Mel Brooks voices Phoney Bunny in animated short Addicted To It

Mel Brooks, whose long career as a director and writer includes The Producers and Blazing Saddles, has returned to the screen at age 100. In a new animated short titled Addicted To It, Brooks voices “Phoney Bunny,” a manipulative, sentient mobile phone that serves as an “agent of chaos” designed to keep its owner trapped in a cycle of doom scrolling.

The seven-minute film, co-produced and directed by LA-based Irish filmmaker Nigel Tierney, has already qualified for Oscar consideration in the Animated Shorts category.

A Century of Comedy Meets Digital Chaos

The narrative follows a character named Dace, who attempts a simple, phone-free walk through the Redwoods. His peace is short-lived as his device transforms into Phoney Bunny—a character Tierney describes as a mixture of charm and chaos, akin to the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. The bunny’s sole objective is to pull Dace back into the “rabbit hole” of the screen.

For Tierney, who previously worked on Shrek Forever After, The Croods, and Kung Fu Panda 3, casting Brooks was a strategic choice to avoid being “preachy.” By utilizing Brooks’ specific comedic energy, the film frames the struggle against technology as an absurd battle rather than a lecture. The production was an international effort, involving artists and musicians including an LA-based Irish director and producer.

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“We thought ‘who could play this role comedically but also deliver the message?’ And no better an agent of chaos than Mel Brooks!”

Brooks’ commitment to the project was immediate. Despite his age, the comedian declined remote recording options, choosing instead to visit the studio in person. Tierney noted that Brooks arrived without an entourage, dressed in a suit with a red pocket square, and remained after the session to sign autographs and support the crew.

The Human Cost of the Pixel

The film’s impetus is rooted in Tierney’s own experience as a father to children aged 13 and 8.

The Irony of the Distribution Model

There is a paradox at the heart of the film’s release. To warn the public about the dangers of mobile phone addiction, Tierney must distribute the film through the very devices he is critiquing. Most viewers will likely encounter the short via a smartphone screen, the exact “portal” the film warns against.

The goal, however, is not total abstinence but a moment of presence. The film encourages viewers to take a five-to-ten-minute walk without their phones. As Mel Brooks himself put it: “If people can put their phones down long enough to watch Addicted To It, we’ve already won.”

International Festivals Build Momentum for Academy Awards

The film is currently screening at international festivals to build momentum for the Academy Awards. Its qualification for the Animated Shorts category puts it in the running for the final shortlist.