Ben Stiller has paid tribute to his late "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" co-star Bernie Mac.

Ben - who reprises his role voicing Alex the lion in the animated sequel - says Bernie, who recorded his lines as Alex's father Zuba before his untimely passing in August aged 50, is the "core of the movie."

Samuel L. Jackson was among 6,000 mourners who gathered to remember comedian Bernie Mac at a service on Saturday.

The "Pulp Fiction" actor paid his respects to the "Ocean's Thirteen" star - who died on August 9 after suffering complications related to pneumonia - and made a touching speech during the ceremony at Chicago's House Of Hope Church.

George Clooney says the "world just got a little less funny" following Bernie Mac's death on Saturday.

The actor - who starred alongside Mac in 2001 movie "Ocean's Eleven" and the film's two sequels - revealed he would miss Mac, who died aged 50 of complications arising from pneumonia, in a Chicago hospital.

Comedian Bernie Mac has been hospitalized with a bad case of pneumonia on Friday. He is expected to be released soon, his rep says.

Publicist Danica Smith says in a statement, "Mr. Mac is responding well to treatment and will be released soon. We asked that his privacy and that of his family is respected while he gets well."