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Lola Bunny

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For the song, see Lola Bunny (song).
Lola Bunny
Looney Tunes character
File:LolaBunnySpaceJam.png
Lola Bunny as seen in Space Jam.
First appearanceSpace Jam (1996)
Created byWarner Bros. Feature Animation[1]
Voiced byKath Soucie (1996–2000, 2010, 2015–2020)
Britt McKillip (2001–2006)[2]
Kristen Wiig (2011–2014)
Rachel Ramras (2015)
Carla Delaney (2016)[3][4]
Zendaya (Space Jam: A New Legacy)[5]
In-universe information
SpeciesRabbit
GenderFemale
Significant otherBugs Bunny
RelativesWalter & Patricia Bunny (father and mother in The Looney Tunes Show)

Lola Bunny is a Looney Tunes cartoon character portrayed as an anthropomorphic female rabbit created by Warner Bros. Pictures. She is generally depicted as Bugs Bunny's girlfriend. She first appeared in the 1996 film Space Jam.[6]

Development

In the mid-1990s, Warner Bros. started working on Space Jam (1996). There were plans to feature Honey Bunny in the film as Bugs Bunny's female counterpart. Concept art displayed an athletic female rabbit wearing a head bow and a leotard-themed around the American flag. Some artists commented that she looked too much like Bugs and eventually created Lola Bunny.[1][7]

History

Space Jam

Lola first appeared in the 1996 film Space Jam. She is shown with tan fur, blonde bangs, and wears a purple rubber band on both ears like a ponytail. She has aqua-colored eyes and a shapely figure. Lola is voiced by Kath Soucie in the film.

Lola was created to serve as a romantic interest for Bugs. As soon as she appears, Bugs is instantly smitten and several other male characters ogle her.[8][page needed] Throughout the film, there is a sub-plot of whether there will be a romance between Lola and Bugs. The sub-plot concludes with a conventional resolution. Lola is nearly injured by one of the opponents in the basketball game, and Bugs rescues her.

According to author Kevin Sandler, Lola's personality is a combination of the Hawksian woman, tomboy, and femme fatale archetypes.[8][page needed] She is a tough-talking, no-nonsense woman who is extremely independent and self-reliant. She is both highly athletic and extremely seductive in her behavior. Her catchphrase is "Don't ever call me 'Doll'". As animation director Tony Cervone explained, Lola was originally intended to be more of a "tomboy", but the production team feared that she would appear "too masculine". So they chose to emphasize her "feminine attributes" as well.

Following Space Jam, Lola has regularly appeared in solo stories in the monthly Looney Tunes comic published by DC Comics.

She will return in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Zendaya will be voicing her,[5] although Soucie was initially announced to be reprising the role.[9]

The Looney Tunes Show

Lola also appears in The Looney Tunes Show, where she was voiced by Kristen Wiig. As opposed to her personality in Space Jam, she is portrayed as an eccentric and cheerful young rabbit who tends to obsess over Bugs, whom she refers to as "Bun-Bun".[10] She is very dedicated to achieving goals, but oftentimes tends to forget what she was doing. Lola is mostly involved in bizarre situations, either created by herself or when accompanied by her friend Daffy.

Bugs nevertheless appears to enjoy having her around, even surprising himself when declaring himself her boyfriend in "Double Date" where she helped Daffy get the courage to ask Tina Russo out on a date. Later in the series, Bugs and Lola are seen in multiple episodes spending time with each other.

Lola's wealthy parents Walter (voiced by John O'Hurley) and Patricia (voiced by Grey DeLisle in season 1, Wendi McLendon-Covey in season 2) appear in the show as well.

Lola is one of the two lead characters in the straight-to-video spin-off movie Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run,[11] however here she is voiced by Rachel Ramras.[12]

Other appearances

Lola appears as a news reporter twice, both in the direct-to-video film Tweety's High-Flying Adventure and the game Looney Tunes: Space Race. Kath Soucie reprises Lola's voice in both. In the series Baby Looney Tunes, she is like her older counterpart in Space Jam, having tomboyish traits and an affinity for basketball.[13] She is voiced by Britt McKillip. In the action-comedy Loonatics Unleashed, her descendant is Lexi Bunny.[14]

The New Looney Tunes portrays Lola as a happy and friendly character. She appears in the segments "Hare to the Throne", "Lola Rider" and "Rhoda Derby". Her appearance is the same as in The Looney Tunes Show, although she wears a different outfit. She always shows eccentricity and maintains her carefree attitude. Her intrepid and adventurous side appears within some episodes, where she performs various sports.

Lola will appear in the reboot series Tiny Toons Looniversity and the preschool series Bugs Bunny Builders.[15]

Voice actresses

Since Lola Bunny’s first appearance in 1996, the cartoon character has been voiced by a variety of voice actresses.

