Available on the Apple TV + platform, the animated series “Central Park” tells, in music, the adventures of a group of cleaning agents. For season 2, meeting with Loren Bouchard, Josh Gad and Leslie Odom Jr.
AlloCiné: What can you tell us about this season 2?
Josh Gad: First of all, this season is unique because it was designed entirely at home due to the pandemic. That said, the creative writing process was easier because we were already familiar with our characters and the universe they live in. We also knew how to handle the mechanics of this animated musical.
Loren Bouchard, the designer: There will be even more musical numbers than in the first season, including songs by Danny Elfman, Cindy Lauper, They Might be Giant, Aimee Mann, Shaggy, Big Boy, Wyclef Jean … it’s just fantastic.
Leslie Odom Jr.: I am truly grateful to Apple for believing in us and this series which is in its third season already confirmed. For this season 2, what is certain is that we spent more time developing each of our characters to better understand them. Josh Gad really had a stroke of genius with this “musical”Animated for television. For both of us, since I’ve known Josh for a long time, it was miraculous to move from Broadway where Josh took the stage, especially in Book of Mormons and me in Hamilton, to this series.
Apple TV +
What do you think this series is really about beyond its musical entertainment aspect?
Leslie Odom Jr.: It is an exploration of what the family represents and of the various synergies that coexist within such a structure. This program shows how much time you have to be devoted to your family so that it functions and does not derail in its quest for happiness.
Josh Gad: It also shows the degree of passion and love that one must have when facing the adversity of life. It’s also a series that talks about the delicate transition from adolescent to adulthood and how as an adult it is never easy to juggle your professional and personal life. There is so much cynicism in the world and so many pretty dark series, I hope I created a little ray of light for the audience. I just hope we don’t push the tone too far to fall for the slightly cutesy cliché. I hope that in any case we make the people who are looking at us smile.
Loren Bouchard: For me it’s really, above all, a series to make people happy, to make them want to sing and dance. But of course, by this we are trying to give hope and optimism to the public.
Apple TV +
Who is the character you are closest to?
Josh Gad: No doubt Owen Tillerman played by my friend Leslie Odom Jr.! Like Owen, I am madly in love with my children. But also for my work, which forces me to juggle these two worlds. I love that Owen is often, emotionally, lost. I look so much like him and I always have empathy and compassion for everyone around me.
Do you have a precise vision for the future of this series?
Josh Gad: We talk about it quite regularly, especially since we’re already in season three. In any case, it seems to me that I still have a lot of stories in me to tell. We will continue to create other seasons until we repeat ourselves and have good ideas for musical numbers.
Interview by Emmanuel Itier, in Los Angeles, in July 2021.