DUBAI: Pixar’s latest offering, “Hoppers,” centers around an unlikely friendship between a devoted animal lover and environmental activist called Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda) and a beaver from her local woodland named King George (Bobby Moynihan).
When 19-year-old Mabel gets her hands on a newly-discovered technology that enables humans to “hop” into robotic animals, allowing them to communicate with real animals, she uses it to transfer her mind into the body of a lifelike robotic beaver and attempts to befriend the many critters of her local woodland, which she’s trying to save from being bulldozed by Mayor Jerry (Jon Hamm), who is bent on building a new freeway.
(L-R) Voice cast members Jon Hamm, Piper Curda, SZA, Bobby Moynihan, and Dave Franco attend the 'Hoppers' premiere. (Supplied)
Despite the crackling chemistry evident on screen between Curda and Moynihan, the pair revealed they never even met before their dialogue with each other was already recorded.
“Actually, we met, like six months ago, way after the movie was done,” Curda told Arab News.
“I think the chemistry was completely (director) Daniel (Chong) and the casting team just really knowing what they wanted and finding the right people,” she added, saying that the intuition shown in casting allows “Hoppers” to achieve its emotional payoff.
“There’s a kid in the movie who just wants to help people and do good… And then you have someone who’s very set in their ways, but could probably use some new information. They help each other and they grow with each other,” said Moynihan.
Mabel Tanaka in 'Hoppers.' (Supplied)
Meanwhile, Dave Franco — who voices the villainous insect king Titus — described the voice-recording booth as a place of unexpected freedom.
“(Titus is) so unhinged and manic and big and evil,” he said. “In the booth, I’m throwing my whole body into it. I’m sweating. By the end of the session, I’m bent over huffing for air. But, it’s the most fun.”
When asked what sets “Hoppers” apart in Pixar’s storied lineup, Curda and Moynihan pointed to Chong’s singular voice.
“It has a really distinct flavor to it, and that flavor is Daniel Chong and his brand of humor,” said Curda.
Moynihan agreed, calling the film’s tone “totally” different and praising Chong’s unapologetic style. The team’s faith in the director’s vision seems to have paid off.
“It’s crazy that we’ve heard these jokes for six years and then, seeing them at the premiere, it was like, ‘Still got it. Still got it,’” said Curda.
Franco also praised the collaborative approach, saying Chong “definitely encouraged us to bring our own humor to the role and to change things, to put it in our own words, or to try some one-off jokes here and there.
“There were definitely moments where the director had to temper how evil I was getting,” he continued. “But for the most part, when I was in the booth, I was just totally turning my brain off and just allowing myself to be as silly as possible.”
While the film’s humor keeps the movie buoyant, the softer moments demanded careful attention. Moynihan singled out the emotional scenes between King George and Mabel as particularly challenging.
“For me, it was (about) how to deal with someone who wants to do good but feels bad about it,” he said.
Curda echoed those concerns, admitting she was anxious about being able to deliver when acting the isolation of the recording studio.
“I was worried because there needed to be so much emotion and rawness and realness to that scene... when you’re in the booth, there’s just not a lot to pull from or work with.”
But Curda also found an unexpected personal connection: “The second I started saying those words, the tears came, because I was just like, ‘Oh! I have felt exactly like this.’”
That authenticity is what gives “Hoppers” its emotional heft. It also illustrates why such films matter to younger viewers, Moynihan suggested.
“Kids are going to see these scenes in Pixar movies and learn how to be better people from them. So, you want to do it right,” he said.
Franco echoed the sentiment, adding: “This movie has something for everyone. It’s genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. It’s so sweet. It’s nostalgic. It’s a little creepy and scary. It has it all.”
