Ryan Potter talks to TFK about his character in Disney’s new movie Big Hero 6
Ryan Potter talks to TFK about his character in Disney’s new movie Big Hero 6
Young scientist Hiro Hamada (voiced by Ryan Potter) and health care robot Baymax (Scott Adsit) hug in a scene from Disney’s new film, Big Hero 6.
You’ve heard of movies that feature a boy and his dog, but how about a boy and his robot? Disney’s new movie Big Hero 6, which arrives in theaters November 7, follows 14-year-old robotics whiz Hiro Hamada as he tries to put his skills to good use. When tragedy strikes, Hiro meets a robot named Baymax, created by Hiro’s older brother. Baymax’s only programming is to help. When a threat to Hiro’s city, San Fransokyo, arises, Hiro and his group of friends must figure out exactly what’s happening. Ryan Potter, who voices Hiro, talked with TFK Kid Reporter Dahlia Suiter about his role in a film that, he says, “has the best animation that has been done so far.”
TFK:
Hiro Hamada is your character. How do you relate to him?
POTTER:
Hiro and I are actually very similar. Obviously, he has my voice, but I also lent this character my heart. We think and act the same. When I see something that is cool or funny, I go, “Huh.” It’s almost like saying, “I enjoyed that.” Hiro in the film does it twice. I thought that was amazing that the animators put something in the film that I do in real life.
TFK:
Hiro is very interested and skilled in robotics. Did you know a lot about robots before you started working on the film?
POTTER:
Not really. I did [build] my own computer, but it’s not moving and talking or anything. I’ve been a very hands-on person. I love building things. Growing up in Japan, I built all these sets and action figures. I didn’t really build a robot, but I did build stuff.
TFK:
There’s a lot of humor in the movie but sadness as well, with the passing of Hiro’s brother. How do you think kids will respond to that?
POTTER:
Disney has touched on loss before, but in certain films, they have just glossed over it. I think it’s important for kids to learn about loss and to also know how to cope with it. That is what is so important about Baymax. Baymax repairs Hiro. Hiro is very lost after he loses his older brother. Baymax is able to put him on the right path.
TFK:
Hiro lives in San Fransokyo, a made-up city that is a mix between Tokyo, Japan, and San Francisco, California. You lived in Japan for a while. Did this help you get into character or relate to Hiro?
POTTER:
Yes. Hiro is an Asian American, and I am an Asian American. I live in Los Angeles and grew up in Japan. Hiro already lived in that world of both San Francisco and Tokyo, and I already lived in the worlds of both Tokyo and Los Angeles. We didn’t have to put on an accent or do anything extra. We just had to be ourselves.
TFK:
Big Hero 6 is based on a little-known Marvel comic of the same name. Did you know about the comic before you started the movie?
POTTER:
I did. It was interesting, because a friend of mine had given me a box of comics, and there were a few Big Hero 6 comics in the box. I read them, and I didn’t really think anything of them. But in the auditioning process, I was, like, “Oh, I read these before.” And going back and reading the comic books was so surreal now that I am part of the animated film. It’s really cool to see something I read come to life.
TFK:
You have been in live-action shows before. How did it feel to work on an animated movie?
POTTER:
I love it so much more. When you go in the booth, you have complete freedom. You don’t have to be on camera. In live action, you work across from other actors, so there is almost a responsibility to be just as on point as they are. With animation, you are able to go in there by yourself. It sounds selfish, but you have the freedom to create and to bring the character to life. You don’t rely on other people. It is so freeing.
TFK:
Big Hero 6 is from the creators of Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph. How do you think its animation compares to the animation in these other hit films?
POTTER:
It’s better! Wreck-It Ralph was beautiful. I absolutely loved the way it was animated and lit. I know the creators of the film actually worked on the animated software [for Big Hero 6]. They had to get better software to be able to do this film. So what you’re seeing is cutting edge. It is the newest and cleanest. There hasn’t been an animated film, in my opinion that looks as good as Big Hero 6. In the 3D realm this is, without a doubt, the best animation that has been done so far.
TFK:
What are some of the challenges involved in bringing a comic to the screen?
POTTER:
When you bring anything action-oriented to the screen, there has to be a balance. There is a lot of excitement, and explosions, and all that stuff, but there’s another side to the film, a very emotional side. There’s heart, and there’s story and meaning to these characters. That’s what sets this film apart from past action and past comic book films. This film has so much heart, but it also has action. It’s a really good balance.