Photographer and Interview Cecilie Harris
Fashion David Nolan
Below intro Brogan Anderson
"I remember turning a teenager and thinking; 'oh, that's a bit gross.'"
We were talking about you growing up.
Yeah, I remember turning a teenager and thinking; ‘oh, that’s a bit gross, becoming a teenager’, I didn’t really want it. I enjoyed being a kid, and I think I stayed young for quite a long time. There was something that scared me about growing up, and then I got to 16 and things at school changed; everyone developed physically and mentally, everyone sexually awakens a bit more, and I wasn’t into it for quite a long time. I didn’t really have much of an interest in being a teenager, but at the same time I was working professionally in a professional environment and no one else at school was, so that slightly alienated me - but I was doing something I genuinely loved to do. It was also an artistic expression, and I was meeting people and travelling the world - everything great that comes with my job. It’s more since getting into the early 20s, where you don’t have the luxury of leaning on the fact that you’re a teenager and you can get away with stuff, that I’ve asked more questions.
A lot of actors I’ve spoken to that started working during childhood says they had to grow up quite quickly. Was this your experience also?
I held onto my childhood for quite a long time and enjoyed being a kid, but at the same time I was always fairly mature for my age. As a child I hated being spoken down to or like a child, so it was nice to be put into an environment where I was talked to as a person and was expected to pull my weight on set. I was also fascinated with the camera department, the lighting department, with the props and the huge amount of time, effort and resources that go into shooting. I thought it was such a cool environment, I really enjoyed that, and then there was a certain amount of responsibility for me when they said ‘action’, and I had to do my bit to keep up with these guys. It gave me responsibilities at a young age. It meant that I grew up quick, but I didn’t have a problem with that, I wanted that. But then I still loved to go home and sit down and play with my LEGO.
Let’s talk about ‘Maze Runner’ and your character Newt.
Yay! He is strong-willed and really good at seeing people for who they are very quickly. He’s a nice guy, he doesn’t mean wrong, and he knows the importance of friendship and love. I think he’s also got a tragic side to him, which I’m not sure the films really quite capture, but in my head it’s there.
You and Dylan O’Brien together makes me very excited.
Me and Dyl? It makes me excited too! He’s a good lad - he’s hilarious, absolutely hilarious. He’s like a young Jim Carrey in some ways, incredibly professional and when it comes down to it, he’s one of the hardest working actors I’ve ever met. Our first proper scene together I remember really enjoying; it was around a campfire and he just arrived into this crazy scenario and we’re sat down by the log - I’m supposed to be drinking moonshine and making him feel alright. It was the first time I got to do a proper scene with Dylan, who’s the lead in our movies. It was great to see that he knows how to mess around and have fun, but also lovely to act against as well. Through that scene, I felt that our relationship got better. Acting is a two way thing; if you’ve got a good actor opposite you, you’re better anyway. You give and receive, which is a nice thing.
