Latest news with #MikaelaHoover
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mikaela Hoover Talks ‘Superman,' Cat Grant's Clark Kent Crush and 17 Years of James Gunn Team-Ups
The James Gunn that Mikaela Hoover met 17 years ago is still the same James Gunn she knows today. In 2008, long before he became the writer-director of Superman and co-CEO of DC Studios, Gunn first auditioned Hoover for his web short Humanzee!. He was quickly won over by her performance, but her insistence on outdoing herself ingratiated herself to the filmmaker even more. Months later, he created another web short specifically for Hoover called Sparky & Mikaela, which chronicled the crime-fighting exploits of her low-rent superhero character and raccoon sidekick. (If the Guardians of the Galaxy roots weren't already evident, Guardians actors Sean Gunn and Gregg Henry also show up.) More from The Hollywood Reporter James Gunn Says Casting for New Wonder Woman Hasn't Started Yet But Film Is a "Priority" When Did Superman Become So Controversial? DC's Comic-Con Booth Unveiled as Publisher Hits the Road to 100th Anniversary Hoover would go on to appear in Gunn's second feature film, Super (2010), before working on five more Gunn-associated films. Her friendship with Gunn didn't preclude her from auditioning, particularly when she landed an opportunity to read for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on her own. Gunn actually doubted her viability for the tragic part of Floor the Rabbit until she proved the casting department otherwise. Having fulfilled Floor's voice and mocap work, Hoover's turn seemingly opened the door to Netflix's hit manga adaptation, One Piece. In the upcoming second season, she voices and mocaps fan-favorite Tony Tony Chopper. (Hoover has also joined the season two cast of Netflix's Beef.) 'Playing Floor was such a dream, and playing Chopper is the biggest honor,' Hoover tells The Hollywood Reporter. 'I am so excited about season two of One Piece. Fans are going to absolutely love this season.' Hoover's latest collaboration with Gunn on Superman has her in the role of Daily Planet gossip columnist Cat Grant. To unsuspecting eyes, Cat is Lois Lane's closest co-worker friend, but they aren't chummy enough to where Cat can sense that Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) is secretly dating fellow journalist Clark Kent (David Corenswet). According to Hoover, the divorced Cat would not take kindly to such a revelation. 'Cat finds Clark to be the dreamiest man ever. So if Cat thought that [Lois and Clark] had a real-life romance going on, she would not be too happy,' Hoover shares. 'She just adores him.' Below, during a recent conversation with THR, Hoover also discusses various behind-the-scenes details from Superman, as well as the backstory that informed her depiction of Cat. *** James Gunn recently wished you a Happy Birthday on Instagram, and he addressed you as 'Vomita.' Do I dare ask what that means? (Laughs.) Oh my God, I've known James for a very long time. He's been one of my dearest friends for over 15 years, and we have a brother-sister relationship. He loves to tease me, and anytime someone says something to him about my looks, James responds with, 'Ew, vomit!' So he has now nicknamed me Vomita, which just happened a week ago. So it was funny that he decided to put that in the birthday wish. I've been really lucky to have formed this friendship with him and his wife [Jennifer Holland]. We have such incredible times together. You've been a part of James' acting company or troupe for many years now. What's the origin story? I auditioned for James 17 years ago for an internet short called Humanzee!, and after I auditioned, I asked to do it again. And he was like, 'But that was great.' And I said, 'No, I want to do it again.' So I did it again, and then he was like, 'That was amazing.' And I was like, 'No, I want to do it again.' So I kept doing it over and over again and bossing him around. He found it endearing and funny and charming, and he ended up casting me in Humanzee!. A few months after that, he called me and said that he and [producer] Peter [Safran] had created a show for me called Sparky & Mikaela. So they asked if I would be interested in playing [the title character] Mikaela, and I, of course, said, 'Yes, that sounds like so much fun.' It was me, a raccoon [puppet] and Sean Gunn. After that, he cast me in other shorts and projects that he did. Film-wise, you worked on his second feature, . That led to two movies, , and now . How does he typically present an opportunity to you? James has me audition for most of his projects. I got the Guardians 3 audition through my agent, and they don't say what the character is in the breakdown for those kinds of projects. So I texted James, 'Is this correct? You didn't tell me anything about this.' And he said, 'Yes, but I don't think you're going to get the role because they're looking for a more mechanical-type voice. I still think it's really important that casting hears your voice and hears your take on the role.' So I auditioned for Floor [the Rabbit], and lo and behold, I ended up booking it. And you performed Floor's motion capture, something you've also just done for 's Tony Tony Chopper. Did you ever plan on making performance capture a calling card of yours? I didn't. I feel so blessed that my career has taken me onto this path because I have so much fun playing these characters. Playing Floor was such a dream, and playing Chopper is the biggest honor. So I've been really fortunate to be able to voice and live-capture these characters that I really love. James was a Hollywood punk rocker when you first met him. Now, he's a Hollywood power broker. Is his career arc pretty shocking to you