Incredibles 2 Interview with Craig T. Nelson (Mr. Incredible) & Holly Hunter (Elastigirl)
I received an all-expense paid trip to L.A to attend the #Incredibles2Event, #BigCityGreensEvent, & #PixarFest Events. No additional compensation was received.
TAKING THE WHEEL — In “Incredibles 2,” Helen aka Elastigirl is called on to help bring Supers back. Her mission comes with a brand-new Elasticycle, a state-of-the-art cycle that is designed just for her. Meanwhile, Bob navigates the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life at home. Featuring the voices of Holly Hunter and Craig T. Nelson. Disney•Pixar.
The wait is finally over because the most anticipated film of 2018, Incredibles 2, arrives in theaters this week! Last week, we had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Incredible aka Craig T. Nelson and Elastigirl aka Holly Hunter. During our chat, these two had us laughing and they were so kind to share some of their experiences while voiced their two iconic characters in Incredibles 2. So without further ado let’s begin with our Incredibles 2 Interview with Craig T. Nelson (Mr. Incredible) & Holly Hunter (Elastigirl).
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart
After fourteen years after the released of the original The Incredibles, we all know that it was a huge success and it was a great movie. So, how did they feel about doing this sequel?
Holly: “We were not hesitating in wanting to do this sequel.”
Craig: “Yeah, it was exciting. I mean, it was exciting because it was, like, fourteen years- what is he gonna do; what are they gonna come up with; how can it be different; where are we gonna pick it up? I mean, we didn’t know anything. And then they talked about starting it right at the very end, and the first one starting this one, and I didn’t age.
I wasn’t sure if I could do it vocally, you know? Because I’d been doing Parenthood and Zeek had a different vocal quality, so that meant I was kind of the trepidation nerve for me and anxiety. We never saw the script; Brad kind of laid out the idea which was great. It sounded like it was gonna be fun.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart
Ms. Holly and Mrs. Craig have such an incredible chemistry together. Craig especially, had us laughing with his wittiness the entire time. Since they have such wonderful chemistry together, we wondered if it was hard for them to warm up back into character after all these years?
Holly: “I thought that it was quite amusing that the movie would pick up literally, like, fifteen seconds after the first movie. That was just so funny to me, and a completely impossible thing to do in a regular film, which Craig and I, that’s what we normally do is television and films. The ability of animation to do that was just so delightful.
There were so many things about this opportunity for me which was kind of effortless. Craig and I, we record with Brad and only with Brad, and so fourteen years later to encounter Brad again, with a microphone between us was just fun. And he’s somebody that both of just inherently trust.”
Craig: “The fact, you know, we did the first one and we didn’t know what it was gonna be. Then the thing turns out to be huge, right? So we’re waiting to see when we’re gonna do the sequel because you do, you know, you’re still actors and you’re finding, or at least some of us find not always working. So I’ve got that to look forward to, maybe, and the third year comes, and the fourth year, and then you’re going, well hell, I’m not gonna pay for the stuff I bought because I always thought I wasn’t gonna get a sequel.”
Holly: “And then the ninth year, and then the anniversary- the ten year anniversary.”
Craig: “And hell, you’re too old to do it anymore. Oh, they don’t want me, you know. And if they’re gonna do another one, you hear about the rumors they’re gonna do another one, well, like they’ll gonna probably get a new Bob.”
Holly: “Where I was thinking, like, maybe Bob and Helen would be dead by then.”
Craig: “I was looking forward to kinda doing the rest home version. To realize the impact that the first one had and how its longevity has held up, and then to be at this time to do the second one. It’s pretty amazing.”
Holly: “Yeah, it is.”
Craig: “When we went to the theater, and Holly and I saw it for the first time together at this premiere, I’m sitting there going, I wonder what we’re gonna see, you know? I hadn’t seen anything; didn’t know, and you see this spectacular thing, and it’s like, oh, this is not just an animated movie. This is a pretty big deal here, you know what I mean. The scope of it and the innovations that they’ve incorporated. I’m a fan, too, so it’s like you’re sitting there going, ooh, that’s not bad.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart
Fourteen years doesn’t seem like that long ago, but things have changed in that time frame and what was relevant fourteen years ago might not be relevant today. How does Craig and Holly feel about how the Incredibles 2 storyline coincides with what is going around us right now?
Holly: “Well, I think that’s a little serendipitous with the Me Too coinciding with the opening of this movie where that’s an element. But I think it is totally by coincidence. And at the same time, it is in the air. I mean, it’s in the cultural, the environment that I guess we’re all breathing. Which is a great thing, especially it’s a great thing for kids to see this movie, not just little girls but, but boys, too. It’s great for everybody to see what men and women are capable of, that men are capable of being fantastic, nurturing parents. And we all know this. This is not new for us, but it’s still great to see this exploration both for our characters.
