The Lorax Gets an Update

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax was one of actor Ed Helms' favorite books as a child, so when he heard a new animated feature was in the works, he was willing to take any role at all. ''They offered the Once-ler, and I was totally floored,'' he says, especially since he, like many, had long been curious about the Once-ler's identity. ''If you are a fan of Dr. Seuss, it is one of those mysteries, and to his credit it was a beautiful mystery he left.'' In the new film, in theaters March 2, the Lorax (pictured, and voiced by Danny DeVito) is ? the mustachioed little creature who ''speaks for the trees'' ? in the 1971 environmental fable, but for 40 years fans ? have been wondering what exactly the story is behind the reckless, forest-chopping villain. —Anthony Breznican

In the book (and 1972 animated TV version), the Once-ler is depicted as nothing more than a pair of eyes and spindly green arms (often seen protruding from a boarded-up old window). —AB

The new film proposes that the Once-ler started out not as some Grinchesque fiend but rather as a misguided young man (pictured) whose greedy actions eventually outrage the Lorax. ''He's pure of heart when we meet him,'' says producer Chris Meledandri (Despicable Me). ''He has no nefarious agenda. The minute you make the Once-ler a monster, you allow the audience to interpret that the problem is caused by somebody who is different from me. There is ?a Once-ler in all of us.'' —AB

Behold, your new favorite band: Catnapped. The feline-fronted rock group will make its debut when Wiig (left) joins her SNL castmate Fred Armisen and his costar Carrie Brownstein on their sketch-comedy show this winter on IFC. ''We had cat wranglers who carry clickers, and the chick-kuh sound prompts the cat to play an instrument,'' explains Armisen, who won't specify what instrument, except to say ''it's not the guitar.'' So was this little guy the type who'd demand sushi-grade tuna in his tour rider? ''No, that was such a sweet cat,'' ?he says. ''I didn't get scratched at all.'' —Melissa Maerz