In Netflix’s latest animated film Nimona, down-on-his-luck ex-knight Ballister Blackheart (Riz Ahmed) sees his life undergo a major change when shapeshifting youth Nimona (Chloë Grace Moretz) drops into his life and insists on being his sidekick. The pair become determined to prove Blackheart’s innocence after he is accused of murdering the queen, and must go into hiding. Along the way, Blackheart must deal with being hunted down by his one-time love Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang), while also learning there is far more to his new protogée than meets the eye.

In this one-on-one interview with Collider, Ahmed sat down to talk about the process of working on his first animated film and the collaboration with his co-stars and directors, Troy Quane and Nick Bruno. He also dives into what makes the Nimona-Ballister friendship so special and his favorite improv moment.

COLLIDER: Diving in, what is it about Nimona that drew you to this project?

RIZ AHMED: Kind of everything. I mean, I know it’s a cop-out answer, but the original source material is so cool, so beloved, so imaginative; the character felt so relatable to my own experience and so many people’s; the cast—what Chloe’s done in this, Eugene [Lee Yang], all these people have just been just at the top of their game. But really, I say, maybe the thing that pulled it all together is our amazing directors, Troy [Quane] and Nick [Bruno]. I mean, most of us recorded on our own, and while we were doing that, Troy and Nick played every other character for everyone, you know? They’re just so committed, playful, meticulous, [and] their stamina, their enthusiasm is just endless. So, when you’re working with people like that, it just inspires you, and from the first meeting, I could get that passion from them. So yeah, I think they drew me to the project and everything they were presenting and everything they were pulling together was exciting.

So I know this is based on a graphic novel, and Ballister obviously existed in some form already, but did you get the chance to kind of work with the directors with the writers to expand him beyond what was already on the page?

AHMED: No, I can’t claim any credit for that. I mean, Nick and Troy are already just pushing every single moment in this film to try and get everything they can from it, to try and deepen it, try and make it funnier, try and make it more surprising. I was really just kind of in their hands and, you know, trying to understand their vision for it and do my best to hit that mark. Then they’d also encourage me to improvise and try things and play around, so that was more moment-to-moment. In terms of the overall arc and the vision of the character, I was in safe hands and knew that they would always push for everything that they could.

Image via Netflix

Is there a standout moment of improv that comes to mind when you think back to the recording?

AHMED: It’s all a blur that took place over about four years at this point. I don’t know if it’s improv or not, but I love that moment when Mona just says, “That guy peed in his armor, that guy peed in his armor!” I was like, “What?” [Laughs] So many amazing lines, I think Chloe’s done an incredible job in this.

So no spoilers, but beyond the comedy bit, is there a specific moment that you are most excited for people to experience when they see the movie?

AHMED: Honestly, it’s not a specific moment, but I just want people to meet Nimona and fall in love with her. Like I said, I think what Chloe’s done with this character is just phenomenal. I think Nimona, to begin with, is a hugely lovable, hilarious, mischievous character. I think this could be just one of people’s favorite animation characters of all time. I genuinely feel like that. She certainly is one of my favorites straight away.

You speak very highly of Nimona—as you should, she’s an awesome character—and I think her and Ballister’s dynamic throughout the whole thing is the heart of the story. I wonder if you could speak to what it was like bringing that dynamic to life.

AHMED: It was interesting because, like I said, we were often recording solo, so we were relying a lot on Nick and Troy to do the other characters. But what’s amazing is that when I did get to hear what Chloe was doing, when I could get to see what she was inspiring the animators to do, the force of her performance and of Nimona’s character just shone through. When you’re working with people that good and with writing and characters and directors that good, honestly, it’s like you kind of have to just respond to what you’re given.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a real workout. They put me through my paces. I wasn’t just chilling out and just banging the ball back, they would not let me coast. I’d be like, “Yeah, yeah, I think we got that line,” and they’re like, “No, do it 50 more times. Do it this way, this way, this way, this way.” So, you know, it was my first time doing animation, but it just felt like playing around with friends.

Image via Netflix

Would you say that was maybe the biggest challenge in making it because it was your first animated project, and you were kind of getting into the swing of a new way of doing things?

AHMED: Yeah, I think so. It’s just a new process, really, and it’s really physical, can be quite technical, and it’s a very, very long and detailed process. You know, you record everything, then you come back and do it again, and then you go back, and you come and do it again, and the animation and the story and everything is just evolving again and again. It’s like a back and forth between what you’re recording and what’s being animated for literally years, I think three or four years at this point, you know? So there’s something kind of really inspiring about that commitment that it takes to make it, and certainly, I have even more respect for animators after this.

Nimona arrives on Netflix on June 30. Check out Collider’s interview with Chloë Grace Moretz below.