Nylan Parthipan on PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie and the Importance of Representation

Nylan Parthipan is no stranger to the PAW Patrol universe. The rising actor has appeared in the main TV series and two films, including PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, which is currently taking the theater circuit by storm.

In addition to acting, Nylan is a staunch disability advocate. Diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at age two, he has been a champion for greater disability representation on screen, all while bringing more than 20 characters to life across over 25 productions.

Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Nylan about his role in PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, what audiences can expect, redefining on-screen disability representation, and more.

This interview is condensed for length and clarity. 

Nylan Parthipan

Eulalie Magazine: I want to talk to you about your origin story. What inspired you to become an actor?

Nylan Parthipan: I first started because my physiotherapist’s daughter did theater work just before COVID, and she found a voice role for a person in a wheelchair. She said, “Oh, Nylan, you’re so animated. You should try out for it.” I actually got a call back, but I didn’t get the role. The casting director loved my voice, and they referred me to an agent. Then, I got an agent, and I’ve been auditioning ever since. We weren’t really planning to get into acting. I have no acting background. None of my family has done it. We just went into it.

PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie

Eulalie Magazine: Amazing. Let’s talk about PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie. Can you tell me what it’s about and how you got involved with the film?

Nylan Parthipan: I started off doing the TV series. I was Al, the little trucker pup. Then, I booked Zuma for PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Then, I came back as Zuma for PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie. It’s about a pup named Rex. He’s in a wheelchair. He makes all these amazing things on his own. He has a huge treehouse.

I feel like he doesn’t let his disability stop him when he makes all those things. A really important thing is that his voice actor also uses a wheelchair. I think that’s very important. When I started on the PAW Patrol movies, I did scratch recordings. Those are basically recordings for the animators and stuff like that to make it easier for them to animate. They probably heard my voice from there and wanted me to audition.

Eulalie Magazine: That’s so cool. How does Zuma fit into this specific story?

Nylan Parthipan: At the start, they get to do a rescue. This one happened to be on the water. Zuma comes out, and he saves this family on a boat. Other than that, he helps the team later on in the movie because this one is about Marshall. Marshall is very clumsy, and he gets into lots of different accidents and stuff like that. Everyone, as a team, including Zuma, they all help. I feel like that’s how they get all their jobs done: because of teamwork and perseverance.

Eulalie Magazine: What was the recording process like for this movie?

Nylan Parthipan: I came in three or four times. I came in person because usually I have a home studio at my house, and I do it from there. Since it was only three or four times, it was nice to meet people and talk to them. It was really fun. I got to talk to Cal Brunker and Bob Barlen.

Eulalie Magazine: What can audiences expect when they watch this movie?

Nylan Parthipan: I feel like it’s a really good movie to watch as a first movie for kids. It’s not too long, and it’s really nice. It has a strong message of perseverance and never giving up. It’s very funny, and it’s got some big names: Snoop Dogg, Terry Crews. It’s definitely a very good movie.

Raising Awareness

Eulalie Magazine: Switching gears here, you’re also an advocate for authentic disability representation. What has it been like for you to redefine what that looks like on screen?

Nylan Parthipan: I feel like I never thought I would get to do this. When I started acting, I thought I’d use this as an opportunity to share with the world what I could do and raise awareness for people like me with disabilities. I feel like now that I’ve done all this, it’s surreal. I’m proud of myself for coming this far. I’m also happy that I’ve been able to change so many different people’s lives.

Eulalie Magazine: Amazing. What else is on the horizon for you?

Nylan Parthipan: Well, I’ve been recording as Loki in Iron Man and His Awesome Friends.

Eulalie Magazine: Congratulations!

Nylan Parthipan: Thank you. I’ve always said my biggest dream is to be in a Marvel production, and I got it. It’s a huge accomplishment for me. I have to do a British accent for that one. It’s very fun. It’s a villain, too.

Eulalie Magazine: What do you like to do in your free time?

Nylan Parthipan: Well, in my free time, I used to do a lot of horseback riding and sailing, but now that [I do] all my recordings, I slowed down a bit on that. I like watching anime. Anime is so important to me because I admire the voice acting and the skills and the effort that goes into it. It’s very motivating for me.

Favorite Movies

Eulalie Magazine: Last question. Name your favorite movies or anything that springs to mind.

Nylan Parthipan: Well, I recently watched the movie Goat on the plane and that one is one of my favorite movies this year. I love the way the lines mix together; it’s more natural, and the animation is amazing in that one, too.

Another movie that I’ve been in is Out of My Mind. I play Carl, and he uses a wheelchair. It’s a live-action movie. It’s in a school setting [and is] about a girl with cerebral palsy. It really raises awareness for people with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy. I think it moved a lot of people, too. I also watched Project Hail Mary. I loved that one. It had really good storytelling, and I loved all the jokes.

PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie is now in theaters. You can follow Nylan on Instagram (@nylan.p) to keep up to date on what’s next for him.

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