You’ve seen the movie. You know the garden gnomes, the Elton John soundtrack, and the whole "forbidden love" vibe. But if you look past the star-crossed lovers, there’s one character who basically drives the chaos of the entire plot. I’m talking about Benny.
He’s the small guy with the impossibly tall blue hat and a serious chip on his shoulder. Honestly, Benny is the kind of friend who would start a bar fight and then realize he’s way too short to reach the counter. In the 2011 film Gnomeo & Juliet, he isn't just a background ornament. He’s the catalyst.
Who Exactly is Benny?
Benny is Gnomeo’s best friend. Voiced by the hilarious Matt Lucas (of Little Britain and The Great British Bake Off fame), he brings a specific kind of frantic energy to the screen. If you're a Shakespeare nerd, you'll recognize him as a mashup of Benvolio and Mercutio.
He has Benvolio’s name and loyalty, but he definitely inherited Mercutio’s impulsive, hot-headed nature.
In the blue garden, Benny is the "man with the plan," even if those plans usually end in disaster. He’s obsessed with the feud. While Gnomeo is out there getting distracted by a pretty red gnome, Benny is focused on the mission. He’s the guy who thinks spray-painting a lawnmower is a high-stakes tactical operation.
The Terrafirminator Incident
Most people forget that the climax of the movie—the part where everything almost literally blows up—is entirely Benny’s fault.
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After Tybalt (voiced by Jason Statham) smashes Benny’s iconic tall hat during a skirmish, Benny goes off the deep end. He doesn't just get mad; he goes digital. He sneaks into the humans' house and uses the computer to order the Terrafirminator.
If you haven't seen the movie in a while, the Terrafirminator is basically a lawnmower on steroids, voiced by Hulk Hogan. It’s advertised as a machine that "destroys everything in its path."
Benny thought he was just getting revenge. Instead, he almost leveled both gardens.
This is the nuance people miss about Benny from Gnomeo and Juliet. He represents the danger of unchecked escalation. His character arc shows how a "prank" or a small act of revenge can spiral into something life-threatening. He's the one who has to watch as his "ultimate weapon" nearly kills his best friend.
Matt Lucas and the Voice Behind the Gnome
Matt Lucas was a perfect casting choice. His voice has this high-pitched, slightly neurotic quality that makes Benny feel constantly on edge. Lucas has talked in interviews about how he approached the role—trying to make Benny lovable but also a bit of a "loose cannon."
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It’s a tough balance. If Benny were too annoying, you wouldn’t care when his hat gets broken. But because he’s so genuinely loyal to the Blue gnomes, you feel for him, even when he’s making terrible decisions.
Why Benny Still Matters in the Sequel
When Sherlock Gnomes came out in 2018, Benny was back.
He didn't change much. He’s still impulsive. He’s still the first one to panic when the gnomes start disappearing. But that’s the point of his character. In a world of garden ornaments where everyone is literally made of breakable ceramic, Benny is the most "human" because he’s the most flawed.
He doesn't have Gnomeo’s bravery or Juliet’s combat skills. He just has a big hat and a lot of feelings.
What We Can Learn From a Plastic Gnome
If you're looking for a takeaway, look at the "hat" scene.
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In the original Shakespeare play, Mercutio’s death is the turning point that makes the story a tragedy. In Gnomeo & Juliet, they couldn't exactly kill off a main character in a PG movie. So, they killed the hat.
The smashing of Benny's hat is a symbolic "death." It’s the moment the fun stops and the real consequences begin. It’s a clever bit of writing that translates a 16th-century tragedy into something kids can understand.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Writers
- Character Archetypes: If you’re writing your own stories, use Benny as a template for the "Loyal Catalyst." He’s the friend who pushes the protagonist into the action.
- Easter Eggs: Watch the Terrafirminator scene again. The website Benny uses is full of parodies of early 2010s internet culture.
- Voice Acting: Pay attention to Matt Lucas's timing. The way he delivers lines like "Unleash the dogs of war!" (a Julius Caesar reference) is a masterclass in comedic voice work.
Benny proves that even in a story about star-crossed lovers, the sidekick is usually the one holding the remote control to the giant lawnmower. He’s messy, he’s loud, and he’s the reason the story moves forward.
To really appreciate the character, go back and watch the first film's "midnight raid" sequence. Notice how Benny’s movements are twitchier and more frantic than Gnomeo’s. It’s a subtle bit of animation that tells you everything you need to know about his personality before he even opens his mouth.