For the majority of the Looney Tunes series, Lola’s character was voiced by Kath Soucie, an American voice actress. Soucie has voiced Lola in Space Jam (1996), Tweety's High-Flying Adventure (2000), Looney Tunes Racing (2000), Looney Tunes: Space Race (2000), the Looney Tunes webtoons (2001-2005), Looney Tunes Dance Off (2010) and New Looney Tunes (2015).[16]

In 2011, American actress, comedian, writer, and producer Kristen Wiig, voiced Lola in The Looney Tunes Show. For her portrayal, Wiig received several nominations and won the People's Choice Voice Acting Award in 2011.[17]

Others

Reception and legacy

Since her first appearance, Lola quickly became a fan favorite and an iconic character from the Looney Tunes franchise.[21][22][23] She has frequently been regarded as an animated sex symbol.[24][25][26] In 2020, she was named the "most attractive cartoon character across the world" based on global search volume per month.[27][28][29] Shannon Carlin of Bustle.com praised Lola from Space Jam, calling her "confident" and "talented".[30] Dan Kahan of PopDust.com wrote that Lola was meant to be "ogled, both by in-world characters and viewers".[31]

Lola from The Looney Tunes Show was well received by critics. CBR.com ranked Lola and Bugs No. 2 in their 10 Best Romances From Childhood Cartoons, stating that she is more "lively and vapid" than in Space Jam, and is "pretty cute and funny to watch".[32] IGN.com praised the character, calling her a "crazy but charming character" with Kristen Wiig doing "a phenomenal job".[33] WhatCulture.com calls Lola more interesting compared to her first appearance, stating that the "Lola of this show is scatter-brained, strange, and incredibly off-putting, making her leagues more interesting and funny as a result."[34] Jonathan North of Rotoscopers.com complimented Lola from the same series, saying that it "brought out Lola’s character far better than her debut in Space Jam did."[35]

In 2019, after watching the original Space Jam for the first time, Malcolm D. Lee, the director for Space Jam: A New Legacy, felt off-guard on how Lola was too sexualized and decided to turn her into a strong woman character, saying: "It's important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters." The new personality and look gained controversy, specifically among Twitter, as fans complained about her "nerfed" appearance that made her intentionally less physically appealing.[36][37][38]

Author Kevin Sandler has said that Lola Bunny was created as a female merchandising counterpart to Bugs Bunny.[39] Lola Bunny’s original merchandise now sells for far more than its original price on resale markets. For example, original dolls now sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay.[citation needed] However, Lola Bunny is not the only character to see a rise in contemporary popularity, as original Looney Tunes merchandise in general has gained nostalgic value.

Accolades

Kristen Wiig who portrayed Lola Bunny in The Looney Tunes Show received several nominations for her work and won the 1 Behind the Voice Actors Award.

