On this episode of The Discourse, host Mike DeAngelo is joined by Tony Hale and D’Arcy Carden to talk about “Sketch,” a new family-friendly fantasy comedy-drama from first-time director Seth Worley. The film follows a grieving family whose emotional baggage literally comes to life in the form of magical, terrifying creatures after a child’s sketchbook falls into an enchanted pool.
Tony Hale (“Veep,” “Arrested Development”) stars as Taylor Wyatt, a widowed father trying to help his two children navigate loss while also battling monsters made of crayon wax and chalk dust. D’Arcy Carden (“The Good Place,” “Barry”) plays Liz, Taylor’s sister and the family’s voice of reason.
During the chat, both actors discussed how the project came together. Hale served as an Executive Producer and spent nearly a decade helping get the film made with Seth Worley, who had worked extensively in Visual Effects, but never as a director.
“It took us eight years to get this made,” Hale explained. “We knew what Seth could do with special effects, but more than that, it was about the soul of the movie—processing feelings, being a parent, learning to let your kids feel what they need to feel.”
Carden admitted her biggest draw was Hale himself. “Between you and me, the big draw was Tony Hale,” she joked. “And once the script turned out to be great too, I was like, let’s go.”
The conversation naturally touched on the film’s family appeal. Host, Mike DeAngelo, noted that he watched “Sketch” with his own children—ages four, six, and eight—and they all loved it. Carden and Hale both lit up hearing that, with Carden adding, “That’s exactly what you want from a movie like this. That kind of play, imagination, joy—and maybe even starting a conversation about grief.”
That balance between fun and emotional depth was also key to Hale’s involvement as a producer.
“We didn’t want to make something that parents dreaded rewatching,” he said. “The jokes had to be tight. The timing had to work. And the emotional moments had to land. If your kids want to watch it again and again, we want parents to enjoy it too.”
The duo also praised the film’s visual effects team, many of whom worked below their usual rates because they believed in the project. “You can see it in the monsters,” Hale said. “The chalk, the Sharpie, the crayon—it’s all there in the textures. They brought so much love to it.”
On working with the film’s young stars, Carden had nothing but praise: “So many people on set were saying, ‘The kids are great. You’re not going to believe how good these kids are.’ And it was true. They were grounded, down-to-earth—not glossy Hollywood kids.”
Hale added, “Their spirit carried into the work. It just invited you in.”
As for the possibility of a sequel, Carden teased, “It’s such a big world. If Seth was here, I think he’d say he has ideas.”
To cap it off, Hale confirmed that yes—Forky will return in the upcoming “Toy Story 5.” “I recorded it a month ago,” he said. “It’s going to be really special.”
“Sketch” hits theaters on August 6, 2025. Listen to the full interview below or on The Playlist Podcast Network via your app of choice.
The Playlist Presents: Tony Hale & D’Arcy Carden’s TV & Movie Recommendation Playlist:
Tony Hale
“Righteous Gemstones”
“Lars and the Real Girl”
D’Arcy Carden
“Andor”
“Sorry, Baby”
Bingeworthy is part of The Playlist Podcast Network, which includes Deep Focus, The Discourse, and more. We can be heard on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, and most places where podcasts are found. You can stream the podcast via the embed within the article.. Be sure to subscribe and drop us a comment or a rating, as we greatly appreciate it. Thank you for listening.
