MY DAD THE BOUNTY HUNTER - CATCHING UP WITH THE CAST AND CREATORS

A new animated series not only takes us into space but brings us along on an alien fighting mission fun for the whole family!

My Dad the Bounty Hunter is an animated action-comedy series following close-knit siblings Lisa (Priah Ferguson) and Sean ( Jacobi Swain) , who stow away on their dad’s latest work trip, hoping to finally get some quality time together. Little do they know Dad’s ( Laz Alonso) been keeping a secret from them — he’s actually the toughest bounty hunter in the galaxy!

Launched into the surprise space adventure of a lifetime, Lisa and Sean discover that their seemingly average dad’s job is anything but boring. Dodging dangerous aliens, robots, and laser fights galore, family bonding time becomes much more than they bargained for as they try to help their dad in pursuit of his toughest fugitive yet. With his kids along for the ride, Dad must show up for them when they need it most — and they’d better make it home before Mom ( Yvonne Orji) finds out!

From Creators and Executive Producers Everett Downing and Patrick Harpin, MY DAD THE BOUNTY HUNTER is a warp-speed adventure across the constellation of ups, downs and moments in between that shape family life.

MY DAD THE BOUNTY HUNTER IS NOW STREAMING ON NETFLIX

I caught up with the cast Laz Alonso, Yvonne Orji, Priah Ferguson, Jecobi Swain and creators Everett Downing and Patrick Harpin to talk about this fun for the whole family filled animated series.

(All interviews can be watched in the playlist below)

Meet the key cast:

DAD/TERRY/SABO (LAZ ALONSO)

A loving but aloof father to Lisa and Sean who’s often away on long work trips. Due to his focus on work at the expense of family life, Terry and wife, Tess, are currently separated. So when he is around, he tries to keep things fun, giving the kids all the video games, scary movies and ice cream they want. But, they really just want their dad — and he’s too distracted trying to keep his identity as the galaxy’s most feared bounty hunter a secret. When the kids sneak aboard his ship, he’s torn between the demands of his latest mission and showing up for them when they need it most.

An “Incredible” Comp: For the voice of Dad, the creators were looking for a unique blend of toughness and warmth. Says Everett Downing, “We brought up Bob Parr from The Incredibles a lot. He’d be like, ‘What are you kids doing?!’ But you knew he was just being a dad and you weren’t intimidated by it. Laz had that flavor. He could have fun, but at the same time he could really bring it if he needed it.” Adds Harpin: “We basically needed someone who could sound warm even when they’re flustered. Like how Tom Hanks in Toy Story is technically yelling the whole time, but he’s so likable it’s just funny. Laz has that kind of warmth, which you can’t fake. He sounds like he really cares about these kids.”

MOM/TESS (YVONNE ORJI)

Patient and pragmatic, Mom’s trying her best to provide stability for her family. Terry’s constant comings and goings don’t make it easy, but she tries not to show frustration in front of the kids. Ever the cautious optimist, she holds out hope that Terry will one day redeem himself — not just with her but with Lisa, who’s sorely missing her father’s presence at a formative age. When she gets a surprise call from Terry that he’s taking the kids on a surprise trip to Splashtown, she’s skeptical, but thinks he might have finally found his chance. Little does she know the adventure they have in store!

The Nigerian-American Connection: When Tomi Adeyemi, author of Of Blood and Bone and a writer on MY DAD THE BOUNTY HUNTER, learned the creators were looking to cast Yvonne Orji as Mom/Tess, she was quick to broker an introduction. Recalls Downing, “Tomi was like, ‘Oh, you guys are thinking about Yvonne? I’ll text her right now.’ Yvonne called back right away. And then, a week or two later, she did the show.” Adds Patrick Harpin, “Yvonne has a really good voice. And she can just lay into somebody in a fun way, which we wanted for Mom.”

LISA (PRIAH FERGUSON)

Bold, fearless, and whip-smart, Lisa suffers no fools and is fiercely protective of Sean. Where her little brother is more forgiving and always happy when their dad rolls by, Lisa’s spent one too many recitals waiting for him to show up, and lets her bitterness show. For Lisa, there’s right and there’s wrong — and little room in between. This often puts her at odds with Dad, who’s made his living in the galaxy’s moral gray areas. “Leeza” (as she becomes known to her alien friends) believes she can chart a different course, taking up the fight to make outer space a better place for everyone.

A Definitive First Impression: Downing knew he wanted to work with Priah Ferguson before he had the idea for MY DAD. “From her first line in Stranger Things,” he says, “I knew I wanted to use her for something. When she’s like, ‘You can’t spell America without Erica.’ I’m like, ‘Yes, I want to work with her.’ We had to wait, and we waited and I’m so glad because she was the only person I really wanted for Lisa.”

SEAN (JECOBI SWAIN )

A fun-loving kid whose curiosity is matched only by his imagination, Sean loves technology, looks up to his big sister, and is always excited to spend time with Dad. Video games are his favorite pastime, and his wealth of button-mashing experience makes sitting in the cockpit of Dad’s ship a dream come true — and Dad’s worst nightmare. Sean is so stoked to live out his sci-fi fantasy in space as “Robo-Sean,” a disguise that gets him up close and personal to all sorts of robots and droids, teaching him to rise to the challenge and crack problems in some pretty stressful situations.

Bust a Move: Swain would break up recording takes by showing off his dance skills. Says Downing, “JeCobi blew us away as Sean. And he would just stop in the middle of a take and he would do pop locking.” Adds Harpin, “He was such a pro. He can just turn it on and turn it off. He’s really impressive.”