hedgehog' Sequel Has Voiced Him for Years

There was a surprising amount of talk surrounding the 2020 film Sonic the Hedgehog. The original live-action design for the iconic character received so much backlash that the animation team completely overhauled his look in time for the theatrical release. It was also one of the last films to be released in theaters before the first COVID-19 quarantine lockdown. On top of that, it was a generally good movie. Good enough to get a sequel that will feature his sidekick, Tails.

The first Sonic film follows the titular Blue Blur (Ben Schwartz). Having run from his own planet to hide on Earth and conceal his immeasurable power, he eventually catches the attention of the evil Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Joined by his human companion Tom Wachowski (James Marsden), the two of them attempt to foil Robotnik's evil plans and save the world.

The upcoming sequel will feature more of Sonic's classic friends, but the voice of his most trusted ally is surprising, to say the least.

As a film adaptation of the classic game franchise, there are plenty of elements from the Sonic series that the movies have yet to bring to life on the big screen. One of them is Sonic's trusty sidekick, Miles "Tails" Prower. The character was first teased in the film's post-credits sequence as he arrives on Earth to search for Sonic. Recently, Tails was prominently featured on the new poster for the upcoming sequel, piloting one of his trusty aircrafts with Sonic riding on the wings.

Tails is voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey in the new movie (she also voiced him in his brief post-credits cameo in the first film). Colleen is a prominent voice actor who's worked in several films, video games, and anime. What's more, she's been the de facto voice for Tails in games and spinoffs throughout the series since 2014. She first voiced the character in 2014's Sonic Boom and has provided his voice in several titles ever since.

This is a far cry from the casting of the other classic Sonic characters. In the films, Sonic is portrayed by Ben Schwartz, best known for his roles as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in Parks and Recreation. He would go on to voice other major characters in animated series like DuckTales and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Sonic's rival — Knuckles the Echidna — on the other hand, has some real star power behind him in the sequel.

In August 2021, it was announced that Hollywood actor Idris Elba will be voicing Knuckles in the upcoming film. It'll be interesting to see how the charismatic star will portray one of the most iconic characters in the Sonic franchise.

But it's not often that a professional voice actor gets to rub elbows with Hollywood stars. If nothing else, it's nice to see that Colleen's portrayal of Tails in the film will truly hearken back to the classic games.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will be released in theaters on April 8, 2022.