YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?
Film quotes pose as questions. Film stars try to cope.
Are you talkin’ to me?
You’re not even talking to me. This isn’t even Julian talking right now. This is a voice actor he hired. I’m kind of like a substitute teacher for his voice. Good luck trying to get an interview with him. He’s really busy right now, living his life. Are you talking to me?
Do you have an off switch?
Sometimes I have an off switch if I have to come down and relax, and enjoy the people around me. Because I think sometimes everyone needs to learn how to use their off switch, and chill out and relax. The world’s a hectic place at the moment. I think everyone’s trying to turn on the off switch.
Who’s the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?
Honestly, I’m a fool. But, my mum always told me, “Choose your friends wisely.” So if someone wants to follow me into battle… I wouldn’t follow myself into battle so, unlucky for them. Shout out to all my friends. We’re all really idiots.
How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?
I was in a fight. It was Year 7. I don’t know if my mother knows this. It was with this boy. Let’s call him James. I ended up winning the fight – just to let everyone know. It was over handball, because apparently I skipped the line. But no, I saved my spot in the line, while I went for a drink at the water fountain. I was about 10 years old. After that, I reflected on myself, like, “This is who I am. I need to change for the better.” [laughs] That was a big reflecting moment.
I suppose you think you’re brave, don’t you?
I think the universe or world gives us situations where we need to be brave, especially in a time like this – even going out to a supermarket, you have to be brave in the world that we live in. I think everyone has been given a chance to be brave, and to be responsible, and to play their part. So yeah, I think I am brave. But I think a lot of people are brave as well. Shout out to all my people who are working hard, and all our essential workers.
Why don’t you tell me the story of your life?
Where do you want me to start – the conception or the birth? Birth? OK. I think I’ve enjoyed every second of it. I wouldn’t change it, you know? In everyone’s life, you have things that you regret, and you have things that you love doing. I’m standing here as a young man, ready to go into the next season of my life. And it’s gonna be an exciting journey. And I can’t wait for everyone to sit with their popcorn and watch.
So what are you afraid of?
There’s a lot of things I’m afraid of. Judgement. Criticism. I’m afraid of not leaving behind a legacy, or something that people can look on and find good in and appreciate.
What’s normal, anyway?
There’s a new normal now that a lot of us have to live in, even here in New Zealand, even though you know we’re living in luxury, that we have no [Covid] cases. I can go to the supermarket without fear. I can hug people down here. I’m not bragging. But we definitely all had to come to a realisation that there is going to be a new normal for a while, and we just have to butt up or shut up, and let everyone know that we’re doing the right thing to help everybody get through this.
We all go a little mad sometimes, haven’t you?
Yes, I have gone mad. Yesterday, I had some leftovers for lunch. I was about to eat them, and I opened the fridge, and I saw that my sister had actually eaten the cake that I was going to save. And I got pretty mad. So, yes, I do get mad.
Have you ever worked on a farm before, or are you just ornamental?
Throughout that whole film, Hunt For The Wilderpeople… I had probably never stepped on a farm once. Actually, there was a scene in there where they were like, “Can you eat this bark?” And I looked at Taika [Waititi], the director, and I said, “I’m never doing that in a million years.” He was like, “Can you sit on this log?” I was like, “No. You’re never catching me sitting on that rotten old log.” I was an ornamental statue. “I’m going to stay in my own lane over here, with my hand-sanitised hands.” MM
ETA | SPRING 2021 / GODZILLA VS. KONG OPENS LATER THIS YEAR.
‘I THINK EVERYONE HAS BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE TO BE BRAVE, AND TO PLAY THEIR PART’