British actor Kevin McNally of “Pirates of the Caribbean” chatted about starring in the Angel Studios series “The Wingfeather Saga” Season 3.
The synopsis is: Separated from Dugtown, the Igiby family faces their greatest challenges yet. As they endure loss and hardship, they must rely on courage and faith to press on.
With new dangers emerging and the threat of darkness growing, their journey will test them like never before. Hope must be their guiding light as they fight to reunite and stand against the forces that seek to tear them apart.
Experience making ‘Wingfeather’
“It has been fantastic. I’ve really enjoyed my time with them,” he exclaimed. “I joined with them three years ago and I did the first season. I was really pleased with that, and now, they are talking about doing seven seasons.”
“We are in the middle of recording the fourth one at the moment. So, it has been really fun to play such a character over at such a long time,” he admitted.
Playing Podo Helmer in ‘Wingfeather’
McNally voices the character Podo Helmer. “What I like most is that he is a loving grandfather, but I always love a bit of shape in a character,” he said. “As the seasons go on, especially in Season 3, we find we find out he has a much more different and difficult background.”
“So, I love that progression in a character that we find out more about who he is, and why he is who he is,” he explained.
Working with Jodi Benson as Nia Wingfeather
On working with Jodi Benson (who voices Nia Wingfeather) and the rest of the cast, McNally exclaimed, “Working with her is wonderful. Jodi is absolutely lovely! The same holds true for everybody who is on the show. The ‘Wingfeather’ family is very close and a happy one.”
Lessons learned from this show
On the lessons learned from this show, McNally said with a sweet laugh, “That I should never be a real pirate!”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, McNally said, “Well, it doesn’t particularly affect me so much. I’ve seen a lot of changes over my 53 years as an actor. As you know, these changes will keep on changing.”
“So, when people say, ‘Oh, my God,’ things are like this now. I go, ‘Yeah, don’t worry, just wait six months and they’ll change’,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, McNally said, “Well, I often get asked by the young actors I teach, how do I get into this business? I always say to them, I don’t know, I never got into your business. It was completely different.”
“My advice is to take every job, be well prepared, and then, be flexible. Also, keep moving on,” he added.
“Keep trying to land as many jobs as you can, until you get to a place where you’re able to say ‘yes or no,’ and that’s where I am right now,” he said.
“There is no ‘no’ at the beginning of your career,” he added.
Key to longevity in acting and entertainment
Regarding the key to longevity in acting and entertainment all of these decades, he said, “I think being at one with changing, the changes in your own life, and the changing characters.”
“I didn’t really come to life as an actor till I was in my 30s, and stopped playing boring young men, and became a character actor. That’s when I started to really enjoy myself,” he noted.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Preparing for 70.” “I’ll be 70 next year,” he disclosed.
“The current title of my career is I want to keep on going with ‘Wingfeather,’ and I am starting to direct more,” he said. “I really enjoy it, because there’s only so many grandfathers I can play.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be to make a “nasty room turn happy.”
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, McNally said, “I do a lot of Comic Cons. I am far more interested in the views of the viewers than the reviewers. I love hearing their stories, particularly the way the work has affected them. I love it very much.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Wingfeather’
McNally said with a sweet laugh, “I want the fans to know that you can’t do enough for your family.”
“I want them to really enjoy the show, and keep watching, so that we can keep making it because ‘Wingfeather’ is quite unique,” he clarified.
The first two seasons of “Wingfeather” are available to stream by clicking here.
To learn more about British actor Kevin McNally, follow him on Instagram.
