Patton Oswalt hesitated before replacing shamed comedian Louis C.K. in the animated movie The Secret Life Of Pets 2.
The disgraced funnyman, who voiced the lead character of Max, a Jack Russell Terrier, in the original 2016 movie, was dropped from the sequel in 2017 after he confessed that sexual harassment allegations made against him were true.
He was subsequently replaced by The King of Queens actor, who revealed to The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s premiere on Sunday (June 2, 2019) that he had reservations about taking over the role.
“I did have some hesitations, but it was more about the story rather than the voice, so I just said, ‘Alright,'” he stated, before explaining why he was drawn to working with filmmakers at Illumination Entertainment animation studios. “When they tell stories, every single character in their movies has a story. So to be part of an ensemble where they’re paying that much attention to every little character’s story, even a character that’s in there for just a second, you get a feeling that they’re creating such a rich world and I get to play in that world.”
Director Chris Renaud, who returns for the sequel, also explained why Patton was the right replacement for Louis.
“For Max, sarcasm is a little bit of a defense mechanism, he’s very good at it but he also feels a little bit vulnerable in his world,” he shared. “I think Patton can really embody that. He does it in a different way than Louis, but he can really nail that sensibility.”
He isn’t the only newcomer to the sequel – Harrison Ford makes his animated movie debut as Rooster the sheepdog and Tiffany Haddish voices Daisy the Shih Tzu. Returning cast members include Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, and Lake Bell.
