The stars of The Mysterious Benedict Society on Disney+ are also recognizable for their voice work on numerous beloved animated projects. They include Schaal’s voice roles in Despicable Me, Bob’s Burgers and Gravity Falls and Hale’s memorable voice role in Toy Story 4 as the lovable Forky. (Of course, grownups will likely recognize Schaal for her prior work on The Daily Show and What We Do In the Shadows and Hale for Arrested Development and his Emmy-winning turn in Veep). As season 2 unfolds of The Mysterious Benedict Society, orphans Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance reunite for a celebratory scavenger hunt and embark on a globe-trotting adventure to find the clues planted for them by Mr. Benedict (Hale), and Number Two (Schaal). When Mr. Benedict and Number Two are kidnapped by Benedict’s twin brother Dr. Curtain (also played by Hale), the youngsters must rely on their wits, intellect and empathy to find Mr. Benedict and save the world from Curtain’s latest nefarious plan. “Each kid on Benedict’s team brings an extremely unique part of their personality to the challenge, and embraces this can-do attitude,” Tony Hale exclusively tells Parade.com. “It even goes for a character like Constance, who’s kind of seen as the curmudgeon,” Hale continues, “yet her strong way of thinking, the way that she acts, and her determination, is a huge asset in the end.” Making a connection with the young viewers for Schaal is all about being true to yourself in all interactions. “I think when there’s too much of an attempt to connect to the young viewers, you kind of lose some authenticity,” she exclusively tells Parade.com. “When you’re just having a normal conversation, trying to be authentic and trying to hear them is what it takes.” Read on for more about why Tony Hale and Kristen Schaal love voicing animated characters, how they react when fans discover who they are, and what attracted them to the extremely clever series, The Mysterious Benedict Society. Please talk about connecting with young audiences in general and your young co-stars on this series. Is there a trick or a secret sauce involved? Kristen Schaal: I think I have never lost touch with my own kid self, so that’s a trick—to always keep a piece of your childhood close to you. I feel like I can just sort of let loose. I love them. I feel a little shy around the kids on The Mysterious Benedict Society because they are so talented. I worked mostly with Tony, but the timelines with the kids in this series were separate. So I would see them briefly, and they would always be with their parents because that’s part of showbiz, you have to have your mentor there. It would be nice to hang out more with these kids; they are awesome. What attracted you to this particular series? Kristen Schaal: I like the character of Number Two. It’s something I never had a chance to play before—someone who is incredibly smart and maybe wouldn’t crack a smile or be goofy to the point of being goofy in itself, on that side of the spectrum. It was fun. Tony Hale: I think the challenge of playing twin brothers was a big draw, that was really fun. I really enjoy the books written by Trenton Stewart and I love the whole idea that these kids don’t bring superpowers to the table, but their superpowers are creativity, intelligence, and empathy. It’s that whole thing like anybody can be a hero, you don’t need those. You don’t need a cape, and you don’t need the Avengers’ superpowers, and that to me was what really stood out big time. Talk about one of the messages of choosing happiness. Brendan Meadows/Disney+ Tony Hale: What gets me excited about this show, with this season specifically, is that whole idea of the difference between an idea of happiness compared to genuine happiness. And Curtain’s character, he’s this cult-like selling of a facade of a quick fix. Whereas Benedict, even though he might not be perceived as altogether, he lives the full spectrum of emotions that are involved in a full, happy, joyful life. And that’s not something we hear in today’s world. It’s always like the highlight reel on Instagram. It’s always the quick fix. That doesn’t have depth. The full spectrum of emotions is where the depth is. Kristen Schaal: After the pandemic, coming back to the simple things in life is where the truest form of happiness is. I was going into the library the other day with my kid, and not having it be a scary thing to do was wonderful. Just being alive on a very simple level is actually a beautiful thing. Tony Hale: Also, we are all parents here, and just the uniqueness that each child brings, is their superpower. That’s their gift to the world, and how they’re going to teach others how they’re going to love others. Everybody’s different, but it’s going to be very unique compared to maybe what somebody else is bringing to the table. I love the message for the children that there is nothing that they’re not capable of. Kristen Schaal: I love what you were saying, Tony, about how every child is unique, and that is the most special thing you can focus on. There’s nothing they can’t do. I really do feel like if you teach them to believe in themselves and also to follow their passion no matter what it is. Even if your kid has a dream that doesn’t make sense, I think it’s important to let them follow it because it could lead to another facet of that dream that they’re really good at, like being a comedian. Tony Hale: I like that because there’s an investment in that unique trait of theirs, like leaning into that. Rather than the many times when I hid that part of myself, or I wasn’t like the other kids in the South. I wasn’t a sports kid and I didn’t really want to be into sports, but then later in life, I leaned more toward uniqueness and that’s when things became a little more open for me. Brendan Meadows/Disney+ Have you met some of your young fans who’ve looked at your body of work? Tony Hale: Yes. It’s actually really fun because when somebody comes up to me and says, “This is Forky,” the kid’s like, “That’s not Forky!” What I really love doing is sending voice memos to the kid and saying, “Hey, this is Forky, I just wanted to say hi.” And then the parents play that message for the kid and the kid’s like, “Wait, a second, how did Forky call me?” And sometimes the parents will videotape their child’s reaction; which I love. Kristen Schaal: That’s so sweet that you do that. I find that when I get approached and people recognize me, it’s so special because as a character actress, I’m a smaller part of a bigger thing that they love. So, usually, when they come up to me it’s not like, “Oh, I love you specifically, Kristen Schaal.” It’s “I love Bob’s Burgers” and “I love the Mysterious Benedict Society.” It’s more about them than it is about me. All of a sudden, I get to have a treat that this person likes this kind of thing that I would never get to know otherwise. What do you think makes The Mysterious Benedict Society season 2 great? Kristen Schaal: I think it shows good morals. There are a lot of instances in the show where even when you do the right thing, you’re not going to get rewarded for it. I think that’s a great lesson. I think parenting is a lot of that. Tony Hale: I would also add that as actors Kristen and I are a slice of this pie, but the production itself—the hair and makeup, production design, it is so stunning. And the artistry. It’s a really fun adventure for kids, but parents and kids have this huge appreciation for the art that has been put on screen with just an entire team of people. I mean, it’s really just a beautiful palette. Do you and your children ever watch Toy Story 4 or Gravity Falls together? And what is that like? Tony Hale: My daughter is 16, so I can’t broach the topic. She is fully embarrassed by me. Maybe one day. She’s seen my stuff but she’s not going to admit it. Kristen Schaal: This is good to know when the window closes. My daughter is 4 and I haven’t really. She watched some Bob’s Burgers when she was sick last year. She was little, but she liked it. And with Gravity Falls, I feel like I’m saving it until she’s in the sweet spot. Otherwise, she’s never really seen me. She heard my little stunt on Despicable Me 2 and it scared her. She’s too little to give that a try right now—but someday we will! Seasons 1 and 2 of The Mysterious Benedict Society stream on Disney+. Brendan Meadows/Disney+ Next, check out the best comedies on Disney+.
