The sad passing of music legend David Bowie earlier this year means that the mantle of the Goblin King has passed to Toby Froud - the baby who starred in 1986 cult classic Labyrinth. Can you believe it was released 30 years ago?
Like his father before him, Toby is a puppeteer and makes all sorts of creepy creatures... for films though. Not just as a weird hobby. Surrounded by goblin puppets from practically birth, is it any surprise that he teamed up with Jim Henson's daughter Heather to create a short film featuring - you guessed it - goblins!
Lessons Learned from Toby Froud on Vimeo.
If it hadn't been for a twist of fate, Toby might never have been THE BABY after all. There was another baby set to play Jennifer Connolly's half-brother in the film, but he kept crying when he saw the scary goblins (and possibly also David Bowie's spectacular mullet), so the son of the the costumer and goblin and fairy enthusiast Brian Froud offered up his baby - Toby was pretty used to goblin puppets having two quite eccentric parents, I mean his dad is a "goblin illustrator" - that's quite the niche. Toby donned the red and white stripey onesie and history was made.
Chatting to Huffington Post, Toby revealed he may not have cried while surrounded by weird puppets but he did pee on David Bowie - not once but several times. Well, he was a baby. Bowie took it quite well and didn't turn him into a goblin.
Surprisingly - Toby's favourite song isn't "Magic Dance" - and not because David Bowie threw him repeatedly into the sky. Apparently that wasn't a real baby. I'm strangely disappointed. No, Toby's favourite song is the dreamy "As The World Falls Down" - where big sis Jennifer Connolly dances with David Bowie in a romantic ballroom.
I bet that's her favourite song and scene too.
Toby's dad did the costumes in Labyrinth and answered a question we've been wondering about or 30 years now; are Bowie's display supposed to be that tight? After all, it is a children's film. The Goblin King's little goblin was meant to be on show - there was even a codpiece made to make it ... uh more prominent. You gotta love the 80s.
What we want to know is: will there ever be a Labyrinth 2? Toby isn't sure - especially now that the Goblin King has gone to Goblin heaven (RIP David Bowie).
They better not remake it - nothing can improve on the original and I don't think Toby can squeeze back into those stripey pyjamas.
Credit: Laura Hamilton
Topics: David Bowie
