"Elf" Star Wayne Knight On Being Known as Newman, Meeting One Direction & More

Wayne Knight, who is starring in Broadway's holiday musical "Elf," stopped by the Broadway.com studio to answer questions about playing Santa Claus, his favorite Seinfeld memories and what comedy heores inspire him.

[@Madchimpz]

I love Seineld and Newman, but my favorite role of his will always be Dennis Nedry in Jurassic Park, and I feel like very few people feel the same way. Every scene with him in that movie was gold, and he was essentially the villain in one of the biggest movies of all time. He was the reason all the dinosaurs escaped.

[@mattbell5602]

Nah, dude, everyone feels you ❤👍

[@michaelkunt]

Nah ahhh nah ahh nah ahh

[@rileybowman5988]

I love his voice acting as Al on Toy Story 2, I can just picture him laughing while saying all his lines

[@bethvirginiaphillips4583]

They should have featured more of Newman...he was kind of a tease..you always wanted more of him. He was such a perfect foil for Jerry,and the ultimate meanie. When I saw him in the movie, JFK, I had to laugh. I thought..what is Newman doing playing a straight role in a Sixties movie about the assasination of JFK??? ...He's NEWMAN!!! Talk about being typecast. He was a great character and always made me laugh. For me, Wayne Knight is and always be the abominable Newman.

[@anonymouscrank]

My late late uncle thought you were the absolute best thing about Seinfeld. I happen to agree.

[@rshcry24]

He may always be known as Newman, but he also was hilarious as Officer Don in 3rd Rock From the Sun.

[@edkowalczyk2375]

I also think he has a lot more talent than he was able to show I hope he continues to get tv and movie roles

[@Man-jf6lz]

I wish Wayne were in my family. Hanging out with him on Thanksgiving and Christmas seems like it would be so fun.

[@PatRobAl95]

I think One Direction should've been thrilled to see Wayne

[@rampageclover9788]

+PatRobAl95 they're douchebags

[@lornmoulinie7103]

Rampage Clover an observation from when you met them?

[@HSAdestroy]

i love this guy. He was also in Toy Story 2 essentially as an actor, which is one of my favorite films ever!

[@I-speak-U-shut-it]

I love him Zurg & Zuit

[@hannahmartin9705]

Tantor in Tarzan too

[@trojandarkhorse2022]

"When you control the mail, you control information." -Newman

[@phoenixzappa7366]

Hello Newman

[@lucylocket4740]

*h e l l o j e r r y*

[@Miikka_Koskela]

Anyone want soda? -Dennis Nedry

[@Theshark15z]

Miikka Koskela find Dennis!! Check the VENDING MACHINE'S!!!

[@StephenLuke]

Ah ah ah, you didn’t say the magic word. It is STUDRY.

[@kreipflagra3116]

How am I supposed to transport them? -Dennis Nedry

[@I-speak-U-shut-it]

You see? Nobody cares😁

[@jbblenderbreakdown4668]

Oh... I uh debugged the phones!

[@DerVerrucktWolf925]

He needs to be in more movies and he was great playing Dennis Nedry and other characters that made up my childhood

[@DMalltheway]

Same in Space Jam

[@AndrewsOpinion15]

THIS GUY SO COOL !!!!!!!!

[@Ciprian-Amarandei]

I love Newman...Like Seinfeld said: I have to admit, he is ... merry (..or something similar). If Kramer can have him as a friend, then he sees something in him, and you know Kramer...he is the "oracle" of the show. He see things as they are.

[@r4h4al]

Seems like such a nice guy, id love to go out drinking with him.

[@jony3775]

It would be AWESOME to hang with him! I got to meet him in 2015 at a Whole Foods in Dallas- he was shopping with his son. He IS a nice guy, he’s the genuine article! I got his autograph, he told a little joke and laughed- LIKE NEWMAN. HA HA. From what I saw there, Newman IS his natural personality, maybe just a little less diabolical. :))

[@tonelow5]

I love this guy so much . He’s so damm nice . If something happens to him someday I will absolutely cry That is how much I love this guy .

[@zephyr332]

One of the greatest character actors of the last 30 years.

[@Theshark15z]

Uh Uh Uh Uh !!! You didn't say the Magic Words!!!! Uh Uh Uh Uh Uh !!! Uh Uh Uh Uh !!!

[@GeneralHeavy]

Please! God damn it! I hate this hacker crap!

