Gru and Minions urge handwashing, fun at home in new coronavirus public service announcement

[May 28, 2020]  (Reuters) - Gru and the popular yellow Minions from the animated "Despicable Me" movie franchise are urging people to keep their distance to help fight the spread of the novel coronavirus in a new public service announcement unveiled on Wednesday.

Illumination, the animation studio behind "Despicable Me," developed the PSA with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Foundation.

The PSA is voiced by actor Steve Carell as Gru and will be translated into multiple languages including Spanish, French, Portuguese and Arabic, among others.

In the minute-long PSA, Gru urges people to wash their hands regularly and keep physical distance, find fun things to do at home such as dancing and cooking a new dish, and to be kind to others.

"At this challenging time, we must find all ways possible to provide hope to people while sharing advice that can protect our health," Dr. Tedros Adhanom, director-general of the World Health Organization, said in a statement.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Tom Brown)

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