Tony Revolori

Dope + Umrika

Interview by James Patrick Herman  Photographs by Jeff Vespa

    

What’s the most Anaheim thing about you?  I never hang out in my hometown. No one goes to Disney. We have it right there so we take it for granted.

What was your first acting job?  I might have been a Gerber baby, but I’m not sure. The earliest thing I remember was an insurance commercial when I was six.

What was your big break?  Without a doubt The Grand Budapest Hotel. When people hear that you’ve been in a Wes Anderson film, immediately they want to talk to you. Also, it won a shit ton of awards, so I feel like I just won the lottery.

What will you pack for Sundance? Thermal underwear. Cool-looking clothes. A travel bag with deodorant and all that — I don’t want to be the smelly kid.

Tell me about your character in Dope.  Jib is the ghetto kid who was never meant to be a ghetto kid. He’s not a thug even though he wants to be a badass.

What about Umrika?  Lalu is quirky and carefree. He’s never serious, but when he has to be — and when he is — it’s important. Because you see this other side of him — and how strong he is. But these two characters are absolutely opposite and absolutely the same person. The world is small and big at the same time, and we’re just here to live in it.

What’s the buzz about your films? I never speak a lick of English in Umrika. I’m speaking in a language and a dialect that I do not know. I’m not Indian nor am I familiar with Indian culture, so eight hours a day I practiced to get this accent right. The buzz about Dope is probably Pharrell Williams — he produced and did all of the music for the film.

Are you a fan of Robert Redford?  Yes. And  not just for Captain America. He was in Easy Rider if I’m not mistaken, was he not?

Thomas Mann

Me & Earl & The Dying Girl + The Stanford Prison Experiment

Interview by James Patrick Herman  Photographs by Jeff Vespa

    

Where are you from?  It sounds cool to say I was born in Portland, but I definitely grew up in Dallas. So I’m not satisfied with the Mexican food in Los Angeles. I’m not sure if it’s more authentic, but my palette is more accustomed to Tex Mex. And everything is bigger in Texas — the parking spaces, the lanes, the people, the guns.

Are you a Sundance virgin?  Yes. I’m slightly nervous but mainly anxious and excited.

What have you heard about the Sundance experience?  I’ve heard it’s nuts and there is a crazy party scene. I’ve also heard that you shouldn’t go unless you have a reason to be there. [Me & Earl & the Dying Girl costar] Olivia [Cooke] just turned 21, so we’ll probably celebrate accordingly. Because of the altitude, we’ll have to maintain a one vodka soda to one water ratio. Do they have hot tubs in Park City?

What are you going to pack for Park City?  Plenty of socks and underwear.

Describe the character you play in Me & Earl & The Dying Girl in one sentence.  The one sentence thing is hard. Greg is a self-conscious teenager who keeps everyone at arms length. He has this one friend, Earl, that he won’t even call his friend. In his spare times, he remakes weird, old foreign films with Earl — he’s got eccentric tastes for someone his age. He’s comfortable living in this bubble, but his mom forces him to befriend this girl in his class with leukemia. And their friendship blossoms as she is deteriorating. But it’s bittersweet: There’s a lot of comedy in the movie but at the heart, it’s about these two people getting to know each other under really tragic circumstances.

What about your role in The Stanford Prison Experiment?  My character’s name is 416. All the prisoners have been stripped of their identities and the things that make them human and are reduced to just a number.

What’s the buzz about that film?  It’s about the abuse of power. It’s incredibly timely — and timeless, too.

As for Me & Earl & the Dying Girl, how is it dfferent from The Fault in Our Stars?  This is more like: What if those two characters weren’t in love and one of them died — would their relationship still mater? This movie is all about exploring different facets of a person’s life and learning about someone after they die. It forces you to look at the people and relationships you take for granted — until after they’re gone. And it’s too late.

How does it feel to be a Sundance sensation?  I mean, it hasn’t hit me yet. I’m proud of both of my movies and I know that important people will see them. That’s what feels sensational to me.

