‘Despicable Me 4’ Star Dana Gaier Teases the ‘Sweet Ending to a Great Film’

There’s lots to love about the Despicable Me film franchise, but there’s one moment from the film’s latest installment that is memorable to actress Dana Gaier.

“My favorite moment happens at the end. So, I don’t want to spoil too much, but it’s a really nice moment,” Gaier, who voices Edith, exclusively told Us Weekly at the Despicable Me 4 New York City premiere on Sunday, June 9. “It actually got me a little emotional, which I wasn’t expecting. I mean, you always feel it. But it was just a really sweet ending to a great film, and they’ve done it again.”

Gaier scored her first acting role voicing Edith, one of villain-turned-hero Gru’s (Steve Carell) three adoptive daughters, in the original Despicable Me film in 2010, going to reprise the role in 2013’s Despicable Me 2, 2017’s Despicable Me 3 and several Despicable Me animated shorts.

Hitting theaters on July 3, Despicable Me 4 sees Gru’s family expand with the addition of his and his wife Lucy’s (Kristen Wiig) son, Gru Jr. Their peaceful life takes a hectic turn when supervillain Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) escapes from jail to seek revenge against Gru. The film also stars Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, Madison Polan as Agnes, Joey King as Poppy, Sofía Vergara as Valentina, Stephen Colbert as Perry Prescott and Chloe Fineman as Patsy Prescott.

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While Gaier’s costars consist of several Hollywood heavyweights, she told Us that she and the majority of the cast record their individual voice parts on their own.

“We very much recorded alone, but we get to watch scenes and stuff and hear about the scenarios that we’re going to be in, of course,” she explained. “So, you can kind of imagine what it’s going to be. The writers do a really great job of painting that picture for you, so does the director. And so, you kind of can feel it when you’re doing it, you feel the presence, everyone in the scene.”

The Despicable Me franchise features many memorable musical moments, from Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” to the Bee Gees “You Should Be Dancing.” However, it’s a scene from the 2015 Minions spinoff film that Gaier said includes her favorite musical number from the series.

“I love when they sing ‘Hair’ in the Minions movie. I think it's so funny,” she shared. “It kind of comes out of nowhere, but it also doesn't come out of nowhere. You're like, ‘This belongs here.’ I think they do a really great job of that, of surprising you, but [also] of telling you what's meant to be in the space. And [the] music is just awesome. Just bangers in there.”

Gaier also weighed in on the possibility of seeing the Despicable Me characters come to life in a live-action film down the line. “I think that these people at Illumination could do absolutely anything,” she told Us. “I think it would be fun. I think it would be chaotic.”

With reporting by Andrew Nodell