given where things started? Not at all! James has such a magnetism and special power to him that I knew there was something different about him when we first met. He commands a room unlike any other person I've ever met. He's so talented and he's so authentically himself. He has always been the James Gunn that I met 17 years ago. He has never changed, which is such a beautiful quality, and I just feel really grateful to have known him for all of these years. With Cat Grant in , you're playing a gossip columnist and Lois' closest friend outside of Clark. She also seems to have an ex that is not honoring his financial obligations. He's toxic! Is Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett) her ex? No, but Steve wishes he was Cat's ex. Cat's ex is from her old days as a reporter in Hollywood. Did James give you any other information about Cat that is valid in the movie's universe? When I booked Cat, I went back and read all of the comics. I read where she originated from and her backstory. So I knew that she had come from Hollywood and was a great reporter there, but she had fallen for a guy that wasn't so great. They also have a child together, and she kind of just got sick of the toxicity in Hollywood. So she moved to Metropolis and got a job at the Daily Planet. So you're going with the comic backstory until James tells you otherwise? I am. Cat asks Lois about the guy she's dating, but does she already have a suspicion that it's Clark? No, because Cat finds Clark to be the dreamiest man ever. So if Cat thought that [Lois and Clark] had a real-life romance going on, she would not be too happy. Clarks wears 'hypno-glasses' so that nobody recognizes him as Superman. Do you know if James ever considered showing what Clarks looks like to Cat and everybody else? Not to my knowledge, but he's tall, dark and handsome in Cat's eyes. He represents goodness, and he's pure. She just adores him. Six characters end up in Mister Terrific's (Edi Gathegi) T-Craft. Were there a lot of high jinks in that confined area for hours upon hours? Well, when we all got inside the T-Craft, we didn't know what it could do. So we were all pretty nervous about what was going to happen, and we weren't really told a lot. We all looked at each other apprehensively, and when James yelled action, we just all held on for dear life. When the gimbal went up and to the side, one of my castmates said, 'I think I'm going to be sick.' So all of those reactions inside the T-Craft were very real. Was there any interesting material that didn't make the cut for whatever reason? I don't know what I'm allowed to say and not say, so I'd just rather not. We touched on it earlier, but you've also got coming up. Does season two look pretty entertaining from what you've seen so far? I am so excited about season two of One Piece. Fans are going to absolutely love this season. Your Netflix good fortune also extends to season two in which you're partnered with William Fichtner. Yes. Of the main couples, can you say whose story you're tied to the most? I'm not allowed to say. I've been sworn to secrecy on Beef, big time. But it was absolutely incredible. The cast and crew are amazing. By the way, I thought you did a nice job as Adrienne Barbeau on . Thank you so much. It's a shame that an entertaining show like that didn't get a longer leash. But Adrienne Barbeau played Alice Cable in Wes Craven's 1982 DC movie, . Have you mentioned this piece of trivia to James yet? I have! The second I booked the role of Adrienne, I researched her like crazy. I listened to her audiobook. I watched all of her movies. I find her so fascinating. She is a powerhouse, and I am so honored I got to play her. And, yeah, James knew that she was in Swamp Thing. She's had a really incredible life. I understand you're a big Wes Craven fan, particularly . With Matthew Lillard returning for , do you hope that Stu remains dead and that his appearance is just a dream or delusion? I am so excited to be completely surprised in that movie theater. I have no expectations when it comes to that franchise. I just go in there and have fun. So I'm not sure what Lillard's storyline is, but I know that all of the people that are involved in that franchise are going to make it iconic, as they always do. I am such a Scream fan and such a scary movie fan that I just can't wait. For years now, I've been asking actors and filmmakers if they would ever want to adopt the meta approach of . Everybody would play a version of their real-life self while dealing with a real-life Ghostface that starts knocking them off. Can you imagine how cool that would be if done right? The problem is Wes Craven is not here anymore. Rest in peace. So I don't know how they would do that justice in the way that it needs to be done, but I'm sure that the right filmmaker could step up to the plate and do something amazing with that. Well, let's close on . Decades from now, when you're reminiscing about the entire experience, what moment from set will you likely recall first? When I walked into the Daily Planet for the first time, it felt absolutely surreal. I had chills all over. I remember telling myself: 'I am so grateful to be here right now and in this film surrounded by these amazing actors and filmmakers.' I'll never forget that moment of gratitude that I felt. I am really grateful that all of the cast was so wonderful and that we all got along so well. It felt like summer camp. I am incredibly grateful for all the memories and friendships that we had on set and continue to have off set. James has a knack for bringing together such amazing human beings, and I'm so grateful. ***Superman is now playing in movie theaters. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The 40 Greatest Needle Drops in Film History The 40 Best Films About the Immigrant Experience Wes Anderson's Movies Ranked From Worst to Best Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Superman': Mikaela Hoover recalls the reactions being real for 'T-Craft' scene; reveals cast had no idea
