This interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA Strike.

The Big Picture Zach Galifianakis discusses his favorite Beanie Baby. Galifianakis talks about the challenge of developing chemistry on camera, especially with child actors, and how working with Sarah Snook helped him. Galifianakis reveals that understanding his character’s mindset was aided by the revelation that many toymakers have troubled childhoods. Zach Galifianakis is known for his unmatched comedic chops, but he’s also a gifted dramatic actor. The Beanie Bubble, which also stars Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook, and Geraldine Viswanathan, allows him to combine both as he plays the ambitious and eccentric Ty Warner of the mega Ty toy company. The film tracks Warner’s rise to success, paying special attention to the overlooked women who helped make the company what it is, from his first partner (Banks) to the intern who pioneered digital marketing (Viswanathan).

Collider got a chance to speak to Galifianakis about working with Snook, how he unlocked the psychology of his character, and more.

COLLIDER: My first question is probably the most important one, which is what is your favorite Beanie Baby?

ZACH GALIFIANAKIS: Oh my god. [Laughs] Oh, I should have prepped myself for this question. I don’t have one. I wasn’t a Beanie Baby person. I don’t know. I do like I think his name is Legs, the frog. I think that’s the one that I have probably handled the most in my Beanie Baby life.

Image via Apple TV+

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That’s so fair. That’s such a good choice. You have such great chemistry with everyone in this movie, but I have to say, I think some of my favorite scenes are the ones with the family with Sarah Snook and also Delaney Quinn and Madison Johnson. What was it like to shoot those scenes and develop chemistry with all of them?

GALIFIANAKIS: I think chemistry on camera is the hardest thing, especially with children, right? I’m playing someone that doesn’t really know the kids, but I’m trying to charm the kids to charm the mother. So that’s always tricky for me. But I think Sarah is such a top, top actress that I think there was a comfort level there. I always have a confidence problem with my acting — I don’t come from the schools that a lot of actors I get to work with do or I don’t have the training they do. I just don’t. I used to tell diarrhea jokes in coffee houses, and somehow, I’m in movies. It doesn’t make sense — I’ll be the first to admit it. So when I’m surrounded by really good, quality actors like Elizabeth [Banks] and Sarah, it’s helpful to me when they’re kind and nice.

But that’s a tricky thing, to find that chemistry. And for me to “play charming” is also difficult — to try to find a charm that doesn’t seem put on even though I do feel like his charm was put on. I think there was a showmanship to his charm. But the chemistry with the family, Sarah definitely helped me with that stuff.

Image via Apple TV+

Yeah, definitely. I think he’s charming, and I think he’s very eccentric. The detail that I really loved is his love of chocolate milk — he’s always drinking chocolate milk. I’m curious what was the thing that sort of helped you understand or get into his mindset?

GALIFIANAKIS: I mean, it almost sounds too easy, but in the book, there were passages about his childhood and his past. And also, Zac Bissonnette, in the book, kind of revealed that a lot of toymakers have checkered, bad childhoods. So having known that about him, you know, my little Monday morning Carl Jung or Freud kind of would try to play with what that meant in my own brain. Sometimes somebody can be narcissistic that comes from that; sometimes they can be babies, and they feel unprotected. And I think Ty was someone who felt unprotected at his core, and I think he built this world around him to feel yielded for the rest of the world. But that’s just me. That’s just my little psychological, so I could help try to figure out the character.

The Beanie Bubble will be available to stream on Apple TV+ July 28th.