‘Despicable Me 3’ Star Dana Gaier Talks Playing Edith, Gru Vs. Dru And Fourth Movie Ideas

Gru’s out of a job and determined to stay on the straight and narrow in “Despicable Me 3,” but it won’t be easy. Although he and Lucy have promised the children, Margo, Edith and Agnes, that he’ll stay the course post Anti-Villainy League, the minions and a debonair long lost brother may sway his decision.

Despite his best efforts to keep them out of his business dealings, Gru’s (Steve Carell) children find themselves along for a wild ride in “Despicable Me 3.” Actress Dana Gaier, who plays fan favorite Edith in the film, teases adventure and lots of laughs to come. She tells International Business Times Edith will be there to keep her dad grounded and get in on the action as he encounters new friends and foes in the latest film from Illumination.

“Edith is the biggest trouble maker,” Gaier told IBT. “I can’t really say much about how [she and her sisters] are going to react to [Gru] going back to being a villain, but I think that they’re definitely just excited about the adventure that they’re going to be going on.”

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That adventure, as viewers will see in the “Despicable Me 3” trailer, includes meeting Gru’s long lost brother Dru. The character, also voiced by Carell, is “everything Gru isn’t.” Gaier describes him as a “really cool uncle,” and Edith won’t hold back from reminding Gru of just how cool he really is in “Despicable Me 3.”

“Dru’s got this full head of hair and Gru’s completely bald,” she said with a laugh. “Edith definitely likes to poke fun of that.”

The dynamic between Gru and Dru is set to play a major part in the “Despicable Me 3” plot, and for good reason. Gaier calls their meeting “priceless,” adding that both characters are “great.” Given the choice between the two, though, she’d side with her on-screen dad any day.

“I have to go with Gru,” she said. “I mean, he’s my dad!”

Gru, Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and the kids aren’t the only ones embarking on an adventure in “Despicable Me 3.” Desperate to return to their old ways, many of the minions leave Gru when he’s relieved of his duties at the AVL and doesn’t immediately step back into being a bad guy. They’ll be plenty busy in the latest film and find themselves in a little trouble of their own, according to Gaier. Don’t let their cute exteriors fool you, though — these guys will be just fine.

“Even though [the minions are] so cute and little they definitely are strong,” Gaier revealed. “There are some prison scenes in ‘Despicable Me 3.’ They all end up in jail and even though there are these big bad guys, they’re the ones running the show there.”

As for the future of the “Despicable Me” franchise, Gaier’s got big dreams. She hopes that one day mischievous Edith will find herself in the spotlight in a new way. As it turns out, the vibrant young actress also has a knack for singing and she’s ready to show that off through Edith.

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She told IBT if there’s a fourth “Despicable Me” film, she’d love to see her character join a band. Gaier’s thought of everything, including ways to include dad Gru — who viewers have come to realize can’t avoid the allure of a good fight — into this theoretical plotline. The studio hasn’t announced any plans for further franchise expansion, but we’re here for it!

“I always say I would love if Edith were in a rock band or something,” Gaier suggested. “Maybe there’s a battle of the bands type thing and there’s an issue with the other dad, so there’s the villain for Gru. I would love to be able to sing and put that into the story a little bit.”

“Despicable Me 3” hits theaters everywhere Friday. For more from Dana Gaier, check out the video above.