Jacob Hopkins Talks ABC’s ‘The Goldbergs,’ Andre Agassi, and The 80s [Exclusive Interview]

One of the reasons I love The Goldbergs so much is the nostalgic feeling I get from seeing my childhood so accurately portrayed.

I recently got a chance to talk to The Goldbergs‘ Jacob Hopkins about his role as a typical 80s kid and his thoughts on that decade as someone who was born well after that time.

He began his career not knowing what acting even was. His father was an actor and took five-year-old Hopkins to his agency one day. He was playing with some toys in the office waiting for his dad, when the agents asked about him.

“They said, ‘He’s so cute. Does he want to act? Does he know what it is?’ And I was, like, ‘Sure! What’s acting?'” Hopkins recalled.

Fearless at the age of five, his enthusiasm to tackle the unknown was revealed. 

This has served him well in his career so far. As the title character in The Amazing World of Gumball, Hopkins voices the twelve-year-old cat in a single-person booth.

“I’m there by myself and I’m reading the lines—not bouncing off somebody,” he described.

It seemed the role of Gumball was a natural fit, considering Hopkins’ love of cartoons. “I’ve always loved cartoons ever since I was a little kid and I thought it would be so cool to voice a main character in a cartoon and look at me now, voicing Gumball.”

His respect for the craft of voice-acting was evident. “Voice-over takes a variety of talent because your voice can do so much,” he said. “So much.”

He stressed that he loves screen acting, too—getting to “interact with people on camera and giving dramatic and humorous displays.”

Hopkins gets to do exactly that on The Goldbergs. He plays Adam Goldberg’s best friend, Chad Kremp. “We [Sean Giambrone] actually are really good friends in real life, so that chemistry on camera with us, personally, definitely plays.” 

They are tasked with the unique job of portraying a child of the 80s in a way that rings true for the viewers that grew up during that era. Hopkins has always appreciated the 80s, learning about it from his parents.

“I think that it’s really cool all the things that came out of the 80s like Star Wars, the Rubik’s cube, and video games. I think that is such a cool era. New wave music and all that. I actually listen to 80s music. When I’m in the car I turn on ’80s on 8,'” declared Hopkins.

Instead of viewing that time period as strange or silly, he praised it for being an innovative time—even developing a fondness for the decade that may rival some millennials.

However, there are still things that come up which he needs to research. In the upcoming Season 4 Episode 13, “Agassi,” Hopkins had to learn who Andre Agassi was.

“My mom introduced me to Agassi and [John] McEnroe and showed me pictures. I was, like, ‘oh, I get it. They’re the big tennis stars, like the biggest ones.'”

He laughed about the short shorts that were popular of the time and which he has to wear in the episode, but understands that it’s part of the authenticity that the show is known for. 

Given the nostalgic subject matter on The Goldbergs and his interest in the era, it’s not surprising that Hopkins also enjoys the recent reboots and revivals of 80s movies and television.

“It’s nostalgic for the people who grew up in the time, but it also attracts the younger people because the characters are relatable,” he said.

Jacob Hopkins can be seen on The Goldbergs, Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC and as the voice of Gumball Watterson on The Amazing World of Gumball, airing on Cartoon Network.

Featured image credit: Suzette Troche Stapp

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