And it’s fantastic and delightful to see Elastigirl living up to this gift that she has without any apology. She just is going for it and losing herself in it, which is a beautiful thing. I think also for mothers, it’s great for a mother to be able to be fully engaged in something that has nothing to do with parenting, and I think that that’s difficult for all of us to actually give ourselves license to just go that deeply.”
HE’S GOT THIS – Bob Parr aka Mr. Incredible attempts his most heroic feat yet: spearheading life at home with Violet, Dash and baby Jack-Jack, whose superpowers are about to be discovered by his family. Written and directed by Brad Bird and produced by John Walker and Nicole Paradis Grindle. Disney•Pixar.
As a mom of three, I loved that we got to hear Craig’s opinion on the empowering of both moms and dads. He has this to say about how Incredibles 2 storyline:
Craig: “Also it’s like from the same standpoint it’s incumbent to understand, at least, a great part about the character in the film, for me, was that I was given the opportunity to get to know my kids. And so I hadn’t discovered that but at the same time Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible are competitive, and they have this kind of, you know, go ahead and do it, and when you do it, do it well like I know you can do it, but when you fail, you know, I’ll be there. But it’s for a great cause. And it also gives each other the freedom to explore their potential, and that’s what, to me, it speaks to, in terms of that.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart
After having seen all the sneak peek videos and the official Incredible 2 trailers available right now and having seen the film itself. One of my favorite lines in the movie is, ‘why are they trying to change math? Math is math.’ You can see that line in the sneak peek video below. So, to help with the role, did Craig had to dive into what they’re trying to do today with the new math?
Craig: “I don’t understand it as a dad; or as a grandfather.”
Holly: “I can relate to that. It’s unbelievable.”
Craig: “Two plus two is four. It isn’t just new math. I’m confused about a lot of things. I really don’t understand the approaches to a lot of things. When did they change the rules? Who gave them permission to do that? Well look, my grandkids; I have great-grandkids; I’ve got three of them. What a world they’re being raised in.
When I was raised, the beauty of the education that I received was that it was you were classically trained. You had classic literature to refer, and it was given to you and performed for you. So you learned words, you learned communication. And so I think for my kids and my grandkids that when I go to visit them.”
Holly: “Or that you feel that it’s very insular; that they’re very isolated?”
Craig: “We’re not talking to each other. You know, can I see your eyes? Can I see your eyes for a minute, just would you mind lifting- doesn’t your neck hurt? But one of the beauties of the film was that nobody’s doing that. None of the family is doing it. They’re engaged. They’re engaged, and you know, Bob is trying to make himself work as a dad, and the kids are not going off on him, and nobody’s stuck here.
I really feel like we can all relate to what Craig is saying here. How we need to put our phones down, our electronics down, look at each other, visit, talk, get to know each other away from devices and distractions and interact with each other.”
Photo Credit: Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart
The Incredibles has been such an iconic film for fourteen years and in that timeframe, many toys have been available. Starting the 22nd of this month a new roller coaster will debut at Disneyland. How is it for them to hear their voices on so many toys and now in the Incredibles Incredicoster?
Related post: 10 Things You Have to Know About Disneyland’s Pixar Fest
Disneyland Incredicoaster
Holly: “Well, that’ll be fun to shoot that. The roller coaster is opening kind of coinciding with the movie. Wow. That’s kinda cool. I haven’t really encountered the dolls, but I have encountered Mr. Incredible. But that’s been since the first movie. Have you seen the Mr. Incredible dolls where you say things?”
Craig: “Mm, hmm.”
Holly: “Actually, I love it. I think it’s fun.”
Craig: “One of my great-grandsons, his whole room is Incredibles. This kid has got a car, it’s like his room, right? You go in, and it’s like a Pixar store. It’s amazing.”
What an incredible chat with these two amazing actors, seriously, I didn’t want it to end. But since all great things have to end, our last question to Craig and Holly had to be about their amazing chemistry and if there was a chance to do some improv during the shoot of Incredibles 2. And Holly had this to say about it:
Holly: “No. This is the gift of Brad Bird. This is what Brad can do that’s so phenomenal is that the chemistry that I think the cast has together, we do have chemistry, but you know, what that is, is it’s- when Brad cast the Incredibles, the original one, he didn’t go down a list of actors and actress who were like the hot names of that moment.
He had in mind the sound of the movie; the sound of the characters together, and in that I think, you know, Brad had a chemistry in mind that was audio, because that’s the kind of guy that he is; that’s the kind of artist that he is. So Craig and I never met each other until about nine months ago.
That’s the first time that we met each other was- so that chemistry is inherent in us, you know, in Sarah Vowell who plays Violet, and you know, and Sam Jackson who’s Frozone, with Mr. Incredible, I mean, but that’s Brad putting it together before he ever knew us. His imagination was at work putting the chemistry together.”
Related post: Our Summer Kicks off with a super Incredibles Event
Incredibles 2 in theaters everywhere June 15, 2018
Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back in “Incredibles 2” – but this time Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is in the spotlight, leaving Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell) and Dash (voice of Huck Milner) to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transition for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible.
