Finn Wolfhardis a busy man; while everyone isexcited aboutStranger ThingsSeason 5, he is also starring inHell of a Summer(which he co-wrote and co-directed) and the latest A24 film,The Legend of Ochi, a fantasy-adventure that hearkens back to the classic years of Amblin Entertainment (The Goonies, E.T.). He’s part of an excellent cast here, withHelena Zengel, Emily Watson, Willem Dafoe, and the little Ochi creatures themselves. Speaking with MovieWeb about the film, Wolfhard and Zengel praised their co-stars, specificallypointing to Willem Dafoe— and how he unintentionally cracked them up.
“I remember, it was specifically with the armor, it was brutal,” explained Wolfhard. “I think it was perfect, honestly, for the character, because it looked hilarious. It just was hard to keep a straight face.” Wolfhard continued through laughs:
“It was too small for him. So it would cut his skin up, it would be really uncomfortable. I remember that he would just be sitting there, like, in his armor. It would just make me laugh. What’s really amazing about Willem is that, no matter how long he’s been acting, he still cares about it like it’s the first thing he’s ever done. He really still takes acting incredibly seriously in a really refreshing way, you know, he’s not jaded in that way. He still treats acting in a very sensitive, great way.”
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“I just feel like he’s the funniest guy, like, he doesn’t even have to make a joke, he’s just a goofy guy,” added Zenger. “And then, as an actor, obviously, he’s an icon. He does one hit after the other. What stuck to me the most is probably the fact that every single scene — we usually took a lot of takes because of the Ochi and other people involved — in every single scene, he would bring the same emotion and the same effort and intensity, even though it’s like his 1000th movie, and he still does it 100%. You can really also feel that it’s about the movie and about the work for him, and not about what it’s gonna be or what’s the studio behind it, or whatever. He really wants to have the story told.”
‘The Legend of Ochi’ Is a Tremendous Fantasy Throwback With Incredible Creature Effects
Yuri (Helena Zengel) discovers an infant Ochi while her obsessed father (Willem Dafoe) and brother (Finn Wolfhard) try to kill the mysterious animals.
Falling in Love With Your Puppet Co-Star
Willem Dafoe wasn’t Wolfhard and Zengel’s only co-star, of course. The most memorable and adorable on-screen presence inThe Legend of Ochiare the titular creatures themselves, which were tangible, physical characters on set thanks to the complicated puppetry behind them and the practical effects involved. While they’re incredibly cute, they weren’t exactly always that way while they were in development. Helena Zengel explained:
“Well, the first time I saw it, I was in London, and the Ochi did not have any fur on him. So he looked kind of weird, sort of ugly, to be honest. I was like, ‘Isn’t that thing supposed to be sweet?’ And then the second time I saw him, he had fur on himself and he looked more like he does in the movie, and I just fell in love with him. I was so happy that I got to act with a puppet and I didn’t have to, like, act with the air.”
you’re able to see it for yourself now.The Legend of Ochiis in theaters from A24.
The Legend of Ochi
The Legend of Ochi follows a young girl named Yuri from a remote northern village who seeks to reunite a lost baby ochi with its family. Venturing beyond her village and confronting her fears, Yuri embarks on an extraordinary journey among the mysterious creatures of the surrounding forest.
