Actor Nick Offerman is lending his signature deadpan voice to the animated character Ken, Papa Smurf’s brother, in the upcoming “Smurfs” movie. The “Parks and Recreation” star explained that he developed his distinctive comedic timing from an early age.
“When I was a kid in the Catholic church, they had us do the readings of the gospel,” Offerman recalled. “I learned then that if I gave it some gravitas, the congregation would be moved. But if I turned it up just a little bit, my cousins would laugh… that was where I discovered deadpan.”
Reflecting modern animation practices, which became more common after the COVID-19 pandemic, Offerman recorded his part separately from co-star John Goodman, who voices Papa Smurf. “I was shooting a show in Budapest last year, and so I recorded a bunch of my sessions from a studio in Budapest,” he said. “John was recording his from London and New Orleans. Eventually, you hear each other when you start to get all the recordings together.”
Offerman also found a deeper connection to the film’s central message about community and self-discovery. He highlighted the journey of a young smurf on a quest to find his place, noting the film’s theme is that diversity is essential for a strong community.
He added that finding one’s purpose comes from engaging with others rather than from isolation. “You don’t learn what your special talent is looking at your phone, or looking in the mirror,” Offerman stated. “You learn from your community. They will tell you what they need from you, and that’s how you discover what your power is.”
“Smurfs” will be released in theaters on July 18 and is distributed by Paramount Pictures, a part of Paramount Global.
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