Buster Moon

Hero Overview Gallery

Do-Gooder
Full Name	Buster Moon
Alias(es)	The Producer Mr. Moon Pal (by Eddie Noodleman) Man (by Eddie Noodleman)
Origin	Sing
Occupation	Moon Theater owner Producer
Powers / Skills	Managing shows Car washing skills
Hobby	Producing successful shows
Goals	Save the Moon Theater (succeeded)
Family	Unnamed father (deceased)
Friends / Allies	Eddie Noodleman Miss Crawly Rosita Ash Johnny Mike Gunter Meena Nana Noodleman
Enemies	The bears Judith (formerly) Nana Noodleman (formerly)
Type of Hero	Heroic Animal

“	You know what's great about hitting rock bottom, Eddie? There's only one way to go, and that's UP!	„
	~ Buster

Buster Moon is an anthropomorphic koala, and the main protagonist of Illumination's seventh feature film Sing. He is the owner of the Moon Theater.

He is voiced by Academy Award-winner Matthew McConaughey, who also portrayed Rustin "Rust" Cohle in True Detective and voiced Beetle in Kubo and the Two Strings.

Appearance

Buster has gray fur with white patches on his mouth and chest, and inside his ears. He wears a blue suit and pants with a red bow tie and brown shoes.

Personality

Buster is extremely optimistic. Even when the odds are against him, he will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals. Buster also has a passionate love for show business, particularly theater. He is wholly supportive of all his performers, and uses his managerial skills to draw out their talent. However, Buster is also pushy and opportunistic, willing to lie to steal electricity and water for his theater, and lie to his contestants about the prize money.

History

When Buster was a child, he wanted to be the first koala astronaut, but this dream changed after his father took him to see the play Epiphany. Young Buster was so amazed by the play, and star Nana Noodleman's performance in particular, he developed a lifelong passion for theater. Thirty years later, Buster buys the theater that staged Epiphany, using money his supportive father saved from his car-washing business; he renames it the Moon Theater.

At start of Sing, the Moon Theater has fallen on hard times, with several shows flopping and Buster accruing considerable debt. As a final effort to restore is theater's popularity, he decides to organize a singing competition, despite the misgivings of his best friend, Eddie Noodleman. Buster scrapes together $1,000 to give the winner, but thanks to an incident involving his assistant Miss Crawly, the flyers are sent proclaiming a $100,000 prize, causing a stir in the city. Ultimately, six acts pass the audition, but after one is injured and a second disbands early, Buster allows Meena, a failed contestant turned stagehand, to join.

To convince Nana Noodleman to provide the remaining $99,000, Buster constructs a glass stage filled with water and bioluminescent squids for an elaborate rehearsal. Unfortunately, it is interrupted by three bear gangsters who were cheated out of money by the contestant Mike; they demand the money in the chest as payment. When Buster stalls, the bear leader smashes the chest with a baseball bat, revealing its contents were less than advertised. Everyone's combined weight combined with the force of the baseball bat causes the stage to crack, flooding the Moon Theater and leading to its collapse.

With the destruction of his beloved theater, Buster completely gives up. He spurns his contestants' encouragement and desire to perform, and resigns himself to a lifetime of car-washing. It is only when hearing Meena sing "Hallelujah" in the Moon Theater ruins that Buster's spirit is restored. He rallies his performers, ad together they stage an open-air concert in the ruins. The result is so spectacular it redeems Buster in the eyes of Nana, who purchases the theater property and finances construction of the New Moon Theater. Buster holds a grand opening, which closes Sing.

Quotes

“	“This was it. The moment it all began. The moment an ordinary little guy fell in love with theater. Everything about it: the lights, the way the scenery moved, even the smell. He was only 6 years old, but his plans to become the first koala bear in space were suddenly... toast. Some folks may have said he grew up to be the greatest showman the city has ever seen. Some called him a visionary, a maverick. Sure some folks said he was as crazy as he was stubborn, but I say wonder and magic don't come easy, pal, and oh, there would never be any doubt. The name Buster Moon would go down in entertainment history. And I should know, because I am Buster-”	„
	~ Buster Moon opening Sing

“	“My next show is gonna be, drumroll please: a singing competition!”	„
	~ Buster Moon explaining his plans to Eddie

“	And cue the crazy old lizard.	„
	~ Buster moments before Miss Crawly enters his office

“	'Loud and horrible, but shows promise.' Welcome to the show.	„
	~ Buster telling Ash she passed the audition

“	Yes, I was saying that you are in... Oh jeez, this is gonna drive me nuts. Johnny, get back here. You're in. Thank you, Daniel. Goodbye!	„
	~ Buster, realizing the burden of using a megaphone to communicate with Daniel the giraffe, dismisses him from the competition in favor of Johnny

“	Rosita, Rosita, Rosita. 'Great set of pipes, but boring to watch.' ... So, what should I do? I could partner you up with... Gunter! Gunter, where are ya?”	„
	~ Buster selecting Rosita and Gunter for as a duo for his competition

“	I have this bucket because it belonged to my father. Every day for 30 years, he'd worked his tail off washing cars, just so I can buy this place. Every day, Eddie. Just for me.	„
	~ Buster explaining to Eddie the significance of his father's bucket

“	Are you wearing a Speedo, Eddie?	„
	~ Buster watching Eddie swim in his pool

“	Don't let fear stop you from doing the thing you love.	„
	~ Buster counseling Meena

“	“Oh, Dad, I'm so sorry...”	„
	~ Buster after the destruction of the Moon Theater

“	“Oh, Dad, I wish you could see this...”	„
	~ –Buster at the conclusion of the concert in the Moon Theater's ruins

“	“All creatures great and small, welcome to the New Moon Theater!”	„
	~ –Buster Moon at the grand opening of the New Moon Theater, closing Sing

Songs Performed

"Call Me Maybe"

Trivia

• In Buster's introduction, a diploma from the Modern Drama Institute can be seen on his office walls.
• Buster Moon is the third Illumination protagonist to be an animal, after E.B. from Hop and Max from The Secret Life of Pets.

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