Full disclosure: The reporter is among Tony's old friends from YAT and Leon High School.
Emmy-winning actor and Tallahassee native Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep) is debuting a series on September 6th on Netflix. He stars and executive produces "Archibald’s Next Big Thing," which is based on a children’s book he wrote five years ago.
The story is about a chicken whose insecurities and hopes for the future cause him to miss out on wonderful events happening right in front of him.
Hale grew up in Tallahassee and has returned over the years for visits -- often associated with Young Actors Theatre (YAT) events. He was a student there in the 1980's and has spoken often about the theatre's impact on his life. He even took YAT founder Tina Williams to the Screen Actors Guild Awards last year!
We chatted this week as Hale drove to his "Archibald" office at Dreamworks Animation in Los Angeles.
Topics include:
- Dealing with anxiety
- Learning to live in the present instead of "checking out"
- Always looking for the next big thing - he and his wife Martel, a makeup artist, are freelancers who are always being asked "What's next?"
- How Governor's Square Mall in Tallahassee influenced an "Archibald" storyline
- His daughter Loy's contribution to the "Archibald" character named after her