[@gaius_enceladus]

He'll **always** be Newman! "Hellooooooooooooo Jerry........" :)

[@KyloRen4238]

Happy B-day Wayne Knight. UR amazing, man. I love Space Jam. Its awesome. Sports is fun. Basketball is great sports game, love it. Jurassic Park is pretty good. Kung Fu Panda 1 & 3 is awesome. Toy Story 2 and Tarzan r amazing... Disney movies r great. Dinotopic Quest for the Ruby Sunstone is not bad. And Xiaolin Showdown is a great show. UR great legend, man. May the Peace be with u Wayne Knight. From Harlingen Texas. August 7, 1955 August 7, 2023 through August 7, 3023

[@VincentK.McMahon]

What a gentleman. This is the sort of celebrity we should be having shoved down our throats by the media and the paparazzi every week, not the unintelligent trash like Kim Kardashian or some gangster rapper....

[@StuffyPenguin]

Dennis Nedry (Jurassic Park)🙃 My favorite movie with him on it

[@SMATF5]

One of my all-time favorites. His performance as Nedry is part of what I love about it.

[@michaela2776]

One of the reasons I watch Seinfeld is because of Newman 😂

[@arandomguyontheinternet9298]

hello Newman. Hello jerry I love that❤️

[@markvoelker6620]

"Because the mail never stops. It just keeps coming and coming and coming there's never a letup. It's relentless! Every day it piles up more and more and more! And you gotta get it out, but the more you get it out, the more it comes in! And then the barcode reader breaks AND IT'S PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE DAY!!!!"

[@SeldomPooper]

Wish he had more screen time on Seinfeld. Always loved his scenes.

[@YourFriendlyNeighbour]

I'm waiting for him to tell us that he's gonna go and get a soda or something salty from the machine and that he debugged the phones and the system is gonna reboot in about 20 minutes, but it's not gonna be a problem.

[@edwardharley9]

One of my favourite characters on Seinfeld was Newman... constantly funny. !!!

[@aivokallo77]

To love, to be loved, and to be a banker!

[@BuddSidewinder]

Eesti, me too!!!! I always remember Wayne Knight as playing my favorite Jurassic Park character of all time: Dennis Nedry. Like you, that movie made a huge difference for me. One of my favorites from my childhood. 20 years later, I still adore JP.

[@IanWeaver]

Fantastic guy. Loved the video.

[@ltthorn906]

Hello my name is José Pablo Espina Santos I am not American I am from Guatemala I would like to say hello to actor Wayne Knight I do not speak English I find it difficult to speak English I am an admirer of Wayne Knight since 90's happy birthday until always !! Yours sincerely José Pablo Espina Santos

[@Loyal_homie100]

English is easiest language in my opinion if you’re committed to learning it you’ll pick it up right away

[@WALOWALOWALOWALOWALOWALOWALOW]

Wow, I feel like a nerd for this, but he doesn't even remember the episodes of seinfeld as well as I do. In his 'favorite' episode, he got a speeding, not parking ticket. And it was kramer who never became a banker, not newman.

[@johncarllarmonie7731]

I (and I believe millions of other fans) would watch any movie Wayne is in. So, Hollywood, take notice and start banging on his door. 😉😎

[@lucylocket4740]

"We're hauling ass!" Wayne Knight as Zach Mallozzi (2001)

[@jimsuniverse4954]

Love Wayne 😆

[@fendi-bull8167]

I'm just sad he didn't mention TS2, that greedy overweight toy collector? Damn he knows how to put personality in there

[@Mrmoviefan123]

What do these movies have in common: Dirty Dancing, JFK, Basic Instinct, Jurassic Park, Space Jam and Toy Story 2. The answer is Wayne is in all of them

[@lucylocket4740]

Don't forget Rat Race, his role there was absolutely hilarious and memorable!

[@jmm1817]

Always Loved seeing Newman on an episode. He was so funny

[@aaroncarson1770]

"Do you ever experience Newman coming out of you involuntarily?" That would be my question.

[@dgpianomusic]

My man be looking snappy in that suit

[@briantaylor9285]

Great actor

[@Creech786]

Dodgson, Dodgson, We've got Dodgson here!!!

[@jbblenderbreakdown4668]

See, nobody cares.

[@blighter.]

JB BlenderBreakdown nice hat, what are tryna look like a secret agent?

[@Kidred-ys2vp]

He also did the voice of a cat on a Nickelodeon show called cat scratch he was mr. Blake

[@LB__1]

I remember he was on a cartoon called Cat Scratch in 2005.

[@KyloRen4238]

Wayne Knight Shows 1. Nutsy Goldberg - Robot Chicken 2019 2. Dojo Kanojo Cho - Xiaolin Showdown 2003 - 2006 3. Jack - The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy 2003 4. Angel - That '70s Show 2001 Movies 5. Big Fun, Hom-Lee, Gang Boss - Kung Fu Panda 1, 3 2008 - 2016 6. Thudd - Dinotopic: Quest for the Ruby Sunstone 2005 7. Al McWhiggin - Toy Story 2 1999 8. Tantor - Tarzan 1999 9. Microwave - The Brave little Toaster Goes to Mars 1998 10. Stan Podolak - Space Jam 1996 11. Nedry - Jurassic Park 1993

[@blinkingintensifies8212]

Cameo in Cheaper By the Dozen was great look it up 👍

[@yamigivo2693]

This man made my part of my childhood, he Voiced Mr blik (catscratch), Al from Toy story, Zurg from buzz lightyear, and tantor from Tarzan. Although most people would recognize him from Jurassic park as Dennis nedry

[@WinkDaMan07]

Helloooooo Newman!!!

