While the Big Hero 6 characters have their roots in the Marvel Universe, Disney Animation has completely reinvented the property and created one of its most successful franchises.
Baymax! launched on Disney+ today, June 29, and takes us back to the fantastical city of San Fransokyo where the affable, inflatable, inimitable healthcare companion, Baymax (Scott Adsit), sets out to do what he was programmed to do: help others. We've seen all six episodes and can tell you that they're an absolute joy, showing a new side to this adorable hero.
Earlier this week, we caught up with Scott to discuss his return as Baymax and learned more about what it means to him to have seen such an overwhelmingly positive response to the hero since his 2014 introduction. The actor also explains his approach to playing the iconic character, sharing his thoughts on Baymax's new "healthcare hero" status.
We also get some intel on how his approach to playing the Big Hero 6 standout has changed and the fun of exploring his mischievous side in this show. Scott also shares his hopes to lend his voice to Baymax in a live-action project alongside The Avengers!
Check out our full interview with Scott about Baymax! in the player below:
I went to Disney World a couple of years ago and saw people meeting Baymax, as did my wife and I, and he is a character who just brings so much joy to people whether it’s with a photo or a hug. What's it been like these past 8 years to see the impact he's had?
It’s great to see he brings people comfort and joy. It’s great that they have that walkaround character at Disney you can go up to and actually hug because he’s made of the same material that the actual Baymax is. There are not many characters that walk around Disney that are made of the same flesh [Laughs] that they are in the movies, so it’s nice to know people can really experience meeting Baymax because it’s essentially him.
I feel very lucky to be part of something that sparks such joy. To see, especially kids, light up when they see Baymax or hear him coming out of my head is just… whatever problems I’m having that day, they just melt away. I’m part of something that brings joy. I know I’m part of it. I’m not it. I’m just so happy to be honoured enough to be a small part of what Baymax is and what he means to people.
In this show, Baymax has put the superhero costume to one side and is a hero in very much the same way as the doctors and nurses who we've all expressed gratitude for during the pandemic are. What did it mean for you to explore that healthcare hero side of him here?
That’s really exciting for me because since the movie, I felt like there was such a big aspect of him that might have been sidelined a little bit for the sake of plot. As great as Big Hero 6 is as a movie, it’s nice to have these side stories showing what he does when he doesn’t have the armour on and what Tadashi and Hiro as well have programmed him to do, which is help people on a smaller scale that doesn’t involve earthquakes or supervillains. Just being kind and working with allergies or phobias and that was something I always wanted to see more of when we were making the film. When we started making the series previous to this one, I was always hoping to see Baymax at work. This is really Baymax freelancing out in the city which is really great.
It feels like there’s a real mischievous side to Baymax, intentionally or otherwise, as he goes about - not manipulating these people - but helping them in his own way. That must have been fun to explore as an actor?
[Laughs] Yeah, he’s relentlessly helpful. There’s a connecting theme in these episodes which is generally, the people he’s helping don’t want to be helped. That’s not going to be the case for everybody he helps, but for the sake of being funny, I think it’s fun to see someone not want help and then Baymax chasing them down to give it to them! That speaks to a lot of us because we don’t always know that we need help. We don’t always let ourselves be vulnerable enough to ask for help. It’s nice to see people give in to his kindness and allow themselves to be vulnerable.
Having become so familiar with Baymax as a character and to have played such a big role in helping create him, do you get a lot of input in the recording booth now and the freedom to play around with his lines and inject some more of your personality into him?
Well, I don’t know how much of my personality goes in there aside from tapping into my most benign self. I don’t want him to grow too much because then we’ll lose sight of him. He’s a constant which I think is very comforting. He will always be helpful. He will always be truthful. That’s what we rely on him for. I found new ways to make him funny here and there with different rhythms and things, but generally, I think the reason we find him funny [Laughs] is that he’s predictably unpredictable in the different ways he tries to help.
Baymax is a character with ties to the Marvel Universe, of course, so do you hope that if he is eventually brought into live-action, you’ll be the one to lend your voice to him when he's alongside The Avengers? I know fans want to see it…
Tell me about it. And yes, write a letter! Please, Josh. Write a letter. Of course, are you kidding? I would love to see Baymax teaming up with the new Captain America or The Vision. Two robots going out there and getting the job done. That would be fantastic, obviously. If they’re open to it, I’m open to it.