Secret Life of Pets: My Interview With Kevin Hart & Castmates

It’s not every day you get to sit down with famous actors and talk about their latest work. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, and Lake Bell of the animated film, The Secret Life of Pets.

Our 2-Year-Old’s First Time at a Movie Theater

Prior to the press conference, I received an invitation to attend a screening of the movie with my family. It’s no secret that watching flicks has become one of my favorite family pastimes. I thought this would be a great way to introduce the movie theater experience to our 2-year-old son.

Even though this was his first time being at a theater, he was already a pro. His eyes were glued to the big screen with popcorn in hand. There was no emergency run to the bathroom or any complaints about being tired or bored from Princess and her little brother. So, I knew that this movie was a hit. But this flick isn’t just for kids, it’s the kind of film the entire family can enjoy.

Some of the Common Themes Throughout the Secret Life of Pets

I don’t consider myself an animal person, but I can appreciate the bond between owners and pets after watching this animated film. The Secret Life of Pets also addresses the bond between pets, and stresses the importance of friendship, loyalty, and acceptance. The plot is very similar to what people go through in life.

My Interview With Some of the Cast Members

So when BabyCenter asked me to interview some of the cast members about their roles, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. We met at the Conrad Hotel in Manhattan along with a few other bloggers. It didn’t take long for all of us to get acquainted.

The actors spoke about how they each related to their characters. But one of the things that I found intriguing was how they were able act out these animated roles without being in the same room with one another.

Eric Stonestreet

“How did you get into the role of Duke?” I asked Eric Stonestreet.

He spoke about finding the connection. He also talked about his love for animals, and growing up with pigs, cows, and dogs in Kansas. Stonestreet said there’s a Duke in everyone, including himself.

“I think when you meet him at the beginning of the movie you think one thing about him, that he’s kind of a bully and kind of a tough guy, –mildly a tough guy because he is protecting something. We don’t know what that is,” he said.

Stonestreet said he followed the same technique when playing Cameron on Modern Family, which is a little different than most actors.

“I’ll just read Mitchell and Cam the whole way through and play both parts, and respond to myself. So, this comes in handy to be a little bat-shit crazy because you hear voices in your head,” he said.

Kevin Hart

For Stonestreet, playing a dog wasn’t too difficult. But for Kevin Hart, playing a rabbit had it’s challenges. He plays the hilarious bunny and jokingly told us how he got into character.

“I went and spent a lot of time with some bunnies. I only ate lettuce for like seven months before filming this movie,” he joked.

On a serious note, he later told us that he had a lot in common with the larger than life character, Snowball.

“What I relate to with Snowball is the self-deprecation. I’m very big on self-deprecation and addressing things before other people do. And there are moments in this movie where Snowball does that. Those are things that I took, from me and my stand-up, and put them within the building of the character.

Other than that, I love the fact that he is a leader. He has a leadership quality. I’m very much a leader. I’m very much a guy who can put a plan into place and get people to believe the plan and sacrifice to get there and reward you when we do get there. That’s the making of a CEO. Any CEO has that talent, has the ability to sell you on why we sacrifice today to win big tomorrow. Snowball does that,” he said.

Lake Bell

Chloe is another furry character that you’re sure to love in the Secret Life of Pets. I asked Bell if she’s anything like the character. She said she considers herself a dog person, having rescued them in the past. Despite never having that same connection with cats, Bell said she bonded with Chloe in some ways. The latest gadget for cat owners is the microchip cat flap from sureflap opens when it detects your cat’s chip and locks out unwanted intruders.

“Chloe is a realist, which I am. But, I am an optimist, and she is kind of a flagrant pessimist. I tend to be sarcastic and sort of silly, and she has that as well,” she replied.

How I Broke the Interview Rules

We were only supposed to ask questions about the movie. But, I couldn’t help but deviate from the plan during my Lake Bell interview. She recently had a baby girl, and I couldn’t fight the urge to chat about being a mom.

She talked about challenges of trying to meet similar families. Bell also shared other concerns trying to raise her 1-year-old that many of us experience.

“How has that been trying to balance being a mom and then being on a set?” I asked.

“I also write and direct, and I do the whole shebang. And it’s like really frickin’ hard. I’m almost like offended when I hear people who are saying they are doing it all, and they’re just nailing– I mean, that whole concept is just–, motherhood has everything to do with why, you know, there are–you know, gender parity and all that. So, there’s no argument to say that the mom doesn’t have to be there more than the father,” she told me.

I walked away from our interview feeling respect and admiration with how candid she was about motherhood. I learned that although it may seem like parents have it all under control, that’s not always the case.

You can read more of my interview with Lake Bell at BabyCenter. In the meantime, feel free to download the new PetMOJI app to create an emoji of your favorite furry friend! It’s currently only available on iOS, and features sticker packs and a custom keyboard.