[@tumelo9680]

Just knew about him on "The exes"

[@jatmachado]

Waiting to see him drinking coffee too!

[@redcarnotaurus323]

I know him from Jurassic Park as Dennis Nedry

[@lbj2320]

Came here to hear Jurassic Park comments from him!!

[@RobinNashville]

Wayne, thank you so much for the great work you've given us.

[@lucylocket4740]

Agree 100%.

[@raseshrao3559]

Hello Newman !

[@picklejalapeno]

he always be known as Michael Jordan’s sidekick in Space Jam!

[@bombadilian]

Love this guy. He'll always be Dennis Nedry to me!

[@coltong2596]

I love Wayne Knight as Tantor from Tarzan

[@darkwingppk]

Same here.

[@the-rewind]

Newman as Santa Claus lmfao

[@vamanosninja4143]

It's Newman!

[@Amp661]

Dodson! DODSON! We have Dodson here!!

[@nicolascarmona6815]

See?..Nobody Cares..

[@jbblenderbreakdown4668]

@@nicolascarmona6815 Nice hat. What are you trying to look like? A secret agent?

[@JTC2227]

Al Mcwhiggin: And Nooooow, The Maaain Attraction!

[@justayoutuber1906]

He worked as a private investigator for 5 years before making it in Seinfeld.

[@cesmanansala7082]

I, too, would have asked him a non-"Seinfeld" based question. Instead, I'd inquire, "Your part in 'Basic Instinct', how was it acting with Sharon Stone and that infamous shot of hers?"

[@MrBamcito]

Stan is a great guy

[@jonhay75]

Hello...........Newman...!

[@rileyredcrane2004]

Hello Jerry

[@zephyr332]

I'm I the only one who is shocked that there were no questions or even mention about his time on 3rd Rock From The Sun and his long friendship and screen time with Kristen Johnston???

[@F_ck604]

Hello Jerry!

[@stumarston6812]

Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye.

[@justayoutuber1906]

He's really funny on Conan

[@mightisright]

For me, Seinfeld is the show about Stanley Spadowski and the fat guy from The Edge.

[@menapadigovindaraj2612]

The best character on the entire show of Seinfeld is NEWMAN

[@IHopegood]

Hello Newman..

[@rileyredcrane2004]

Hello Jerry

[@Zanderreaper]

Santa better have dilophosaurus protection in this musical

[@haireepothead5001]

To Me. He is Stan from Space Jam who got flatten like a cartoon then a huge fart after they pump him up.

[@SuperMCBoy1]

My favorite scene in space jam

[@lucylocket4740]

To me, he's always Zach from Rat Race. His role there was hilarious co starring with Rowan Atkinson!

[@Friedtunafish77]

In the Seinfeld episode, it was not Newman who wanted to be a banker, but Kramer

[@DoctorJaguarChannel]

Hello Nnnnnnnewman.

[@gmo.86]

This interview is gold, love him more than Jerry.

[@wednesdayfrog139]

Seinfield, Jurassic Park, Toy Story 2, Xiaolin Showdown and Catscratch

[@lucylocket4740]

He was also in Rat Race and Cheaper by the Dozen as well!

[@bluebird5470]

Your so much cooler than one direction Wayne Knight

[@hiltonlive32grnrngr]

Zurg on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command but i'm disappointed by not hearing his Zurg voice

[@advocatehighcourt8708]

Denis nedry

[@Lisztomaniac1022]

Its nedry

[@joestewart-paul7181]

"Ah no wonder you're extincted"

[@dhertsens5617]

"No wonder you're extinct."

[@GeneralHeavy]

Zurg???

[@DieShredder]

Yayyyyy!

[@lucylocket4740]

*IT'S THE CHICKEN MAN!*

[@drincogni]

He should have been payed more for seinfeld he got tricked

[@Russianboyz95]

See, nobody cares.

[@muchumundo]

Stick stupid

[@Russianboyz95]

nice hat.

[@masonhunter9060]

What are you trying to look like? a secret agent?

[@skepticalbaby6912]

No menthol?

[@wandelgartking5446]

The embryos *have* to back here in San Jose by then.

[@dankswagydawgy6129]

Dilo go get nedry

[@anfilofeEA]

HELLO NEWMAN! 😡

[@Megumi_Bandicoot]

Hey Stan, you may not be very tall but... you're slow.

[@jonblankenship5908]

And large And a dork