1 of 5 | Kristoffer Polaha poses with Fergus on the set of “Mimics,” in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Panoramic Pictures
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 13 (UPI) — Kristoffer Polaha directs and stars in Mimics, in theaters Friday, as Sam Reinhold, an impressionist who makes a deal with nefarious forces for success. Polaha said the film utilizes a skill he’s had since childhood.
Sam signs a contract that pairs him with a ventriloquist dummy, Fergus. Sam and Fergus become a famous duo, but then the contract comes due.
In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, Polaha, 48, said he used to entertain his classmates with impressions.
“I was that nerd who, in first grade, was doing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and the sound of breaking glass,” Polaha said. “I’ve always been futzing around with my voice.”
In Mimics, Polaha does accurate renditions of Marlon Brando and other celebrities. Polaha said watching Jim Carrey and other comedians inspired him to go into voices when he was talking about celebrities.
“Whenever I’m telling a story, if I’m telling a story about George Bush, then I’ve gotta do the voice,” Polaha said. “It was just another way to illustrate my point. So I just think it naturally happened.”
One of those first grade friends, Marc Oakley, wrote Mimics for Polaha. Oakley added Fergus to the story.
“We just incorporated those two things and allowed it to be a ventriloq