Year Work Award Category Nominee Results
2011 The Looney Tunes Show BTVA People's Choice Voice Acting Award Best Female Vocal Performance in a Television Series in a Supporting Role Kristen Wiig
  • For the voice of Lola Bunny
 Won [17]
2012 The Looney Tunes Show Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Voice-Over Performance Kristen Wiig
  • For the voice of Lola Bunny
  • Episode: "Double Date"
 Nominated [40]
2013 The Looney Tunes Show BTVA Television Voice Acting Award Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical Kristen Wiig
  • For the voice of Lola Bunny
 Nominated [41]
2016 Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run BTVA Television Voice Acting Award Best Female Vocal Performance in a TV Special/Direct-To-DvD Title Or Short Rachel Ramras
  • For the voice of Lola Bunny
 Nominated [42]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Boone, Brian (May 20, 2020). "The Untold Truth Of Space Jam". Looper.com. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Britt McKillip". IMDb. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. ^ a b "ABOUT". VOICES. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Daffy Duck Dance Off". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
  5. ^ a b c Lawrence, Derek (April 3, 2021). "Zendaya to voice Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  6. ^ Sandler, Kevin (1998). Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation, p. 9. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0813525381
  7. ^ Kurp, Josh (March 9, 2021). "'Space Jam 2' Is (Somehow) The Most Controversial Movie Of 2021". UPROXX. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Sandler (2001)
  9. ^ "'Space Jam: A New Legacy' Shares Sneak Peek Featuring LeBron James in Tune Squad Jersey". Complex. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  10. ^ Vanguardia (Mexico) (15 August 2011). "Regresan a la tv Bugs y Lola Bunny" (in Spanish)
  11. ^ "Bugs Bunny to Return in Direct-to-Video 'Rabbits Run'". Cartoon Brew. 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  12. ^ Chitwood, Adam (2015-04-30). "Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run Trailer Teases New Animated Movie". Collider.com. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  13. ^ Erickson, Hal (ed.) (2005). Television Cartoon Shows An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 through 2003, 2nd edition, p. 105. McFarland & Co. ISBN 0786422556
  14. ^ Dallas Morning News (17 September 2005). "'Beep-beep' gives way to yawn-yawn" (subscription required)
  15. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (February 17, 2021). "WarnerMedia Upfronts: Cartoonito Launches on HBO Max with 20 Series". Animation Magazine. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  16. ^ "Lola Bunny Voice - Looney Tunes franchise". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  17. ^ a b "2011 BTVA Voice Acting Awards". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  18. ^ "Anime Conji Announces Voice Actor Jessica DiCicco as Guest of Honor". Anime News Network. March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  19. ^ "Scooby Doo & Looney Tunes Cartoon Universe: Adventure". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2019-11-27.
  20. ^ Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run, retrieved 2019-11-27
  21. ^ "Space Jam 2 Is Going to Be Gloriously Black as Hell". Retrieved 2020-10-12. Not to mention Lola Bunny is an icon, and we want her to get the glory she deserves.
  22. ^ "15 Slam-Dunk Facts About Space Jam". www.mentalfloss.com. 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2020-10-12. Lola Bunny sashayed onto the scene with blonde bangs, a feminist catchphrase ("Don't call me doll"), and impressive game on the court. It's no wonder that audiences fell in love with her even before Bugs.
  23. ^ EDT, Rocco Marrongelli On 7/27/20 at 4:07 PM (2020-07-27). "For Bugs Bunny's 80th birthday, here's a guide to all the "Looney Tunes" on HBO Max". Newsweek. Retrieved 2020-10-12. It's particularly notable that fan-favorite Lola Bunny (voiced here by Kristen Wiig) gets some time to shine in this series, after her breakout appearance in the movie Space Jam.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Wilding, Robin (May 1, 2012). "25 Sexiest Cartoon Babes". Animation Career Review. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  25. ^ Fox, Audrey (July 22, 2014). "10 Weirdly Hot Cartoon Characters You Secretly Had A Crush On". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
  26. ^ Atchison, Sean (September 11, 2017). "Drawn To You: 15 Classic Cartoon Stars (You Were Totally Attracted To)". Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  27. ^ "Revealed: The cartoon characters the world gets off to • Datingroo US". Datingroo US. Retrieved 2020-10-12. Lola Bunny is the world's most searched for cartoon sex icon
  28. ^ Frishberg, Hannah (2020-08-21). "Oh, Marge! Americans are weirdly turned on by these cartoon characters". New York Post. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  29. ^ "Study Reveals What Cartoon Characters Aussies Are Grossly Horny For & Of Course Shrek's On It". Pedestrian TV. 2020-09-12. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  30. ^ "Defending 'Space Jam's Lola Bunny Because She Was A Flawed But Necessary Heroine". Bustle. Retrieved 2020-10-12. For everything wrong with Lola, there are good things that even now are worth noting: She is confident. She is talented. She is witty.
  31. ^ Kahan, Dan (2019-05-02). "The Fetishization of Space Jam: How Lola Bunny Led to Furries". Popdust. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  32. ^ "10 Best Romances From Childhood Cartoons". CBR. 2020-02-11. Retrieved 2020-10-12. This would allow the two some heated banter that was at one end playful to the historic rabbit and at another a genuine, refreshing challenge. Such a romance would be reignited in The Looney Tunes Show, as the two would experience a new relationship with a much more lively and vapid Lola Bunny that was still pretty cute and funny to watch.
  33. ^ Goldman, Eric (8 May 2012). "The Looney Tunes Show: Bugs and Daffy's New Sitcom Life". Among the voice cast, you'll hear a couple of notable Saturday Night Live cast members. Kirsten Wiig plays Lola Bunny, a character first introduced in Space Jam, who gets a very different portrayal here. Said Cervone, "I like this Lola. I like this kind of Katherine Hepburn-esque, crazy but charming character. She's got a lot of layers to her and Kirsten does a phenomenal job."
  34. ^ Dapul, Motzie (2019-01-17). "10 Excellent Cartoon Reboots That Surprised Fans". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved 2020-10-12. One of the better character updates of this show was that of Lola Bunny, who had been introduced in the film Space Jam as little more than a sex object to give Bugs a love interest. As if in response to her first appearance, the Lola of this show is scatter-brained, strange, and incredibly off-putting, making her leagues more interesting and funny as a result.
  35. ^ "'Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run' DVD Review". Rotoscopers. 2015-08-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  36. ^ Lawrence, Derek (March 4, 2021). "Game on! LeBron James balls out in 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' first look". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  37. ^ Hughes, William (March 4, 2021). "New Space Jam photos send planet into predictable spiral of cartoon rabbit horniness". AV Club. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  38. ^ Morris, Seren (March 5, 2021). "Lola Bunny's desexualized "Space Jam 2" redesign sparks intense debate". Newsweek. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  39. ^ Sandler, Kevin S. (1998). Reading the Rabbit: Explorations in Warner Bros. Animation. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813525389. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  40. ^ "The Looney Tunes Show". Television Academy. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  41. ^ "2013 BTVA Voice Acting Awards". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
  42. ^ "2015 BTVA Voice Acting Awards". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
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