Transferring your mind into a lifelike robotic beaver is a dream, just like in “Hoppers”.
Well, not really, it’s terrifying, but for Piper Curda, she has to envision herself — sorry, her character — doing just that. Dave Franco has to envision himself as the Insect King.
But how does one act a character they’re not physically moving around for?
For voice actors, it all comes down to imagination, and the training helps bring those characters to life. Did the cast pursue a degree in voice acting, though?
Well, here’s a look at the educational journey of the cast of “Hoppers”.
The impressive education of the cast of “Hoppers”
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Piper Curda (Mabel)
University: Wheaton College
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal Communication
Education status: Graduated
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Bobby Moynihan (King George)
University: University of Connecticut’s School of Fine Arts
Degree: Bachelor of Fine Arts
Education status: Graduated
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Jon Hamm (Mayor Jerry Generazzo)
University: University of Texas (left), University of Missouri (transferred), Saint Louis University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in English, Honorary degree
Education status: Graduated
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Kathy Najimy (Dr Sam)
University: San Diego State University
Degree: Unknown
Education status: Graduated
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Dave Franco (Insect King)
University: University of Southern California (USC)
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in English
Education status: Dropped out
Dave Franco dropped out of USC three units short of graduating. He then moved in with his brother, James Franco, to follow in his footsteps, according to an interview with TIME.
Eduardo Franco (Loaf)
University: None
Degree: None
Education status: High school graduate
Eduardo France attended local schools in Yuma, Arizona, before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He did not pursue a traditional higher education path.
Aparna Nancherla (Nisha)
University: Amherst College
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Psychology
Education status: Graduated
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Tom Law (Tom Lizard)
University: California Institute of the Arts
Degree: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Character Animation
Education status: Graduated
Sam Richardson (Conner)
University: Wayne State University
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Theatre
Education status: Graduated
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Melissa Villaseñor (Ellen)
College: Fullerton College
Degree: Unknown
Education status: Unknown
Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Bird King)
University: Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU)
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Speech Communication
Education status: Graduated
Isiah attended Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) on a football scholarship; however, after an injury ended his athletic career, he auditioned for a role in the theatre programme’s production of “The Crucible.”
Source: Wikipedia/Steve Purcell
Steve Purcell (Amphibian King/Additional Voice)
University: California College of Arts and Crafts
Degree: Unknown
Education status: Graduated
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Ego Nwodim (Fish Queen)
University: University of Southern California’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a minor in Business and Sociology
Education status: Graduated
After graduating from USC, Nwodim pursued her passion for comedy, taking classes and performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Nichole Sakura (Reptile Queen)
University: University of Southern California
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Theatre
Education status: Graduated
Nichole’s dream as a child was to become an actress. She moved to Los Angeles at the age of 14 to pursue acting as a career. She went on to attend USC and graduated a year early.
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Meryl Streep (Insect Queen)
University: Vassar College, Yale University’s David Geffen School of Drama
Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Drama and Costume Design, Master of Fine Arts
Education status: Graduation
Meryl Streep also holds honorary degrees from The City College of New York, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Indiana University, Lafayette College, Middlebury College, Princeton University, the University of New Hampshire, and Yale University.
