Posted in: Cartoon Network, Hulu, TV | Tagged: gumball, The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Stars on Legacy, Humor & More

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball stars Alkaio Thiele, Hero Hunter, and Kinza Syed Khan spoke with us about the Hulu animated series.

Given the rotational nature of Cartoon Network's The Amazing World of Gumball, stars Hero Hunter, Alkaio Thiele, and Kinza Syed Khan had the tall task of carrying the torch as the new core cast playing Darwin, Gumball, and Anais, respectively, for the revived Hulu incarnation and seventh season in the rebranded The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball. From creator Ben Bocquelet, the series continues the animated wacky misadventures of the trio and their family, exploring various themes of life in suburbia, blending various animation styles and live action. The trio spoke with Bleeding Cool about how they got involved in the series, if they felt pressure to keep up with their predecessors, and how they acclimated to the series' humor.

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball Stars on Adjusting to Animated Series Humor

Did you follow the original series, 'The Amazing World of Gumball', before getting cast?

Hunter: Yeah, I did. I love the show. I used to watch it every day.

Thiele: I hate to break up the "yeah train," but as a kid, I did not get to watch TV. That was what went on in the household; I didn't watch anything. During the pandemic, while we were stuck in our homes, we were allowed to watch a little more TV. Two months before I sent in my audition, I started watching the show and got really into it, so when I got the audition, I was thrilled.

Khan: Yeah, I first saw it actually at a hot dog shop with my cousins. I got into it then in a weird way, and I enjoyed it from then on.

Hunter: Yeah, my sister put me on to it. I was really young when I started watching it, when I was seven or eight. I was chilling in a hotel room, and I was like, "Hmm, my sister's always telling me about this show, so I put it on, and it was so funny and crazy. I was like, "Wow! I love this show." I got hooked, and I started watching it all the time.

When you guys got cast, did you feel any pressure taking over the roles from your predecessors?

Thiele: All three of the past Gumballs were so great. Jacob [Hopkins], Logan [Grove], and Nicolas [Cantu] all put their spin on each one, and each one worked so well. I'm a little nervous to see what people think. It took me a few episodes to find my groove and find the character, but I am excited for people to see my version of a beloved character.

Khan: Yeah, I would say anybody would feel nervous taking over a character that somebody's already played so amazingly. Once you find your groove, like Alkaio said, "It's really fun."

Hunter: Yeah, I was nervous at first because this show has such a big fan base. I was, "Aw man!" But I'm not that nervous anymore, because I had it down and did a solid job. I think people are going to be very happy with my performance as Darwin.

What was it like working with Ben as a creative?

Thiele: Oh man, he's so smart. I never met somebody who is as quick as he is. I didn't get a ton of time with him, but what we spent together was amazing. I would say something, and he would come back right away with something great. At the same time, he's also really chill, takes things slow, and I was happy to get to work with such an amazing mind.

How do you compare working in a world like this to your other projects? Is it a similar type of off-the-wall humor?

Hunter: It's very different from the other stuff I've worked on. The humor is insane. You won't find it in any other show, and I was on a show called 'Young Dylan', and it got canceled after five seasons, and the humor [in 'Gumball'] is very different from that show. 'Gumball' is like crazy, like you said, "Off the wall," like you won't know what's coming next. 'Young Dylan' was kind of chill. Every other project I worked on is so different from this show. Any show is different from this show.

Khan: Yeah, I felt like this show is just so unique. You can't really compare it to anything else, because the humor and the wackiness are off the charts.

Did you guys record individually or separately? Have you met up at any point?

Thiele: I might have talked to Hero at some point, but this is the first time I have ever met Kinza. I don't think we've ever talked to each other in real life. It's all separate. I'm by myself in my recording studio with the vocal director, Eden Riegel, and she's great. She helps with everything. She's so smart and quick on everything, and made sure the jokes are so precise and right to make it the funniest possible.

The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball, which also stars Teresa Gallagher and Dan Russell, premieres on July 28th on Hulu.

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