In honor of SeptBender, PJ Byrne chatted with Hypable about his role in The Legend of Korra as the perpetually optimistic earthbender, Bolin.
PJ Bryne is currently co-starring as Bolin in The Legend of Korra, and will soon appear as Nelson in the upcoming CBS sci-fi drama Intelligence. You can also catch him this November in Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film The Wolf of Wall Street (alongside Leonardo Di Caprio.) Follow PJ on Twitter as @PJ_Byrne.
Hypable chats with PJ Byrne
Hypable: Were you familiar with anything in the Avatar universe before you started working on The Legend of Korra?
PJ Byrne: No, actually, I wasn’t. So when I booked it, I wanted to get an idea of what that world was about and what the powers of the Avatar were. Because I knew that I was an earthbender and there’s four other elements, so I wanted to learn that world and the world they live in – and it was awesome. I was like, “Oh my god, I wish I’d had this when I was a kid!”
You always want to put yourself into the character a little bit, whatever you’re doing. So I think that was sort of the pureness of why the audition went well, and why it kind of works nicely for [Bolin.] You always want to do your homework after, but I just had maybe an out-of-the-box thinking process of what Bolin was.
They’re really cool about giving actors their space. And when they have notes, they’re always spot-on, and their suggestions are great. And also it just looks beautiful, so like… wow, it’s amazing.
I know from a fan perspective, we were very hesitant to see what would come because it’s such a new situation to get a sequel to one of your favorite shows. But the response has been incredibly positive.
That’s awesome! That’s what we feel. We’re like, I can’t believe this. I feel like the bar was raised. And the work they put into it, and the painting, and how these artists are just SO sick. It’s really special.
And that’s why it takes so long to get one episode done. Everyone’s like, “Where is it? Where it? Where is it?” And I’m like no, just wait, because it’s so worth it. Because they take such good care of this, from the coloring, to the drawings, [to] the action sequences. They know more about color-correction than I’ll know about anything ever in my life. It’s insane.
Honestly, I’ve seen what’s coming and it is like, oh my gosh. So cool. They also keep beating themselves, it’s crazy. They keep… upping the ante and you’re like, Woah! Wow.
Do you have a favorite moment from the first book?
Sometimes when we’re doing ADR, when we’re trying to match our voice because they wanted to add something, or they were in it and they saw an opportunity for something. So we’ll go back in and try to add a little color to it.
So one of my favorite parts was, there’s a moment where we’re all trying to get away, and we’re all riding Naga out, and [she’s] got me in [her] mouth, and I’m bouncing up and down. And I saw a little bit of my mouth opening and closing, and they’re like, think what you can say. So I improved this thing, “I-want-to-be-on-your-back.” That for me… I just love that because it was a mixture of everything.
When you record, you’re imagining so much of what it’s going to look like. You don’t have that final picture, which is great, and it’s freeing. You’re getting these real answers, and that’s why I do voice-over – it’s amazing.
But sometimes when everybody’s at the table and you see what the product is and exactly what it has to be, those are special moments as well. And if you can find that piece of gold that really works, and that helps heighten the moment and add to the humor? I kind of love that moment.
Next: “They’re writing moments that are honest and true.”
Speaking of improving and doing your own thing, what’s that like? Do they ever reign you in?
Oh yeah! [Laughs] I think one of their favorite lines is like, “This is only a 22 minute show, PJ!” [Laughs]
You don’t know what you’re looking at. They give you a very clear idea what’s happening, the description is sick, and after doing this for a while you kind of can feel how it’s gonna go. But there’s just times when I was like, “I will just turn it into a monologue.” And they’re like, “Okay!” Let’s stop! We got it!” [Laughs]
But you know, it’s funny, as time has gone on they have really written jokes for my voice. So actually, improv has become less and less important because it’s like, oh, they got it. That’s really funny.
I tell them this all the time – these guys don’t get enough credit for being really good comedy writers. Everyone’s like, the show is smart and it’s out there and it’s really intelligent and they’re great artists, etc. But they also write really good comedy. And partly because, it’s not like they think of themselves as comedic writers. They’re writing moments that are honest and true, and not trying to hit a joke on it’s head. And for me, I think that’s probably the funniest stuff.
What is your preparation process like?
In [a] sense, it’s kind of… tricky. When you’re rehearsing it, you kind of want to get exactly what they’re getting at. There are so many ways into a joke and you still want it to be organic, and you still want it to sound natural. Some of the beauty of improvising is it’s just like there, and it’s raw, and it’s happening – just by default, it sounds completely natural and normal.
So you’ve gotta play that balance of saying this for the first time again, and how would this have come out in your brain naturally? Not only if PJ would say it because he thinks it’s funny, how would Bolin say it naturally and honest[ly]? So it’s a different kind of attack. And all good, and good ways to work out.
Bolin was super optimistic in Book 1. Will we see that develop? Will that change for Bolin?
I think Bolin for perpetuity will forever be optimistic. It’s just that people might take advantage of that. I think they do that to a lot of people. He trusts people and he’s kind of always forward-thinking, that will always be there.
And what’s cool about it is the different ways the guys play with handling that. That’s kind of an interesting thing for me to take on, because it’s not just like, “Oh, he’s always positive thinking.” Well that’s a great thing, but you could have a lot of problems with someone who is so positive, and is so trusting. There’s a lot of ways, like I said before, for people to take advantage of that.