Mackenzie Foy – Interstellar’s Rising Star

Interview by James Patrick Herman  Photographs by Jeff Vespa

Everybody is talking about Interstellar—A.K.A .Oscar Winners in Space—but our telescope is focused on the film’s rising young stars who have yet to skyrocket to fame. Remember their names.

Remember the vampire child of Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson from Twilight: Breaking Dawn? She’s back—and stepping into Jessica Chastain’s shoes in Interstellar. Did we mention that Mackenzie Foy is also a former Ralph Lauren model? All this before the age of thirteen.

 

    

You turn fourteen a few days after Interstellar comes out. How will you spend your birthday?

“With Jimmy Fallon. I’m super-excited to be on his show.”

Then I can only imagine how you’ll celebrate your sweet sixteen. What do you consider to be your big break?

“Probably Twilight: Breaking Dawn. It helped to get my name out there.”

It certainly did. So what did you learn from your first movie?

“We filmed for seven months, so it was a big learning experience for me: How to watch everything and take it all in and most importantly, how to listen. I was nine when I started and by the end of the last promotional appearance, I was twelve.”

How did you get into the character of a vampire toddler?

“She was half-human. I had to put on a wig, colored contacts, fake teeth and then went on set. Everybody was very nurturing.”

Did you ever get accosted by crazed Twihards? 

“People would run up to me on the street and start crying. I was like: ‘Don’t cry!’ ”

And how was working on Interstellar—an adult movie with a cast of Oscar winners—different from the Twilight Saga?

“To me, it was just another movie. I mean, I just wake up and do my thing, get to meet some new people and go to bed again.”

You began your career as a child model. What was that like?

“I got to wear all of these beautiful Ralph Lauren dresses that I loved. That was my first job when I was three, and I modeled until around the age of nine when I could no longer fit into kid’s clothes.”

How did you become America’s next top child model?

“I started out with dance lessons at the age of three. An agent came to one of my recitals and asked my mother if she wanted to get me into modeling. My mom was like, ‘I don’t know.’—she thought it was a scam. But she agreed to send in my head shot and that’s how I booked my first job. Eventually I transitioned into commercials and TV shows and then movies. I was on a TV set when I first decided that I wanted to do movies.”

Was there a memorable moment when you had that epiphany?

“No, I just felt that I should give it a shot. So I went on an audition for Twilight: Breaking Dawn, learned my lines and hoped for the best. Then I got a call back.”

You make it all sound so easy. Do you prefer acting to modeling?

“They both make me happy. But I might be a little short for modeling when I get older. Anyway, I want to be a director when I grow up.”

Who inspired you to want to sit in the director’s chair someday?

“Mr. Bill Condon [director of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn]. Seeing him make words come to life—and that whole amazing process of filmmaking—made me think to myself: I want to do that someday.”

You may have heard that there is a lack of female directors in Hollywood, so hopefully you will help to change that.

“Absolutely! Girls are confident and they know how to get those deep emotions out of actors. They can do everything that boys can do.”

Which movie genre interests you the most? Something in the vein of Twilight, perhaps?

“No, I want to make an action movie. My goal is to be an actor, director and possibly a producer, too—I still go back and forth about that.”

Do you even know what a film producer does?

“To be honest, I am not quite sure.”

What would be your dream role?

“To play a superhero. I like Black Widow but also the Hulk, Iron Man and Ronan. Oh, my gosh. Ronan is actually a bad guy, but he’s so cool. I like bad guys.”

Don’t tell your mother. So what is it about villains?

“Their evil demeanor and awesome costumes.”

If you had to choose between playing a superhero or a supervillain, which one would you choose?

“Definitely a villain. There’s one from the Marvel comic books who can control snakes. I really like snakes.”

What’s your favorite thing about being an actress?

“Working with amazing people and traveling all over the place. Because usually I’m just doing tae kwon do in my spare time. At first I just wanted to learn self-defense, but recently I got my black belt. The harder something is, the more I like it. My master keeps telling me to do action movies.”

You’re like a real-life Hit-Girl from the Kick-Ass films. Could you beat somebody up?

