Tony Hale Talks Disney+'s 'The Mysterious Benedict Society' Season 2

Premiering on Disney+ October 26th is the second season of the series 'The Mysterious Benedict Society,’ which is based on the popular series of novels by Trenton Lee Stewart.

The series is set during a global crisis called "The Emergency," and follows Mr. Benedict (Tony Hale) as he recruits four kids for a dangerous mission to infiltrate the Learning Institute for Veritas and Enlightenment (L.I.V.E) on Nomansan island.

The Institute is run by Dr. L.D Curtain (Hale), who is also Benedict's brother and is able to send messages through children's subconsciousness, which allows him to control other adults. Mr. Benedict sends the four kids he has recruited into the Institute to stop Curtain and save the world.

In addition to Hale, the series also features Kristen Schaal, Ryan Hurst, Maame Yaa Boafo, Gia Sandhu, Mystic Inscho, Marta Kessler, Emmy DeOliveira, and Seth Carr.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tony Hale about the new season of 'The Mysterious Benedict Society,' what Mr. Benedict has been up to since the first season, playing two different characters, and solving the show’s mysteries.

Disney’s “The Mysterious Benedict Society” stars Tony Hale as Mr. Benedict. Photo: Disney/Brendan Meadows.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hale, Ryan Hurst, Mystic Inscho, Marta Kessler, Seth Carr, Emmy DeOliveira, Gia Sandhu, MaameYaa Baofo, and executive producers Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi, Darren Swimmer, and Todd Slavkin.

Moviefone: To begin with, what was it like to return to this series and film season two?

Tony Hale: It was actually really nice this time because we shot the whole first season in Vancouver and it was during the pandemic, so we couldn't come home. This time we were able to shoot in LA, so we were able to be home, we were with our families, and that made a big difference. But I believe in the books and what this show is saying.

If there is a message of this season, it is this big difference between the idea of happiness and what authentic happiness looks like. Because the brother that I thought we ousted in the first season, he came back and kind of reinvented himself as a self-help guru.

We're all like, “What's happening?” But you see Benedict who's very frustrated, and he experiences the whole range of emotions, which is where real happiness I think comes from. Whereas, Curtain is really detached. So, that kind of tension between the two was incredibly fun to play. Really fun.

MF: As an actor, can you talk about the challenges of playing two different characters in the same series?

TH: It's really fun. It's a lot of work, but the challenge comes when you have to remember specific things about them, meaning Curtain when he is talking to someone, even if they're there, it's like they're not there, he's just talking at them.

Whereas, Benedict is very engaged, listening and looking to their eyes, and with his posture you can just tell he's carrying the weight to the world. Whereas, Curtain is statuesque, trying to put on a performance all the time. So, these little things you have to kind of remember all the time.

Disney’s “The Mysterious Benedict Society” stars Tony Hale as Mr. Curtain. Photo: Disney/Brendan Meadows.

MF: There is a time jump between season one and season two. What has Mr. Benedict been doing since we last saw him and why does he decide to bring the kids back together?

TH: I think he misses them. They really created a very strong bond and everybody's kind of been living their lives. I think Benedict is missing his found family because that's a big message of this show is found family. So, he plans this scavenger hunt to bring them together and then obviously everything goes awry.

MF: Finally, can you talk about the mysteries that the writers create for the series, and do you think you could solve those riddles as well as the kids on the show?

TH: I don't know if I could have solved it. These kids, the way that they solve it, I'm a 52-year-old man and I don't even get it. I don't think I would be able to solve this riddle.

But just the way that they break it down and put the pieces together. They also work together, so they use each other's gifts in order to find the answer and work together that way. I think that's a big missing component in our society today. There's a real independent individual thing, but we need each other. We need each other's gifts.

(L to R) Ryan Hurst as Milligan, MaameYaa Boafo as Rhonda Kazembe, Gia Sandhu as Ms. Perumal, Seth B. Carr as Sticky Washington, Kristen Schaal as Number Two, Tony Hale as Mr. Benedict, Mystic Inscho as Reynie Muldoon, Marta Kessler as Constance Contraire, Emmy DeOliveira as Kate Wetherall and Tony Hale as Mr. Curtain star in Disney’s “The Mysterious Benedict Society." Photo: Disney/Brendan Meadows.