The dashing and handsome Ambrosius Goldenloin has a serious problem. Should a champion knight of royal lineage hunt down his true love? Or believe that the first commoner knight, Ballister Boldheart, was framed for the murder of Queen Valerin? That’s a difficult choice when Ballister has seemingly aligned with the shape-shifting monster they both trained a lifetime to fight. Nimona, ND Stevenson’s award-winning graphic novel, gets a banner animated adaptation from Netflix. The film brilliantly addresses racism, xenophobia, and searching for acceptance in a futuristic medieval society.
Eugene Lee Yang voices Ambrosius Goldenloin opposite Chloë Grace Moretz’s Nimona and Riz Ahmed as Ballister Boldheart. Yang was “thrilled to be cast” and believes Ambrosius is the “truest embodiment” of the film’s themes — “follow a system that may be oppressing you,” or choose “your identity and love.” He also jokes about being “obsessed” with such a peculiar name and whether to “have a kid named Goldenloin.”
Yang comments on the queer romance between Ambrosius and Ballister in a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under siege across the country. “We are a representation of these spaces,” says Yang, imploring people to “question, protest, and rebel” against “systems” and “larger powers” that don’t “have your best interests in mind.”
Nimona was shelved for being too controversial after Disney acquired Fox’s media business and closed Blue Sky Studios. Annapurna Pictures completed the film and sold it to Netflix for distribution. Yang was thrilled “when it was picked up again.” Nimona is an “irreverent comedy”, “action-packed”, and can expose families to more “progressive ways of thinking.”
Nimona’s Irreverent Comedy
MovieWeb: Do you think you’ll ever play a better character name than Ambrosius Goldenloin in your entire career?
Eugene Lee Yang: Absolutely not, I need to quit right now (laughs). I love his name. I’m kind of obsessed with it. Maybe I should just have a kid to name them Goldenloin. Actually, that would be a form of torture. But no, I love the name. I think it’s such a special name that fits the sort of irreverent comedy of the film.
MW: I thought the character was absolutely great and nuanced. Talk about getting cast as a voice actor, and what you thought were the most pertinent themes about playing Mr. Goldenloin.
Eugene Lee Yang: I was thrilled to be cast, humbled, and blessed to even have the opportunity. And the really pertinent aspects of his character is this idea that he’s kind of the truest embodiment of the theme of the film. Whether you follow a system that might be oppressing you, versus following your heart, and your identity, and your loves. I think that we see the decision he makes in the end, which is the right decision.
Eugene Lee Yang: But that struggle, that feeling of breaking free of something that you’ve always been told is right, that I think is really universal. So being able to really focus on that nail, that sort of nuanced strife that he’s feeling, was probably the major character aspect I was trying to shape really well.
Accepting and Not Banning Nimona
MW: Ambrosius and Ballister have this beautiful queer romance. We live in a time when LGBTQ+ rights are being attacked all around the country. What do you say to parents, teachers, and kids about seeing this film and accepting it for what it is?
Eugene Lee Yang: Yeah, and I’m from Texas, so I totally understand. I always say, as a Southerner, like I am also, we are also a representation of these spaces. I think that it’s kind of ironic that these decisions are being made by systems that are oppressing certain types of people. It’s quite literally a reflection of the messaging of the film. It’s not just, there happens to be gay characters in this. It’s quite literally the think piece about the film. Sometimes we have to question, and protest, and rebel against larger powers that be that don’t have your best interests in mind, especially if you’re a marginalized group.
Eugene Lee Yang: That’s something that I think any family who wants to expose, especially their kids to the story, about how you can have more radical ways of thinking that feel progressive. They feel proactive. Doing that in a package of a film that’s really funny, really f**king action-packed, super relatable, and clever. That’s really special. It’s a really special way to introduce someone to those ideas. That’s my roundabout way of saying if you’re in Florida, or Texas, and they’re not letting you see it. Find where you can. Find a way to get it out there, especially to people who need it.
MW: What was the best day and worst day working on Nimona?
Eugene Lee Yang: Well, the worst was when it was canceled (laughs). But the best was when it was picked up again. No, I mean, honestly, every day in the booth was the best. I can’t think of any moment that I felt was worse. I think the worst parts was when I had to do like long stretches of the death scene, and some fighting, where I got really sweaty. I got embarrassed because the hair wasn’t “hairing.” it wasn’t “hairing” as tall as it usually was (laughs). It was a blessing to be able to work with [directors] Nick [Bruno] and Troy [Quane]. It was always a delight, and a romp, and a thoughtful way of deconstructing these characters to make sure that they really shine.
Nimona is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.
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