For Kenneth Branagh, Josh Gad has turned into Mulch Diggums, the shaggy, kleptomaniac dwarf of the Artemis Fowl universe. During a videoconference interview, the actor told us more about his participation in the film.
In its adaptation ofArtemis Fowl, Kenneth Branagh does not bother with sizeable issues for the dwarf Mulch Diggums. The kleptomaniac created by the author Eoin Colfer here becomes a giant dwarf rather than just a dwarf. To play it, it’s Josh Gad (the original voice of Olaf in Frozen, but also Lefou in the remake of Beauty and the Beast) who disguised himself as a dwarf hidden behind a huge leather jacket and with shaggy beard. In an interview for Linternaute.com, Josh Gad talks about what makes Artemis Fowl such a special saga. He also confides in us his happiness at the idea of working again with Kenneth branagh and Judi Dench, whom he had already had the opportunity to meet in The Crime of the Orient Express. He also shares with us all the admiration he has for them.
How did you integrate the Artemis Fowl project?
I never refuse a proposal from Sir Kenneth Branagh! I had just finished Murder on the Orient Express, it was a great experience working with one of my heroes. A few months later, I got a phone call to tell me that Ken wanted to invite me on his new project: Artemis Fowl. Of course, as soon as I get a call from Ken I’m already up and running but I wanted to familiarize myself with the world created by Eoin Colfer. I opened the books and couldn’t help but devour them. I was in awe of the idea that the character of Artemis Fowl was almost the antithesis of Harry Potter. He’s a 12-year-old master of crime, a kid who is smarter than any adult and any creature in this magical universe, fairies, goblins, dwarves… It seemed so to me. different, so original. On top of all that, I fell madly in love with the character of Mulch Diggums, this kind of loner who always gets in trouble until he becomes an ally of Artemis Fowl, or at least that’s what we do. believes.
In the film, Mulch is mainly used as a narrator to introduce us to the universe of Artemis Fowl. So you have few scenes with the other actors. Did you find it difficult?
Yes, because the most interesting aspect of acting is reacting to other people’s play. That said, all of the scenes where I’m sort of the narrator are played opposite Ken who plays the part of the interviewer who questions me. So I always had this chance to have fun shooting these scenes with someone brilliant. But nothing can replace the joy of shooting a scene with Ferdia [Shaw, Artemis Fowl] or Lara [McDonnel, Holly Short], Nonso [Anozie, Butler] and especially Dame Judi Dench with whom I am absolutely in love.
Did you have the opportunity to improvise on the set?
I’ve had tons of them! It’s interesting because it’s the exact opposite of my experience on Crime on the Orient Express where we had an incredible script by Michael Green that moved the story forward and didn’t really call for improvisation. . So I didn’t need to improvise. On the set of Artemis, I quickly realized that Ken not only welcomed improvisation with open arms but also encouraged it. It’s always a joy for me to hear that because it allows me to offer things that are obviously inspired by the script but which take it further. Once we have recorded what is written on the page, it is always interesting to modify it a little.
Were you able to keep a prop from the film?
No ! And besides, it annoys me to think about it there. But it’s funny that you ask me that because I’m so innocent I’m always afraid to ask. I should have kept that damn jacket. I think I’ll ask them to send me the Mulch Diggums jacket.
This film has allowed you to work again with Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. What is it like to work with them?
I went to the conservatory where I studied theater. In my second year the whole program was about Shakespeare and we started by studying the filmed work of Sir Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi Dench. I’m thinking of Henry V, from Much Ado About Nothing… We had lectures with great British actors like Michael Gambon, Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen and of course Dame Judi Dench. So they literally taught me my acting profession! Find me now in a …
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