CJ
You might know him best as ‘Tookie’ the taco truck owner but as Elliot the dog catcher on Disney+’s new live-action “Lady and the Tramp”, Adrian Martinez is about to snare a whole other demographic for his fan club.
We actually just signed up for Disney Plus today, sir. I imagine you’ve noticed a big increase in the fan base since it kicked-in?
I’m getting more and more followers on Instagram (@tasteofadrian); people love the movie – it’s gratifying. I was at a Starbucks yesterday and a guy walked in with his dog and he recognized me. He told his dog, “Not too close, he’s the dog catcher!”ha-ha!
Have you had a chance to watch “Lady and the Tramp” yourself, yet?
I saw “Lady and the Tramp” at the New York premiere and loved it. It was fun to see it with my family, from whom I had to be apart while filming in Georgia. I also had the opportunity to once again thank Matilde who trained Rose (Lady). It takes unbelievable patience to work with dogs, but Matilde does it with grace.
How would you say it differs from the original animated film?
This “Lady and the Tramp” has the same spirit of the original, but with wonderful live action effects that new audiences will love. The third act packs an emotional punch that I wasn’t quite expecting.
Is it more fun playing a nasty than a good-guy?
I didn’t see Elliott as a “nasty” or bad guy. He’s just trying to keep order in a town filled with animals. His sense of duty and commitment is his way of loving the town. I try to find the character’s pain, and work from there.
Are you a dog-lover in real-life?
I LOVE DOGS! Sadly, our pug, Milo, died this year, but he had a long 14-year life, and we miss him.
We’d be remiss not to ask you about “Stumptown”. I imagine that’s really opened doors for you?
“Stumptown” has been a real blessing, and there are lots of plot twists and evolving relationships with other characters on the show coming soon for my character, Tookie!
And you’ve an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” coming up? What can you tell us about it?
Unfortunately, I signed an NDA and can’t say much about “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” other than to say I was treated well, and Larry David is a true genius. You won’t believe what’s coming our way.
