While Jay Baruchel has appeared in quite a few movies and TV shows over the years, his voice seems to be what gets him recognized the most, and for this reason he was cast as the face (er, voice) of the
How to Train Your Dragon franchise since its inception, playing the main character Hiccup in the movie trilogy as well as the television series.
In a recent interview with AM to DM, Baruchel spoke about
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, which is being released this weekend. The actor admits that it's been "overwhelming" to say goodbye to a character he's become so synonymous with over the years.
“I haven’t quite processed it to be honest. And I suspect that’s because the thing hasn’t come out yet, it comes out on Friday. When all is said and done and the dust is settled I think it will kinda be a tad overwhelming. Because you know those movies, we did the movies, but we’ve also been doing the TV shows. And so, since I started my first recording session as Hiccup was like Summer of ‘07, so from that point until now there hasn’t been a time where I stopped playing him. So yeah, it’s adjusting to a life without Hiccup.”
It's clear that Jay isn't quite ready to sever ties with Hiccup and Toothless. In addition, he also discusses what he hopes this movie will accomplish for children who grew up with it as an influence.
“I hope that it inspires them to try to effect change. I think believing in yourself is all fine and good, but I think that these movies are about believing in more than yourself. I was born in ‘82 and I was very much raised in that 80s-90s culture of just ‘believe in yourself,’ and I think that that’s kind of lacking. I think you have to believe in stuff bigger than you, and I think that that’s what these movies are about. And just not accepting that just because things are a certain way, means that that's how they have to be. And so I hope it inspires kids who feel like square pegs, or feel like they are in the margins to understand that they own this society as much as anyone and they have a piece of it, and if they want to change it they have to do it themselves.”
You can check out the full interview below, in which the actor goes on to talk about his voice and his involvement with
Letterkenny, as well as his Canadian Pride and other fun tidbits.
From DreamWorks Animation comes a surprising tale about growing up, finding the courage to face the unknown…and how nothing can ever train you to let go. What began as an unlikely friendship between an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon has become an epic adventure spanning their lives. Welcome to the most astonishing chapter of one of the most beloved animated franchises in film history: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. Now chief and ruler of Berk alongside Astrid, Hiccup has created a gloriously chaotic dragon utopia. When the sudden appearance of female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, Hiccup and Toothless must leave the only home they’ve known and journey to a hidden world thought only to exist in myth. As their true destines are revealed, dragon and rider will fight together—to the very ends of the Earth—to protect everything they’ve grown to treasure. For How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, series director Dean DeBlois returns alongside the all-star cast. The film is produced by Brad Lewis (Ratatouille, ANTZ) and Bonnie Arnold (Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon,How to Train Your Dragon 2).
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World will be released in theaters this weekend, Friday, February 22nd.