INSIDE OUT – Pictured (L-R): Bing Bong, Sadness, Joy. ©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
It is amazing to see how a movie can impact different people in so many levels, however, have you ever stop to think how playing or voicing a character, impacts those actors themselves? If you have seen Disney’s*Pixar Inside Out, you know that Sadness and Bing Bong were two of the breakout stars of the film. On our recent trip to San Francisco we had the opportunity to sit down and speak to the voices behind the characters. I am talking about Phyllis Smith, who voices Sadness and Richard Kind, who voices Bing Bong. Today, I want to share with you some of our conversation with these two amazing actors.
*Exclusive* Interview with Sadness (AKA Phyllis Smith) & Bing Bong (AKA Richard Kind)
from Inside Out #InsideOutBloggers
We get used to seeing actors on movies and television interviews all the time, however, when an actor walks into a press junket and their first instinct is ask you where you are from, take your picture and animate the room to put you at ease, let me just say that it is just remarkable! And why am I saying this? Well, as Phyllis Smith and Richard Kind walked into our press junket, this is exactly what they did. Phyllis and Richard were so animated, humbled and kind with their time with us, it was just like seeing their characters from the movie come alive.
The Popularity of Sadness and Bing Bong
Speaking of their characters, if you were wondering if Phyllis and Richard are surprised by the popularity of their characters? The answer is as simple as Phyllis stated “I don’t really know how popular it is to be honest. I mean I’m just kinda in a little vacuum. I don’t really know how it is. I’m glad that people are enjoying it. And every time I make somebody cry, I go yes!” and Richard stated “All right, I’ll tell you. Her character? It’s popular.“
The admiration between these two actors is remarkable. Richard had this to say about Phyllis’ character “Phyllis’s character is. It’s a perfect voice performance and a perfectly written part by these guys because it’s such a touchy character because no one wants to be sad and yet we identify with you.” and Phyllis had this to say about Richard’s character “In turn, I loved your character. You have so much heart, the heart of that character is just everywhere. I think you did a wonderful job with Bing Bong.“
Richard Kind voices Bing Bong
Voicing Bing Bong
Richard Kind is such an amazing comedic actor, best know for his roles in Mad About You and Spin City. If you were wondering how much improvisation went into voicing Bing Bong, this is what he had to say about that ” I can’t say a lot. Being the improviser that I am, I like to play with the other actors. However, you’re usually in there alone. Every once in a while I would do something, make it in my vernacular or something.“
He also went on to say this “But you want to know something, they worked four years on this movie. I come in for a day. I’ll give them what I can. And a lot of times an improviser will drive home at night and go why didn’t I say that. There wasn’t even a lot of that. I think that their script pretty much told a pretty good story.“
Every character an actor plays has certain characteristics that might be inherit from the actor, what part of Richard went into his Bing Bong character? Richard had this to say about that “Certainly my energy,’cause I can be loud. I think I’m more animated off stage than I am on. I happen to think that I’m a nice man. And, I live my life with morality and ethics. And I think I’m more positive than I am negative. And I think that this guy is free of negativity. I think that there’s purity to this guy. I like to tap into it certainly to a character. I can’t say I can do it in my life ’cause I’m not that good a person. To follow up on, uh, what Phyllis was saying how much she liked Bing Bong and the heart. I appreciated all of that. And as an actor I knew what I had to deliver. So, that’s what I give.”
Behind the voice of Sadness
Phyllis Smith is best known for playing Phyllis Vance in The Office, however, since this past summer she is now know as the voice of Sadness from Inside Out. Phyllis is quite a remarkable lady, she got started as dancer and after suffering a knee injury, ended up taking some classes in commercials. Later, she worked as a receptionist at a aerospace defense company. After a failed audition, she ended up in casting for 19 years. Her role as Phyllis Vance in The Office, came after she was working on pairing the leads for the series. This is what she had to say about that “I suppose, I was honing a craft all those years that I didn’t know I was honing, ’cause I was reading with actors and knowing what worked and didn’t work. And in all seriousness, I think God knew the inner desires of my heart and allowed me to have a new career in my older age.“
On voicing Sadness, how did Phyllis stayed in character throughout the movie? She had this to say “I’ve been asked this before how I got to the different point. And I can honestly say I didn’t sit in the car and think of horrible things or anything before I went in. I really just tried to be truthful with whatever the line or the scene that we were doing. And also Pete Docter is such a wonderful director. If I wasn’t at a point where he wanted me to be, he was able to say, okay, let’s try it this way. He was able to give, clear direction for me. And so I attribute, you know, Pete Docter and the editors, I just tried to say the line as truthful as I could.“
Now, what’s next for these two actors? Phyllis stated that she would love to work for film and for Pixar and Richard has a new show coming up. Although, Pete Doctor and Jonas Rivera hinted that there are no current projects for a sequel for Inside Out, I sure do hope that those plans change and that we get to see Phyllis and Richard bring their characters back to live.
Thanks to Phyllis Smith and Richard Kind for taking the time and letting us getting their perspective. By the way, if you haven’t seen Inside Out yet, check out our review of the movie right here and watch this exclusive deleted clip from the movie right here. Stay tuned from more from Inside Out coming soon and be sure to pre-order the Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital combo pack before it releases on November 3.
***About Inside Out***
Inside Out – Official US Trailer
Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.
Disclosure: I was provided an all expense paid trip to San Francisco to attend the #GoodDinoEvent, #MilesEvent, #Waltagram, and #InsideOutBloggers events. No additional compensation was be received.