‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ is ‘healing’ like a balm, says Tom Hollander

British actor Tom Hollander said The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse makes big statements and has universal appeal.

Hollander who has previously done the voice of Tabaqui the jackal in Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and currently voices Batman’s butler Alfred Pennyworth on the subversive HBO Max cartoon Harley Quinn was charmed by the story and illustrations and plays the kind, cake-obsessed mole.

Speaking about the short film’s success Hollander said: “The world has become, in many ways, quite frightening in the recent past. I think humans as a race are feeling pretty jumpy,” says the actor. “And this story is like a balm, its healing and it cheers people up with its kindness and its simplicity.”

Hollander shies away from taking credit for his contribution, adding that “the real achievement is clearly Charley and the animating team, who just did the most brilliant job.”

When asked if Hollander approaches a voice role the way he would a part on stage or screen he said: “I don’t tend to do backstories, even with live-action things. Other than what’s in the script, I don’t invent backstory, I go with what’s on the page.”

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a 2022 animated short film directed by Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy and written by Jon Croker and Mackesy. It is based on Mackesy's 2019 novel of the same name. It features the voices of Jude Coward Nicoll, Gabriel Byrne, Idris Elba besides Tom Hollander.