Some people are larger than life on screen. Whether it be on television or the movies, you can just tell that they give it their all and let their theatrical personality shine through. But, in reality, they can not possibly maintain the excitement, kindness and flair that generates in their art. Right?
Zach Braff is here to prove that, even when playing a character, you can be just yourself and let it all shine through!
This larger than life, happy, kind, energetic man walked into the room to be interviewed by 25 ‘Mommy Bloggers’ during our #DisneyOzEvent. He put his arms up in welcome, engulfed us with his genuine smile and made us all feel so invited. He seemed truly excited to be there and that is always a wonderful feeling for an interviewer. And when we told him we had him trending on Twitter under #FlyingMonkey in less than 10 minutes, he about jumped out of his chair and did the happy dance! It was a memorable moment to see him so extremely happy!
He is pretty active on Twitter, under @ZachBraff, and he apologized to us moms for not always being G rated, which we all had a great laugh at!
As we sat across from Zach Braff, I think all 25 of us wanted him to be our brother! He is highly entertaining, truly caring and charming. He answered questions in detail, looked each of us in the eye and it was the absolute most fun. I could have talked to him all day long!
This real, imaginative, animated man was really – just – cool! Below are some of my favorite questions and answers from the interview.
{Creative editing done for reading flow}
What was one of your most memorable moments during filming?
I love the moment- you guys have seen the movie, right? (All say Yes) – I love the when we find China Girl and James is putting her back together. Because it genuinely was so moving. I mean, even on set, it was so moving. And we were on all these giant sets and for the first time we were literally sitting and it was so surreal. We were literally sitting in a tea kettle and it was James and, and Joey King and the puppeteer.
They had this beautiful marionette puppet, because she was small enough that she could actually have a marionette puppet. And it was just so sweet and beautiful. I actually had my eyes welled, and that’s when I decided I wanted the monkey to almost be like an easy crier. Because my- my eyes really genuinely welled. I told Sam (Raimi), let’s have him covertly- he doesn’t want Oz to see that he’s crying – so let’s have him covertly swipe the tear. And then they kept in the movie. It was really sweet.
What was the most challenging part?
I think I was nervous the whole time. Like I’m here for so long and working so hard. Are they going to capture all that I’m doing? As an actor you know it’s your face, so they can’t get around that. When all that you’re doing is really reference for an animator, you’re wondering, ‘ Are they going to capture the subtleties in this?’ I’m nervous to put my name it if it’s not going to capture all the little things I’m trying to do.
And then at the premier I finally saw, and for the first time, fully photo-real and it was so exciting for me. Because it really did, little subtle face ticks, and things I never would have thought they would have picked up in the eyes. It made me really happy, that they got it all.
You were the comedy, and that’s what kids really respond to, what’s your feeling about doing this for kids?
Well I did do Chicken Little. So I did before. I have nieces and nephews. I don’t have any of my own yet, but I love kids and the idea is awesome. I’ve already scored that stuffed animal (Finley, the Flying Monkey) and it’s really cute, you’ll love it!
-My Megan Sure Does –
Back to interview:
I sleep with it!
So did my nephew. I have a twelve-year-old nephew right and I swear you guys will love this story as moms. I have a twelve-year-old nephew and I walk in to the room – and his sister couldn’t come out from Florida for the premier – but he did. And I said I want you to give this – his sister is 8 – I said, I want you to give this to Ella for me because she didn’t get to come out. And he goes yeah-yeah-yeah I’ll give it to her. Next morning, he’s sleeping on my couch and he’s totally spooning it! I’m thought, there’s no way Ella is getting that stuffed animal. Actually it was funny, I said, I want you to give this to Ella! He goes, yeah-yeah-yeah we’ll share it. I said, no-no, it’s for Ella. I told my publicist that I need a box of those things. One is not going to do.
How do you prepare for a role like a monkey?
I did actually go to the Detroit Zoo. I stumbled across two monkeys – let’s just say – in intimate embrace. I did not find that useful. Maybe for the sequel – I don’t know if the monkey gets a girlfriend or not. But it worked. But creating a creature from scratch is difficult. I mean he looks like a monkey but he flies and he talks like a human. So there really wasn’t too much monkey research to be done.
How do you feel about #FlyingMonkey trending on Twitter?
Is it?
No it’s not! Because of you guys? You guys are such scary power! Congratulations. Wow, you guys can band together for good! That’s really cool. That’s a lot of power. I am going to get on there and re-tweet it.
What was the audition process?
Uh, Sam asked me to come in and, uh, uh, and I didn’t know that I, I would have read, ’cause I, I would have auditioned. But he didn’t even want me to audition. just kinda wanted to talk and, um, I, I went on. And, um, and I went in his room and he had a really- a really rough animatic, um, [STAMMERS] really like the- this pre-visualization stuff, uh, you guys are savvy, you know that. We were was, it was that sequence where we’re running off the cliff and right before we go into the bubbles, where I jump off. And the monkey didn’t have any lines.
And he said, so here’s an example. know, we want someone who can kinda come to the set and figure out who this guy is with me and- and James. And he showed me the animation and I was watching it, and I, and, and I saw him jump off and- and- and Oz says, what are you doing, And I just went, I have wings.you’re jumping off. And Sam just started dying laughing and I was like, I guess that’s a good sign. So that is how it started. And to me- and so that’s the- I got the gig, ’cause I made the director laugh.
And that’s what he wanted, he wanted someone that could sit there and go, oh what if I said this. And I said, Sam, I promise you this, I’m going to drive you crazy, I’m going to pitch a thousand ideas, but just take what you like and leave the rest. No hard feelings. And there’d be plenty of times where I, we’d be on set and I’d be like, oh what if this da-da-da-da-da-da all excited and he’d be like, that’s hysterical, but it’s not called The Monkey. Maybe when we make the movie, The Monkey, we can do that elaborate scene you just pitched.
And then the interview ended, much to our disappointment. We took a photo with him and smiled the rest of the day! I still laugh when I think of the interview!
See Zach as Finley, the Flying Monkey in Disney 3D in theaters NOW! See my REVIEW HERE!
LIKE OZ The Great and Powerful on Facebook for movie updates and track the hashtag#DisneyOzEvent for all of the great interviews and movie news!
**I received an all expense paid trip in exchange for honest reviews and discussions regarding these events. No monetary compensation will be received. Please see my Disclosure Statement for more information.**
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