All hail Hale
Tony Hale sits at the cool kids’ table in ‘Benedict Society’
Despite his top billing for the Disney+ series “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” Tony Hale knew this adventure series’ focus is its four gifted orphans.
Based on Trenton Lee Stewart’s young adult books, “Society” sees these kids — Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance — recruited by the slightly odd Mr. Benedict (Hale) who dispatches them to do nothing less than save the world.
“Last spring when they offered me this job, it was just exciting,” Hale, 50, said in a Zoom interview.
“I had never really read the series so I started by reading the book. Then the pandemic hit and I felt my reason for doing it got bigger. Because when the series begins, something called a global crisis is calling and it’s putting everybody in this state of panic and fear.
“Then Mr. Benedict gathers these four gifted kids together to help find the source of the crisis. And what I love about it is these kids don’t have crazy magical powers! Their ‘superpower’ is their creativity, their intellect and their empathy.
“I just feel like after all we’ve been through, those are superpowers. Those are the things that stand out.
“After the year that we’ve all had, doing the show meant a lot more to me. And I was excited playing twins. I’ve never done that before.”
Hale, known for “Arrested Development” and a twotime Emmy winner as Gary in “Veep,” likes “to find parts of myself in the characters I do. Benedict is the very affable and positive brother and I hope — and consider myself — encouraging and helpful. “As Benedict, I was able to grow the beard out. What was so fun was to then have different versions of the beard. Curtain is the uptight, very elegant brother. He’s a little more sarcastic. He’s been hurt in his life and feels misunderstood.”
Hale’s just filmed a major prestige project: Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Hale plays head writer Jess Oppenheimer who “had a very long working relationship with Lucille Ball.
“I really loved the idea that it’s a behind-the-scenes look at a week in the life of shooting ‘I Love Lucy.’ Also, a look into Lucille and Desi’s life, the drama behind the scenes.
“And honestly, just to get to be on the inside and see Nicole Kidman transform into Lucille Ball. I mean it was just crazy and I got a front row seat.”