HM #21 - Interview de Ben Giroux

Retrouvez l'interview VF dans HypnoMag#21, pages 2 à 8.

You joined the cast of the animated series Nickelodeon, Big Nate, whose first eight episodes are available on Paramount+. You voice the main character, Nate Wright, an 11-year-old boy who wants to show everyone that he is extraordinary. What do you like about this character’s personality?
Yes! Big Nate is our new Paramount+ animated series based on the popular comic strip and book series from creator Lincoln Peirce. There’s certainly an added responsibility in bringing my voice to a beloved character that already has a global fanbase.
 We’re excited to introduce Nate Wright to a whole new generation of Big Nate fans and I’m honored to vocally bring him to life. I really admire Nate’s unshakable confidence, even if it’s not particularly deserved. He fearlessly leads his gang of misfit friends into pranks, trouble, and misadventure at every turn. And he does it all while believing he’s the coolest kid in school… even though he isn’t. The common themes of loyal friendships and inner confidence are two things all kids can aspire to.
 
Do you think you have anything in common with him?
Absolutely! Growing up, I always found myself doodling, drawing, and painting. I almost went into a career in the fine arts, so it’s a full-circle moment to voice Nate Wright who doodles his own cartoons within the show. Our series mixes multiple styles of animation, so while it’s primarily a 3D CGI show, Nate’s drawings routinely come to life in little 2D vignettes. That spirit of imagination and passion for artwork is something I uncannily share with Nate.
 
You have been a voiceover actor for several years across different roles. Is it more difficult to play a character only by voice?
Voiceover is just another medium for comedy and storytelling. So whether I’m in front of the camera, behind the camera, or behind the microphone, I just love being creative and eliciting laughter. I will say voiceover certainly widens the net for characters I can play: kids, creatures, robots—anything is possible in animation. I’ve also been especially grateful to have a career in voiceover during the pandemic. The entire industry has shifted to remote recording, so I’ve been able to have a safe, creative career from home during the worst of the Covid surges.
 
That said: our show, uniquely, has still managed to keep “ensemble” recordings. Every week, we record remotely via Zoom as a group. This allows the actors to still riff and improv with each other. Those unscripted moments of improvisational magic could only be possible with ensemble recordings, so I’m grateful for the communal nature of our “Big Nate” sessions.
 
For nearly 10 years, you have played The Toddler, the original villain of the Henry Danger and Danger Force series—the longest-running franchise of Nickelodeon. How did you join this project?
Crazy that it’s been a decade! Yes, I played the original villain on the pilot episode of Henry Danger. The Toddler is a gangster man-baby—it’s been a pleasure playing such a broad, theatrical, comedic villain. I grew up watching Nickelodeon in the ’90s. Shows like All That and Keenan & Kel shaped my childhood. So, starring on the same network I grew up watching is very surreal.
 
My “Toddler” character is one of the longest-running characters on Nickelodeon, having appeared on three different television series including Henry Danger, The Adventures of Kid Danger, and Danger Force. The character has achieved renewed momentum due to a very dedicated fanbase on TikTok. I’ve amassed nearly 5 million fans on that platform, so it’s been exciting continuing the character in so many different formats.
 
Your character, who dresses and talks like a baby, is the leader of a group of super-villains ready to fight Henry Hart, then Captain Man. What do you like about this comic superhero series dedicated to children?
My parents owned and operated a comic bookstore in Phoenix, Arizona for nearly 40 years. I grew up surrounded by comics. So, there’s a special place in my heart getting to star on a successful superhero franchise on Nickelodeon. In addition, I’ve worked with the same actors and crew for so long now that many of them have become my greatest friends in real life. There’s a real camaraderie amongst the team.
 
Is it enjoyable for you to play a villain?
Absolutely! The Joker is always more interesting than Batman! That said, The Toddler has softened from a full-force villain to a more likable prankster over the years.
 
