Sharon Osbourne and David Arquette talk about their voice roles in the animated series "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" at Toy Fair in New York Monday. Photo courtesy of Disney Junior.
NEW YORK, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- America's Disney Channel says it has ordered a third season of its animated series "Jake and the Never Land Pirates."
David Arquette and Sharon Osbourne, who lend their voices to characters Skully the parrot and Mama Hook, respectively, stopped by a Toy Fair event in New York this week to promote the series, as well as a new line of related toys -- including plush versions of the show's characters, costumes, action-oriented figures and play sets such as Jake's Pirate Ship -- that will become available in June.
"It's kind of hard to get into that pirate parrot [character,] but you just have to believe and the voice comes out," Arquette joked with reporters in Manhattan Monday.
"I love being Mama Hook. I love it because she's strong and she knows she's got a very naughty son, [Capt. James Hook,]" said Osbourne, a co-host of the chat show "The Talk," a judge on "America's Got Talent" and the wife of heavy-metal icon Ozzy Osbourne.
Sharon Osbourne said although she and Arquette -- star of the "Scream" film franchise and a recent "Dancing with the Stars" contender -- both work on "Jake," they record their lines separately and don't often get to interact.
"It's so nice to be in the same room with you!" she told the actor, who quipped back, "The magic of show business; it's all done with smoke and mirrors and really good audio engineering."
Based on characters from Disney's beloved movie adaptation of J.M. Barrie's classic children's book "Peter Pan," "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" debuted last February and is the Disney Channel's No. 1 preschooler series of all time.
The announcement about the show's renewal was made Monday by Nancy Kanter, senior vice president of original programming and general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide.
"The series is connecting with kids on every level and brings them closer to characters they're already familiar with and introduces them to new, original characters they have made their friends," Kanter said in a statement. "The storytelling is adventurous and heartfelt and embeds the kind of learning that we know is important to parents. We're pleased to be extending viewers' experience with the stories, allowing them to play the 'Jake and the Never Land Pirates' experience."
The series airs daily during Disney Channel's Disney Junior programming block for kids age 2-7 and will have a major presence on the new 24-hour Disney Junior channel, which is to start up in the United States March 23.
