Hale embraces villainous film role
A big dog in the Big Apple is the perfect formula to get tails wagging, “Clifford” star Tony Hale believes.
The actor portrays the central villain in a new, live-action “Clifford the Big Red Dog” — and appreciates how the movie encourages audiences to embrace those who are different.
“It’s a very common message, but done in a creative way that might hit a different neuropath in a kid’s brain or an adult brain and just kind of click, whereas something else wouldn’t,” Hale said.
“For kids to see a scene where (Clifford’s owner) Emily in the movie is bullied at school for being different, and then she has a connection with a dog that’s seen as different ... and wanting to root for them, and be accepted, and to be empowered to walk their own journey, I mean, I want my kid to see this. That’s a goal that we can all hope to have one day.”
Adapted from the popular Scholastic book series that began in 1963, the new film introduces Clifford as a tiny lost puppy who forms a bond with a misunderstood New York City girl named Emily Elizabeth. Emily’s love is what fuels Clifford’s growth, and he suddenly becomes 10 feet tall.
Hale’s character in the movie — now in theaters and on Paramount+ — is tech titan Zack Tieran, whose company LyfeGrow experiments on animals in hopes of making them bigger and increasing the global food supply.
“It’s kind of seen as an environmental company, but what actually he wants to do is manipulate nature for a profit, and it’s not working out,” Hale said.
“He sees Clifford, and he’s like, ‘If I can get that
magic, whatever Clifford has, then I can really just have everything.’ So he just tries to take Clifford down and exploit him.”
Hale enjoyed creating the “spectacle” of an enormous dog unintentionally wreaking havoc in the crowded streets of Manhattan.
Production took place in the city and Clifford was later computer-animated into scenes.
“Sometimes when you’re doing special effects, there will just be a dot, and it’s like, ‘OK, so this dot is like a massive monster coming toward you.’ And you’re just kind of like, OK,” Hale said.
“But the great gift that they gave to us was they had these really massive red puppets with puppeteers on the streets of New York when we were shooting, so it allowed us (to see) the scale of Clifford when we were talking, or seeing it, or being alarmed by it.
That kind of helps the big picture.”
Hale rose to fame portraying Buster Bluth on the comedy series “Arrested Development” and won two supporting actor Emmys for his performance as Gary Walsh on “Veep.” He enjoyed showing another side with “Clifford.”
“I get the chance to play a bad guy. I typically am known for playing defeated and emasculated really well, so it’s nice to play something different,” Hale said with a laugh.
Nov. 21 birthdays: Actor Laurence Luckinbill is 87. Actor Marlo Thomas is 84. Actor Goldie Hawn is 76. Actor Cherry Jones is 65. Actor Nicollette Sheridan is 58. Singer Bjork is 56. Singer Chauncey Hannibal is 53. TV host Michael Strahan is 50. Actor Lindsey Haun is 37. Singer Carly Rae Jepsen is 36. Actor Sam Palladio is 35.