Kodi Smit-Mcphee

Sundance Film: Young Ones

Interview by James Patrick Herman  Photographs by Jeff Vespa

Where are you from? 

“I was born in Adelaide, but my family moved to Melbourne when I was three. Australians just go with the flow — we’re laid-back and positive. But I really like the energy of L.A. I get motivated when I am around other creative people.”

 

What do you consider your big break? 

“I think when I did The Road because it was such a physically and emotionally demanding movie. It was my first American film with Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron and Guy Pearce. I was twelve. I still remember my audition with Viggo — and that was scary.”

Have you been to Sundance before? 

“I think I may have been there. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I can’t remember. I have only heard great things about it. I tend to not do my research.”

Describe your character in Young Ones? 

“He’s pretty much a simple character, but he is responsible and hardworking.

Do you identify with your character? 

“We are both deep thinkers and independent.”

What’s the buzz? 

“First of all, Jake Paltrow wrote and directed it. His point of view reminds me of Tarantino when Reservoir Dogs came out — it’s strong and raw. It’s sending across some ideas about where we are in the world right now, how humans are evolving and where technology is taking us.”

Did you ever have a normal job? 

“I was a part of a hip-hop dance crew in L.A. for awhile. It wasn’t a normal job, but I got paid for it.”

What do you think of Robert Redford? 

“What does he do? I’m sorry — I’m terrible with the names of actors and directors.  But I want to end up knowing everything about my art. I think that is important. On the set of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, I gave Gary Oldman my phone and he made me a list of 20 or 30 movies that I need to check out. He was blown away that I had not seen Raging Bull and The French Connection.”