B.L. All I have to say is you are Shaggy! What an unbelievable performance, you got the character down to perfection!
M.L. Oh shucks, thank you so much. It's very exciting to hear because this is like the first reaction that we have had to the film, aside from friends and family. So it's so cool that you are digging it.

B.L. It must have been a daunting task for you. I mean who didn't grow up with Scooby-Doo? When you got the part, were you at all intimidated or nervous about portraying Shaggy?
M.L. It was scary. First of all, the character is an icon. At least four generations worth of kids knows who he is. I grew up with him and it was such a big movie. I didn't want to screw it up. I definitely put a lot of pressure on myself. I was committed to doing it the best possible way I could.

B.L. How difficult was it for you to get Shaggy's voice? It's his trademark.
M.L. It was tough. Zoinks! I've never been one for impressions, so when this came up, I put a lot of thought and work into it. I was making 13 Ghosts in Vancouver and I had to fly down to L.A. to audition for Shaggy. In the beginning I had to scream myself hoarse and make my voice scratchy. So I'd scream to get my voice really tired. I went to do the audition and I was sitting in my car screaming myself hoarse and all of a sudden I heard a knock at my window, and it was the director asking me if I was OK.

B.L We all know Shaggy is Scooby-Doo's best pal and life-long buddy. You more than anyone else in the film had to interact with almost nothing because Scooby was computer generated and inserted into the film later. What was that like for you?
M.L. It was really difficult, but they did everything that they could to kind of create a Scooby during rehearsal. We had a person who walked around in a Scooby-Doo outfit, which was pretty phenomenal. We also had a stuffed dog, and a stunt Scooby-Doo stand in, but early on getting to know Raja, the director, you just have to commit and there's this leap of faith. You just have to put faith in the animators that they are going to create this full-bodied character. By the end of it, they made Scooby-Doo a great actor. He's funny, he's charming, he's dramatic, he's lovable and he's my best friend.

B.L. Why do you think that Scooby-Doo has endured for more than 30 years? What's the appeal?
M.L. That's a great question; I have never been asked this before! I think because it's a child's first look at a ghost story and a mystery. Here is this gang of five taking each and every one of these adventures seriously and I think that is a key to watching it. These kids are taking it seriously, yet they are reacting the same way you would as you are watching it. So that is why I think that children have loved it for generations.

B.L. You have now made four films with Freddie Prinze Jr. Are you not sick of each other?
M.L. I think that we are a little sick of each other actually, and if you ask him, I'm sure he's pretty sick of me.

B.L. Well, I know that he has pulled some pretty nasty pranks on you. Have you gotten him back yet?
M.L. No, I leave the pranking to him. Those are his shenanigans. But it's funny, he and I have worked a lot together and it's all been good. It's kind of nice working with someone you like and get along with.

B.L. Watching all four of you in this movie, there is a sense of camaraderie. You must have had a very good time together.
M.L. Well, we were down in Australia for six months, so you develop your own little family and your own little routine. That kept us all going and sane!

B.L. I noticed as you were walking over here to do the interview, you sort of slipped into the Shaggy walk a little. Do you find yourself slipping into that character without meaning too?
M.L. I find myself slipping into his voice a lot, actually. (Does Shaggy) "Like anytime I start getting excited, I'll start talking like this, which is terrible!" It's really not that appealing, let me tell you. My wife looks at me like I'm nuts! It's kind of embarrassing. As for the Shaggy walk, I think I've outgrown that.