Thank you to Disney•Pixar for hosting me during the #Incredibles2Event.
Siblings and business partners Evelyn and Winston Deavor are voiced by Catherine Keener and Bob Odenkirk in the Pixar hit Incredibles 2. Since I think of them both more for their roles in Get Out and Better Call Saul, sitting down to talk about a Pixar film was a lot of fun with a lot of laughs!
Director Brad Bird reached out to each of them to talk about voicing characters in Incredibles 2.
Catherine: I got a call from my agent and she said that Brad Bird wants to call me.
Bob: Everyone’s like, “You’re in a Pixar movie. Can you believe it?” No, but I’m in a Brad Bird movie. That’s what’s blowing my mind.
What’s special about working with Brad BIrd?
Bob: He’s a lot like the best directors… These guys know what they want, and they dial it in just so. And that could sound oppressive to an actor. It’s not though. Somehow it’s a challenge that you wanna meet, and it’s a neat thing to do it. And you feel accomplishment when you do it. But also they’re all willing to hear, especially in the early stages of a scene, what do you wanna try?
Catherine: I feel that, going off when you were describing it, It feels like an aperture that kinda closes [moves her hands together] like that. And once you go through it, it’s like crazy, open space for you… It’s so exciting, because you go into somebody else’s world and then create your own. It’s really exciting when that happens. All actors want to work with great filmmakers.
©2018 Disney•Pixar
What’s it like to see themselves as an animated character?
Bob: I don’t know. People have said my character looks a lot like me, and there’re ways I think, yeah, that it is. And then there are ways I’m like, “Wow, I’m not remotely like that!” Obviously, I don’t dress as well as the character. That’s for sure.
Catherine: He’s so handsome, right? I mean you’re so handsome. I mean come on.
Bob: You’re so nice.
Catherine: I know.
Bob: And you’re alluring in your character. Don’t you think? She draws you in.
Catherine: Shut up.
Bob: Do you like your —
Catherine: My look?
Bob: Character, right?
Catherine: Oh, God. Yeah, she’s great.
Bob: I’m not sure. I kinda like him. I have to get more familiar with him. My family’s proud of it, and they’re like, “Yeah, Dad, it’s a great character.”
Catherine: But that’s always what it is. You want your family to be happy. It really narrows down to that. I
Bob: Yes, believe me. I asked over and over. “Now that’s were alone, tell me again.”
What would they choose as their own superpower?
Bob: It’s dopey. I would like to be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight. It’s an obsession. It’s a part of my life too much, and that’s what I wish I could have. But I like hers. It’s a better idea, and it would be wonderful.
Catherine: Well, I would just like to be able to go home at any…
Bob: Like, right away. She’ll still go to the airport, wait in line, go through to get somewhere. But then going home is always [snap] like that.
Catherine: And I’m home. I’m in my pajamas. My bed’s made. Clothes are off the floor. And I’m ready to go to bed, you know.
Bob: Wouldn’t that be the best?
Catherine: I was saying yesterday that I’m from Miami…
Bob: We were talking, if it was limited to Florida, my powers, what I would be? And I would be the dehumidifier. And I just go like this and everything within 300 feet is dehumidified.
©2018 Disney•Pixar
Bob’s character changed a bit during production.
Bob: He was more like Saul when he started, if you know that character I do on Better Call Saul. And then he became more innocent and genuine, which I love. I get to play a lotta sleazy, double-talkers. And that’s fun. But it was fun to play somebody who was kinda not. He meant everything he said.
Do people assume they’re like the characters they play in real life?
Bob: Yeah, they do. People think you’re like your character, and I’m so not like my characters it’s crazy. One journalist said, “If you saw Saul in a room, would you wanna hang out with him?” I’m like, “No, I wouldn’t go near that guy!”
Check out all of the Incredibles 2 Event action
I’ve been sharing tons about Incredibles 2 here on the blog, with more to come! Don’t forget to download these fun Incredibles 2 printables before you head to the movies. Incredibles 2 is in theaters now!
In “Incredibles 2,” Helen (voice of Holly Hunter) is called on to lead a campaign to bring Supers back, while Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson) navigates the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life at home with Violet (voice of Sarah Vowell), Dash (voice of Huck Milner) and baby Jack-Jack—whose super powers are about to be discovered. Their mission is derailed, however, when a new villain emerges with a brilliant and dangerous plot that threatens everything. But the Parrs don’t shy away from a challenge, especially with Frozone (voice of Samuel L. Jackson) by their side. That’s what makes this family so Incredible.
Written and directed by Brad Bird (“Iron Giant,” “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille”) and produced by John Walker (“The Incredibles,” “Tomorrowland”) and Nicole Grindle (“Sanjay’s Super Team” short, “Toy Story 3” associate producer), Disney•Pixar’s “Incredibles 2” is in theaters now.
Get a free exclusive poster with your ‘Incredibles 2’ ticket purchase while supplies last.