"Maybe If I Could Play The Hammer?" Rhys Darby On His Chances Of Being Cast In 'Thor'

"Because I've been busy here in Los Angeles, I didn't even get to go to the New Zealand premiere," Rhys Darby bemoans, referring to Taika Waititi's latest film Hunt For The Wilderpeople, in which he plays a role that couldn't be more 'him', Psycho Sam. "I'm not too far from that kind of character anyway," Darby confirms. "I mean, he's a conspiracy nut: he's into, you know, UFOs and he worries about what the government is actually doing — controlling its citizens; he believes in the Illuminati, that kind of stuff, and I'm quite interested in the paranormal and into those sort of subjects. So, for me, I just went to the extreme thought process of what I already think. And I don't take all of that stuff seriously but, if I did, then I would be that guy. But then, at the same time [laughs], I've actually met people like that and they don't have any sense of humour so it's kind of like: if you inject a big humour element into it then, you know, you can actually have a fun character."

Given most of the film's action takes place in the strikingly unpredictable New Zealand wilderness, we were half expecting another of Darby's genius comic characters, Park Ranger Bill Napier, to make an appearance and give the film's fugitives (Sam Neill as Uncle Hec and Julian Dennison as Ricky) a bum steer. "Yeah, true," Darby allows. "If he was the local ranger then I'm sure he would've led them to the wrong place. No, I'm saving him for the next thing."

"It's always a risk when you do something that's culturally close to your country's heart."

So what kept Darby away from Hunt For The Wilderpeople's homeland premiere? "I've got a few television projects happening here," he shares. "I've been voicing an animated project called Voltron, which is a reboot of a very famous 1980s cartoon that comes out on June 10th — so I've been doing a lot of voice work on that each week. And [I've] also [been working on] another live action comedy series called Wrecked, which is on a TBS network, and that comes out on June 14th. So there's been a lot of build-up, a lot of extra promotional work on that, on both those two shows. And also I wrote another live show with my friend Grant [Lobban] — we do a comedy duo [Rhysently Granted]. He came over to LA and we filmed some sketches and then we went back to New Zealand briefly and put on a big show. So I've been, yeah! I've been busy," he laughs.

Darby did watch "a slightly earlier cut" of Hunt For The Wilderpeople at Sundance Film Festival, however. "I think they might've adjusted it since then," Darby considers, "but the one I saw got a standing ovation in the Sundance [screening]. It was really wonderful to see. Predominantly, I guess, Americans sort of get it, which was lovely." Hunt For The Wilderpeople is based on Wild Pork And Watercress, a book by New Zealand author Barry Crump, and Darby admits, "It's always a risk when you do something that's culturally close to your country's heart.

"But I think, you know, New Zealand and our humour has sort of got out there now," he continues, "and Americans, specifically thanks to [Flight Of The Conchords] and stuff that I've done, are familiar with our sense of humour and, yeah! They like it."

But for Stateside audiences, Darby recognises it's "been a slow kind of exposure to the South Pacific, and what we think is funny, and it's certainly a different mix from the usual British humour, you know, with what Australia and New Zealand do; there's a touch of that [usual British humour] but we've got our own self-deprecating style and very dry sense of humour, and subtleties that Americans just don't do — they don't really do the subtle stuff. And so I think it's refreshing to them so, yeah! Here we are; we've arrived!"

And it all started with Flight Of The Conchords, which Darby points out was "sort of a sleeper hit for them, really; 'cause it was on HBO, not everyone got to see it and then word slowly got out about it". And then "that Taika sense of humour" was fully embraced in the States through the brilliant and hilarious mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows (co-directed with Jemaine Clement). "[That film] was a huge hit here in America, everybody talks about it; it's the one comedy film that people just tend to have a real close grasp on — a bit like Spinal Tap did back in the late '80s," Darby enthuses. "People like that ownership of finding something that isn't mainstream, but [that] they hold dearly."

"I'm definitely gonna be available for that: I've gotta be in the wolf pack."

We were pretty excited to read about a potential What We Do In The Shadows spin-off focusing on the werewolves rather than the vampires (but obviously we hope the vamps would still play minor roles). When asked whether he'll revisit his werewolf character, Anton, to star in said spin-off, Darby laughs, "Well that's the idea, yeah, yeah. I've spoken with Jemaine and he's definitely keen to get it made. They had so much fun with the vamp one. And just the idea of a really nerdy bunch of werewolves hangin' out, and following them in their daily lives — and their problems with their wives and partners — and [seeing] how they get through life working in IT during the day and then strapping themselves to trees at night so they don't kill people is very funny. So I think, yeah! They've got the title [We're Wolves — LOL] and now it's just about finding the time to make it. So, you know, I'm definitely gonna be available for that: I've gotta be in the wolf pack." It's all just a matter of working out "when it's gonna happen, though", Darby adds.

He tells us he doesn't have to audition for parts in Waititi's films, so we'd like to know whether we should look out for Darby in Thor: Ragnarok. "I doubt it," he chuckles. "That's one thing that I think he has less control over is a huge studio behemoth beast like that. Um, I wouldn't expect to — maybe if I could play the hammer? I don't know if that's [laughs] — I don't think I'll be expecting a call for that one.

"I dunno, I think it's riskier, too, being in something like that. You know, those things — it's the bigger they are the harder they fall... with these huge Marvel movies. I'm sure Taika will inject his amazing comedy into it and we'll get a hit, which is exactly what these things need. Because some of them get a bit too serious for themselves, these big movies, and I think it ends up you're just watching buildings crashing against each other and a guy in a tight suit kinda growling at the screen. It's kind of, you know, we're over it! There's been so many of those superhero movies... You see the posters in the bus stops and you think, 'Oh, is that the same as that one?' or, 'Has that already been on?'"

Darby has two sons, Finn and Theo, who he says "are too young" to take to most superhero films. "Although we did see Ant-Man and that was really good, 'cause it had a good humour in it," he extols. "So I'm hoping Taika will do the same thing with [Thor: Ragnarok]."

Watching Uncle Hec and Ricky's relationship develop throughout Hunt For The Wilderpeople is bound to exercise your tear ducts. After discussing a few of these moving moments, Darby observes, "You don't often see that relationship of an older man and a young boy [in films]. It's important, because a lotta guys couldn't give two hoots about their son — or about a young boy — and they're just concentrating on their own life, and little kids are often left alone to wonder. But if you have that kinda relationship; as a boy, I think you need someone to look up to and someone that can be there for you and give you a hug when you need it, you know? And so I think we could all relate to that; especially as a boy, anyway."