In Elio, Brad Garrett plays Lord Grigon, a villainous figure who is more complicated than one might think. The character first crosses paths with the titular child (played by Yonas Kibreab) shortly after Elios becomes a candidate for membership into the alien society known as the Communiverse—something Grigon previously attempted to be a part of.
The Direct spoke with Brad Garrett in an exclusive interview, during which he broke down his space warlord in Disney Pixar's Elio. The actor compared Grigon to "that obnoxious guy at all the Little League games who's yelling at the umpire, that's yelling at his kid, that's yelling at the other players."
The character's real form is also protected by an intense exo-suit of armor, which works on a literal and metaphorical level. "I think I had that shell a great part during my childhood," Garrett admitted, explaining how if people don't work out certain things throughout life, they'll "become a Grigon" and use that outer shell to "make people pay."
Elio, which also surprises with hints of the horror genre throughout its story, releases in theaters on June 20, 2025.
The Deeper Meaning Behind Lord Grigon's Hard Shell
"I Had That Shell a Great Part During my Childhood."
- The Direct: "Lord Grigon quite literally has a hard shell around him at all times, shielding himself from kind of revealing that more sensitive and fragile side, which is a thematic through line for his entire people. Knowing that, how did you incorporate that element into your performance, and who this guy puts himself on to be?"
Brad Garrett: Wow, that is a good question. I think I had that shell a great part during my childhood. That's how I kind of related to Elio, because I was that kid that was definitely not in the groups, you know, definitely a loner, bullied. And I think if you don't work it out and figure that out later in life, you become a Grigon. You got this shell. You make people pay for it. You're villainous. So it's kind of like the before and after, when I see how they relate to each other. And what was great is, Elio was able to get Grigon into maybe a place he's never been, especially as a father, right?
- The Direct: "I also find it really interesting that Elio is kind of putting on his own metaphorical shell, in, you know, worming his way into these aliens and kind of putting on his own story to get to this place. Despite Grigon being the villain, can you talk about his similarities with Elio, our protagonist, despite them looking completely different, but they're doing similar things with how they're hiding things?"
Garrett: We all hide in various ways. You know what I mean? Some become aggressive and unapproachable, and others become unapproachable to themselves. It seems to be that they're both not really authentic to who they want to be, and I think that's what they share. They're both unique, one for good, one for evil, but I think when it comes down to it, it all comes down to the purpose and the goodness that people can possess when they find it, when they achieve it.
- The Direct: "I thought it was also really intriguing to see how this movie kind of explored the topic of parental and really generational expectations that we put on people and how that affects someone. How would you say Elio explores those themes in a unique and fresh way, and to the perfect audience to receive that message?"
Garrett: My metaphor for [Grigon] is that obnoxious guy at all the Little League games that's yelling at the umpire, that's yelling at his kid, that's yelling at the other players. And I think that as Elio tries to navigate who he is and find out where he belongs, there is a truth, I think, that accompanies it, where he is able to call people out on their shortcomings, if you will, as he's trying to discover really who he is. And I think Grigon, because of his relationship with Glordon, you know, gave him the perfect opportunity.
The full interview can be seen below:
For more about Elio, check out The Direct's interview with the filmmakers, who explain how the movie underwent big changes after its first teaser.
