Scooby Doo: Interview

Review by By Clint Morris

Interview with Remi Broadway
Actor from Scooby Doo.

One minute you're working next to a guy in a possum suit, the next you're pretending to act with what will eventually be a computer-generated pooch.

For one of the Australian actors starring in the new live-action Scooby Doo, commencing June 20, Remi Broadway insists it's all another day in the life of his budding acting career, as he explains to Clint Morris in this exclusive interview.

Remi plying his trade

Broadway has a name destined for a showbiz career - but the career seemed to have started and ended with the hosting job on Prime Television's Prime Possum Show, until director Raja Gosnell decided to make a feature film version of much-loved Scooby Doo in his neighbourhood.

"Possum will always have a special place in my heart, as I filmed more than 550 episodes with that big cuddly character," laughs Broadway from his Queensland home.

"In 1996, my agent and I felt it was time to move on, and I was offered a role on ABC's Wayne Manifesto, which seemed like a natural progression from presenting to acting," he adds.

"Scooby was an absolute blast! My first experience with a big-time Hollywood director and the nature of the film allowed me to be larger than life," he explains.

"Like any fan of a cartoon series or comic book, it is always difficult to see the big screen adaptation without being overly critical. Having said that, all the major cast did a superb job of developing their characters, and the costume and make-up was all fabulous. It will be interesting to see if the computer animated Scooby lives up to the original," says Broadway, who still hasn't seen the finished film.

Don't look for Broadway's face in the Mystery Machine though - he's the borderline nutter outside. "Alright, I can tell you my character is part of a training video seen in the movie, and he helps teach the viewers about manners. He has been known to have slight anger-management issues!" He lets slip.

"Everything about the movie has been kept extremely secret. Even to keep my script after the filming I had to promise not to show it to anyone!"

Aside from Scooby Doo, Australian audiences will be able to catch Remi in a couple of other films, the drama Swimming Upstream with Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush, Wilde Girls with Olivia Newton-John and Inspector Gadget 2. "Olivia and Geoffrey were mind blowing. To sit at a demountable table with these big stars between scenes and just talk about normal things is a real buzz, and then to actually perform in the same scene as these people! They are so giving and professional and focused," he says.

"And Inspector Gadget 2? Well, as usual, I had an absolute ball. I wasn't actually 'acting' in this one, I was employed as a statue artist. Without revealing too much, the film requires people in the town to be "frozen" so they sent out a search for people who had experience with statue work. With a small group of talented mime artists, I would pose on camera and give the effect of being frozen. The effect is great on film, and looks just like you've stopped time. We also got to play with effects like those used on the Matrix to freeze time. It was just awesome!" He says.

Matthew Broderick played the part of Inspector Gadget in the first film, but in this new sequel, recently filmed in Brisbane, French Stewart (3rd Rock from the Sun) is donning the trench coat and hat. "I was pleasantly surprised (with French). I'm a Matthew Broderick fan, which makes it extremely difficult for anyone to step into his shoes, in my opinion. French Stewart does a really good job of Gadget though, he has the voice and style down, with a little of his own character thrown in to make it unique. And, of course, he has brilliant comic timing that makes it all work."

And next up Remi will be taking a rest from comic book-inspired movies for something completely different. "I've just finished working on a production of Ned Kelly to be presented at the Ekka this year, where I played young Ned. There are a few film productions later this year that I'm looking at, but nothing's confirmed yet. I just recently received my first fan mail from Canada, so maybe an overseas trip would be worthwhile!"

Scooby Doo commences June 20.

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