‘Mr. Robot’ Actor Bobby Cannavale On Starring In Animated Movie ‘Ferdinand’

Carlos Saldanha’s “Ferdinand” is Bobby Cannavale’s first animated family movie, and that makes the project more special for the actor.

“It’s exciting,” the “Mr. Robot” actor told E! News when asked what it’s like for him to star in the film based on Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson’s children’s book “The Story of Ferdinand.” “I’ve got two little babies at home, two under two. So it’s nice to make a movie for them [because] I don’t usually make children’s movies. … I’m really proud to be in it.”

In a separate interview with Entertainment Tonight, Cannavale revealed that “The Story of Ferdinand” was his favorite book when he was a kid. “I’ve always loved the story,” the two-time Emmy-winning actor said. “I always felt different as a kid and that book sort of always validated my feeling different, and made me feel like, comfortable. It was a great bedtime story to read. It’s a really nice story to read to your kids before they go to bed, because it makes them feel like they can be who they want to be. It’s a little great book about non-conformity that I love.”

Cannavale shares two sons with actress Rose Byrne. Their first child, Rocco, was born on Feb. 1, 2016, while their second child, Rafa, was born just last month.

Cannavale is also father to a 22-year-old son, Jake, from his previous marriage to Jenny Lumet. Cannavale and Jake were cast as father and son in Season 4 of Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie.”

“Ferdinand” follows the story of the titular Spanish fighting bull (voiced by John Cena) who prefers smelling the flowers and practicing non-violence rather than chasing red cloths held by matadors in arenas. But when disaster comes to him, he is taken to a fighting stadium, and Ferdinand needs to decide if he is a fighting bull or a flower smelling, generous bull, in order to earn his freedom.

In the movie, Cannavale voices the bull named Valiente. The film’s voice cast also includes Kate McKinnon, Anthony Anderson, Bobby Cannavale, Peyton Manning, Gina Rodriguez, Miguel Ángel Silvestre and David Tennant.

“Ferdinand” opens in theaters on Friday, Dec. 15.