“If I had to. I can break boards up to an inch-and-a-half thick with my bare hands. But I prefer to use words, not violence.”

Did you pick up any pointers from your Interstellar costar Matthew McConaughey?

“Mr. Mathew is an amazing guy! I miss him so much. He taught me how to be more loose and not to be so stiff. He is very relaxed.”

Do you want to win an Oscar like him and your other costar, Anne Hathaway?

“Yes, I want to win an Oscar for acting and an Oscar for directing. That’s my plan.”

Timothée Chalamet – Takes off in Interstellar

Interview by James Patrick Herman  Photographs by Jeff Vespa

You may recognize Timothée Chalamet as the VP’s son on Homeland. Now the native New Yorker is playing Casey Affleck’s younger self in Interstellar. Success may be calling—but Hollywood will have to wait for him to finish college.

      

Where are you from in New York City?

I was born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen. I lived in Manhattan Plaza, which is the same building where Alicia Keys grew up. Also, Samuel Jackson was a security guard there before he became one of the highest grossing actors of all time.

What’s the most New York thing about you?

Just like with acting, you have to grow up quickly in New York: Taking the subway at 10 at night while getting yelled at by naked, crazy people, for instance. So it helped me with my poise. And it gave me the ability to be calm on set at sixteen: I could go into my own world and not be fazed by everything going on around me.

Are there any true stereotypes of New Yorkers?

We are definitely fast-paced I am always surprised when I’m out west how slow people walk.

You’re also French. What’s the most French thing about you?

Self-deprecation.

What was your big break?

It has to be Homeland.

You were nominated for a SAG Award thanks to that show.  

Well, an ensemble SAG Award. But yeah, I get to say that I was. I was seventeen at the time. Not bad.

Meet any acting heroes at the SAG Awards?

I didn’t want to embarrass myself. The only person I talked to was Rainn Wilson. I said: “You were the man on The Office.”

In Christopher Nolan’s new movie, Interstellar, you play the young version of Casey Affleck’s character. And then in the upcoming Adderall Diaries you play the young version of James Franco. What Hollywood actor would you next want to play in his youth?

James Dean. He laid the path for every young actor that followed. He was one of the first actors in pop culture to capture teen angst. And while he wasn’t the one I went to for my own feelings of teenage frustration when I needed to relate to an artist—that would be Kid Cudi—I still appreciate the fact that he laid the groundwork.

Who is your acting hero?

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight literally inspired me to act. That was the first time I saw a movie and had no clue what was going on in the mind of a character. I loved the unpredictability, the freedom, the looseness with which he played the Joker. He was totally fearless.

Do you feel like you’re fearless?

I don’t. But my greatest lesson in acting is: The more something makes you uncomfortable, the more you should try to tackle it.

You played the sexually ambiguous Emcee in Cabaret while you were a student at the famed Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. That’s daring.

The themes in that musical are a little edgy to say the least. In fact, Ben Brantley, the New York Times critic, talked about our school’s production in his review of the Cabaret revival on Broadway. And I would love to be Hedwig someday. But when I first got to Laguardia, I wasn’t crazy about musical theater. It wasn’t my game plan my entire life to become an actor.

What was your original goal?

To become a soccer player. I am French, after all. Growing up, I split my time between New York and a tiny village about two hours from Léon. In the US, we baby our young kids, but the French culture does not value youth. So soccer was what there was to do.

What dampened your dreams of becoming the next Cristiano Ronaldo?

Reality. I’m not big enough.

You had no interest in becoming a child star even though you did TV commercials as a kid?

That wasn’t acting. It was show business. Because when you are four or five, you’re standing in front of the camera, holding up a brand product and smiling as big as you can. The kids I met on the showbiz circuit when I was young were very scary.

Do you remember the exact moment that shifted your perspective about acting?

My first day in high school changed everything. I learned that I had to dive into my work and do research for my parts. I have my teachers to thank for believing in me. They had faith in me. And eventually I started believing in myself.

