By Daniel D'Addario
Tony Hales Sees Monsters in 'Sketch'
Tony Hale is talking by phone about his new film, “Sketch,” a selling title at TIFF; on a Thursday in August, he’s just days away from moving his 18-year-old daughter Loy off to college for her freshman year. “It’s good,” he says of the transition. “It’s good, right?”
The actor known for roles in "Veep" and "Arrested Development" takes the lead in "Sketch" — and his angst makes the film fittingly timed. As Taylor, a widower and father, Hale must play grief and anxiety, even before the crazy monster art his daughter draws comes to life and terrorizes the town.
It’s a tricky tonal mix, as Hale simultaneously confronts Taylor’s feelings of loss and aliens. (A key moment comes when Taylor puts away photos of his wife and family to avoid being reminded of his pain: “He’s an intelligent guy, but he’s in survival mode,” Hale says.) Hale and writer-director Seth Worley have been working to keep the story afloat throughout. “Seth does comedy, and I obviously come from a comedy background — we wanted to infuse it with comedic timing, to soften it before it became too heavy.” (Worley, a longtime friend of Hale’s, showed him the script and asked him to help craft it years before asking if Hale would be interested in starring.)
