He's been one half of one of the most cherished on-screen duos in history, yet has famously never spoken a word. That is, up until now.
Gromit, the whip-smart and eye-rolling four-legged friend to cheese-loving inventor Wallace across numerous stop-motion classics from Aardman Animation and “Wallace & Gromit†creator Nick Park, is getting his first autobiography and, with it, an audiobook.
In step Martin Freeman, who will narrate “Grand: The Autobiography of Gromit, as Told to Nick Park,†a book in which, according to the description, Gromit “finally breaks his silence.â€
“When you create a character who has no voice, and whose facial expressions are everything, what do you do when your publisher reminds you there'll be an audiobook? Who could possibly be the voice of a character everyone feels they know, but nobody's actually heard?†said Park, winner of four Oscars, including three for Wallace & Gromit films “The Wrong Trousers,†“A Close Shave†and “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.â€
“The more I thought about it, the more I realised Martin Freeman was the obvious choice really. I was genuinely thrilled and honoured when he said yes.â€
Recording took place earlier this month at Penguin Studios, with both “Grand: The Autobiography of Gromit†and the audiobook now due for release Oct. 22.
But Park, having previously stated that Freeman was “the voice†of Gromit, in almost the same breath attempted to (doggy) walk back the de-muting of his plasticine hound.
“Martin is not doing a Gromit ‘voice' as such,†he said. “He's reading Gromit's story as Gromit put it; his inner thoughts, his candid insights and endless witticisms, bringing to them his usual colour, thoughtfulness and wry humour.†now from all major audiobook retailers.
