John Ratzenberger has a long list of animated Pixar movies that he’s been a part of. The Cheers actor has appeared in classics such as A Bug’s Life, Toy Story, Monsters Inc, and many more. His latest film is Inside Out 2, the sequel to 2015’s Inside Out, where he will reprise his role as the character Fritz.
In a recent interview with our colleagues over at the Kinda Nerdy Girls, Ratzenberger speaks to KJ about returning to play Fritz. This is a transcript of part of that interview:
KJ: Back on the KJ Today Show to talk his latest Pixar movie, Inside Out 2. It’s John Ratzenberger. Inside Out 2 is going to hit theaters on Friday, June 14th. How does it feel for you? I mean, this long, wonderful history that you have had with Pixar to be back with them in a movie that so many people are so excited about.
JOHN : Well, you know, as an actor, you’re just excited about the fact that the phone rings. You know, you’ve got a job to do and Pixar’s let’s say Inside Out. It’s Pete Docter, who’s a writer-director. The first one was based on him wondering what goes on in his daughter’s mind during that young adolescence. And anybody who’s got a daughter and raised kids knows what I’m talking about. You just shake your head and laugh sometimes and say, where did that come from? So that’s basically where the idea for Inside Out came from.
KJ: And, you know, with the sequel, now we’re getting into the teenager’s mind. Certainly, a lot of people are excited to see what is going on in Riley’s mind at this age. Now, you, John, play Fritz, who had a big role in the first one, but not a lot of screen time. Do we get more of Fritz in Inside Out 2?
JOHN : See, that’s a good question. I don’t know. I have to wait and see it. You know, once they edit it and everything else, it’s probably not a lot. Certainly not a lead character, but yeah, pretty much he’s more of like a handyman type. And which sometimes I’ve done actually for a living. I was a carpenter and a handyman type before I became an actor. That’s what kept me alive in England when I first went over there to visit. I went there to visit for a week and ended up staying 10 years. That’s where I started my career. But because I was a handyman, a carpenter, I could survive.
KJ: Let’s talk about that for a little bit, John, because we, you know, we have right now a lot of kids graduating high school and wondering what they’re going to do with their lives. And you are a huge advocate and you’ve got Nuts, Bolts, and Thingamajigs that you’re out there trying to help kids see different options for their future. Can you share a little bit about that?
JOHN : Well, yeah, it’s when I was doing my show, John Ratzenberger is Made in America on the Travel Channel, a traveler around the country visiting different manufacturing outfits and realized that there are no young people. And asking around and doing some research, I found out that high schools nationwide that canceled their shop classes in Olmec. And that taught kids hands-on skills. And whether they went on to become an attorney or an art critic, it’s not a bad idea to have those skills anyway, which is something that I did. So I took shop, but I grew up in a factory town, and everybody was handy. Everybody knew what tools to use for what job. And realizing that it’s not just the fact that the kids, you know, grow up helpless, but our society, our civilization depends on infrastructure. And that’s the water, the electricity, the car you drive, the airplane you ride in. And someone’s got to make that. Someone’s got to measure things, cut things, put things together. And if we run out of those people, we’re sunk. So that’s really the main reason I started Nuts, Bolts, and Thingamajigs. And it’s run by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association now, and they’ve done a great job. So we have 300 camps nationwide, summer camps that teach children the skills necessary for jobs in manufacturing. And it’s going real well. Because, again, I went to college. I got a degree, all that stuff. But I can also build a house and everything in it. And I feel good about that. So I don’t worry about getting a job. I can at least grab my toolbox and go to work.
KJ: John Ratzenberger is on with us, and I always like to go to a couple of fan questions for you, John. Adam said, John was the voice of my childhood, and now he’s the voice of my son Jacob’s childhood. How does it feel to know that your voice is carrying on for generations, John?
JOHN : Well, you know, what feels good is the fact that I’m still above the grass. And I can show up and do it. But, yeah, I get a lot of fan letters saying similar things. And it certainly is gratifying, you know, knowing that these kids are used to the sound of my voice. Yeah, it’s obviously a good feeling. There’s nothing negative there at all.
Inside Out 2 hits theaters June 14th. For the full interview, check it out down below! Are you looking forward to Inside Out 2?
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