Sean Gunn at London Film and Comic Con. Photo Credit: Kat Smith
Sean Gunn will be familiar to many for his role as village eccentric Kirk in television series The Gilmore Girls. What some might not realise is that he is indeed the brother of James Gunn, the director of the fantastic Marvel movie Guardians of the Galaxy.
Gunn has been appearing in his brother’s projects for years, is featured in Super, and even turned up for an episode or two of reality competition Scream Queens on which James was a judge. He also starred as not one but two characters in Guardians of the Galaxy, the first was Kraglin, one of Yondu’s henchmen, the second was Rocket Raccoon.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Bradley Cooper played the part, but in actuality he only voiced the character and there were several other key members that bought the furry bounty hunter to the screen. The production had someone roughly Rocket’s height dimensions on set for lighting purposes as well as a ‘reference’ raccoon, a real life animal called Oreo. We spoke to his handlers Sally and John of events company Oreo and Friends several times last year and Oreo even showed up to the première as James’ ‘date’. Sean Gunn provided on-set acting for Rocket, this was so that fellow Guardians, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana and Chris Pratt actually had someone to interact with.
Sean has been a guest at London Film and Comic Con this weekend and so we caught up with him to find out how he felt about being one part of such a brilliant creation and more importantly whether his brother has shared the script for the highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Volume Two.
You and your brother James have collaborated a lot over the years, which for you has been the most special?
You know I hate to go with the obvious, but Guardians of the Galaxy was the most fun. Just because he was kind of in control of the whole thing and it was such a story that he had in his head and it was a little out there. We had a lot of fun making it. Also having a big budget makes things easier sometimes.
And you helped bring raccoons to the masses, how does that feel?
It was great, i think I’m going back to do it for the sequel. It’s an interesting role because of how it’s not just you. It’s the animators, it’s Bradley who comes into do the voice. My my point of view I just did a piece of that part and so I approached it the same way I do for any role.
The other component was of course the real life raccoon Oreo, from Oreo and Friends, who we interviewed last year before the film’s release.
Really? I’m guessing he’s not the best interview?
He was very tight-lipped.
Well Marvel won’t allow him to say anything. Like the rest of us Oreo’s sworn to secrecy.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished working on a movie called The Belko Experiment, that was quite an experience. I finished this movie called Po which is an excellent film by director John Asher and then Guardians will be here before I know it.
Have you read the script?
Not yet, should be pretty soon though.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 will be released in cinemas 5th May 2017
