Joe Jonas on his latest role as a sea monster in Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation

'I'm a big fan of animated films!'

Even monsters need a holiday every so often. Your favourite ghouls and freaks are back in the new animated flick Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation. And this time, they're going cruising.
Set six years after the events of Hotel Transylvania 2, the film sees Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler), Mavis (Selena Gomez), Johnny (Andy Samberg) and their family and friends take a trip on a monster cruise ship.
Drac quickly takes a shine to the ship's captain, Ericka (Kathryn Hahn). But it seems she's hiding a dark secret. Along the way, the gang bumps into a giant sea monster called the Kraken (voiced by Joe Jonas).
Here, we haul anchor with The Voice Australia's Joe, 28, who tells us about his role – and what his own family vacations were like.
TV WEEK: Why did you want to do this movie?
Joe Jonas: I'm a big fan of animated films and TV shows. About a year-and-a-half ago, I put my hand up and said I wanted to voice a song. And then I went in and saw what they were doing with the character. It was like being in a kids' amusement park.
There's terror on the high seas with Dracula and co.
TVW: Your character is huge and seems very menacing. But without spoiling things too much, he sings, right?
JJ: It was funny, because I thought I was going to play this scary monster. Once I saw what they were doing, and how it had a kind-of Las Vegas feel, I knew exactly where this should go.
TVW: What was it like recording the vocal track? Presumably, Adam Sandler wasn't there clapping along…
JJ: No, and I was pretty nervous! I was used to singing vocals for a rock band, where you can just wail. But I listened to a bunch of different songs [and singers] beforehand, like Frank Sinatra, who I love. We both grew up in New Jersey.
The mythical Atlantis is a destination in the movie. Is that anything like the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas?
It's funny, because I went to the Atlantis in the Bahamas quite a bit when I was young. My brother [Kevin] also met his wife [Danielle] in the Bahamas. Me and this movie went hand-in-hand. Or tentacle-in-tentacle.
Joe voices the Kraken, a giant tentacled sea monster - who sings!
TVW: Have you ever been cruising?
JJ: I remember cruising when I was younger. I'll never forget, it was my birthday on the ship and I had about 200 Shirley Temples [a non-alcoholic drink made with Sprite] and played video games all day. It was the best day ever.
TVW: Did anything else happen aboard?
JJ: I had a crush on a girl and my parents embarrassed me. Also, I won a hula-hoop contest. And I got to wear a crown all day, which did get really annoying.
TVW: You've recently been a coach on The Voice Australia. Would you like to do more acting?
JJ: I really enjoy it. But then I'll call my brother Kevin on set and he'll spend hours in the trailer and then do just 30 minutes of filming. I do want to act more – I just have to find the right part. It would be great to surprise people with a serious role.
Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation in cinemas June 28.

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