Danny DeVito Talks About His ‘Dumbo’ Drop

Recently, Danny DeVito dished to the media about how much he enjoyed making the new, upcoming version of Dumbo with his longtime friend, Tim Burton. DeVito also discussed an unexpected fall he took last week while promoting the film.

DeVito has known Burton for many years, and the two have shared a long, successful work history together. Sharing that bond, to DeVito, made the production of the film all that much more enjoyable.

In Burton’s new version of Dumbo, the 74-year-old DeVito plays the circus ringmaster and owner, Max Medici. This new version of Disney’s Dumbo is a live-action remake of the legendary cartoon story that portrays a talented flying elephant, and the adventures he undergoes while working with the circus. In the film, Medici finds help in former star Holt Farrier (played by Colin Farrell) and Farrier’s children to keep an eye on Dumbo, who is constantly poked fun at because of his oversized ears. DeVito loves the fact that the new version of Dumbo takes a close look at acceptance, confidence, and xenophobia, which are important morals to consider in today’s society.

DeVito stated that because he has worked with Burton so often in the past, the two have plenty of trust in each other, and that trust helped to make the creation of the movie both easy and fun. In the past, DeVito and Burton have worked on several other films together. Some of those films include Mars Attacks, Batman Returns, and Big Fish.

“Because of the fact that you can come onto the set and talk about things like remember Batman Returns and things that we did together, Big Fish and Mars Attacks, him visiting my set, me visiting his set. All this kind of stuff that you do in the movie business, those things are adding to the fact that you trust each other and you are able to move forward, and maybe contribute and make it even better,” DeVito said, according to Clayton News-Daily.

On Tuesday, March 5, while promoting the new remake of Dumbo in Mexico City, DeVito took a fall on a small stage in front of a bevy of photographers, who shot the event while he lay shaken on the ground. He had tripped on a step while he walked up to the stage to give a news conference. While DeVito lay face-down on the ground for a time, he got up and appeared unhurt. DeVito has since reassured the public that he is fine, and even laughed about the incident.

“I just flew on that stage,” DeVito said, according to Extra. “It was amazing — I didn’t get hurt at all. Here you are in Mexico, you are promoting the movie, I come onstage, I caught my foot on the top of the step. I knew I was going, I just went with it, surfed across the stage. It was like a flop.”