Parting Shot

Aaron Taylorjohnson

How do you adapt a book steeped in controversy and turn it into a movie? You focus on your artistic voice, says Aaron Taylor-johnson. He stars in and co-wrote the film adaptation of James Frey’s A Million Little Pieces, alongside his wife, Sam Taylor-johnson, who also directed the film, recently released in theaters. “He put it best himself,” Aaron says, speaking of Frey. “He kind of handed us the keys and said, ‘I wrote this in the spirit of art, go make art.’” The bestselling book, an Oprah’s Book Club selection in 2005, caused considerable controversy after it was revealed that Frey had fictionalized part of what was originally billed as a memoir. Now as a film, the narrative follows Frey on his journey to sobriety and the people he came across during his stint in rehab: “He was very approachable. I spent a lot of time with him, on-and-off texting and went on a road trip to get to know one another. We went back to the treatment center.” Even though Aaron says he naively thought visiting the treatment center would be beneficial for his own performance, he didn’t realize how much it would impact Frey.

What was it like visiting the rehab from the book with James Frey?

It was really overwhelming for him to step through those doors again. He said he hadn’t been back in over 20 years. He was an addict, and today he’s 26 years sober. I didn’t realize how overwhelming and emotional it would be for him to relive those steps.

Did your background in gymnastics help with the physicality in the movie?

Sam and I have sort of collaborated on things which have a lot of body movement and contemporary dance, and it was a decision early on that I wanted to portray James in a sort of more physical way. Obviously, when you spend time with James, he doesn’t dance or move in that way. It was definitely an interpretation and it allowed us to play to our strengths, at times.

When you’re not collaborating, you and Sam alternate working on projects, right? Do you have plans to work together again?

We’d love to. That’s the idea, to continue to collaborate. But for the last eight, nine years we’ve done one-on, one-off, so that we’ve been available for our kids and to support one another in our work.

Do you find the time off is helpful to your process as an actor?

I like to dive into a character and then I need that time to shed a character and then be present at home. That time off is actually kind of a good process for me as an actor. — H. Alan Scott

“I like to dive into a character and then I need that time to shed a character and then be present at home.”