ComingSoon spoke with The Pout-Pout Fish star Nick Offerman about the new family movie. Offerman discussed playing a pout fish, the movie’s themes, and voice acting..Starring Offerman, Nina Oyama, and Jordin Sparks, the film is out in theaters on March 20.
“Featuring a star-studded voice cast including Nick Offerman, Nina Oyama, Miranda Otto, Remy Hii, with Jordin Sparks, and Amy Sedaris. The Pout-Pout Fish is the hilarious and heartwarming story of an unlikely duo: Mr. Fish (Offerman), a pouty introvert, and Pip (Oyama), an energetic sea dragon, who embark on a daunting quest to find a legendary fish to grant their wish to save their homes,” says the official synopsis.
Tyler Treese: Nick, when a studio says, “We need someone to voice an ocean pout, which are not the most classically handsome of creatures, and Nick, you’re our first choice,” what’s your reaction? Are you offended by that? Any?
Nick Offerman: That’s a very astute question. And it’s funny that, I mean, it’s not the first time that people have said we need an unattractive person. We need a guy, you know, who has eaten too many cheeseburgers, whatever the case may be. And they say, “And we couldn’t think of anybody but you, Nick.” I’ve learned to take that in stride and understand that I can still have a very attractive personality while being the perfect casting for Mr. Fish.
This is actually a really good role. Family movies can be quite touching, and the flashback scenes and the growth that Mr. Fish actually has in this film, I found quite affecting. There’s a really nice story here. What elements of this script really stood out to you?
Well, exactly what you said. I was not familiar with the books, which as soon as I got offered this and I asked people about it, I became aware of what a juggernaut this title and the series of these books, and how popular they are. And with good reason, because the messaging is just so good and simple. I mean, it’s a perfectly boiled-down fable of this guy with low self-worth and a conflict between neighbors about fixing up a neighborhood that requires opening one’s mind, elevating one’s self-opinion, and then also understanding the need for diversity in making a neighborhood strong.
love Mr. Fish and Pip’s dynamic throughout the film couldn’t be more opposite in terms of energy and approach to these situations. What did you like most about that back and forth between those two characters?
Well, I mean selfishly, I just was over the moon with getting to work with Nina Oyama, who… I hope she becomes a global superstar from this movie because she’s so funny and so buoyant. Like, I just love her infectious brightness. She’s unflappably funny and positive, and I love having that in my life. It’s funny, like, even though I’m rather dour, I also am known for my disposition around the house, that like, “You can’t get me down no matter what.” Even though I don’t smile nearly as much as Pip, I definitely carry that ideology of like, there’s nothing for it but to keep trying. We have to keep trying to spread love, and no, even if they strike us down, we can’t give up; otherwise, the bad guys win.
You have a very well-defined baritone voice, so when, when they approach you for these rules, obviously they want you to sound like yourself rather than do a voice or a type of accent for most of the time. So how do you approach these roles and keep them feeling fresh?
Well, the same way I choose my on-camera roles, which is just by being inspired by their writing. When I play, you know, a 19th-century American president or I play a modern-day Parks and Recreation director, I don’t think about how is this guy gonna sound different from this other guy? Or how, you know, one guy’s gonna have a mustache, one guy’s gonna have mutton chops. I just think about what serves the writing the best.
In this case, it was actually, it was a no brainer because the writing required, it sort of brought me down to it. It slowed me, it made me strive for a more depressed sound and a more pouty sound of my voice. You know, the main thing he says is “blah blah blub.” So, that colors my voice in a way. When the writing is good, it answers a lot of those questions for you.
Thanks to Nick Offerman for taking the time to talk about The Pout-Pout Fish.
