Alden with Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis in Warner Bros. Beautiful Creatures
Alden greeted me with a firm handshake and a friendly smile, despite having spent the entire hari holed up in a hotel conference room answering lebih atau less the same pertanyaan to a lineup of journalists about his latest project, Beautiful Creatures (out in theaters February 14). In his black slacks, charcoal sweater, and black rimmed glasses he took on and off, he looked lebih like an earnest graduate student rather than the bintang of what could be the selanjutnya Twilight craze. San Francisco was one of his many stops after a week of travel, including Moscow, Los Angeles, and Mexico City. We talked about what it was like doing his first big movie press tour, working with big name Oscar-winning actors, the correct way to pronounce Mia Wasikowska’s name, and getting discovered oleh Steven Spielberg. Despite his 23 years, I noticed a few gray strands in his wavy dark hair. This junket must really be taking its toll! atau his non-stop working since Beautiful Creatures.
Beautiful Creatures is the film adaptation of the best-selling first book in the young adult series oleh Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Ethan Wate, a teenager in small-town South Carolina, falls in cinta with Lena Duchannes, the mysterious new girl at school who turns out to be from a magical family that possesses supernatural powers for good and evil.
Before I even begin with the questions, he immediately exclaims, “What a ring!” I tell him I just got married and moved to San Francisco and he enthusiastically congratulates me and commends my husband on his choice of diamond ring.
Did anda have a coach to learn the southern accent? In the book, Ethan’s character doesn’t have one, unlike most of the rest of the characters.
What drew Richard (LaGravenese, the director) to this movie was that there was such a specific culture in the story. The way my character was constructed in the book was a komentar on the idea of a southern gentleman. To really hit that, especially when watching it, he thought my character having a distinct southern accent was lebih fun and would put an idiosyncratic twist on the genre than to just have him be from a generic place.
Had anda read any of the buku in the series before anda got the part?
I found out I got the part a week before shooting and then I started membaca the book. After shooting, I would read the first book at nights, and then go to sleep and begin again the hari after. So it felt like there were probably only about five menit of my hari not working.
You filmed in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. When anda got there, did anda feel like anda could hone your accent better in New Orleans?
Actually, the dialect coach told us not to listen to the accent because it was quite different, especially since New Orleans has this amazing confluence of culture and the accent has this mix of Cajun and French to it.
How did anda like filming there?
Oh, it’s incredible there...though I didn’t really get to see very much. I felt like I was there for four days but I was there for about two and a half months. But I probably only got to see the same amount as someone that was there for four days.
I am going there this weekend but I’m just mainly going for the food, I am not actually going to the Super Bowl.
That sucks for me too! Because i was in a movie and had to stay in shape, especially running around wearing those short shorts. When anda go there, everyone says you’re going to gain 10 pounds, but I lost weight because I just ate sup everyday.
Did anda really get discovered oleh Steven Spielberg?
Yes! Me and my friend Johnny used to make these stupid video video just to make ourselves laugh. His cousin’s friend asked us to make one for her bat mitzvah. First we showed it to our parents and they berkata we looked like idiots. They showed it at the bat mitzvah - I wasn’t there but Spielberg was and thought it was funny. We got a call from Dreamworks the selanjutnya week to have a meeting there and that’s how I was able to get my first agent.
That’s when anda started getting your televisi roles?
Yes, that’s when I was 14. I got one episode on a TV tampil and then another when I was 16 on CSI. Then I got my first movie when I was 18.
So anda always knew anda wanted to get into acting?
I always had a feeling this was what I wanted to do but I definitely didn’t plan on doing it until much later. I didn’t want to be a child actor. When I imagine doing all this stuff I am doing now as a 14 year-old, it’s like stunting your emotional growth. To do it to a six year-old just seems wrong. I didn’t really work that much for a long time so I was able to have a pretty normal childhood, as normal as growing up in LA is.
Do anda have aspirations to write and direct since anda started out making your own videos?
Oh yes, I’ve always done that. My school had a great video production program. Right after Beautiful Creatures, I filmed a movie that I wrote and directed and acted in.
Is your buddy still involved?
Not anymore. At the same time we made the stupid video, I was also making a really serious short film. But when anda see the video, it’s pretty evident we weren’t that serious about it and it’s pretty crazy that my whole career started with it. It’s about me having a crush on the girl who was having the bat mitzvah. I break into her house and sing a song about her in her room and try on her clothes. But yeah, it’s really pretty silly and goofy.
Kind of like the funny video on youtube that everybody watches now.
Exactly. If youtube was around, this probably wouldn’t have happened - now there’s too much competition!
But anda berkata that after Beautiful Creatures, anda made a short film?
I wrote it during the last couple weeks of filming and then made it right after.
Are anda already planning on the sequels for Beautiful Creatures?
If the movie does well. If we totally bomb, then no. But if the movie is successful, I am signed on for two more.
When anda found out anda would be akting selanjutnya to Emma Thompson, Jeremy Irons, and Viola Davis, were anda intimidated...excited?
I have amazing admiration for all of them, especially Emma because she has two Oscars and one of them is for writing. Then when anda actually get to work with them, everybody is just an actor on a set and they are all trying to figure out the same stuff anda are. They were all super supportive of Alice and I. When anda work with people of that caliber, anda step up your game. Getting to see them work, that’s what I look for in my work - am I working with people I can learn from?
Let’s talk about your upcoming projects. You’re in Stoker with Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasi...
Yes, it’s actually “Va-sha-kov-ska.” But nobody knows that. Everybody calls her “Wa-si-kow-ski.” But it’s “Va-sha-kov-ska,” she’s Polish. So I’m in Stoker and then Woody Allen’s selanjutnya film.
So someone’s doing well. How do your parents feel about anda acting? Are they in the industry?
Yeah, it’s been a really good year. They are really excited. Nope, no family in the business.
With that, we berkata our goodbyes and Alden was off to a meet and greet. One of many to come in what we foresee as a bright future for this charming and talented actor.
