Characters

ALEX (Ben Stiller) - Alex the lion knows he can always count on his three pals. And that's a very good thing, because even a king needs friends. He's faced wild Madagascar foosas and crazed New York crowds, but can he survive (gulp)... meeting his parents?

MARTY (Chris Rock) - Marty the zebra is up for getting down with his newfound herd, but after awhile, partying with his new pals becomes as boring as black and white.

MELMAN (David Schwimmer) - Melman the giraffe is a hypochondriac who worries a lot about everything. Once a hypochondriac gets 'cured,' what's next? Well, there's an opening for a new witch doctor...

GLORIA (Jada Pinkett Smith) - Born and raised in the Central Park Zoo, Gloria, the sweet and sassy hippo-next-door, finds Africa to her liking-it just might have something to do with l-o-v-e...

KING JULIEN (Sacha Baron Cohen) - Bigger kingdom, why not? King Julien, the ringtail lemur, has decided to "move it, move it" with the New York-bound gang. Assuming they've arrived in New York, Julien is ready to rule... and party.

MAURICE (Cedric The Entertainer) - If there is expanding to do, it's pretty obvious that the sometime oblivious Julien will need his second-in-command, Maurice the Aye-Aye.

MORT (Andy Richter) - This overly cute mouse lemur is all saucer eyes and shaky nerves-but never underestimate the power of being small and adorable.

SKIPPER (Tom McGrath) - Ever the penguin-with-a-plan, this time, involving a plane. All he needs to get the job done is "grit, spit... and a whole lot of duct tape."

KOWALSKI (Chris Miller) - A soldier's soldier, no code is too dense or plan too obtuse for this constantly surprising tactical genius.

RICO - Blessed with a penchant for procurement, Rico is suave with getting whatever tools the Skipper needs for the job.

PRIVATE (Chris Knights) - The lowest in the penguin pecking order, he's assigned diversionary tactics... like looking cute and cuddly while 'the plan' is sprung into action.

THE CHIMPS, MASON (Conrad Vernon) & PHIL - The zoo chimp duo will do anything to get back to New York, even if it means gathering a workforce with opposable thumbs to help out.

NANA (Elisa Gabrielli) - Alex's foe from the zoo-remember the old bag with the bag?-this nearsighted senior menace of a tourist has found her way to Africa.

THE NEW LOCALS

ZUBA (Bernie Mac) & ALEX'S MOTHER (Sherri Shepherd) - Alpha lion Zuba and his mate are reunited with their son, Alex, whose big city zoo upbringing has taken him further from his heritage than they'd like... but it's never too late to learn, right?

MAKUNGA (Alec Baldwin) - Looking to be the next Alpha lion, Makunga is cocky, aggressive, scheming and powerful-everything a perfect lion should be. (Did we mention 'scheming'?)

MOTO MOTO (will.i.am) - Ultra-stud hippo and watering hole lothario Moto Moto has set his sights on Gloria. Will the ever steady Gloria fall for this smooth operator?