Getting to talk with both Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn was a dream come true. I have liked Michael since he was on The Walking Dead and Sean since he was on Gilmore Girls. I knew we were in for a fun interview with these two, especially Michael. Read what they both said about our interview at the end of this post.
*****************SPOILER ALERT*****************
There are spoilers beyond this point, please do not proceed if you don’t want to know what happens in the film.
Michael, can you talk about the when you learned Yondu’s fate
Michael Rooker: You know what? I’m used to dying. I’ve died many times in different movies and different TV shows and it doesn’t hurt at all. It’s okay. I’ll be back……somewhere.
Can you tell us about the makeup process?
Michael Rooker: The makeup process is awesome. It was about, maybe a three hour process to put on and four or five, six layers of different shades of blue and gold and silver and yellow, gold flecks and all kinds of stuff. Sometimes they just flick it on with a brush, and it’s like little spackling all over your face, but tiny little dots that helps to bring out the depth of the paint so it looks like real skin.
How was it working with the teeth?
Michael Rooker: We both could answer that stuff. We both had some grills, baby. Do we not? You had more of a problem with it than I did.
Sean Gunn: The teeth can be tricky. I tried to get the teeth made a good several months before we started so that I could just put them in and work with the talking. I think talking through the teeth in the first movie, was one of the most difficult things.
Michael Rooker: I didn’t have a problem with it because everybody’s different. Sean can speak English. I cannot. [LAUGHS] Sean, he uses consonants. I do not almost never and my quality is more throatal and glottal. His is not. This is just how I do it, so thereby, the teeth are up in the front, so I form my words and my consonants and sounds more back, so it didn’t’ bother me at all with the speaking. What it did do, was it’s very difficult for the whistle. A whistle’s all in the front right where the stupid teeth are, so we had to fix them, and they did. They did pretty good and I had to relearn a little bit of where I focus the sound for the whistling and stuff.
Is it your whistle or do they enhance it?
Michael Rooker: They enhance it, but it is my whistle.
What is your favorite character besides your own and why?
Sean Gunn: I like them all in different ways. I love Drax. I loved sort of the journey that I’ve seen Dave take from from his (Dave’s) audition for the first movie through this magnificent performance he gives in this movie. If I had to choose, I’d say Dave, but I love all the characters in the movie.
Michael Rooker: I would say, I don’t like working with real humans. Never have. I’m going to go with Rocket and Baby Groot are my favorite. But that being said, Rocket is my friend right here and we worked together day and night [LAUGHS] doing this. He does all the vocals and all the voice stuff for Rocket.
What has it been like to transition from a behind the scenes character to an onscreen character?
Sean Gunn: I really am happy to be part of it. I know that that’s kind of what I’m supposed to say, but it’s true [LAUGHS]. You know, it’s a great franchise and I think that the movies are made with a lot of love and a lot of heart and I’m very happy to be part of that.
Michael Rooker: And you should be happy that he didn’t torture you too much.
Sean Gunn: Well, these guys, what they go through with makeup and stuff is amazing. Like, you hear Rooker talk about having hours worth of makeup and it’s really impressive because he never complains. It’s then also being ready to go and ready to perform and focus and so, what, what he and Dave and Karen and Zoe go through every day is just so intense, so I was very glad that he let me play a humanoid character in this movie.
Do you see the potential of expanding Yondu’s back story into its own movie and would you like to be a part of that?
Michael Rooker: Well, any kind of extension and of Yondu would be good. I wouldn’t mind that at all. You know, I’m used to the makeup. I’m used to the character. I already know it.
What was it like on set filming the death scene?
Michael Rooker: It was emotional. Very, very emotional for everyone but me. I was sleepy. [LAUGHS] It’s true. Swear to God.
Sean Gunn: When we’re doing the funeral scene at the end where Chris has his big speech and we’re all there. We’re all super sad and all of the sudden you hear [MAKES SNORING NOISES]. Rook was out. So funny!
At one point before the last question, Michael said to Sean “Have you ever spoken with these ladies before?”
Sean Gunn: No, I don’t think so.
Michael Rooker: This is the best, this is the pinnacle of all the interviews that we have done.
Sean Gunn: I agree. I know. We should just do this all day.
Michael Rooker: Oh, I could totally do this all day.
Suffice it to say, our day was made after that!
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is in theaters NOW!
STAY SOCIAL WITH GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Dianna Ranere