Thomas Haden Church aims for family audience in “Imagine That”
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Thomas Haden Church gushes about ‘Imagine That’ co-star Eddie Murphy
LOS ANGELES – In “Imagine That,” Thomas Haden Church takes on an unimaginable role, playing a slick financial adviser who ruthlessly uses fake American Indian mysticism to get ahead.
Even more unthinkable, he inhabits the over-the-top role opposite Eddie Murphy’s straight man in the family-friendly comedy opening in theaters today.
Church, 48, likened working with Murphy, who has been a comedy star since breaking out on “Saturday Night Live” in the 1980s, to “a buck private getting pulled out by a major general to have some sort of a consortium.”
“He was a real hero to me when I was in college and he was on ‘SNL,’” Church said in interviews at the Four Seasons Hotel. “I’d never met him, and whenever we met, he was immediately just ingenuous and just was like glad to have me on the movie. I mean, he approved me. … I was certain that he wouldn’t know who I was, wouldn’t pick me out in a police lineup. But he couldn’t have been warmer and … was just collaborative.”
The comic actors portray rivals in “Imagine That,” in which Murphy plays a career-focused financial adviser who neglects his relationship with his 7-year-old daughter Olivia (Yara Shahidi). That is, until Olivia starts sharing spot-on stock tips from her imaginary friends.
With Olivia and his pretend princess pals guiding him, Evan hopes to use their keen financial wizardry to stave off his arch-nemesis Johnny Whitefeather (Church), who accents his Western suits with feathers, punctuates his pitches with references to animal spirits and encourages his clients to caw like birds in meetings.
“The guy, he’s a fraud. … He’s so corny and so cheesy,” Church said. “It’s just a sales tool for him.”
Striking the right tone for the character required some nimble line-walking. But Church said he has worked with American Indians actors before and talked with various tribal leaders while working on the film. in Denver. The studio even read American Indian actors for the part, though the characters Native roots ultimately prove rather shallow.
“I think if you were trying to accurately represent tribal tradition and the values that are important to them and you did it in a fraudulent, comedic, absurd way, I think they would probably take issue. But we don’t do that,” he said.
“As soon as I walk onscreen, the guy’s absurd, with the mullet, his jewelry and his presentation is just so overt. … I think it’s obvious what’s going on.
The film reunites Church with helmer Karey Kirkpatrick, who directed the 2006 animated comedy “Over the Hedge.”
“I thought he would play this character just perfect, perfect pitch, full of just the right amount of bravado,” Kirkpatrick said. “Thomas is one of the best improvisers I’ve ever worked with, super, super smart, and he was great.”
A Texas resident who divides his time between acting and ranching, Church initially drew attention in the TV comedies “Wings” and “Ned and Stacey.” He played smaller roles in films such as “Tombstone,” “George of the Jungle” and “The Specials” but was mostly retired from acting when he was cast as the egotistical Jack in “Sideways.”
He snagged an Oscar nomination from the role, later winning an Emmy for the telefilm “Broken Trail” and playing the villain Sandman in the blockbuster “Spider-Man 3.”
For all his accomplishments, Church had never acted in a film that his daughter could actually watch and see him. Before “Imagine That,” his only family films were animated, and his other material was too mature.
“I liked Whitefeather because he was in a script that would be the first movie that my 4-year-old daughter could see that I’ve done. I really wanted to work with Eddie and I wanted to be in a movie like a true family movie,” he said.
His efforts to bring charm and humor to his shady character have gained Church at least one young fan.
“He’s pretty funny,” Shahidi said, giggling. “My brother and I walk around going ‘Caw with me.’ And start cawing.”
-BAM
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And this is supposed to be funny! Ha, why doesn’t the show call it New Age crap? It’s truly what it is. Whoever writes this stuff needs a history lesson. And be careful with Indians because our medicine can backfire on you and take out lots of people you care about.