YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?
FILM QUOTES POSE AS QUESTIONS. FILM STARS TRY TO COPE. IN THE CROSSHAIRS THIS MONTH… WILL POULTER
You talkin’ to me?
Yes I am, and very glad to. I’m a big Total Film fan. As a kid I read it a lot, and any time I was lucky enough to be involved in something featured in the magazine it was very exciting.
Do you have an ‘off’ switch?
I’ve been working on it! Especially on set, I’ve been trying to make sure that when my switch is off, so to speak, I’m making good use of my time, reading or listening to something informative. Previously I’ve found myself nervously foottapping or staring into space, which doesn’t make for the most relaxed transition back into shooting.
Who’s the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?
I want to say the fool who wrangles all the foolish followers, because they clearly possess a certain amount of power and influence and they know what they’re doing; you don’t have to look too far, particularly in the world of politics, to find some good examples of that.
How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?
There’s a sequence in The Score that’s one of the most fun fights I’ve ever done. The way our director Malachi [Smyth] times it all to music is kind of genius. It was a real laugh; even rehearsing it I got the giggles. I’ve always loved learning those skills - but I think it was Mike Tyson who said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
What will you be drinking, sir?
My drink of choice is probably tequila. I love a Bandero tequila on the rocks, maybe with orange peel. I don’t know whether that’s an authentic way to have it, but that’s the way I nervously order it.
Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moonlight?
Oh my gosh, yeah. Not knowingly, because I try to avoid dancing at all costs. I need to have had several tequilas to even attempt dancing. If I can hide behind a character I’ll dance. I felt totally at ease dancing with Naomi [Ackie] in The Score.
We were dancing in a - totally grounded - boat at one point, which was super fun.
So what are you afraid of?
Heights are a big thing for me. I’m also not the most confident driver. It took me a few takes on The Score just doing one high-speed reverse.
What’s your favourite scary movie?
Get Out. I just absolutely loved it. I think Jordan Peele’s brilliant and that film had so much to offer, embracing so many genres while being a horror in the classic sense of the word.
If I say to you, “Don’t think about elephants,” what do you think about?
[Laughs] Yeah, I’ve got one of those brains that instantly thinks about elephants. I’d say that food occupies my thoughts about 97 per cent of the time. On holiday I’ll discuss what we should have for dinner while we’re eating lunch.
Is life always this hard, or is it just when you’re a kid?
First of all, what a film, and what an actor Natalie Portman is. I think life’s especially hard when you’re a kid, because growing up without a clue what the adult world looks like gave rise, for me, to anxieties that I wouldn’t be able to cope with until I got older. I find myself still struggling to be an adult. But the things you enjoyed and loved as a kid, you shouldn’t entirely let go of those in adulthood.
‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?
Very. Especially when I think back to the first job I ever got when I was 12, Son Of Rambow. That was a very, very lucky situation, and having a family who have supported me so much ever since makes me a very lucky punk indeed.
Do you have a mixtape coming out?
The Score is the closest thing I have to a mixtape, because I’m involved in several tracks. Recording those songs with Naomi [Ackie] and Johnny [Flynn] was one of the most fun periods of my life. It was a lovely introduction to the world of musicals; I would jump at the opportunity [to do more].
Are you a rusher or a dragger?
I don’t know if I fully understand the terms. But I’m impatient and I get restless pretty easily. So on that basis, I’m gravitating towards rusher.
This has been the best day of my life…
The best day of mine? That’s a big one. Not sure I can pinpoint one, but those days when I’m with my family, wherever that is, and whenever that presents itself as an opportunity. That’s when I’m happiest.
THE SCORE OPENS IN CINEMAS ON 9 SEPTEMBER.