‘GOAT‘ delivers a powerful message about dreaming big, no matter how small you are. Moviefone was invited to attend a press day to learn more about the making of this new Sony Pictures Animation film, where we learned about the costuming, character design, and editing process.
hkoS9A9zlBpWTDX4aCtTh5Moviefone also attended a press conference with the cast and creatives, where we heard all about the making of the movie. Here are five things we learned from them.
Related Article: Movie Review ‘GOAT’
1) Steph Curry Found His First Voice Acting Role Challenging
‘GOAT’ may be based on Steph Curry’s life, but he doesn’t voice the main character Will, instead, he voices the tallest player on the team, Lenny, which he admits was not easy.
Stephen Curry: It’s my first time really doing a, you know, voice acting role. And so that whole experience, it was challenging. It was something that I knew was gonna have to be pulled out of me in the sense of finding that true, authentic Lenny voice. But once I got there, it was an experience I’ll remember for a long time.
2) Gabrielle Union Says Greatness Is Different For Everyone
One of the key messages of ‘GOAT’ is to embrace your greatness, rather than trying to copy someone elses. Gabrielle Union, voice of Jett, discusses how Will encourages her character to be herself.
Gabrielle Union: Will makes me have to go back and get in the lab. His greatness does not look like Jett’s, and Jett’s greatness does not look like Will’s. And it brings out that fire. Like, put up or shut up. You’re only as great as your last game. And I’ve watched it in my own life. I’ve watched it in my household.
3) Patton Oswalt Created A Key Backstory Moment For His Character
Patton Oswalt voices the head coach of the Thorns, Dennis, who has lost power to Jett. In order to help voice him, he came up with a small, key moment, in his backstory.
Patton Oswalt: It’s clear that on day one, not that I write a big biography of this character, it’s clear that on day one, he lost a battle with Jett that lasted two seconds. She immediately put her foot and he’s like, “Okay, I’m just gonna work on this position and operate at this level.” And then during the movie, he has to kinda re-remind himself, wait, no, I’m the coach, I need to be helping these players. And what Gabrielle said about going back into the lab, I wish I had that phrase during all my interviews earlier ’cause that’s so perfect. But he has to teach these players, you each need to get out of your own way.
4) Caleb McLaughlin Loves How Jett Inspires Will
‘GOAT’ subverts the norm and features a male rookie looking up to a powerful female character. Caleb McLaughlin discusses the dynamic between Will and Jett.
Caleb McLaughlin: She set the bar so high for him in his life that everything that he’s doing in his life is to be like her, is to be great, is to get into roarball. And I think she just sets the bar and brings out the ambition, the drive for what that is. What it is to be a GOAT. You know what I mean? What you have to do to be a GOAT. It’s not easy.
5) Tyree Dillihay Added In The Actors’ Quirks Where Possible
Director Tyree Dillihay wanted to make sure that each character featured a little bit of the person voicing them. So, for example, Caleb McLaughlin is a bit of a germaphobe, so he made Will have a small thing about germs.
Tyree Dillihay: With Patton, with Gabrielle, with Caleb, with all of our cast, I tried to find little things about them that we can authentically infuse in a character that didn’t break anything. It just seemed natural. It’s these little quirks that make them seem more real, more identifiable, more specific.
What is the plot of ‘GOAT’?
The story follows Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball – a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”
Who is in the cast of ‘GOAT’?
- Caleb McLaughlin as Will Harris
- Gabrielle Union as Jett Filmore
- Nick Kroll as Modo Olachenko
- Nicola Coughlan as Olivia Burke
- David Harbour as Archie Everhardt
- Stephen Curry as Lenny Williamson
- Jenifer Lewis as Florence Everson
- Patton Oswalt as Dennis
List of Movies and TV Shows Featuring Caleb McLaughlin:
- Stranger Things (2016 – 2025)
- Shooting Stars (2023)
- The Book of Clarence (2023)
- American Dream: The 21 Savage Story (2024)
- The Deliverance (2024)
