Twenty-five years ago people warned Siegfried Fischbacher that a magic act wouldn't work in Las Vegas. But that was before the Strip got bit by his masterful flare of illusion and his partner Roy Uwe Ludwig's kinship with animals - something normally seen only in circus acts or zoos.

At the time of this article, the German-born immigrants have performed in over 4,309 shows at The Mirage in Las Vegas. So, what kind of super humans are these? The sweetest and most generous kind. In addition to creating habitats for endangered animals, they can also be seen on the big screen in Siegfried and Roy: The Magic Box, in IMAX® 2D and 3D formats.

The film chronicles their meteoric rise from impoverished German immigrants to creators of the most popular live act in the world. Recently, I got the chance to speak with these magical men about their relationships with the animals and each other. Here's what they had to say...

BBB: You're here with me now, but where are the lions and tigers? In the hotel room?
Roy: They're back home. If you'd give a lion the chance, he'd sleep 18 hours a day. It's his favorite pastime. And the tigers love to swim and climb the trees. I never really wanted to change the animals. We want them to be conditioned to live with us in harmony. That's why we created a space for them to be themselves. We just join them. If you think they work for us, think again. We work for them.

BBB: Is it true you actually sleep with these big cats?
Roy: Yes. There's even been a few pillow fights. I have certain animals that love to meditate and sleep with me - like the Black Panther. Of course, when they get a hold of a feather pillow (I sleep with four of them), they might rip it up and play with it. It's normal.

BBB: Normal for YOU maybe! You're really able to talk to your animals?
Roy: Oh, yes.
Siegfried: I think he listens more to them, than talks.
Roy: That I do. Animals have an emotional language. If you watch them long enough, you'll understand that. They're not like human beings. We re-think everything, and they don't. They go by the moment of instinct and the spirit of the moment. They're a lot like me. I'm not ruled by my brain - there's not enough there. I'm ruled by my heart.

BBB: Do you both have the same relationship with the animals?

Siegfried: No. I'm more at a distance. I think I'm more spiritually connected to them. I am very grateful to be able to experience it all. I'm in awe of them. Roy is very creative. While I'm involved in the [technical aspects] of the show, he creates his own world. He's more of an illusionist than I am really.

BBB: Do you ever have to call Roy to get a tiger out of your room?
Siegfried: Nobody comes into my r-r-r-o-o-m!

BBB: After so many years together do you ever get a chance to have your own lives?
Siegfried: Definitely.
Roy: We are two totally different personalities to start with. Each one has his own space and his own ideas.
Siegfried: And each one is his own boss. It's not always heaven, you know, but we sit together and discuss it all. I know I can trust him.

BBB: Any fights?
Siegfried: Of course.
Roy: It's the Clash of the Titans! But fighting is actually stupid. Who wants to win? It's not about winning the war, it's about understanding the war in order to make it better. And we usually calm down and settle in the middle. He has certain ideas and I have certain ideas. We have to meet in the middle.

BBB: You met each other on a cruise ship?
Siegfried: When we met, he seemed a little bit obnoxious. I asked him what he thought of the [magic] act and he said, "yeah, yeah". I still thought that a cheetah was only something you'd see in a zoo or jungle. But I remember I told him, "In magic, anything is possible."
Roy: It really became the mantra of my life.
Siegfried: He was the first one who believed in me.

BBB: How long ago was that?
Siegfried: 38 years ago.
Roy: Now you want to know our real age! For the record, October 3rd, I'm going to be 55. And I'm enjoying every moment of it! It's a zest for life and doing what we're doing makes us enjoy it. We're the merchants of dreams. We just want to bring out the wonderment of the child - who is in all of us.

Our father's didn't have anything physically wrong with them, but their souls and minds were amputated and damaged after the war. They saw things we'll never understand. So we had our fantasies and dreams. That's what we put out today on stage. It's our sandbox. It's where you can be a child.

BBB: One person's sandbox is another's magic box! Thank you both for taking the time out of your insane schedule to talk with us. We'll catch you on screen in 3D in The Magic Box!