What Gonzo really thinks about your Wonka Chalamet jokes and his favorite Disneyland attraction.
WithMuppets Haunted Mansion,Gonzotakes center stage again…and it’s great.
Read on for some Halloween tricks and treats.
Gonzo in ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion’.Mitch Haaseth/Disney
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This is your biggest role since playing Charles Dickens inThe Muppet Christmas Carol.
What was it like to be back in the center of the action?
Since I star in my own life daily, makingMuppets Haunted Mansionfelt totally natural to me.
Gonzo and Pepe in ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion’.Mitch Haaseth/Disney
Actually, it felt supernatural, which you’ve got to expect when you’re cavorting with ghosts.
By the way, I highly recommend ghost cavorting.
It’s the most fun I’ve had since the last time I went bog-snorkeling.
Timothée Chalamet in ‘Wonka’; Gonzo in ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’.Warner Bros.; Everett Collection
How was working with Pepe as your costar?
Pepe is the consummate professional.
At what, I’m not exactly sure.
But we definitely balanced each other out.
Have you ever visited the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland?
Is it a ride you enjoy?
What’s your favorite Disneyland ride?
I’ve spent many happy hours riding around in doom buggies, picking up hitchhiking ghosts.
It’s one of my favorite rides.
But if I had to choose one attraction, it would be the Enchanted Tiki Room.
I’ve been trying to get Camilla and the chickens singing like that for years.
You have a lot of famous guest stars in the special.
Was there one you enjoyed working with most?
(He also taught me to never stand in the middle of golf course if you’re green.
Golfers mistake you for a divot and keep stomping you into the turf.
Actually, that sounds like a lot of fun.)
You have to see it for yourself…which is actually the best way to watch.
What was your favorite room in the version of the Haunted Mansion in the special?
The Grand Hall, where all the ghosts gather to sing, party, and cavort.
It’sthesocial event of the season and it never ends.
The theme of the special is all about facing your fears.
Do you have any advice for how best to face your fears?
Wear something comfortable and washable.
And face your fears head on.
That version of you in that sequence, where you face your fears, is quite scary.
What was it like as you were filming this part?
Since I consider my entire life a performance, I never look ahead or use a script.
It was so poignant seeing how much your friends mean to you and you mean to them.
What do you think makes the friendships of the Muppets so special?
That trust and caring makes us a kind of family, with all the frantic folderol of any family.
Now that you’ve faced that fear, is there anything else you’re afraid of?
What to have for lunch after this interview.
I forgot to bring mine.
You wouldn’t, by any chance, be on an expense account?
I’ll gladly pay you back.
Is the Great MacGuffin still your favorite magician after learning the truth about him?
I can’t imagine what you’re talking about.
How do you think this special compares to other iconic Halloween specials likeIt’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown?
That’s a great special, and personally I am totally with Linus about that whole Great Pumpkin conundrum.
ButMuppets Haunted Mansionhas its own unique spirit, scares and silliness.
And we hope it becomes a classic, too.
When trick-or-treaters arrive, I love to answer the door while hanging from the ceiling.
Never fails to make ‘em laugh, scream…or faint.
Peanut-butter-encrusted anything, preferably left over from a previous Halloween.
What are you being for Halloween this year?
What size do you wear?
Maybe we could go as each other.
Recently people have been comparing Timothee Chalamet’s look as Willy Wonka to your garb inThe Muppet Christmas Carol.
What do you think about those comparisons?
But the similar look isn’t a coincidence.
We both go to the same tailor The House of Maurice of Bayonne.
Would you ever want to play Willy Wonka yourself?
No, I think Timothee has it down.
