If critics' reactions are anything to go by, Pixar is ready to strike gold again with their next animated film, Hoppers. The movie stars Piper Curda as an environment-obsessed young woman who, in order to save the local wildlife and a glade near and dear to her heart, must inhabit a robot beaver body and convince the local species to repopulate their former home.
One of the first animals Mabel meets in her new beaver body is King George, played by hilarious comedy icon Bobby Moynihan. King George has figured out the animal kingdom; he's solved the formula. Despite the food chain's requirements, he's found a way for all life to peacefully co-exist in the same land.
The Direct's Russ Milheim sat down with Hoppers star Bobby Moynihan, where the actor spoke about how the latest Pixar film helped him stretch his comedic talents in unique new ways.
Moynihan candidly admitted that he's "used to trying really hard" and "begging on SNL for time and for affection and for that stuff." However, with King George, director Daniel Chong showed him that it's "something that [he] doesn't share with King George."
"I found myself calming down a lot and being a much more relaxed human as King George," the actor explained, noting how he "didn't feel like [he] had to improvise and be crazier, because that's not King George." Moynihan further said that it "was actually really fun to kind of take that back a little bit."
More of our interview with Hoppers' Bobby Moynihan and Piper Curda can be read and viewed below. Pixar's latest film hits theaters on March 6, 2026.
Bobby Moynihan Reveals How Hoppers Let Him Flex His Comedic Muscles In New Ways
"I Am Used to Begging on SNL For Time and Affection..."
- The Direct: "Bobby, you're obviously a very funny man with plenty of experience in comedy, and Hoppers is a very funny film consistently. I'm wondering, through your performance and the character that you're bringing to life, how did this film help you flex those comedic muscles in ways that you haven't really done before?"
Bobby Moynihan: I think it's that. I am used to trying really hard. I am used to begging on SNL for time and for affection and for that stuff, and with King George, Daniel Chong, the director, who I've known for a very long time, made it extremely easy to understand that that is something that I don't share with King George, that King George doesn't necessarily need to have that approach. I found myself calming down a lot and being a much more relaxed human as King George. I didn't feel like I had to improvise and be crazier, because that's not King George. He just wants everything to be nice and calm. So that was actually really fun to kind of take that back a little bit.
Hoppers Star Piper Curda on Bringing a Human-Controller Beaver to Life
Human Mabel and Beaver Mabel Aren't That Different, and That's the Point.
- The Direct: "Given the concept of the film, obviously, Mabel is leaving the life of a human to go into [a beaver]. When you're playing the human version of Mabel and the beaver version, are you approaching that differently? How do you change your performance when inhabiting both of those?"
Piper Curda: You know, I've gotten that question a couple of times, and it's interesting, because I was like, 'Oh, should I have done something different?' But I think it actually is part of the whole story and the performance that I don't do anything differently, because Mabel is not a beaver. She is a human girl who just happens to be in a robot beaver. So her not changing much from what she does as a girl to a beaver, I think, makes sense within the context of the greater story.
What Animal Would the Cast of Hoppers Want to Body Swap With?
"Did You Know That a Monkey Is the Rudest Animal?"
- The Direct: "If you guys could hop into any animal, what would you choose? And then the second part, if you were to choose an animal to inhabit your body, what would you want to see play out?"
Piper Curda: That's a really good—it's crazy we haven't gotten that flip side. Oh, I would choose a corgi to inhabit my body, because then I don't think many people would notice I was gone. I think that would work.
Bobby Moynihan: I'll choose Manatee and same, reciprocate our tones to each other.
Curda: And what would we become? Did you know that a flea is the fastest animal in the animal kingdom?
- The Direct: You want to be a flea?
Curda: Be a flea? Sure. Why not?
Moynihan: Did you know that a monkey is the rudest animal? I don't know if that's true. It's probably true, but I'm saying it here first.
The full interview, including a conversation with director Daniel Chong and producer Nicole Grindle, can be viewed below:
