Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Chris O’Dowd are teaming up for a big, baa-d adventure.
The two voice sheep in the goofy live-action family mystery The Sheep Detectives (in theaters Friday, May 8), based on the beloved book. Regina Hall, Bryan Cranston and Hugh Jackman also star.
“The themes of this film are certainly apt for this moment we’re living in,” Louis-Dreyfus tells Us. “Community and connection are strong throughout the entire film. Everybody feels isolated these days, so hopefully this will be a salve of sorts for those who go to see it, while being entertained.”
Below, Louis-Dreyfus and O’Dowd tell Us more — and keep us laughing!
Would you be a good detective?
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS I think I would be a good detective, actually. I’m a little bit intuitive. It might not be based on any clues, however. It would just be a feeling and then I would arrest someone based on my feeling.
CHRIS O’DOWD So “good detective” might be a stretch.
JLD I’d be a detective who worked illegally.
CO I don’t think I would be. I just don’t know if I’m curious enough … If it was something I disagreed with, I’d probably try and find out who it was.
In the film, your characters are afraid to cross the road because they’ve never left the farm. What’s a road you still need to cross?
JLD Oh boy, that’s a tricky one.
CO My wife and I have been talking about holding hands.
JLD Do you not like to hold her hand?
CO She just doesn’t like to be around me, so we’re going to try and touch each other.
JLD I see. And how many children do you have?
CO Two, so far [laughs]. I’ve never sung. I’d like to sing in a film.
JLD It’s interesting you say that. I would like to sing too.
CO We can do a musical together. Let’s do it.
Julia, your character believes in forgetting to avoid pain. Is there anything in either of your lives you wish you could forget forever?
JLD There are certainly things I wish hadn’t happened. But forgetting, I would say no. I think things that are difficult have to be lived through. And sometimes living through them can take time.
CO I think I have lots of regrets, but no forgets. Our brain does a wonderful job of filtering a lot of that from us. And we somehow self-curate without even knowing how to do it.
Chris, there’s a lot of talk of Girls again. What do you remember about that time? And will you read Lena Dunham’s new memoir, Famesick?
CO Oh, I don’t know. I read her last one [2014’s Not That Kind of Girl]. I remember it being kind of chaotic, but fun, kind of a time. We were all a lot younger, so it was kind of wild. But such a talented bunch. That’s what I took away from it.
Julia, we love you as Valentina in Marvel movies, like last year’s Thunderbolts. Would you return to the franchise?
JLD They just have to ask and I’ll do it. I would love to play a questionable villain again. And I’d love to physically fight and punch a few guys.
CO Oh, that would be exciting.
JLD That would be nice. I’d break your nose!
Reporting by Julia Tortoriello
