Tony Hale.Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty; Netflix
Tony Hale feels very connected to his beloved character inArchibald’s Next Big Thing— even though he’s a chicken.
“He’s pretty much become my role model because, especially after the year we’ve had, people are not seeing the best in everyone,” says Hale, 50. “It’s hard to see the best in this situation. And Archibald just is a constant reminder of me for that. So I have really gleaned a lot from him. A lot.”
Hale, who created the hit seriesbased on a book he wrote, explained to Rubenstein what he’s learned from voicing such the ever-positive Archibald.
“I just feel in today’s media, it is so much negativity and so much critique,” he says. “What if we did a 180 on that, and really made the effort, like Archibald does, to say .— rather than go to my default, which typically is sometimes anxiety or fear or whatever — let’s see what else we can pull out, and that’s what Archibald does. … I’m like, ‘Well, I am a 50-year-old man and I haven’t learned that lesson.’ So I’m still learning.”
Archibald’s Next Big Thing.Netflix
And Hale isn’t the only member of his family to be a big fan of the series: the actor’s 15-year-old daughter, Loy Ann, also has a lot of love for the story surrounding an optimistic chicken.
“She loves it,” says Hale. “So Loy, when I did the book, she was probably like six or seven. So Archibald’s sister’s name is Loy, and so it was really fun when I was doing the book that she was able to help design her outfit, and she wanted Argyle socks and she wanted her to have pigtails.”
“And now she’s 15, so everything I do embarrasses her, so she doesn’t like to talk about that stuff,” he adds. “I cannot do anything right.”
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Outside ofArchibald’s Next Big Thing Is Here, Hale has some experience in the animation world thanks to his fan-favorite role as Forky inToy Story 4. He also reprised the role in Disney+‘sForky Asks a Question.
But according to Hale, noteveryonerealizes that he’s the real-life voice behind Forky.
“The thing is, it’s happened before where someone will come up and be like, ‘Oh, this is Forky.’ And the kid’s like, ‘That’s not Forky,’ " he tells Rubenstein.
Forky in Toy Story 4.Disney-Pixar
But there is definitely no mistaking him from his memorable role on HBO’s critically acclaimed comedyVeep, where he played Gary Walsh for all seven seasons from 2012 to 2019.
Back in November, Hale and his former costarsJulia Louis-Dreyfus,Anna Chlumsky, Reid Scott, Sam Richardson, Timothy Simons, Clea DuVall, Matt Walsh, Gary Cole and Sarah Sutherlandall reunited virtuallyto help get out the vote for the Georgia runoff elections in January.
“I absolutely lovedVeep,” Hale tells Rubenstein. “And during that time there was a big need, as we all knew. And to be able to not only use the platform that we have to help bring change, just to gather together.”
“We really miss each other,” Hale says of the HBO cast. “And not only the separation of COVID, but just the show ending. We really liked each other a little too much. We really, really liked each other and we made each other laugh.”
He adds, “Just to see their faces, it was a real joy. It’s always a joy. We hung out right before everything was shut down last spring. So just to be able to hug their necks again. I think we all miss hugging, so I’m looking forward to that.”
Check out more from Hale’s interview on PEOPLE Every Day, airing now oniHeartMedia,Apple podcasts,Spotify,Stitcher,Amazon Musicor wherever you listen to your podcasts.
source: people.com
