'Nemo' star acts on love for ocean

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Alexander Gould, the voice of the adorable animated fish Nemo in Disney-Pixar's summer hit, "Finding Nemo," says he's an ordinary kid who has become an advocate for the environment, and particularly the ocean.

Alexander Gould, the voice of Nemo in Disney-Pixar's "Finding Nemo," will tape a public service announcement here. Gould family photo

"I've always been concerned about the ocean," he said in a telephone interview from his California home. "So I've been working with some conservation groups — and really looking forward to visiting Hawai'i."

The PSA for Reef Check International will be shown on airlines and cruise ships that travel tropical destinations, said his mother, Valerie Gould, who with partner Dirk Hagen of Timberwolf Productions of Orange County, Calif., is producing the spot. Mom and son approached

Gregor Hodgson, executive director of Reef Check, who has former ties with the University of Hawai'i and the East-West Center, and they decided a Hawai'i shoot would be ideal.

At 9, Gould is an actor much in demand. He will appear in the Hawai'i-filmed spot with his sisters, Emma, 7, and Kelly, 5, who also are actors. "It'll be the first time we're doing something together," said Alexander.

His credits are mounting: He's just started work on "Bambi II," Disney's straight-to-DVD-and-video sequel to the beloved classic, which is due in about two years.

"It takes a lot of time to do a cartoon," he explained.

Gould was 6 when he tried out for "Nemo," surviving callbacks and eventually landing the job at 7.

"It was really fun, working on the movie," he said. "They animated the character to my voice."

It was a prolonged, tedious task, spread over 18 months, and Gould said it was also a solitary experience. He never met co-starring voicers Albert Brooks (as Nemo's father, Marlon) and Ellen DeGeneres (as Dory, the blue tang) until the movie premiered.

Alexander said he has since seen "Nemo" in a theater six times and once on DVD.

"I don't realize it's my voice," he said, matter-of-factly. "When you watch, you really don't think it's you. But my friends recognize it's my voice."

He loved a couple of scenes, especially the encounters with Dory and Bruce (the shark).

And he was particularly exuberant about one bit of dialogue (he remembers much of the script):

"First day of school, wake up, wake up," he said in a rapid clip, with animated glee, sounding precisely like the adorable toddler fish on screen.

An actor since he was 2, Alexander has had an active career, including a recurring role (as Alex) on NBC-TV's "American Bandstand." He starred in an indie film, "Wheelman," and had a part in Wes Craven's "They."

He also has made guest appearances on a clutch of TV shows, including "Malcolm in the Middle," "Even Stevens," "Family Law," "Boomtown," "7th Heaven," "Freaks and Geeks" and "The Geena Davis Show."

He said he has been to Hawai'i once, when he was 1, but doesn't "remember a thing. So the family hopes to do some (touristy) things and even hop to one other island."

Home-schooled, Alexander is a fourth-grader who said his life is pretty much stable, even ordinary, except he goes to one audition a week during a typical week, and five in a day in a busy time.

Though he aspires to be a marine biologist some day, he's smitten with acting for now "because you get to do cool things and visit cool places."

No, he doesn't own a clown fish but he has pets galore: "a dog, three bunnies, three frogs and a cat ... and we're baby-sitting our aunt's dog now," said Alexander.

"I hope to get horses and goats too; we have space — five acres."

He said his voice has not changed since he did "Nemo," and yes, he's anxious to repeat the honors if and when Disney green-lights a sequel.

"That would be really good," he said in Nemo fashion. "I'm still hoping."

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.