/Film Interviewed Jack Black And Awkwafina And It Got Real Weird, Real Quick
The "Kung Fu Panda" franchise has become a staple of DreamWorks Animation, and it's easy to see why: It's a funny movie series with great action and memorable characters.
A big part of the series' success is due to its stellar voice casting — heard in both the extended cast of A-listers like Dustin Hoffman and James Hong, as well as in Jack Black's electrifying performance as Po the Panda. Black infuses the character with charisma and, as Po would call it, awesomeness. As our review indicates, "Kung Fu Panda 4" changes things up, becoming more of a buddy cop movie with Po going on an adventure with a new character named Zhen, played by Awkwafina.
/Film was invited to participate in a junket with Black and Awkwafina, where the plan was to ask questions about the making of the film and crafting their performances.
As you can see from the full video above, that wasn't exactly what went down.
Junkets are a funny thing. They are repetitive and not particularly useful for informative questions and answers. You sit around for hours to only talk for 10 minutes or less, while the actors sit around repeating the same answers for hours at a time. This means that everyone, from the actors to the journalists, are desperate to break the monotony and do something different, including throwing interview questions out the window and going with the flow.
Before my interview time, I had heard that Jack Black was having fun and joking around with the interviewers. That meant I was going to need to do a lot of improvising to get on his wavelength rather than stick to my planned questions.
Still, that wasn't enough to prepare me for how goofy and funny this interview got. Instead, it was the type of conversation where questions about voice acting turned into kung fu demonstrations and a little music session.
Off-topic from the jump
The interview instantly got off-topic chat about the '90s Nickelodeon cartoon characters on my shirt, which ran long enough the studio reps were becoming anxious about the interview time slots. After, Black answered a question about the physicality of his role as Po by doing an impromptu karate kick that made the whole room burst out laughing and killed any chance at this being a serious "interview." There were attempts, and Awkwafina sure looked like she was trying to provide thoughtful answers, but even she was nevertheless caught up in the chaotic orbit of Jack Black's squirrel-like energy.
A question about video game adaptations, since both actors have been in them, devolved into a discussion about whether "Angry Birds" and mobile apps really are video games and how hard they can be to master. The room was equal parts nervous about things starting to get a little unhinged, but the laughter only confirmed that it was all in good spirits. (Never did get an answer to that question.)
It was a great experience, one that shows why Jack Black is a superstar that helped turn a story about a panda becoming a chosen warrior into a billion-dollar franchise, his charisma and sense of humor overwhelming any attempt to hold him back. (After all, he is a member of the cult rock band Tenacious D.) Still, I was there to get answers, and was determined to get something fresh, something that could prove "useful" for readers beyond just my amusement.
Bowser's revenge
It's hard to be too concerned about journalism when Jack Black decides to sing a song.
Before "I'm Just Ken" became a contender for the Best Original Song Oscar, there was "Peaches." Black's song from the underwhelming "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" took the world by storm. Black even performed it at the Game Awards, and for a while it seemed like a sure nominee. But unlike Ken, Bowser the King Koopa got snubbed.
Now, Jack Black is ready for vengeance. When asked about a sequel to "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (which was teased in a post-credits scene), Black jumped at the chance to share his pitch: Make it all about Bowser, and call it "Bowser's Revenge."
What's more, the actor surprised everyone by pulling out his phone and sharing a little song he wrote earlier that day about "Peaches" getting snubbed — which extended the interview past the point of exasperation by the studio reps in the room. The song, much like "Peaches," is equal parts ludicrous and hilarious, and an agreement was made that the sequel movie should be a meta narrative about the Oscars snub.
With that, my time was up. More than intricate and detailed answers about the making of "Kung Fu Panda 4," my 10 minutes with Jack Black and Awkwafina resulted in a couple of thoughtful answers but primarily an experience as fun as the best Jack Black movies, as well as a preview of what should be the frontrunner for next year's Oscar race for Best Song. It may not be what I expected, but it was more than I could have asked for.