For nearly 20 years, Tom Kenny has voiced SpongeBob SquarePants.
As Sponge Out Of Water arrives on disc, he spared us some time for a chat.
Heres how we got on…
I have a confession, and I should start with that.
I broke my SpongeBob duck this year.
I took my kids to seeSponge Out Of Water, having no idea what to expect.
I really, really liked the film, and havent seen anything so comfortably insane in a long time.
But it got me wondering: how do they go about explaining the story of these things to you?
Could you explain it?
Oh, lord no.
And I always say how much time have you got?
We like it when Tom laughs].
Well, were so used to family movies that never stray outside the fences.
But you still have to make something that people will want to see, and will be popular.
The first movie that we did in 2004, that was wilfully crazy.
ButSponge Out Of Waterdefinitely took it a couple of steps further.
So lets take it as crazy as possible.
Spaghetti westerns.Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy…
I grew up reading D C Thomson comics in the UK.
The likes ofThe BeanoandThe Dandy.
Have you come across them?
Yes, I do know those.
I grew up buying imported issues of2000 ADand things like that.
Universal jokes, too.
You mentionedHitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, which clearly is a strong influence on the film.
Yeah.Monty Pythonfor sure, theres a lot of that in there.
Were aspiring toMonty Python-ish-ness.
British humour and British speculative science fiction has always had a healthy dose of absurdist humour in it.
This movie definitely does too.
Its also partLooney Tunestoo.
My kids, when theyre really into something, they want to go shopping.
Theres duct tape, thermometers, tampons…
They really make those?
Do you have any say on any of this?
Well, I guess theSpongeBobproperty really is going where its never been before.
Okay, you win, you win.
But one thing the IMDB likes to do is categorise what you do.
63 of your IMDB credits, for instance, have surrealism as a keyword.
Another 10 have bare-chested male.
Theres castle thunder in there too.
As a 53-year old man I try not to take my shirt off ever!
I didnt realize it did that feature.
Theres worse words that could appear next to an actors name than surrealism!
Thats a good word to be associated with.
But that Monday to Friday, youll do lots of jobs, and lots of very different roles.
Is that the crux of the joy of being a voice actor for you?
That you walk out of one room, into another, and its a whole different world?
You just hit exactly why most voice actors think that we have the best job in showbusiness.
We dont really aspire towards anything else.
I dont want to be Tom Cruise, or the wacky neighbour on a sitcom.
I work every day, I have fun, I get to play tons of different characters.
One of them being the showHenry Hugglemonster.
It has a British and American cast, different voices in the UK and the US.
It kind of is.
Multiple personalities, but not a disorder.
It actually helps you have a house and stuff.
Theres an Elvis movie calledJailhouse Rock.
Hes a famous singer, then gets punched in the vocal chords before his big break.
He doesnt know if he can do the big show or not.
Thats kind of my worst nightmare.
Ive not insured my vocal chords though!
When you come to promoteSpongeBob 3, thats your publicity story.
Just insure your vocal chords for $4 trillion or something.
You should join the Paramount marketing team!
Im just on my way now.
One of the things you touched on earlier was thatSpongeBobhas been going for the best part of two decades.
Can you talk about that weekend?
That basically cements your job for another ten or 15 years.
Also: its never been bigger, has it?
[Laughs] Thats how I can tell that you have children too!
Youre thinking like that oh good, job security!
That opening weekend… its funny, youre the only person whos asked about it.
It was such a heady experience.
The show has been on the air here in the States for 16 years.
For something to last four times that long, and still be conquering new worlds, is really miraculous.
SpongeBobhas been this amazing thing.
And then SpongeBob no pun intended blew those expectations out of the water.
I felt like I was dreaming.
We were calling each other.
Did you see the numbers forSpongeBob?
Were officially tougher than Clint Eastwood now!
Its pure fun, and doesnt seem like its been 16 years.
With SpongeBob, such a joyful character, to do it for 20 years?
Then theres people like you and your family, who are just getting on the train!
People are still going on their first date with SpongeBob!
And they have to keep hold of that.
Are you conscious of that, when recordingSpongeBob?
In the recording booth, its not in our minds.
Its really being in a sandbox and playing.
We always record the show full cast, with everyone in the room.
Ive had groups of twentysomethings saying they still talk to each other inSpongeBobmemes.
Its really touching, you know?
You get everything from that, to I had a great happy childhood andSpongeBobwas part of it.
You get all colours of the spectrum in terms of people coming up.
But they say it was the biggest thing in their life at one point.
You dont realise the footprint of what youre doing is leaving behind.
Can you capture the privilege of being such an important part of someones childhood?
Im someone whos not on social media at all.
The father came up and said is this you?!
Im always amazed when kids recognise me.
Its always a surprise.
I have to end by asking you about Jason Statham, as is tradition for us.
Do you, Mr SpongeBob SquarePants, have a favourite Jason Statham movie?
Oh boy, thats a tough one.
Youre talking to someone who barely turns his television on or goes to movies.
Make one up if you cant think of one…!
I would sayLock, Stock & Three Smoking Barrels.
Has anyone done that yet?
Oddly, youre the first.
And Im also very much looking forward toThe Fast & The Furious 27.
That one will more than likely happen, so youre on safer ground there.
Tom Kenny, thank you very much.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Out Of Water is available now on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download.