The 'Superman' cast had an unprecedented and amusing work day when they got to experience the magic of high-tech flying T-Craft, possibly in the most authentic way. Mikaela Hoover , who plays a colleague of Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), revealed that the entire cast didn't know anything about the T-Craft before filming the scene, making all the reactions quite genuine. 'Superman' cast members gave real reactions to T-Craft According to People, the fictional aircraft, which is played by the character Mister Terrific ( Edi Gathegi ), is used by Lois Lane at the end of the film. She invites her colleagues at the Daily Planet newspaper on board, one of whom is the gossip columnist Cat Grant (Mikaela Hoover). Revealing the behind-the-scenes drama, Hoover said that no one from the cast knew about T-Craft. 'When we got in there and we buckled our seat belts, we had no idea that [the T-Craft] was really going to lift up or go down or right or left,' she claimed, before adding, 'We didn't know what was going to happen. So all of those reactions we had in the T-Craft are real." Mikaela Hoover's high-tech roller coaster ride Furthermore, the 41-year-old compared her feelings to being on a roller coaster ride or a topsy-turvy ride. Recalling the day, she said, 'One of the cast members has a weak stomach and was like, 'I'm gonna be sick.' It was quite the experience,' adding that the specific T-Craft scene with the Daily Planet employees was shot for an entire day. 'We were in there for a long time, and there were a lot of takes, but we got the hang of what was going to happen,' Hoover said. She continued that it was the initial time when they had no idea about how bumpy it would be or what was going to happen to all of them.
Gizmodo
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Everything to Know About ‘One Piece' Season 2's New Crewmate, Tony Tony Chopper
Even if you haven't been an ardent One Piece fan for over 25 years, you might have become intrigued by one particular character thanks to his adorable Chibi appearance: Tony Tony Chopper. The global phenomenon manga and anime series can be a daunting task to get into, given the sheer volume of pages and episodes, but Netflix's live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's epic has opened up his pirate world to wider audiences. And after Chopper's live-action hybrid animation reveal at Tudum last weekend, his popularity will no doubt skyrocket based on the cuteness teased through Mikaela Hoover's instantly endearing performance. Don't be fooled, though; this future member of the Straw Hat Crew is more than an adorable pet mascot medic, he's one of their greatest fighters and fiercest friends. Here's a quick primer on just who Chopper is ahead of One Piece season two's premiere in 2026 on Netflix. Who is Tony Tony Chopper? Chopper was an outcast reindeer with a blue nose who ate the Human-Human Fruit, which turned him into a reindeer-human hybrid. This Devil Fruit bestowed him with consciousness, a high level of intelligence, and the ability to pick up on human languages. After he consumed the fruit, Chopper was fully rejected by his herd, a lot like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, except if he had suddenly mutated and could get real jacked. Where did Chopper come from? Alone in the wilderness of Drum, Chopper eventually crosses paths with the mad scientist Dr. Hiriluk, who is intrigued by his transformation and asks Chopper to be his assistant. Actor Mark Harelik (Preacher), who was cast as the wild-haired doctor for the Netflix series, described Tony Tony Chopper' first friend on Instagram as filled with 'passion and persistence' and teased that maybe the doctor shouldn't be 'so eager to try untested experiments' on his patients. This bit of foreshadowing echoes his grim fate, which propels Chopper to learn more about medicine under Dr. Kureha when she takes him in. Katey Sagal (Futurama) plays Kureha, the One Piece favorite who would go on to teach Chopper everything she knows. The team-up between Kureha and Chopper is something we're really looking forward to in season two. How does Chopper meet the Straw Hat Crew? Nami falls ill near the Drum Kingdom, and Luffy and the crew seek out help in the frozen expanse. Luckily, they meet Dr. Kureha and Chopper. In exchange for helping cure the Straw Hat's navigator, the crew assists in freeing Drum Kingdom from its tyrannical ruler. Chopper is reluctant to join the Straw Hats but after being snatched by the Foxy Pirate Crew as a member against his will, Luffy liberates him from that by winning a battle against them. He then gives Chopper the choice to join the Straw Hats of his own free will—and eventually, after a lot of his trademark reluctance at being perceived, he gives in. Much like the preview we saw on Tudum, Chopper has his quirks, like hiding the wrong way or breaking out into a dance when complimented, something he gets visibly ornery over (but secretly loves). We can't wait to see him visibly struggle to hide his excitement when he finally finds a family with the Straw Hats. What are Chopper's powers? In addition to his intelligence, Chopper becomes bi-pedal and stays in the form of a cute pet for the most part. However, he can evolve into three forms (kind of like Pokémon evolutions) and can go back to the one of his choosing, which happens to cause a lot of cuteness aggression. The other forms come in handy when the Straw Hats are in