When I was in Hawaii for the Angry Birds Press Junket, we were blessed with a Luau that followed meeting some of the stars of the movie. I am so happy to finally share with all of you, my Angry Birds Movie Interview with Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, and Maya Rudolph.
Our interview consisted of a small round table with about 7 bloggers and the three stars! We discussed the first impressions of the movie, children apps, teaching kids about anger management and feelings, and more! The interview was amazing but most importantly it was so much fun!
Besides great conversation that followed an amazing Luau our round table overlooked an amazing sunset in Maui, Hawaii at the beautiful Four Seasons!
One of the unique parts of the interview is that each one of them has kids! Jason Sudeikis is married to Olivia Wilde, who had actually just announced the pregnancy of their second child right after our interview on social media (I am guessing the picture was taken while we were in Hawaii because of the swimsuit and since Jason had said they traveled together).
Angry Birds Movie Interview
Our interview started with gentle introductions, lots of giggles, and warming up to each other.
First impressions when you were asked to be a part of the move?
Josh: “There were 3 things that concerned me…the words Angry, birds, and movie. I was shown, and I was like I don’t know if this is a good idea. John Cohen, the producer, showed me this incredible like 20 minute presentation that sold us immediately.
Maya: “Me too.”
Josh: “The movie was so much more than a mobile app adaption and the cast was incredible!
Maya: I agree but mainly because of the cast part. To be fair, I think I came on pretty late in the game because you guys were already reporting and stuff.
Josh: That was a tough day because we lost Beyonce a couple of days before.
Maya: I am like the poor man Beyonce.
Jason: You are like Beyonc no e….It was literally like that, presentation and the cast coming together.
Josh: Sean Penn was the first to sign on…giggles….we were all lied to.
Maya: We thought we were making 21 grahams.
How did you prepare for the role? Did you research birds at all, or just play the app?
Maya: I bread a lot of chickens, and eggs. And I play a chicken.
Jason: It is the beginning and end of life.
Maya: I still don’t know which comes first.
Jason: They keep you guessing, right. I didn’t do Ornithology. Is that what it is called.
Josh: You know who was very big in Ornithology?
Maya: Barack Hussein Obama.
Josh: Another president, actually. A man named Theodore Roosevelt.
Maya: Teddy, What?! My boy Teddy?!
Josh: The man the bears were named after. I thought it was a fact you should know!
Maya: What did you do your homework?!
Josh: I knew this question would come up tonight. So I read as many books as possible before mommy blogger interviews.
Jason: He wanted to kill them right?
Josh: It doesn’t mean he didn’t love them actually?
What apps do you let your kids play?
Maya: My kids love all of the Toca apps…toca band, toca doctor…I don’t care about Angela. I don’t care for Angela OR Vicky!
Jason: No last names! They know who they are! (laughing).
Our conversation talked about the youtube videos of egg openings and toys. Bloggers discussed the popular youtube video.
Maya: There is that niche for people like soft talking voice and opening gifts.
Jason: We had to wake up today and had to wake up at 4:30am to fly here this morning. We wrapped up a bunch of his toys in tissue paper so he would have something to open up on the plane. It was stuff he plays with every day.
He is your first right? That is a good first parenting tip…
Jason: Bad parenting…we are still showing him Beyonce videos…My daddy is like..”tap dancing”.
Jason was amazing and energetic during the entire interview. He mentioned how he had to travel with their young one starting at 4am. You could totally see in his eyes how tired he was (but excited to be there)! I am not even sure he made it to the Luau afterwards. If he did, it was an early evening for him for sure!
Maya: I found my kids under the covers, literally under the covers watching the entire Beyonce video.
Josh: My daughter likes Singing in the Rain. She is OBSESSED! She is obsessed with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The original. Terrified of the Johnny Depp version…
Josh: I took my daughter to see the Sound of Music on stage riveted!
The movie says it is okay to get angry, it is actually warranted. How do you teach your kids about getting angry and dealing with it?
Jason: Use your words comes up a lot.
Maya: We were talking about that earlier. In my sons preschool is teaching them to take a breath. So they say “smell the flowers” is the inhale and “blowout the candle” is the exhale. They totally love to do it. You see this little mad guy.
Josh: When the girls are crying the “blow out the candle” works perfectly. My girls school uses colors…red is angry, blue is sad, green is calm…so we try to teach her how do we get to green is calm and yellow is happy. Inside Out was a great motivator to teach her. (He goes into about having them relate to the different feelings.”
Have your kids seen Angry Birds?
Jason: My son did. It was his first movie. He sat on my lap the entire time. It was great. He sat there the whole time. The only thing he had watched before was tap dancing and Beyonce video. He sat there the entire time. The best was he sat on my lap and crossed his legs.
Those whose kids haven’t seen it, what do you think your kids response will be to the movie?
Maya: They are psyched to see it! They are curious to see what my bird does. They know about the other birds but they don’t know about what MY bird does.
Did you all work together much when working with the movie?
Group Answer: No…never.
Josh: This is the most we have worked together. Sitting here drinking Mai Tais.
Jason: We actually have…we worked together in SNL (pointing to Maya)
Josh: And I have watched SNL!
Jason: (Josh spoke of their connections.) When I watched the movie it really sounded like we were all in the same room!
Josh: I am always amazed by the directors?!
Do you find voice acting to be less stressful?
Jason: NOOOOO…(and then he talked about the stresses)
Maya: The only thing for me is that I liked about it, is that as a lady and a mom with several kids is that I don’t have to wear a girdle…or get a blow out treatment.
Fill in the blank, when I get angry I _____:
Josh: Do Angry Birds press!
Maya: I don’t feel like anything can top that.
Jason: Sleep. I feel I need to sleep, even if it a nap.
Josh: I feel like I have to think it out.
Maya: I barely ever get angry.
{End Interview}
After the Angry Birds Movie Interview
Before leaving, the PR rep let Jason know that I was also from Kansas City. So a little bit of chat about where in KC and how his parents are still living in KC was exchanged. Time was up in our interview!
The interview was so much fun, so entertaining, and yet so educational on how their roles relate to their real lives as parents!
We then enjoyed an amazing Luau with hula dancers, music, real birds, yummy food, a “PIG ROAST” (we are that upset with the pigs), and flame throwers! Seriously glad I didn’t catch on fire!
About Angry Birds Movie
Flightless birds lead a mostly happy existence, except for Red (Jason Sudeikis), who just can’t get past the daily annoyances of life. His temperament leads him to anger management class, where he meets fellow misfits Chuck (Josh Gad) and Bomb. Red becomes even more agitated when his feathered brethren welcome green pigs to their island paradise. As the swine begin to get under his skin, Red joins forces with Chuck and Bomb to investigate the real reason behind their mysterious arrival.
Be sure to check out Angry Birds Movie in theaters everywhere on May 20, 2016! Get your tickets here now from Fandango.com!
Alison says
This was so fun to read! I love hearing their humor come out when they are talking! This movie actually looks like a lot of fun.
Ryan Sales Escat says
I like watching movies especially with my family. Not yet seen this movie but gotta watch it soon
Andrea says
SO glad to see Maya Rudolph in a movie – she’s inherited the family talent gene (her mom was the late Minnie Riperton)
Lisa Rios says
Angry Birds Movie has been making news lately & the trailer is quiet amazing that I would love to watch it my kids. The interview sounds so interesting as well with lots of fun!
Anonymous says
AMAZING Post.thanks for share..more delay .. …