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A unique connection was shared between two stars of the new Smurfs movie, John Goodman and Nick Offerman, who play Papa Smurf and Ken, who are brothers.
They are both from the Midwest. Goodman, 73, was born in Affton, Missouri. Offerman, 55, was born in Joliet, Illinois. They may not be blood brothers, but Goodman and Offerman appear to have a close bond.
ClutchPoints spoke to them at the junket for the new Smurfs movie. Goodman stated that theMiidwestern connection is “unspoken,” while Offerman quipped that “you could just tell [that] we're cut from the same cloth.”
“We both have tasted the breakfast flakes of Miss McDonough,” Offerman joked in reference to the Coen Brothers' iconic 1987 movie, Raising Arizona.
Meanwhile, Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña, who voices Brainy Smurf, compared the community of blue creatures to Cobra Kai. He is famously close with his Cobra Kai co-star Jacob Bertrand, and he found the Smurfs to be similar.
“I think they remind me of each other in the way that no one person is better than the whole team,” Maridueña explained. “We really shine when all 20 of us get to be there in the dojo together and shine as an orchestra. I think the Smurfs operate in the same way.
“It was really cool to find my voice as Brainy Smurf alone in the recording booth and hear it with the director. But towards some of the later sessions, getting to hear the rest of the voices [in] the mix, that's where the story really starts to sing for me,” he continued.
What are John Goodman and Nick Offerman's Smurfs traits?
If you've seen any Smurfs movie or show, you know they all have distinct traits. These abilities give them their names (e.g., Brainy Smurf).
In the new Smurfs movie, No Name (James Corden) spends the film finding his purpose. Luckily, Goodman and Offerman know where they fit into roles.
For Goodman, he wants his “adaptability” to be clear. “[I want to] just be a Swiss Army Knife where I'm needed just to help get the job done,” he explained. “And if inspiration strikes, it's all the better. But just go in there prepared.”
Offerman's answer was easier. He has made a career out of his smooth-talking nature. He believes there are prettier, more talented, and funnier actors than him. But he has carved his own niche out in the market.
“Slow talking is kind of my thing, you know what I mean?” said Offerman. “The business is peppered with people with beauty and talent and effortless humor, so those bases are all covered, and they need someone to complement those people.
“I'm your guy,” he emphasized, before Goodman called him the “best in the business.”
What was difficult about recording this movie?
Both Nick Offerman and John Goodman have done voice-over work before Smurfs in the past. Offerman has lent his voice to Gravity Falls, the Lego Movie franchise, and the Sing series. Goodman, of course, famously voiced Sulley in Monsters Inc.
Still, Smurfs presented new challenges. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of auditions have gone virtual. This spelled trouble for those like Offerman, who need that human connection when trying out a part.
“One thing I don't like about this post-pandemic thing is the world has decided we don't need to go to work anymore,” he griped. “And specifically, in our business, a lot of auditions are no longer in person.
“For me, I require people in the room to glean whatever charm I might bring. <y personal musk, I think, has been instrumental in getting me a lot of work. And when you're going off a Zoom [call], you lose any sense of personal chemistry [you have] when you're together,” he continued.
There are some benefits to this new way of filmmaking. Offerman conceded it's “wonderful” to be able to do your work from anywhere in the world. But being the old-school actor he is, nothing beats being together in person. “I would always rather be in the room with people and we can try each other's sandwiches,” he concluded.
As for Goodman, he tries to make the most of the situation. He emphasized the importance of “keeping your energy up and trying to keep open to what they're telling you to do because they have better ideas than I could come up with.”
Smurfs is in theaters.
