Last month, I along with 24 bloggers, went to LA on a press trip for Disney. Not only did we see a screening of ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY, but we were also able to interview the young cast. Ed Oxenbould, Dylan Minnette and Kerris Dorsey.
You could tell they really enjoyed filming the movie and walked away with a lifetime bond. The party day seemed to be their favorite scene to film and I can’t say I blame them. Animals, swimming, 200 people, music, and food would be my favorite thing too! I am sure having Steve Carell involved helped a lot with the fun. These talented and charming kids are definitely going to capture the hearts of movie audiences.
Q : What was it like to act with Steve? Was he funny everyday and off camera?
Ed : He was– no, he wasn’t fun– no, I’m kidding. He was like the funniest person. He– he could make anything sound fun, anything.
Dylan : It’s effortless. It’s effortless.
Ed : Yeah, it’s like just completely–
Dylan : He can say what he’s having for lunch and you’re just like in tears on the floor.
Ed : Yeah, you could– you could just look at him. And he’ll give you one look. And you will just be in uncontrollable laughter.
Kerris : Yeah, and he’s so like one thing is he’s so smart. He’s such a smart person. I think you ha– you have to be that intelligent in order to be that funny because it’s–
Ed : His humor is just so–
Kerris : It’s so witty and so like impeccable. Um, so that was really cool. You can just tell by looking at him, like talking to him that’s he’s just so smart. And the wheels are always turning. So–
Q : What was everybody’s favorite scene with him?
Ed : I think the party scene.
Dylan : I’ve been saying the party scene.
Kerris : Party scene.
Ed : Yeah, it was really cool.
Kerris : Party scene was so fun.
Dylan : Yeah, I mean it was just– [STAMMERS] like, what, 200 people and animals and swimming and music and food and just-
Kerris : It was so cool. We were there for a long time. So it sort of became like a home to us, you know? So, yeah, that was so fun. We actually ate the food at one point.
Dylan : I was stealing– I was stealing candy all the time.
Ed : It was poisoned.
Kerris : We were eating. We were dancing.
Dylan : It was poisoned too.
Ed : It was fake.
Dylan : It was plastic candy.
Kerris : But it wasn’t real. But it was so good.
Q : Oh, oh, oh, ok, it came back. [LAUGHTER] How many takes actually did it take to film those parties? Or you did it just in your own with one swing and everybody was happy, you know, with what they got?
Ed : It took a lot of dancing, a lot of barbequing.
Dylan : There was three– wasn’t the part– didn’t the party take three days?
Kerris : Yeah, we were– we were at, uh, uh, a set out in Newhall for two weeks, and then we did the party, um, like three consecutive nights. Um, so ’cause there were so many things to cover. There were like, you know, his shots and all of–
Ed : There was dancing, barbecuing, DJ’ing.
Dylan : Except the animals–
Kerris : Thunder from Down Under. Um, the animals– yeah, yeah, I don’t know if you’ve– you’ve heard of them. Um, so yeah, it took a lot of coverage and a lot of– of days to do. But it was actually fun. Like it sounds like it would be–
Ed : It didn’t even feel like we were working.
Kerris : Yeah, we had a party. We were all just dancing, and there’s one shot that we laughed over every time because it’s like– it’s on Jen and Steve. And you can see past us. I don’t know what we’re doing. We’re just like dancing the whole time. It’s like so awkward. But I mean hopefully no one notices it.
Dylan : Now they will.
Kerris : Now you will. So–
Dylan : Yeah, and then the– then it goes directly on us.
Kerris : On us. It focuses on us. And we’re just like, ok, cool, this is happening.
Q : So a lot in your role in the film, you were sick. I just wondered if you had any good tips for us in case we wanted to take a sick day.
Kerris : Um, I feel like if I ever get like sick and sound sick my parents are gonna be like, no, mm-mm, we know your tricks. Um, uh, it’s all about the voice I’ve found. So it’s like– you really have to sort of like– it’s more like nasally. So it’s like back in your throat and then in your nose. So anything like– M’s have to be B-sounding. So it’s just sort of like, I don’t know, I just watched a lot of– like I’m not gonna talk like that for the whole time. Um, I just watched a lot of like You Tube videos of people talking when they’re sick.
Ed : How to talk sick.
Kerris : Yeah, no, just like people when they’re sick. People post videos of themselves in any, you know, capacity. So there are literally people like, hey, I’m sick today. You know, and you just listen to it. Um, so yeah, I– it’s all about the voice. And then real– like really heavily lidded eyes and then maybe like eyeliner or something underneath your eye or something like that.
Dylan : Can you believe her sick voice, though? Like, uh, every day on set I was like how are you doing this?
Kerris : I would go home, and I would be like, hey, Just– [STAMMERS] hey, so, my sister, I’d be like, hey, Justine. And she’s like what’s wrong with your voice? It’s like, oh, recalibrating– [LAUGHTER] go back to normal.
Ed : it never faltered. It was always the uhhhh!
Q : Ed, what about you? Learning an English accent, so how was that for you?
Ed : An American?
Q : I’m sorry American accent. [LAUGHTER]
Ed : Um, that was pretty– it was pretty hard. But also kind of easy at the same time ’cause I’m– I’m– I was brought up on American film. Because there’s a lot of American TV, a lot of American film in Australia. So it’s not like it’s a completely different, um, accent that I’m kind of thinking, well, it’s American. It’s– it– I– I knew what it was. But it was a little rough around the edges. Actually, it was really bad. So– [LAUGHTER] so I had training. And, um, I just– [STAMMERS] I learned all the little tips and tricks on just to sound authentic.
Kerris : Sometimes I would forget that you were Australian. Well, I mean I knew, but like ’cause I forget that when I’m talking to him now like after we were filming it was just like, oh, that’s your– your real voice. You have an Australian accent ’cause it was so good. It was so impeccable.
Q : Have any of you experienced anything similar to what, you know, happened to you in the film either in high school proms or driver’s training? Anything like that?
Dylan : Well, Kerris has yet to do her driver’s test. So maybe– so maybe–
Ed : Well, don’t jinx it.
Kerris : Well, oh, shut up. Um–
Dylan : No, I– I actually– [STAMMERS] I aced my driver’s test luckily. I, uh, what else happens to me? I’ve never knocked a trophy case over. Um–
Kerris : I feel like we exorcized it all out of our systems when we filmed it because we just got out– we’re like, well, this can never happen to us in real life ’cause we just did it. So that’s nice.
Ed : If– if it does happen we’re preparing
Kerris : Yeah, and you’re right. We know how to react. And we know, um, we know how to sort of adapt to it. But, yeah, I mean I have like, you know, those days where you wake up. And you’re sick. And then everything falls down in front of you, and you trip over things. It’s– those days happen to me all the time. Yeah.
Dylan : All the time.
What a great bunch of young and talented stars. They were both funny and entertaining during this interview. It was my pleasure to sit and talk with these three amazing individuals. ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY opens in theaters October 10th. If you’re looking for a great family movie this is the one! You don’t want to miss it.
At the end of the interview we took a group picture with the 25 media bloggers and Dylan, Ed and Kerris.
All in all it was a very good day! #VeryBadDayEvent #DisneyInHomeEvent
