Alexander Gould—he's only 9 years old and he's the "biggest" fish around this summer! Alexander is the voice of an adorable clown fish named Nemo, the star of this summer's biggest animated hit from Disney Pictures,
Finding Nemo.
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Alexander Gould (Photo Courtesy Disney Enterprises, Inc./Pixar Animation Studios)
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Nemo is already swimming into everyone's hearts, and Alexander loved every minute it took to create the fin-throb! The story of
Finding Nemo introduces the dynamic little clown fish swimming in his beautiful coral home along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Nemo lives with his single parent dad, Marlin, who is determined to protect his only son. When it comes time for Nemo to leave home and go to his first day of school, Marlin accompanies his son every swish of the way. But Nemo becomes a little too confident. Disobeying his dad's instructions, Nemo swims beyond the reef's protective barrier where a diver searching for aquarium fish scoops him up!
As Nemo is shipped off to his new home—an aquarium tank in a dentist's office!—Marlin starts his mission-impossible to save his lost son. That's when the real adventures begin!
According to Alexander, Finding Nemo has been his favorite project. And that's saying a lot for someone who has appeared in TV shows such as Malcolm In The Middle, 7th Heaven, Even Stevens, Boomtown, and movies such as Mexico City and The Day The World Ended. Here's more from our one-on-one chat with Alexander Gould!
Tell us about your character, Nemo. Did you know anything about clown fish when you first took on the project?
Alexander: I didn't know much about clownfish. I [only] knew what they looked like. I saw some in a pet store. My character Nemo—he is very determined. He's determined to get out of this fish tank that he gets stuck in and back to the ocean. And he's determined to do what he wants, not what his father wants him to do.
Did you do any specific studying up on clownfish?
Alexander: No, I guess I didn't have to. I just had to be me!
Do you have an aquarium?
Alexander: No, but I have one fish though.
What kind of fish?
Alexander: A beta.
How long have you had your beta fish?
Alexander: About a month...or a few months. [I keep] him in a little bowl.
Have you seen it actually grow?
Alexander: No, no I think we got it actually when it was full-grown.
And what's its name?
Alexander: Its name is Red; my little sister named it.
You've been acting since you were a little, little kid. Had you ever done voices before?
Alexander: No, this was my first time.
Well, did you like it better than acting with other actors?
Alexander: Yeah, I liked it a lot better. It was a lot easier because you don't have to worry about, like, the wardrobe or the props. You just come in and the lines are loud and they're fast and you just do it.
How long did it take you to do the whole movie?
Alexander: It took me, like, a year and a half. But I did maybe two days and then two months later I did another few days. So I did bits and pieces here and there.
What is your favorite animated movie?
Alexander: Other than Finding Nemo ...my favorite animated movie would have to be A Bug's Life.
And what did you like about that one the best?
Alexander: It was just a really good movie—I really like bugs, and I like all that stuff so it was just a really good movie for me.
If you could be a fish what kind of fish would you be?
Alexander: I would probably want to be a whale, which isn't really a fish but it lives in the ocean. I really want to be a whale because then nothing would hurt me.
Where are you from?
Alexander: I live in L.A.
So you're near the ocean. Do you go to the beach a lot?
Alexander: I go to the beach a lot in summer. I usually don't like going swimming in the ocean but I do go to the beach a lot, yeah.
I like play in the waves up until the waves are up to my stomach, but I don't really go swimming. I'm not that good of a swimmer yet.
What would you tell kids about keeping our beaches and our oceans safe?
Alexander: Just don't litter in the oceans and don't be mean to the oceans. Don't do bad stuff at the beach, don't litter at the beach. Just keep the oceans clean and it'll keep them safer.
Have you seen the whole movie yet?
Alexander: Yes, I have.
What was it like the first time you heard your voice coming out of a fish?
Alexander: It was really weird because it was like "Hey, that's my voice coming out of an animated character in a cartoon."
When you were doing this, did you have to act with another character at the same time?
Alexander: No, it was just me.
Tell me about your family. Do you have brothers and sisters?
Alexander: I have two younger sisters, Emma and Kelly.
And do they want to get into acting too?
Alexander: Actually they are actresses.
And what have they been in?
Alexander: Some commercials and stuff.
Ah, so it's a whole acting family. Did they love seeing Nemo?
Alexander: Yeah, they did. They just loved hearing their brother's voice come out of a fish.
What's your favorite sport?
Alexander: I like swimming in a pool. I like ice-skating. I like climbing, like rock climbing.
What's your favorite book?
Alexander: Harry Potter.
Are you looking forward to the new book?
Alexander: Yes, I am.
What's your favorite all time movie?
Alexander: My all-time favorite movie is probably Harry Potter.
Is there any character in a book that you've read that you would like one play in a movie?
Alexander: Daniel Radcliffe's Harry Potter. It would be so cool even if I got to play a little two-liner or something in Harry Potter.
Well, thanks so much Alexander, and everyone—go see Finding Nemo!
—By Marie Morreale