I remember interviewing Nicki Minaj, who also went to Laguardia, and she told me that you need to audition in order to get into that school. What inspired you to try out?

My sister went there before me. She would come home telling drama stories. And as a very insecure 12-year-old at the time, Laguardia seemed like a fantastic outlet for all of this energy I had.

Did acting help to build your self-esteem? 

I wouldn’t say it helped my insecurity so much as it helped me to come to terms with it. That’s the biggest gift you can learn through through acting: You are flawed. Everyone is flawed. And you can spend your whole life hating yourself because of your flaws—or you can come to accept them and try to make the most of them.

Would you describe yourself as a very sensitive person?

Yeah, I am. That’s the key to my acting. I don’t like to talk about it, but if my mom were here, she would say: “Timmy’s a sensitive boy.”

How did you get cast as the Vice President’s son on Homeland?

It was only supposed to be one episode. Then it turned into two episodes. And then four. And ultimately eight. On the first audition, there was five other guys in the waiting room. On the second audition, it was me and one other guy that I saw in the waiting room. I had a buddy tell me this once and I like it: “You’re not going to get a part because somebody else was better than you. You’re not going to get a part because you weren’t right for it.”

You filmed Interstellar last summer. So after that, why did you decide to go to college instead of going Hollywood?

Balance is important to me. There is a Chinese saying. It’s a curse, actually: “I wish you great success when you are young.” I don’t think being eighteen in Hollywood is a great idea. I would much rather be 22 in New York with an education behind me—and the experiences you get in college that ground you as a person. As an actor, your experiences fuel great work, but it’s also general knowledge. I think it was Stella Adler who said: “The smarter the actor, the smarter the choices.”

Why do you interpret that Chinese saying is a curse: Because so many child stars end up in rehab? 

You can lose perspective on what accomplishment means or—even worse—start feeling like that type of pressure is normal.

Your Homeland costar, Claire Danes, once took a break from acting to attend Yale. Did she advise you to put your education first?

Claire said: “You can get your education whenever you want in life, but there is something to be said for doing it at eighteen. And having those experiences young. They are formative experiences.” So I would rather tackle show business at 22. My physical body isn’t even completely mature yet.

How old were you when you landed an agent?

Fifteen.

Before you even had a driver’s license. How did you do it?

I was freelancing with an agency at the time, and they would send me out on auditions. Then I did a play called The Talls at Second Stage Theater Company in New York. After doing that play, I felt like: “OK, I can hang with the pros now. It’s time to put the pedal to the metal.” The agency wanted to sign me, and I asked to be sent out for more stuff. From there I did four episodes of Royal Pains.

How would you describe your character in The Talls?

A sexually curious twelve-year-old. I was the youngest member of this tall family, and I had the smallest part in the play. But what was great about not having many lines but being on stage for a long time is it gave me a lot of room to play. I was projecting. I had a character. I had an internal life going on. I had all of that stuff. And it worked. I was acting! I got good feedback but more importantly, I had the best time of my life. From that point, I realized: This is fun. And this is cool. This isn’t fake bullshit. Or at least this doesn’t have to be fake bullshit. This can be a real thing; this is a craft.

So how was your freshman year in college? 

It was difficult going from performing arts school into an intense academic environment, which is Columbia. I was surrounded by insanely driven people.

What’s the best part about college life?

Independence. I am someone who is turned on by independence, maybe almost too much. It was the first time I left home. Initially I lived in the dorms but then left halfway through the year. I was like: What am I doing here when I have a nice big bed at home—and good food and wonderful loving parents? Now I just moved off campus with roommates: Washington Heights. Watch out world, here I come!

Do you have any hidden talents?

I can hip-hop dance pretty well. People don’t expect me to bust out the Dougie.

Did you ever have a real job?

I was a coach at a soccer camp in France. I coached six to ten-year-olds when I was around thirteen. I was good at it, but the pay was not acting money. I definitely see more teaching in my future. I would not be sitting in this seat if it wasn’t for my teachers. That’s the most magical thing on the planet: To have such a profound affect on the lives of kids in the classroom. If I could do that, it would be a dream.

