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SYFY WIRE The Addams Family

Oscar Isaac returns as Gomez in 'The Addams Family 2' and he doesn't rule out a live-action go at the character

By Tara Bennett

Actor Oscar Isaac ignited social media in September at the Venice Film Festival when on the red carpet, he executed a perfect "Gomez Addams" on his Scenes From a Marriage co-star and friend, Jessica Chastain. There was much virtual fanning by those who appreciated the shoulder and arm kiss he laid on Chastain, but it also reminded the masses that Isaac was indeed channeling a character he was now playing in the recent animated The Addams Family films.

The Addams Family 2 is now in theaters featuring the return of Gomez alongside his beloved, Morticia (Charlize Theron), and their delightfully dark children, Wednesday (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Pugsley (Javon 'Wanna' Walton). The sequel finds the family attempting to bond on a cross-country road trip, with Gomez especially desperate to connect with his increasingly independent daughter.

SYFY WIRE recently got on a Zoom with Isaac, who is himself the father of two young children, to talk about returning to the character for a second adventure, the brutality of children towards their parents, and if he would ever consider making his Gomez gig a flesh and blood one.

You've said before that Raul Julia as an actor had a tremendous impact on you. Do you have a favorite Gomez moment from his time in the role?

I just loved is the power behind his voice you know. He just had such a booming voice. It just filled the room, which was quite different from John Astin who was a little bit more funny and small and and quirky. Raul's was just so larger than life. There was like an operatic quality to what he did that I just loved.

These new animated films use creator Charles Addams' actual character designs for what Gomez looks like, so how did that influence your vocal performance choices?

What was lovely is to be able to kind of pick from all this wonderful stuff, like getting inspired by the drawings and what the animators were doing. Then pay my respects and honor what Raul Julia has been for me and also go back to all of the wonderful things that have been done before and all the different people that have embodied the character. I kind of mixed it all up and then saw what came out of it. But definitely there's a physicality to him that was really important, the fact that he's heavier but quite nimble at this time. I think it just led to this very robust, energetic energy.

You haven't done a many animated films so what have you found you like about working in this medium?

Yeah, it's a different skill set but it you just let your imagination go and try stuff and see what works and trust your collaborators.

How was it coming back to Gomez this time around? Was it easier to get into his voice or did you want to try things that were a little bit different?

Yeah, I think I was excited to try the new scenarios they'd come up with. This is a bit more fish out of water vibe, going to all these different parts of the country. I thought that was really fun. I like the desperate arc that they made for Gomez where he feels he's losing Wednesday. She's just slipping away from them so that creates a bit more of like an emotional stress which was fun to play as well.

Gomez has an amped up "dad joke" vibe in this film. Are your kids in that phase of ribbing dad for being lame yet?

I mean, from the second they come out of the womb they're already slowly getting away from you. My son just yesterday was like, "Stop annoying me." I was like, 'Do you even know what annoying means?' He's like, "No, but I know you're doing it." [Laughs.]

Favorite Gomez scene in The Addams Family 2?

It was pretty fun to play when he goes into the bar in Texas and has to pretend to be a local. [Laughs.]

There's been plenty of internet chatter about you needing play Gomez in a live-action iteration of The Addams Family. Would you consider it since you've already "been there, done that" as the character?

Yeah, I think it would just depend on what the situation was and what the thing was. What the script was like and the collaborators were like, is there space for me to do something different than I that I haven't done yet? I never say never.

Did you get to record with any of your fellow cast for this sequel?

It was just me in a booth, by myself, with the directors on Zoom as well. It was a very isolated, pandemic-friendly gig.

What was your reaction to the final film then?

It's amazing. It just reminds that it takes a village. I know I'm the one that's out front and talking to the press but it's really the work of just an incredible group of people sitting at their computers, making this thing happen.

So, you've hit the major franchises of late playing Poe in Star Wars, Moon Knight is coming for Marvel Studios and Gomez with The Addams Family. Have any of them pinged as cool with your kids yet?

Nothing yet. I mean, there's no frame of reference. Although my son did say, and I think was just because our neighbor is gonna dress up as Rey for Halloween, he's like, "I'm gonna be Da-Da Poe." He also said he really wanted to be Spider-Man, so we'll see what happens. [Laughs.]

The Addams Family 2 is now in theaters and On Demand.