That’s also interesting, because Bolin’s relationships are such a huge part of what he is.
He loves people! He loves any and all people, and he always wants to do the right thing. He always wants to help people and he always wants to stand up for his friends, and that’s the core of who he is. And that can sometimes hurt him and get him trouble.
What are the differences in watching over something you’ve done voice work for, as opposed to live action?
I think you have a clear memory – when you’re doing a movie or a TV show – of what you did, because you have such a physical sense memory of it. And when you’re doing a voice-over, you so pop into your imagination that you’re just living freely in the moment. You don’t have to worry about, like, the camera’s there and you need to hit your mark, and all that other stuff. And it also takes so much longer for [the cartoon] to come out, I feel like I’m just a person at home who doesn’t know anything about the product. I’m just a fan, because I don’t remember as well what you actually laid down that day.
So I guess you can you really feel you can be more of a fan when you’re watching a cartoon… It’s harder to be in it when you’re watching yourself. I don’t know, maybe that’s vain because you’re always like, “Oh, I look terrible in that shirt!” You know, you can’t help but look at yourself and go, “Oh, hey, there you go. There I am.” It’s easier to stay in it when it’s a cartoon.
That’s really interesting.
I remember that – you can’t click in to the experience as well, because I’m sort of trying to see how they added up the dots together. Like how I did a take on this, now we’re doing that take, but they switched it in with that one, and you’re like, “Oh yeah, that’s funny.” And then you remember what the other actors did, and their take, and how the editor – it’s almost like you’re watching it as an editor. That’s sort of the best way to say it.
Next: “Turn your trust-radar on, Bolin.”
So what was that like, watching the first episode of season 2 at Comic-Con in a room packed full of fans?
That’s the best experience on the planet! It’s awesome! It’s so, so awesome. Usually when I watch the episodes we’re in a room with the guys and we try to go “This is so amazing!” We’re telling them how cool it is, because we’re the fans when we’re watching ADR – and we’re only watching little moments, we can’t see it all together.
So I can sit there [at Comic-Con] as a fan, be there as a fan, and we’re just in this love-bubble of pure joy. I don’t know, there’s nothing better than that. If I could do that every year, I’d be like “Let’s go see a Legend of Korra episode with 5,000 people, this is amazing!”
Some people were sleeping out since midnight on the line.
No. They. Didn’t. Oh my God. I mean, God bless those people! Apparently on that line, there was a Korra fan… from like, New Zealand or something. I’m so proud! I’m like, yes! I can’t believe you’re doing this. God bless you guys. You want to go down and hug them. Where are these people? You’re awesome!
To be honest, we talked about that all day, so all Korra fans should know how much we appreciate them, and we talk about them, and we just feel so lucky.
Are there any specific funny moments from the recording booth that you can share?
I know this is a lame answer, but it’s always fun, because they… get us all in there together… There’s the big room, and David [Faustino] and I can definitely hear each other talk, because you can stick your head around the glass. It’s not walled off.
But God bless Janet [Varney]. She’s literally, because she talks the most, in a booth by itself off the side of us. The sense deprivation chamber, we call it. I HATE that room, God bless her for taking it, because if they don’t turn the sound on for you or [turn] your mic on, you’re not hearing anything!… I got in there once and I was like, “I can’t. Nope. I’m out. I’m out.”
Because there’s a joy to being with each other… I love that sense of community. And when you go into the sensory deprivation chamber it is… I mean, [Janet] is a gift in and of herself to make that so fun and airy and awesome. She’s the best.
[When] she’s in the room with us, it’s awesome. You can be like, “Hey, you’re here,” and she’s like, “I love it!” And I’m like, “I know! This is the room! Get in here! It’s a nice time!”
Is there a prop you’d like to keep from The Legend of Korra, if it were a live-action show?
Well, he’s not a prop, he’s an animal, but you gotta rock my Pabu. I love Pabu. He’s my buddy.
If you could give Bolin one piece of advice, what would it be?
I was about to say ‘Turn your trust radar on a little bit.’ That would sort of be it… but there’s something so charming about [his innocence.] How about, I’d be like, “Just be aware of your trust-meter.” I don’t want to tell him to turn it on or off, because there’s something so charming about how he goes through life. I just want him to be aware of it a little more. Be aware that a trust-meter exists.
If you could be a bender, what type of bender would you be?
Earth! I know. I mean, wrap it up. Done. That’s me. Yes. I would be like, “Oh you want a high-rise here? No problem.” I’d go into the real estate business, we could do that too. There’s many options to make money as an earthbender! It’s like, “I’m gonna build a high-rise in New York City to pay for the land in Malibu that I’m gonna build this sick house on.” There you go.
And I guess I’d have to move to China for a little bit to help them. There’s a lot of building going on in China. And since I’m an earthbender, we’re using only local resources. Just use whatever’s under the ground there, so it’s good. We’re keeping the planet green!
And I’ll bet I could do it a lot faster than anybody else. So I’d get all the high-rises build in a day… And all the profits I make, I’ll give to the people, because I’m taking jobs away. So I’d just give all my profits to everybody else.
We’re helping humanity! There you go. That’s Bolin. That’s how we role.
The Legend of Korra season 2 premieres on Friday, Sept. 13 at 7 pm on Nickelodeon.