Jordan Gavaris

Interview by James Patrick Herman  Photographs by Jeff Vespa

Where are you from in Canada?

“Southern Ontario. Imagine lush, pastoral farmland. So I wear a lot of plaid, but the hipster intelligentsia in Silverlake stole that look from us. I also have an issue with maple syrup. It goes on everything I eat. It’s even in my salad dressing.”

    

What was your first job?

“I babysat cats.”

How did you land your first acting gig?

“I read a story about a film agent in the newspaper, and I told my mom that I need to get one. My mom said, ‘If you love acting, why don’t we see if there are any local community theater productions.’ She found an audition for Charlotte’s Web and drove me down. I am sure my parents thought: He’ll get this out of his system but he’s not going to get the part. Well, the director later called and said they wanted me to play the pig. I took it very seriously. I got two copies of the stage play and made all these notes in the margins. I actually found one copy the other day—I keep a treasure box of things like that under my bed. But since then, I have never returned to the stage.”

What was your big break?

“I did a kid’s show for the WB called Unnatural History a few years ago. It was going to be ‘the next Buffy.’ The network and the studio executives said they loved me. Then the show came out, and it could not compete with all the other stuff out there. Suddenly, no one returned my phone calls. That show got my foot in the door for auditions, but at the end of the day, Orphan Black was the point at which I was considered more than just a 20 year old trying to hack it on a kid’s show. To feel like I have found my seat at the dinner table after so many years is a phenomenal experience. It was like someone pulled out a chair for me and said: ‘Sit down.’ It feels like I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”

How did you get cast on Orphan Black?

“I auditioned for it. I did a pre-read with the casting director and moved forward to do the studio test and then a chemistry read—that’s when I met Tatiana [Maslany, who plays the lead role in Orphan Black]. And that is the moment my world changed. I had rehearsed the scene like 200 times with different accents and versions of the character. But when I walked in and saw Tatiana, it was like seeing an old friend. It was spooky. I guess I never understood what chemistry was until then. You really can project the idea of this character onto another person and for that five minutes when you’re shooting—I know it sounds wacky a little pretentious—but we were those people. It was real. There were no limits; just trust. She came over and rested her head on my leg at one point in the scene, and instinctively, I reached out a grabbed a lock of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. That is a testament to Tatiana and how open she is, how willing she is to surrender herself to the character—and to the person she’s working with—and to not worry about looking stupid. The first thing I tell anybody who wants to become an actor is: You had better get used to looking stupid because you don’t have the luxury of being embarrassed. Self-consciousness is your worst enemy. This is not glamorous work.”

Do you hate the wardrobe department for making you wear those crazy outfits?

“Felix’s sense of style is eclectic and bizarre. But as much as Jordan would never wear any of that stuff, it works for my character because he is so liberated. A lot of his costumes are my suggestions.”

So perhaps you are to blame for that floral kimono and black thong ensemble from last season.

“They were trying to make the kimono hem even shorter! I kept saying, ‘Is it short enough yet?’ And their response was: ‘Nope. One more inch.’ ”

What is a typical day in wardrobe?

“I walk in. They’re like: ‘Hey, Jordan. Welcome back. Uh, try on these assless chaps.’ ”

Did you even know what chaps were at the time?

“I did not. I was supposed to go for a fitting at this leather store called Rough Trade in Toronto. Thank God they didn’t send me alone.”

What actors have inspired you?

“The person at the top of my list is Sissy Spacek. She is an artist and a chameleon. I met her a few years ago and emotionally vomited all over her. I was so nervous at the time, but I introduced myself. And I have never met a woman who grounds you more; she grabbed my hand and instantly it was like I sunk right into the ground. The first film I ever saw of hers was Carrie. I felt so connected to her character. I was not the most popular kid in school, so Carrie’s struggle resonated with me. And Sissy’s performance changed what I thought of acting. I realized: Oh, that’s what this fuss over movies is about and why people go see them. Yes, it is an escape. But it is also to feel something.”