Holly Hunter And Craig T. Nelson on the Incredibles 2 | #Incredibles2Event
Mr. and Mrs. Incredible are back in action when Incredibles 2 opens in theaters this week! During the Incredibles 2 Event, we interviewed Holly Hunter and Craig T. Nelson about their roles as (literal!) Super Parents and how the long wait for the Incredibles sequel played out for them. Plus they drop one huge bomb about the making of the Incredibles that floored the entire room!?

If I seem a little over the top excited this week, it’s because the time has finally come! Incredibles 2 hits theaters on June 15 and we are so ready for this, amirite, Pixar fans?
This week I’m sharing behind the scenes interviews from the Incredibles 2 Event press junket. There was so much joy shared during these interviews and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it. The people involved make the Pixar movies special and that was so evident during these past few months that I’ve been learning about the Incredibles sequel.
From all the animators at Pixar to the producers and director of Incredibles 2 and now the cast: everyone we’ve been in contact with were just waiting for this movie to be made. And surprisingly enough, their desire to work on the film didn’t diminish during the 14-year wait. Here’s what happened when we met with Holly Hunter and Craig T. Nelson, the OG parent goals, and stars of the movie, Incredibles 2.
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Holly Hunter And Craig T. Nelson | #Incredibles2Event
The interview started off hilariously as Holly entered the room, followed by Craig. Who took one look at us and turned around to leave, allowing Holly to get a minute of our attention all to herself. Awww, right?
Welp, he then got the chance to reenter the room, alone, and get the 2nd round of applause to himself. And right there, that felt very Bob Parr to me.

Were they onboard with the idea of an Incredibles sequel?
YES! From the beginning, both stars hoped there would be an Incredibles sequel as Holly explained for the both of them.
Holly Hunter:?”I mean, I think we both were, you know, I can practically speak for you, I mean, we were not hesitating in wanting to do this, this sequel. You know…”
Craig T. Nelson:?“Yeah, it was exciting. I mean, it was exciting because it was, like, fourteen years- what is he gonna do; what are they gonna come up with; how can it be different; what?s- where are we gonna pick it up? I mean, we didn?t know anything. And then they, you know, talked about starting it right at the very end, and the first one starting this one, and it was- well, we didn?t have- I didn?t age.”

How hard was it to pick back up these Incredible roles after all these years?
When you’re gone from a character for such a long period of time, we wondered if it was challenging to pick right back up where they left off. Because, literally, that’s what happens in the movie!
The first scene of Incredibles 2 is a continuation of the action scene from the end of The Incredibles, with the Underminer making his entrance and the Supers getting back to work.
Craig T. Nelson: “… it was just a question for me of- I didn?t, I wasn?t sure if I could do it vocally, you know? Because I?d been doing Parenthood and Zeek had a different quality- a different vocal quality, so that meant I was- kind of the trepidation nerve for me and anxiety. It was- we never saw the script; Brad kind of laid out the idea which was great, you know? It sounded like it was gonna be fun.”
Holly Hunter:?”I thought that it was quite amusing that the movie would pick out literally, like, fifteen seconds after the first movie. That was just so funny to me, and a completely and impossible thing to do in regular film, which Craig and I, that?s what we normally do is television and films. So this- that the, the ability of animation to do that was just so delightful.
And yeah, there were so many things about this opportunity for me which was kind of effortless. I mean, it?s just in terms of, you know, Craig and I, we record with Brad and only with Brad, and so fourteen years later to encounter Brad again, you know, with a microphone between us was just fun. And he?s somebody that both of just inherently trust. So.”

Craig T. Nelson: “The fact, you know, we did the first one, we didn?t know what it was gonna be.”
Holly Hunter: “Right.”
Craig T. Nelson:?“The thing turns out to be huge, right? So we?re waiting to see when we?re gonna do the sequel because you do, you know, you?re still actors and you?re finding, or at least some of us find that we?re not always working.
So you?re looking for- oh, well, I?ve got that to look forward to, maybe, and the third year comes after… and the fourth year, and then you?re going, well hell, I?m not gonna pay for the stuff I bought because I always thought I wasn?t gonna…”
Holly Hunter:?”And then the ninth year, and then the anniversary- the ten year anniversary.”
Craig T. Nelson:?”And hell, you?re too old to do it anymore. Oh, they don?t want me, you know. And if they?re gonna do another one, you hear about the rumors they?re gonna do another one, well, like they?ll gonna probably get a new Bob.”

