My Loves & Hates

JUSTIN THEROUX, 45, STARS IN NEW THRILLER The Girl on the Train, BASED ON PAULA HAWKINS’ BESTSELLING NOVEL. HE IS MARRIED TO JENNIFER ANISTON

What can we expect from The girl on the Train? the film has this slow burn to it. there are no twists in the classic thriller sense, but there are twists. there’s something beautiful about that way of storytelling. i think people who have read the book will be very happy with it because it honours the book.

DID YOU ALWAYS SEE YOURSELF AS A PERFORMER? I WAS ALWAYS ACTING, DOING AFTER-SCHOOL PLAYS, BUT I DIDN’T DO WELL AT SCHOOL, SO BY NINTH OR 10TH GRADE, I WAS GOING TO A BOARDING SCHOOL. WASHINGTON, DC, IS A HARD CITY TO GROW UP IN. I COULDN’T FIND MY FOOTING THERE. ALSO, I GOT A LATE START ACADEMICALLY, AND I WAS DYSLEXIC.

YOU’VE MADE A NAME FOR YOURSELF AS A SCREENWRITER TOO [FIRST SCREENPLAY: Tropic Thunder]. WHAT INSPIRED THAT?

I GET BORED IF I FEEL THAT I’M REPEATING MYSELF. ACTING HAS A LOTTERY ASPECT TO IT – SOMEONE ELSE HAS DONE THE HARD WORK OF CREATING AND WRITING THE PROJECT AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS INTERPRET THE ROLE. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WRITING IS THAT YOU HAVE SO MUCH MORE CONTROL OVER THE PROCESS AND YOU’RE RESPONSIBLE NOT JUST FOR TELLING THE STORY, BUT ALSO FOR CREATING THE CHARACTERS.

YOU RECENTLY CELEBRATED YOUR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. HOW IS MARRIED LIFE TREATING YOU? IT’S NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM BEFORE, BUT IT’S SOMETHING SETTLED AND IT FEELS NICE. IT’S A WONDERFUL THING TO HAVE IN YOUR LIFE WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVE. AND IT’S A LAUGH A MINUTE. THERE’S BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN SHE HAS BROUGHT ME TO MY KNEES LAUGHING, AND ME HER.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN is released in cinemas on 5 October.