Mikaela Hoover Reveals Which DC Icon She Wants Screentime With In Man Of Tomorrow [Exclusive]

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For two decades, Mikaela Hoover has steadily appeared in film and television, often in projects directed by James Gunn. Recently, her career has gained significant momentum. Her performance as Floor the Rabbit in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led to another exciting voice acting role as Tony Tony Chopper in the Netflix series One Piece. Along with her work as Cat Grant in Superman and a key part in the second season of Beef, Mikaela Hoover is proving her versatility as an actress, successfully taking on diverse characters and projects.

At the LVLUP Expo in Las Vegas, egmr.ru interviewed Mikaela Hoover about her recent roles, including her part as Cat, a reporter at the Daily Planet alongside Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen. With the expansive DC Universe James Gunn is building, Cat could potentially interact with many characters in future movies like the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow. Mikaela has already thought about which character she’d like to work with more closely in future films.

With the new DC Universe expanding through films like ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ who would you like to see Catwoman interact with more? Are there any characters you’d especially love to see her paired with?

Mikaela Hoover feels that Cat is much more interested in Clark Kent than Superman. She believes Cat is drawn to Clark’s genuine goodness and kindness – qualities she hasn’t encountered before. Hoover would like to see the show explore their connection further and have more scenes featuring them together.

We continue our conversation with Mikaela Hoover, where we talked about how she landed the role of Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece, her experience with the emotional impact of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and what it’s like working with director James Gunn.

I’m always interested to know how actors prepare for roles when adapting a series like One Piece. Could you talk about your process for playing Tony Tony Chopper, and how much you referenced the original manga or anime?

Initially, I didn’t accept the audition because I was already working on a different project. It was described as a three-episode arc on a Netflix animated series. I’d been trying out for animated roles since Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 without getting any responses or callbacks, so I declined. Then, a week later, my agent, Stephanie, urged me to reconsider, saying the casting directors specifically requested me and wanted me to read the script. When I did, I learned the character, creatively named [Tony Tony], was a small, unattractive forest creature who had always been bullied and felt like an outsider.

Honestly, when I first heard the character description – this little, slimy, green, one-eyed creature – I was so intrigued! It’s not often I get a chance to play someone like that. Then I found out they were using facial capture, which was amazing! I went to the audition and had the most fun I think I’ve ever had. I really got to play around with the character, and the audition space even reminded me of that scene where Doctor Hiriluk locks him out. I unexpectedly found myself really connecting with him, getting emotional, and just completely losing myself in the role. Usually, I forget about auditions as soon as they’re done, but this one… I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days. I really fell for this little guy!

I checked with my agent for updates, and she told me the producers wanted to audition me. I went to meet them and really got into the character – I remember sitting there, hunched over with one eye focused, trying to figure out who this ‘Chomper’ was! I re-did the scene with Hiriluk, and one of the producers got emotional, saying people would adore Chopper. I actually had to ask, ‘Who is Chopper?’ I was completely in the dark! Things moved quickly after that, and I was thrown into the role of Tadum before I’d even gotten a good look at what Chopper looked like.

My first impression of him was a huge surprise – I immediately thought he was incredibly cute! Ironically, going into the project thinking he was a scary creature actually helped me perform better. Chopper himself doesn’t see himself as cute, he believes he’s a monster, and I adopted that mindset while playing the role. It’s funny because at conventions, fans constantly tell me how adorable Chopper is and show me pictures, and I have to agree. But while I’m acting as Chopper, I don’t feel that way at all. I think not knowing the details of the project beforehand really worked in my favor.

When you first receive a script from James Gunn, what’s your initial impression? Having worked with him on numerous films, what makes his approach to filmmaking different from other directors you’ve partnered with?

James usually makes me audition for parts, but with the character Cat, he immediately felt I was a good fit. For Guardians of the Galaxy, he warned me I probably wouldn’t get the role of Floor because they wanted someone who could sound very robotic. That’s how he’d envisioned the character – with a harsh, mechanical voice – and he thought they’d likely cast a more well-known actor.

That approach gave me the freedom to put my own spin on the role when I auditioned. As an actor, I believe it’s our job to use our imagination to build a character that feels true to both ourselves and the script, and to bring all those elements together convincingly. When I read any script, especially James’ work, that’s what I aim to do.

When I read the character of Floor, I didn’t see her as robotic at all. I saw a deeply kind person who had experienced a lot of pain, but still remained loving and trusting, no matter what life threw her way. That’s what I admire about James’ writing – he’s incredible at crafting stories that are truly heartbreaking and emotionally resonant. He connects everything so seamlessly, and I really appreciate his skill as a writer. What I enjoy most about reading his work is getting to the emotional core of the story, and he excels at that.

It’s amazing – he can make you burst out laughing one moment and then be deeply moved the next, all so quickly. I’m really curious about how he achieves that emotional range in his movies. It seems like it takes incredible openness and the ability to switch gears effortlessly. I’d love to know his process for tapping into that vulnerability and flexibility.

As a film devotee, I’ve always found a really personal connection to my work, and a huge part of that is my dog. She’s fourteen now, my absolute best friend, and honestly, she inspires every character I play. She was the inspiration behind Chopper, and also Floor. When I had to perform really emotional scenes, especially in Guardians and with Chopper, I’d think about something happening to her. I know it sounds a bit morbid, but it genuinely brought a real crack in my voice – that’s honestly my biggest fear. And it stays with me for weeks afterwards; I feel completely drained and puffy. It’s amazing how your body doesn’t even realize you’re acting – it just feels the emotion as if it’s real.

There’s a scene in Guardians of the Galaxy I still can’t watch without remembering a difficult time when I was acting in a bunny costume – everyone on set was in tears, and it was a really tough day. Similar feelings come up when I watch Chopper in episodes 7 and 8 of One Piece season 2 – those scenes are just incredibly sad. I think it’s because the characters are animals, and their big, expressive eyes make you want to protect them. That’s likely why those moments resonate so strongly with viewers and can be so emotionally affecting.

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2026-04-29 01:15