WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Tony Hale has built an impressive acting career on playing hilarious, offbeat characters.
He was Buster Bluth, a mama’s boy who lost his left hand in a seal attack, in “Arrested Development.” He won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of insecure political aide Gary Walsh, whose pathetic devotion to his abusive boss was one of the delights of “Veep.”
So, how big of a jump was it for Hale, 49, to voice plastic utensil Forky, a craft project a young girl makes from trash, in “Toy Story 4,” and now in “Forky Asks a Question,” a series of shorts available on the new Disney+ streaming service?
In the 10 mini-episodes, the curious spork (a combination of fork and spoon) asks questions many children and adults struggle to answer: What is love? What is time? What is money? What is cheese?
Utensil story: ‘Toy Story 4’: Your burning Forky questions, existential and otherwise, answered
In the spirit of the “Toy Story” breakout character’s inquiring mind, USA TODAY asked Hale (who also voices an upbeat chicken in Netflix’s “Archibald’s Next Big Thing,” which he created) about Forky, the new shorts and his earlier roles.
Question: What do fans say about Forky?
Tony Hale: I think they (relate to) Forky. Life can get pretty chaotic and messy, and just having a spork stand up and go, “What’s going on? Why is this happening?” And bringing life down to very simple truths. I think we need that.
Q: Does Forky have self-esteem issues?
Hale: He kind of just saw his one-way route to help people eat chili and then go to the trash. That was kind of his life goal. So when Woody came along and said, “You are worthy to be loved and to love. You have value,” I think this is just kind of an all-new concept for him. He saw it as this one way, and then everything opened up to him.
Q: How did you get cast as Forky?
Hale: When I came in to Pixar and Josh Cooley, who directed (“Toy Story 4”), had put Buster’s voice and Gary’s voice in an animated Forky just to see my voice attached to the spork. And they told me about him. … But I would say, up until the premiere, I was convinced they were going to replace me.
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Q: Do you have any favorite Forky questions from this season’s episodes?
Hale: I loved the one called, “What Is a Friend?” He meets a coffee cup and he himself was an object that came to life, so he just assumed that this coffee cup is alive and he learns a lot about friendship through that.
Q: Do you feel any connection between Forky and your characters Gary from “Veep” and Buster from “Arrested Development”?
Hale: They all share a little bit of anxiety. I think Forky would have a lot of questions for Buster and Gary. For Gary he’d be like, “Why are you sticking around Selina (Meyer)? Why are you even hanging out with her? She doesn’t make you feel very good.” Forky would probably tell Gary that he needs a Woody in his life: “You need to find Woody. Woody would help you out.” Actually, he’d probably do that to both of them.
Q: How would Forky and Selina get along?
Hale: Forky would have a lot of questions for Selina. He’d be like, “You’re going down a path, man. You need to wake up. This is not good. You’re not nice.”
Q: He’s a spork, so why is he called Forky?
Hale: Because Bonnie, the little girl who made Forky, all she knew was a fork. She’s like, “It looks like a fork.” But Forky knew (who he was): “Hey guys, not only am I not a toy, I’m a spork!”
