Advertisement

Selena Gomez: Promoting 'Hotel Transylvania: Transformania' via video link is 'a bummer' (exclusive)

Watch: Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg and Keegan-Michael Key talk to Yahoo about Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

Selena Gomez has admitted that doing promotion work virtually during the pandemic can be 'a bit of an isolating experience'.

Talking to Yahoo over video while promoting Hotel Transylvania: Transformania — in which the former Disney star returns as Mavis — Gomez says she misses hanging out with her co-stars on the press tour.

“I think the first few films were really exciting because a lot of the cast-members would come together for press, but obviously things have changed and the pandemic hit so things have happened, and it’s a bummer,” she explained.

Read more: Selena Gomez criticises tabloid scrutiny

“When we do press that’s when we get to hang out and talk and make each other laugh and enjoy the day, so it’s a bit of an isolating experience, for sure.”

Wanda (Molly Shannon), Wayne (Steve Buscemi), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), Mavis (Selena Gomez), Blobby, and Ericka (Kathryn Hahn) in Columbia Pictures' HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA.
Wanda (Molly Shannon), Wayne (Steve Buscemi), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key), Mavis (Selena Gomez), Blobby, and Ericka (Kathryn Hahn) in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (Sony Pictures/Prime Video)

The Hotel Transylvania animated franchise reaches its conclusion with the release of Hotel Transylvania: Transformania on 14 January on Prime Video, which sees Drac and his monster pals transformed into humans when Van Helsing’s 'Monsterification Ray’ goes haywire.

As usual, the fourth film in the supernatural series boasts a stellar cast that includes Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi and many more, but the actors rarely get to hang out even while the movie is being made.

Comedian Key — best known as one half of comedy duo Key & Peele — tells Yahoo that the animation process itself is also a lonely experience.

CULVER CITY, CA - APRIL 11:  (L-R) Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Selena Gomez, and Andy Samberg attend the photo call for Sony Pictures' 'Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation' at Sony Pictures Studios on April 11, 2018 in Culver City, California.  (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Selena Gomez, and Andy Samberg attend the photo call for Sony Pictures' 'Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation', 2018 (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

“You can comment on something you saw on the playback of the recording, and that’s the only connection you have,” Key told Yahoo.

“Most of the connections you have are born of admiration," the actor, who voices Murray is the comedy animations, explains. "So the press junkets and the premieres for movies like this are always a lot of fun because there’s this other level that you’re operating on.

Read more: Everything coming to Prime Video in January

"Which is this sense of novelty, of seeing each other, or seeing a new actor and realising you didn’t even know what they looked like. So it’s always a very fun, festive surprise.”

Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade), Frank (Brad Abrell) Monster Johnny (Andy Samberg), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wayne (Steve Buscemi) in Columbia Pictures' HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA: TRANSFORMANIA.
Griffin the Invisible Man (David Spade), Frank (Brad Abrell) Monster Johnny (Andy Samberg), Murray (Keegan-Michael Key) and Wayne (Steve Buscemi) in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (Sony Pictures/Prime Video)

Key also commented on the recent resurgence of Key and Peele clips on TikTok, a sketch show he created alongside Get Out director Jordan Peele.

“I’ve only just become aware of it recently,” he smiled. “There’s a new crop of people who are being exposed to it and I’m really quite happy about it. Necessity is the mother of invention and because we didn’t have a lot of time to write the sketches, we had to write evergreen sketches, not topical sketches and that’s part of the popularity that’s continuing, because the sketches work at any time, in era in history.”

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 18:  Actors Keegan-Michael Key (L) and Jordan Peele, winners of Best Variety Sketch Series for 'Key & Peele', pose in the press room at the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage)
Keegan-Michael Key (L) and Jordan Peele, winners of Best Variety Sketch Series Emmy for 'Key & Peele', 2016 (Dan MacMedan/WireImage)

When quizzed on whether this recent rise in exposure could result in the duo teaming up for one last dance, he said: “Maybe.

"There’s two of us. Jordan is spending a great deal of time right now being the black Stanley Kubrick, and he’s having a good time doing that, so we’ll see.”

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is streaming on Prime Video from 14 January. Watch a trailer below.