No way, man! Craig T. Nelson is the only Bob Parr we will accept, thankyouverymuch!
Until he said that, it never occurred to me that this movie would have been made with anyone but the original stars returning. But it makes sense that with animation, the voice changes over time could absolutely impact the entire film. I’m breathing a little sigh of relief that that wasn’t the case (minus Dash’s character due to puberty and all that!).
Holly Explains What Helen Going Back To Work Means To Her
The release of the Incredibles sequel and it’s storyline (Helen goes back to work and is the headliner Super in this one while Bob stays home with the kids) lined up with the current climate in Hollywood nicely. Is Brad Bird just *that* good? Was this part of his master plan all along?
Holly thinks this was definitely fortunate timing and not something Brad planned out. Coincidence or not, I’m here for it! As a mom who does leave her family to travel and work, and who has a supportive partner who loves his role as father & husband, I’m thrilled that the Incredibles 2 focuses on this aspect of modern mom life.
Holly Hunter:?”Which is a great thing, especially it?s a great thing for kids to see this movie, not just little girls but, but boys, too. It?s great for everybody to see what men and women are capable of, that men are capable of being fantastic, nurturing parents. And as, as we all know this. I mean, this is not, this is not new for us, but it?s still great to see this, this exploration for both our characters.”

Holly Hunter: “And it?s fantastic and delightful to see Elastigirl living up to this gift that she has without any apology. She just is going for, and losing herself in it, which is a beautiful thing. I think also for mothers, it?s great for a mother to be able to be fully engaged in something that has nothing to do with parenting, and I think that that?s difficult for all of us to actually give ourselves license to just go that, that deeply.”
Amen, Holly. A-MEN. That’s where my no-guilt life comes in; it’s to remind me (and all of us!) that being a mom doesn’t mean we have to lose ourselves in the process. The Incredibles has always been the movie I relate to most as a parent, and the Incredibles 2 carries on that thread for me.
One of the most relatable scenes for me as a traveling/working mom is when Helen calls from the hotel room while she’s on assignment and talks to Bob about what’s going on at home.
No spoilers here, but it’s on point with my view of motherhood. I’m pretty sure I’ve had that exact same scene play out (minus missing out on a kid’s laser beam eye superpowers- I think, anyway!) during my own trips away.
Voice Work Means Being Recognized Instantly
Both actors have distinctive voices and I wanted to know if it was difficult to blend in nowadays. I mean, if I heard Elastigirl’s voice behind me at the Starbucks, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t miss it! My head would be on a swivel looking for her.
Holly Huner:?”If I don?t wanna be recognized, I don?t talk. It?s a giveaway, like, with one syllable.”
Craig T. Nelson: “You get tired of, like, people saying or asking me, did I go to high school with you?”
Ah, fame! I guess there are some drawbacks to becoming incredibly successful that most of us wouldn’t think about.
The Biggest Surprise From the Incredibles 2 Event Interview
We loved how the actors were playing off each other in the interview. The chemistry between them felt effortless and, so obviously, this made creating both these movies easy for them, right? We wanted to know if they improved or played off each other during the recording of the movie.
And here’s where we got the shocking news that Holly and Craig never even met until NINE MONTHS ago! Y’all… can you believe this? Because I still can’t. The entire room gasped when it sunk in.

Holly Hunter: “No, we, you know, this is the gift of Brad Bird. This is what Brad can do that?s so phenomenal is that he- the chemistry that I think the cast has together, we do have chemistry, but you know, what that is, is it?s- when Brad cast the Incredibles, the original one, he didn?t go down a list of actors and actress who were like the hot names of that moment.
He had in mind these- the sound of the movie; the sound of the characters together, and in that I think, you know, Brad had a chemistry in mind that was audio, because that?s the kind of guy that he is; that?s the kind of artist that he is. So Craig and I never met each other until about nine months ago.
That?s the first time that we met each other was- so that chemistry is inherent in us, you know, in Sarah Vowell who plays Violet, and you know, and Sam Jackson who?s Frozone, with Mr. Incredible, I mean, but that?s Brad putting it together before, you know, he ever knew us. He just had this- his imagination was at work putting the chemistry together.”
Blown away! This was our first interview of the morning, and as the day went on, a theme continued to pop up: and that was how brilliantly Brad Bird put together this movie. I have a whole new respect for his creative process that goes beyond my unapologetic love for Edna Mode!
We heard more about this process from the other actors too, so be sure to come back for the Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Vowell & Huck Milner interviews as well.
More Incredibles 2 Posts You’ll Want to Read!
13 Surprises With Samuel L. Jackson | Incredibles 2 Interview #Incredibles2Event
Costume Design Like Edna Mode: Bold! Dramatic! Heroic! | #Incredibles2Event
About Incredibles 2
Written and directed by Brad Bird (?Iron Giant,? ?The Incredibles,? ?Ratatouille?) and produced by John Walker (?The Incredibles,? ?Tomorrowland?) and Nicole Grindle (?Sanjay?s Super Team? short, ?Toy Story 3? associate producer), Disney?Pixar?s ?Incredibles 2? busts into theaters on?June 15, 2018.
Follow?Disney/Pixar?on Twitter:?https://twitter.com/disneypixar
Follow?Disney/Pixar?on Instagram:?https://www.instagram.com/pixar/
Patty Holliday is the owner and creator of all things No-Guilt Universe. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
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