Danielle Solzman
In part one of The Mighty Ducks reunion interviews, Solzy at the Movies sat down with Elden Henson, Marguerite Moreau, and Matt Doherty.
Henson, Moreau, and Doherty are among six original generation Ducks to appear in the April 30 reunion episode. The Spirit of the Ducks Gala is what leads to the reunion. Check back on Friday for my thoughts on that episode and don’t forget to check out part 2 of my interviews with The Mighty Ducks!
How did it feel to put on the uniform again?
Marguerite Moreau: Fantastic!
Elden Henson: I never took it off.
Matt Doherty: Mine’s under my jacket right now like Superman.
Marguerite Moreau: I think we have a lot of affection for not only the green jersey but the newer jersey and just being a Duck in general. It’s pretty special.
Elden Henson: It really is. It really is. I felt super lucky to come back and get to be a part of this new generation and see how amazing these kids are. I’m just blown away by how great they are. I love all their characters and it’s fantastic to meet them. They’re all such wonderfully sweet kids. Yeah, it was great to come back. I felt really lucky. I don’t know—Matt, what did you think?
Matt Doherty: I remember when we were hanging out—we got to spend some time together, which was the one of the best things.
Elden Henson: Yeah.
Matt Doherty: We were watching the Dodgers play the play the World Series over at Elden’s place. We were all hanging out because we didn’t know what else to do in his room. And then somebody says, Wow, it’s like nothing—no time has passed. I think the exact thing you said, Elden, was remember when we did that really cool thing like 25 years ago and then now we get to do it again. I don’t think anything sums it up more than that. The fact that we got to be able to go back and revisit an experience—
Marguerite Moreau: That changed our lives—
Matt Doherty: That changed our lives as adults and then actually be able to talk to those people who changed your life like Steve Brill, Emilio Estevez, and be able to tell them what impact this experience had on the course of our lives and then be able to sit down at lunch with these kids—
Marguerite Moreau: And sort of pass it along—
Matt Doherty: And talk to them. That was my favorite moment was sitting down. It was pandemic times, right. Everybody’s individual and there’s protocols. I sat outside at lunch with four or five of the kids and we just talked. To me, that’s something I’m gonna carry with me for the rest of my life, for sure.
D3: The Mighty Ducks is turning 25 in October. How does it feel to know that an entirely new generation is being introduced to The Mighty Ducks?
Marguerite Moreau: Great. It’s very special to share with my son. I mean, he’s only five—I didn’t think he would take to it. We giggle along together to the show. I was telling Elden and Matt at the break that he actually asked me to go play Evan and Nick outside after we watched the show. It’s nothing that I did. I just looked at him like, Oh, you’re doing the thing I’d actually want you to do. This is amazing.
Matt Doherty: Wow!
Marguerite Moreau: Yeah, it was so special. It’s lucky to be a part of something like that.
Elden Henson: It really is. I can’t stress enough of just how impressed I am with all these kids, their performances, how funny they are, and how much heart they have.
Marguerite Moreau: A whole different group of misfits in a way, too, with the different things that they’re going through.
Elden Henson: The same heart from these original movies has sort of carried through and sort of at the core of the show. It’s great to see Emilio in front of the camera again. He’s crushing. It was so great. He’s so funny and—
Marguerite Moreau: Funny and sweet, right?
Elden Henson: He’s (inaudible) enough for his character. I’m obviously thrilled to see Lauren Graham being a part of the show. That was amazing.
Marguerite Moreau: Such a fan and she’s killing it. The two of them together are so fun to watch. It’s great to watch her drive him up the wall, how grumpy he makes Gordon Bombay, and then how he continually finds himself in these ruts that that these kids are the last thing he thinks that will help him always do. I think that’s nice as an adult to think about the sort of the levity that kids can bring and how refreshing that is.
Matt Doherty: How needed the story is right now. Being able to be privy to like how singular the movie was to begin with and then the fact that the way it was produced and got released, somehow became three, and became a hockey franchise that literally changed the sport of NHL. Then they do this. To be able to watch it happen right now during this time where, like Elden has said, it makes it cool to be good, to be an underdog, where there’s underrepresented communities who are looked down upon—that gets a rise up.
Marguerite Moreau: Also, if kids aren’t good at a sport, they should still be allowed to play. There’s a whole idea that if you’re not the best hitter, well, you’d better just don’t even bother picking up a bat or a stick in this case—it’s really nice to see that as a major theme in a show that kids will watch. Just go play. If you want to, just play.
Matt Doherty: Yeah, how important that is right now.
If the opportunity presents itself, would you come back for another season or even D4 if that ever happens?
Elden Henson: Absolutely.
Marguerite Moreau: Totally. I need that hockey practice.
Matt Doherty: Free ice time, man! It’s free ice time!
Elden Henson: I was saying before that these movies—I’m so grateful and indebted to them. They gave me a career. They’ve afforded me the ability to do a lot of things. I’m so grateful to them.
Marguerite Moreau: Paid for college.
Elden Henson: Whatever they ask me to do, I would be humbled and right there. And especially because I love all these guys. I think we all do or feel a certain kinship with each other. Maybe some of us haven’t spoken a while but if Matt ever needed anything, I’d be there. I’m sure it would the same thing for you for you—right, Matt?
Matt Doherty: Oh, yeah, man. Not a lot of people know this but ducks are really loyal to one another. The real ducks—they actually mate for life.
Marguerite Moreau: So we’re not getting rid of you, Matt?
Elden Henson: Like Connie—they mate for life. I love it!
Marguerite Moreau: That’s right!
Matt Doherty: Maybe they don’t really fly together because they kind of don’t fly very well. They waddle. I’ll waddle with these guys for a long time.
Thank you so much. Elementary school me would be super excited to know what I’m doing today!
Marguerite Moreau: That’s awesome! It was nice talking with you.
