Laz Alonso And Yvonne Orji Talk ‘My Dad the Bounty Hunter’ & Bringing A Black Family Into Space – Interview
What would you do if you found out your dad was a space bounty hunter? Well, the new series My Dad the Bounty Hunter answers just that! After an intergalactic bounty hunter’s two children accidentally hitch a ride with him into space and crash his mission, dad duty takes on new extremes.
My Dad the Bounty Hunter promises to be a fun and exciting adventure that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. With its talented cast, captivating storyline, and eye-catching animation, the series is sure to be a hit with audiences of all ages.
Laz Alonso, who voices Terry (a.k.a. Sabo Brok), spoke about the significance of having if family and the roles that everyone plays in order to create that family unit. Alonso shared, “I had to decide, okay, what would Terry’s role be in this family structure? And in this family structure, he both feels guilty to his daughter because she needs him, and he knows that she needs him, you know? But he also has this other thing that he’s trying to do to provide for his family. There is also a sense of guilt with tests, you know, both in when he is with the kids proving to her that he’s a good father.”
Check out the full interview with Laz Alonso and Yvonne Orji below:
Yvonne Orji, who voices Tess, spoke about stepping into the role and how they stayed away from the angry Black women trope, focusing on a concerned and loving mother that has layers. Orji said, “That was my motivation, you know? Just trying to find the heart and not just make it such like an angry Black woman. Like, we didn’t do that trope. But it was the like, ‘I love you. I want this to work. I want this to work not only for us but for our kids. I need your help.’ You know, it’s that vulnerability that she is able to bring out that gives it more layers.”
Alonso also talked about how he was drawn to the project due to its unique blend of action, comedy, and family dynamic. In reference to working in the voice acting space, Alonso said, “You know, and when you’re used to seeing certain people only do you know, amazing work on screen, you’re like, ‘Okay, well, at least I know, how this part is going to come out though.’ And it did, you know? So it was new for me, and it was fun. It was; it was a lot of fun! And I’m happy with what turned out.”
Orji talked about her previous experience with voice acting and how the medium creates a sense of not wanting to be the weakest link amongst one’s co-stars. Orji said, “It was interesting to just be able to tap into that, especially coming from a live-action space where, or even as a stand-up, you’re able to play off of the audience. But it’s like, also, you got to like trust that your classmates are going to bring it and that you’re familiar with your work. And so you know, they’re all fire. And so you don’t want to be the weakest link.”
My Dad the Bounty Hunter is now streaming on Netflix.
