Tomorrow, the Beehive

‘ Maybe I want to become a politician or a lawyer.’ JULIAN DENNISON

AT only 13 years old, he shot to fame after starring in Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople alongside Sam Neill.

Now, Julian Dennison has the world at his feet.

The unexpected success of the movie means the teen from Naenae, Wellington, is recognised walking down the street. Not only that, but he’s rethinking his plans now that the movie has opened so many doors and opportunities.

‘‘I’ve been saying that I want to become a director but I found out that I don’t really know what I want to do at the moment,’’ he says.

‘‘Maybe I don’t want to become a director, maybe I want to become a politician or a lawyer, so I’m still thinking but I have no idea what’s next for me.’’

The Hunt for the Wilderpeople has made the top 100 movies of all time on film review site Rotten Tomatoes.

’’I never knew it would be this big,’’ Dennison said.

Starring as Ricky Baker has changed his life, taking him to Australia and the US on promotion tours with Neill and Waititi. ‘‘It’s very different, you sort of notice how lucky New Zea- landers are to have such a beautiful country.’’

But despite his new-found celebrity status, he’s not the teacher’s pet in his year 9 classes at Hutt International Boys’ School and gets no special treatment.

‘‘They see me as a student so they don’t go easy on me, they actually challenge me to do my work and stuff like that which I’m really grateful to my teachers.’’

The other students take the mickey, he says, asking him if he came to school in his limo.

His latest acting gig has seen Dennison team up with My Food Bag’s ‘‘Bargain Box’’, an online meal-ordering service which his family uses, even though his mum does all the cooking.

He might be a movie star, but Dennison admits he’s a ‘‘horrible’’ cook.