The Big Picture

Hugh Grant’s audition process for “Unfrosted” involved sending a video to the director, showcasing his interpretation of the role before accepting.
In the film, Grant plays Thurl Ravenscroft, the man behind Tony the Tiger, in a dark and twisted portrayal reminiscent of his character in “Paddington 2.”
Jerry Seinfeld’s unique approach to comedy brings a childlike wonder to the film, creating a balance of silliness and seriousness in “Unfrosted.”

Aside from the whimsical blend of truth and fiction, Jerry Seinfeld’s first movie directing credit, Netflix’s Unfrosted, immediately captures the attention with its stacked cast. In particular, the co-writer, director, and star’s choice for the man behind the legendary voice of Tony the Tiger, Hugh Grant, seems to perfectly fit the playful tone of the movie. Described as a “grand actor who feels he’s having to work beneath his status,” in the film, Thurl Ravenscroft lent his rich voice to numerous projects, including The Artisocats and The Brave Little Toaster, and is one of the few Unfrosted characters not created for the movie.

Unfrosted is the unreality of how two breakfast cereal companies, Kellogg’s and Post, went to war in the 1960s to create the staple shelf-stable breakfast item. In addition to Grant, the movie also stars Seinfeld, Melissa McCarthy (The Little Mermaid), Jim Gaffigan (Peter Pan & Wendy), Amy Schumer (Life & Beth) as Marjorie Post, and Bill Burr (Old Dads) as John F. Kennedy.

In this interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Grant shares his personal audition process when offered roles, discusses the nuances of his character, the real-life actor, Thurl Ravenscroft, and how it reminds him of his Paddington 2 character, Phoenix Buchanan. He also talks about working with Seinfeld on this unique project and the childlike wonder Jerry Seinfeld brings to his comedy. You can watch the full conversation in the video above, or you can read the transcript below.

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story Michigan 1963, business rivals Kellogg’s and Post compete to create a cake that could change breakfast forever.Release Date May 3, 2024 Cast Jerry Seinfeld , Melissa McCarthy , Jim Gaffigan , amy schumer , Hugh Grant , Max Greenfield , Christian Slater , Daniel Levy , Bill Burr , James Marsden , Jack McBrayer , Thomas Lennon , Bobby Moynihan , Adrian Martinez , Sarah Cooper , Fred Armisen Runtime 93 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Distributor(s) Netflix

COLLIDER: Before I get started and talk to you about Unfrosted, I just want to remind everyone watching that if you have not seen Cloud Atlas, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, or Paddington 2, they should watch those immediately.

HUGH GRANT: That’s a brilliant intro. I feel even more fond of you now than I did 20 seconds ago.

Hugh Grant Gets Back to Basics With His Audition Process
“I’m such a nervous actor these days.”
Image via Netflix

Sir, you’ve been doing some great work recently. But jumping into why I get to talk with you, I read that you actually sent Jerry a taped audition, which is like the first time in 30 years you’ve done this. How did you have to audition for this?

GRANT: Now that is a slightly garbled version of what happened. I was offered the part, and I’m such a nervous actor these days that I want to be absolutely sure that the director knows how I might play it before we set off on this long journey with costume fittings and making a deal, and turning up on day one. So, for the last few years, I’ve always, having read the script and liked it and liked the director, I’ve made a little video of myself on my phone and sent it to them, and said, “I might do it a bit like this.” Which is their cue to say, “That’s amazing. Can’t wait.” And luckily, that’s what Jerry said, so we were alright.

Hugh Grant’s Thurl Ravenscroft Is a Twisted Version of ‘Paddington 2’s Phoenix Buchanan
Image via StudioCanal

I was gonna say, I just can’t imagine. I find it very funny about you auditioning to play Tony the Tiger.

GRANT: Well, of course, I’m not really just Tony the Tiger. I’m so much more nuanced and interesting in this film. I’m Thurl Ravenscroft, who was a real actor, theater actor, and distinguished, who ended up playing Tony the Tiger in the Kellogg’s ads. That dynamic of the grand actor who feels he’s having to work beneath his status I’ve always found funny. You touched on Paddington 2 earlier — I felt this guy was a sort of darker, more twisted cousin of Phoenix Buchanan, the character from Paddington.

Hugh Grant Says Jerry Seinfeld Has a Great Gift

One of the things about this film is that he’s going for a very interesting tone in which it’s silly, but it’s also serious at times, and it’s funny, but mostly it can be silly at times. What was it like when you’re working in an environment where Jerry is just like, “It all works?”

GRANT: I think that’s a great gift of his. He’s a sort of perma-child, I now realize. He loved his childhood, he loved Pop-Tarts, he loved men landing on the moon. He was wide-eyed and grateful for all this stuff, and still is. And one of the things that kids also have is this profound sense of silliness, misrule, and he’s still got that. So he doesn’t really have time for people bringing, for instance, very heavy, actor-y questions about backstory and motivation to these kinds of things. It’s just, “Make it funny and shut up.”

Unfrosted is now streaming on Netflix.

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