Finn Wolfhard is about to have a very busy year. On the feature film side, he'll return in IT: Chapter 2 this September and he'll voice Pugsley Addams in the animated movie The Addams Family this October. On the TV side, of course, Season 3 of Netflix's hit series Stranger Things arrives on July 4th. And that's just a few of his projects. But another Netflix show featuring Wolfhard is available to stream right now, the animated action-adventure series, Carmen Sandiego.
Wolfhard gets to play an original role on the newest version of the iconic title, that of Player, the white hat hacker. Without giving too much away before you get a chance to check out the series for yourself, Player is a bit of a mysterious character outside of the fact that he helps Carmen as a one-man support team for her various adventures. (You can check out my review of the series here for more.) As for Wolfhard, I had a chance to chat with him about the series, working with star Gina Rodriguez, and what's up next in his busy schedule. Additionally, in anticipation of Carmen Sandiego's arrival, an interactive experience has been set up at TheCarmenEffect.com that gives readers a look into the iconic character’s incredible influence over the years. Be sure to give it a look after checking out Wolfhard's answers below!
What was your first introduction to Carmen Sandiego before this series?
Finn Wolfhard: I had heard the name but had no context. It was only as we got into it that I realized how huge Carmen was.
How did the opportunity to play Player come to you?
Wolfhard: I honestly can’t remember if I auditioned or if it was offered to me. All I knew was that Gina Rodriguez was in and I wanted to be involved, too.
Player is a classic white hat hacker character. Did you look for inspiration from similar characters? How did you make Player your own?
Wolfhard: To see a hacker actually hacking is not the most interesting thing visually, and it's pretty boring as an actor: a hacker taps on her keyboard. There’s really not much more than that. So you have to focus on the hacker's relationships and why they are hacking in the first place. I don’t think I thought about similar characters as much as I asked myself, "Why does Player spend so much time inside on his computer, and why does he seeks out Carmen in particular?"
Do you hope to see more of Player’s background and personal story outside of a supporting character for Carmen? Can you tease whether or not audiences will get to see some of that this season?
Wolfhard: I’m not giving anything away on this one! You’re just going to have to watch and see what happens. For now, all I can say is that Player loves his roles as the voice inside Carmen’s head, and as the guy who can get information to her and the audience quickly.
Do you think Player should get a chance to go on a field mission with the others?
Wolfhard: I don’t know whether he should, but I’m pretty sure he would like to.
Hopefully Carmen Sandiego gets some seasonal renewals, but would you like to see a movie version of this series?
Wolfhard: That would be super cool: animated AND live action.
Do you have a preference for voicing animated characters or performing live-action roles? Would you like to do more animation in the future?
Wolfhard: I love doing both animation and live acting. I’m super proud to voice Player and would love to do more animation down the road.
You have a big year with Carmen Sandiego, Stranger Things, IT, and The Addams Family, but is there anything else coming up that you can tease for your fans?
Wolfhard: There are a few films with truly excellent scripts and talent that I’m involved with as an actor, and another that I’m also helping to produce. I also just finished writing a short that’s got some traction; I’m directing that one, too. I think, though, that you'll be happiest to know that I have a couple more animated things coming soon. Just can’t give you any more details than that - sorry!
Carmen Sandiego is now streaming on Netflix.