While Batman has recently returned to the cinema, you too have joined the DC Comics universe several times. You give your voice to Robin in the animated movie “Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and you dubbed a character in the animated series “DC Super Hero Girls.” What do you like about this universe?
I loved playing Robin in “Batman vs. TMNT” and it was also a treat voicing Jimmy Olsen in “DC Superhero Girls” on Cartoon Network. Any time I get to bring my voice to iconic comic characters, it always feels like it’s meant to be. I grew up in my parents’ comic bookstore, so it’s all very full circle. As I feel with “Big Nate”, there’s also added responsibility to bringing your voice to characters that are already well-known. But I enjoy that pressure!
 
Over the course of your career, you have played over 100 roles in various television series. Among these, you played Little Zach in 6 episodes of Hart of Dixie, as well as appeared in NCIS, Will & Grace, Bones, Psych, and House M.D. Do you have any memorable moments to share with us?
I’ve been lucky to have a really diverse career in television with so many unique roles. As a basketball fan, my first television role stands out: I got to film a Farrelly Brothers pilot in the middle of the Boston’s  TDGarden in 2007. I was playing Lucky the Leprechaun, the mascot of the Boston Celtics. We filmed my scene during a live NBA game with a crowd of 17,000 people. In the scene, I was supposed to run onto the court and do a silly dance during one of the time-outs in the game. We had one chance to get it right. So, when I ran onto the court, I wound up dancing a little too long and I delayed the beginning of the 4th quarter. The game couldn’t restart at the correct time because I was still dancing. The Boston Celtics were nearly assessed a technical foul because of it—and the coach of the team, Doc Rivers, was really upset. I thought the whole thing was hilarious because I’m 5’2”... and somehow nearly earned my very own NBA technical foul!
 
You created the production company Small Red Cape which specializes in the production of commercials, music videos, and television pilots. Is being behind the camera, as a screenwriter, producer or director, another way to express your creativity?
Definitely. I love being on set with my friends and that can take many different forms. Running a production company allows me to express my creativity in various ways. We recently made a Vanilla Ice music video and a sketch comedy pilot for the CW network. I love the diversity of our work!
 
In 2017, you created the music video “Back to the ‘90s” with Jensen Reed. This video quickly went viral, gathering millions of views on the Internet until being charted on Billboard and landing you in Las Vegas with the Backstreet Boys. Can you tell us the origin of this parody project?
In 2014, I really wanted to make a braggadocious comedy music video about being a short guy. So, via my voice-over connections, I was introduced to a hip-hop artist named Jensen Reed. We collaborated on a project called “Little Dude Anthem” that went viral. It’s basically me rapping in a Christmas elf outfit —ha! While it was originally supposed to be a one-off project, we enjoyed collaborating and really connected over ‘90s nostalgia. So, we set out to make a follow-up music video called “Back to the 90s” that celebrated all things ‘90s pop culture.
 
After two years of hard work, we released the project and it went mega-viral with over 100 million views, charted at #11 on Billboard and landed us in Las Vegas with the Backstreet Boys. It was so cool having the world see our passion project. After that momentum, we created our “Back to the 80s” sequel which did very well. Now, after a bit of a pandemic delay, we’re in the process of creating “Back to the 2000s” which we hope to release later this year. I love creating hip-hop comedy music videos—it’s a very niche passion!
 
You are very active on social networks, especially on TikTok, where you offer many comic content including videos Mostly Good Advice or Ruin a Toon. What’s your relationship with social media?
Social media, and particularly TikTok, have allowed me to create a direct relationship with a large fanbase. TikTok has been integral to almost everything I do in entertainment such as creating comedy content, promoting my Nickelodeon projects, soliciting directing opportunities, and more. It’s never been easier to proactively make stuff.
 
Do you have upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
Stream the first 8 episodes of Big Nate now on Paramount+. More episodes are coming soon and we just received a renewal for Season 2! I’m also directing a documentary series and pitching a variety of original shows with my writing partner, Arnie Pantoja. More news on that soon!

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Credits:
Photographer: Adam Hendershott @adamhendershott 
Production Design: Lindsey Ferguson @lindseyaferguson
Stylist: Flora Ronzone @sunny_goth
Grooming & Makeup: Monique Lucero @beauty_brigade_