Smurfs continues the long legacy of the iconic blue creatures on the screen. Originally created in the late 1950s by Belgian comic artist Peyo, the Smurfs have jumped from the page to a beloved animated series and multiple feature-length adventures. Now, director Chris Miller (Puss in Boots, Shrek the Third) reboots the Smurfs for the big screen eight years after Smurfs: The Lost Village hit theaters in 2017.

And Miller has enlisted quite the cast to make his vision come to life. Smurfs’ Super Bowl trailer highlighted the participation of Rihanna as Smurfette, but also involved are heavy-hitters like John Goodman (The Righteous Gemstones, Inside Llewyn Davis), Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Parks and Recreation), and Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai, Blue Beetle). Goodman plays the classic character of Papa Smurf, while Offerman portrays Papa Smurf’s brother Ken. Maridueña voices Brainy Smurf in the film.

ScreenRant’s Joe Deckelmeier spoke with Smurfs cast members Xolo Maridueña, John Goodman, and Nick Offerman about bringing their talents to the animated world of the movie. Goodman and Offerman discussed the dynamic between their sibling characters, and Maridueña revealed how he got into the character of Brainy Smurf. Plus, Maridueña teased an exciting future for James Gunn’s DC Universe.

Papa Smurf & Ken’s Dynamic Teased By Actors

“They Both Want The Same Thing”

Smurfs changes longstanding dynamics within the Smurfs community by introducing new characters like Papa Smurf’s brother Ken. When asked about the dynamic between the pair, John Goodman teased similarities between the siblings, but also some key differences. “They both want the same thing,” he said, “[they] just have different approaches. Different but necessary approaches.”

Ken actor Nick Offerman drew from his own experience as a sibling for his character, he revealed. “I have a brother who I love very much,” the actor said, adding, “We have different philosophies sometimes, but I think the film speaks to what’s great about family–brothers or otherwise–and beyond that, community. You might not all want the same condiments on your sandwich, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to stick together to fight off the evil wizards. Or billionaires.”

Offerman also shared that he was particularly pleased to play Ken, who he has previously described as the Rambo of the Smurf world. “I caught some Smurfs when I was young,” the actor shared, “and, I guess, as a young, aspiring athlete, I liked Brawny Smurf. So, when they brought me this job to play a Smurf that was even more badᴀss than that guy, I loved the challenge of trying to portray a masculinity that could be related by blood to John Goodman’s Papa Smurf, and by spirit to Kurt Russell as Ron.”

Xolo Maridueña Unlocked His Voice Acting Skills For Brainy Smurf

“I Don’t Know If That’s My Expertise”

Smurfs star Xolo Maridueña lends his talents to the film as Brainy Smurf in a role that forced the actor to step outside of his comfort zones. Although the actor is more than capable of kicking and fighting his way through any scene like those in Cobra Kai, Smurfs required a different skillset. “The key was just [being] down to go to whatever lengths in the recording booth,” Maridueña said of his approach to the character.

“Chris and the greater voice directing team on this really [did] a great job of setting the stage of what universe you’re in,” Maridueña added. That was helpful, too, because he shared that “we weren’t working with animation for a lot of the recording process. It was so much description and so much imagination. And, honestly, I don’t know if that’s my expertise.”

How Smurfs’ Message Resonates With Its Stars

“We Are More Than [Our Careers]”

Smurfs is a movie that explores ideas of idenтιтy and finding one’s place in the world. It’s a relatable concept, and one that the actors could speak to. “It was great,” Goodman shared, continuing, “I sometimes feel like I have no idenтιтy, and it’s nice to go back and check that I am [not just] part of an ensemble doing voices for something, but [also] part of another community. It’s nice to be able to remember that again.”

For Offerman, Smurfs seemed to reinforce the idea of appreciating your own strengths. “When I was a young actor,” he shared, “I had a hard time getting cast for a while, because I didn’t trust what I brought with me naturally. I thought I had to be much cooler than who I was, so I tried way too hard and then I sucked at auditioning. So, for years I couldn’t get cast.”

“Finally,” he continued, “when I learned to trust the person that I was, whatever gifts I had been given, for better or worse, that’s your value. That’s all you have. And once I leaned into that, people said, great. We have a lot of r**pists we need to cast.”

Maridueña said Smurfs evoked a few different feelings. First, he reflected on the idea that “The Smurfs’ things aren’t necessarily their careers. A lot of times, I’ll be thinking my thing is my career, and sometimes [that] can coincide, but we are more than that.”

About playing Brainy Smurf specifically, Maridueña said “So much of the joy of getting to play this character is getting to play Brainy in the context of the group that he’s in. [I’m] constantly finding myself in situations where I’m being elevated, or the experience is getting uplifted, by the greater community. Brainy is a know-it-all, so sometimes I’ve got to remind myself not to be a know-it-all too.”

Xolo Maridueña Can’t Wait For His DCU Future

“I’m Excited To … See What Stories We Can Tell”

Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle exists in an interesting place in the DC Universe. The actor starred in the Blue Beetle film, which would end up being one of the final entries of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe. While that movie is no longer canon in James Gunn’s DCU, Maridueña is confirmed to return as his character in the new continuity. “It means the world,” Maridueña said about continuing on in the role.

“For the past two years since [Blue Beetle] has come out, [I have gotten to] witness the positive effects of having a character like this live in this grand universe. I’m even happier that he was the first, and now he’s welcomed by so many awesome familiar faces and beautiful, diverse faces. I just hope to continue to push those boundaries and continue to take risks in those ways.”

Maridueña is set to appear as Blue Beetle next in an upcoming animated series confirmed to be in development. “The universe is cracked open,” the actor said about the possibilities of the animated series, adding, “Pandora’s Box is open, for lack of a better word.” Maridueña also praised the format, saying “I love the animation medium. I love getting to continue to explore and try my best to fit this character.”

“Having already done Blue Beetle,” Maridueña said, “I know the character and know the voice now. I’m excited to see him in the actual format of animation, and see what stories we can tell that we can’t tell in live-action. Some of my [favorite stories] are Avatar: The Last Airbender, Young Justice, and the Studio Ghibli stuff. I think there’s so much that the creatives are pulling from, and I’m excited to see how Blue Beetle fits in.”

Also check out our interview with Smurfs director Chris Miller.