battle. Chopper uses 'Walk Point,' which heightens his reindeer agility and animalistic senses; 'Brain Point,' which is the humanoid pet form he stays in with a big head for the smarts it grants along with a small body; and 'Heavy Point,' which is when he looks like a jacked human with reindeer features that helps him beat the crap out of enemies. With the use of a drug called the 'Rumble Ball,' which looks like a yellow gum ball, Chopper can access even more transformation points and becomes an uncontrollable monster if he's not too careful. What is Chopper's dream? Luffy's tendency to recruit Straw Hats always comes down to their dreams and Chopper's is one of the sweetest ones. After losing Dr. Hiriluk and seeing death spread in ways that existentially changes him, Chopper's dream is to cure the world of all diseases. It makes him perfect for the Straw Hat Crew as their doctor on board and trusty secret weapon in battle. One Piece season two will be released sometime in 2026 on Netflix.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
One Piece season 2 release window: Latest updates and Chopper's first look
One Piece season 2 release window: One Piece season 1 was a hit. In fact, it was so well-loved that many consider it the best live-action adaptation of an anime ever. The first season kept anime enthusiasts hooked, and ever since it ended, fans have been waiting with bated breath for the second season or at least an update about it. After a long wait, we finally know the release window for One Piece season 2. Here's everything we know so far. One Piece season 2 release window Production for One Piece season 2 started in June 2024 and concluded in February 2025. Although it was initially set to release in late 2025, unforeseen circumstances have caused a delay, meaning fans will have to wait a bit longer. As per Netflix, One Piece season 2 will be released in 2026. The exact release date is not out yet. One Piece season 2 - Chopper first look After the special announcement, the makers of One Piece season 2 and Netflix shared Chopper's first look from the show and it built the excitement and how. Reacting to it, one wrote, 'Chopper hiding the wrong way will never get old.' A second added, 'His shyness and humbleness is present, and the design completely works in live action.' A third went on to add, 'I like how they actually fused his time skip and pre time skip designs together to make this.' Take a look at it here: Chopper has been voiced by Mikaela Hoover who also has done the facial capture of the character. What is One Piece? For those unfamiliar, One Piece is a Netflix live-action adaptation of the globally acclaimed manga series created by Eiichiro Oda. The show has attracted a massive following, not only from longtime manga readers and anime viewers but also from a whole new audience drawn in by the live-action series itself.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘One Piece' Casts Mikaela Hoover as Tony Tony Chopper; Netflix to Release Season 2 in 2026
'One Piece' Season 2 will set sail on Netflix in 2026 with actor Mikaela Hoover joining the live-action series as the voice of fan-favorite character Tony Tony Chopper. Hoover ('Beef,' 'Superman,' 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) also does the facial capture for the little reindeer-human hybrid doctor who will be teaming up with pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his band of Straw Hats. More from Variety Netflix and Brazilian Tourism Board Embratur Announce Cooperation Agreement to Boost Film-TV Tourism in Brazil Netflix Showrunners Talk Shop and Compare Notes on the Art of Pitching What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 Based on Eiichiro Oda's beloved manga and subsequent anime series 'One Piece,' Netflix's live-action series follows Luffy and his crew on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, One Piece, and become King of the Pirates. Returning 'One Piece' stars from Season 1 include Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, Taz Skylar as Sanji, Ilia Isorelys Paulino as Alvida, Jeff Ward as Buggy and Michael Dorman as Gold Roger. Godoy, Mackenyu, Rudd, Romero and Skylar announced the Chopper casting news and planned 2026 launch for 'One Piece's' second season during Netflix's live 'Tudum' special Saturday. Additional cast members for 'One Piece' Season 2 include: Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday, Joe Manganiello as Mr. 0, Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha, Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday, Mark Harelik as Dr. Hiriluk, Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek, Yonda Thomas as Igaram, Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra, Brendan Sean Murray as Brogy, Callum Kerr as Smoker, Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5, Clive Russell as Crocus, Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3, Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine, Julia Rehwald as Tashigi, Rob Colletti as Wapol, Ty Keogh as Dalton, Werner Coetser as Dorry, Rigo Sanchez as Dragon, James Hiroyuki Liao as Ipponmatsu, Mark Penwill as Chess, Anton Jeftha as K.M. 'One Piece' executive producers include writres and co-showrunners Matt Owens and Joe Tracz as well as Oda, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements through Tomorrow Studios, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes and former co-showrunner Steven Maeda. The series is made in partnership with 'One Piece' animated series studio Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios (an ITV Studios partner) and Netflix. See a first look at Tony Tony Chopper in 'One Piece' Season 2 below. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
