Me in the full-body Baloo puppet with Director Jon Favreau and Neel Sethi as Mowgli!
The Jungle Book
Disney’s Live-action version of The Jungle Book was one of the most amazing projects I’ve ever worked on, as I got to portray my favorite Disney character of all time- Baloo the Bear. Directed by Jon Favreau, this film was groundbreaking in the technology it created and used. I performed Baloo in multiple ways, sometimes through motion-capture, and sometimes as a full body puppet with a second performer in the back legs of the puppet (puppeteer Sean Johnson). Other times he was a half-body puppet, only a head, or even just a pair of eyeballs! The CGI animators would then use my performance to inform their animation, and I would be there to act with the young man playing Mowgli (Neel Sethi). Check out some of the behind-the-scenes photos of my experience in this magical jungle, and consider booking me to perform on your project!
In a motion-capture on my first day of filming, while Henson puppets await their close-ups!
The Baloo puppet head talking to Mowgli in the cave.
Inside the Baloo puppet.
On a rotating platform with Mowgli for a stroll through the jungle.
Close-up of previous shot. Here I have puppet eyes on my hand to interact with Mowgli.
Here is a rough render of the CGI Baloo super-imposed over me for the director’s reference.
Me wearing the Baloo puppet head which is supported by a backpack harness.
The famous scene in the river. Here Mowgli sits on a practical belly, while I perform puppet eyes.
What the scene looked like in the completed film. The Bare Necessities of life!
Me inside the half-body Baloo puppet with Mowgli.
Mowgli & Me!
Mowgli riding on a motion-rig Baloo with me performing puppet eyes for interaction.
On this day I was just Baloo’s furry front legs, trudging through a stream for a tracking shot.
After 6+ months of filming and a year of post-production, this was Baloo in the finished film.