Pixar’s next hit is coming, this time in the form of Luca! The story about a young boy named Luca, who ventures beyond his home in the sea to a picturesque seaside village of Portorosso in Italy. There he meets a whole host of characters in the charming little village, but he and his friend Alberto must hide the fact that they are sea monsters from their newfound acquaintances. We spoke with Jim Gaffigan who plays Lorenzo Paguro, the protective father of the titular Luca, who is a sea monster himself.
Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar’s original feature film “Luca” is a coming-of-age story about two friends’ summer of unforgettable fun that’s threatened by their deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world.
Gaffigan’s Lorenzo is defined as being well-meaning but often a somewhat distracted dad. The mustachioed sea monster patriarch ventures onto land with his wife, Daniela (Maya Rudolph), when Luca runs away from his underwater home. Gaffigan, a father of five himself, adopts the role well. “From a parent’s point of view, it’s a story about giving up control—loving a child so much, you let them become who they want to become,” said Gaffigan. But he also adds that Luca is about a lot of things—from friendship to finding your own path and how that affects your friendships. “That’s what’s so amazing—it’ll hit different people in different ways. It really captures a childlike imagination and a love of learning.”
We spoke Jim Gaffigan about playing Lorenzo and what brought him to the Pixar project. We also discussed whether he prefers live-action or voice-acting and what it was like creating Luca during a pandemic. Watch The Beat‘s exclusive chat with Gaffigan below!
