The practical effects were unbelievable. I couldn’t believe that. Poor Nick Stahl.
I know that there’s certain things that they don’t show before those practical effects. Kind of that Jaws, “you don’t need to see it to be frightened.” It was perfectly done. The director could’ve had more money but didn’t need it.
There’s a certain amount shown, but there’s also a lot left for the viewer to infer. And it’s effective. You’ve also been in films like Final Destination and Idle Hands, which are heavy on gratuitous gore. Which method in portraying violence is more effective? The one that’s just off the screen, or the one that’s more in-you-face?
There’s a place for both of them. [With] a movie like Final Destination, you go in there to see that. Especially since they’ve evolved. Final Destination 5 was the first one to use CGI and 3D the way they did. And you’re expecting to see things flying. That’s the fun of it. It’s so over-the-top gory and bloody that that’s what makes it it. A film like this, it’s a little bit for a maturer audience. It’s kind of like Jaws, where we saw that shark for, like, eight seconds, total, of the whole film. But what was so damn frightening was just the music, and the cameras, and the old-fashioned movie-making. And so there’s a place for both of them.
Do you watch your own films?
I do. I watch my films. I don’t watch my films saying, “Oh, I can’t wait to watch myself on-screen.” But I definitely watch my stuff much like an athlete would watch their games to improve their performances on the next one.
Do you revisit your films that you made as a child?
That, I do not do.
I heard through the grapevine that you may or may not still watch Now and Then, now and then.
I went to a screening. They had a 20-year anniversary screening. My wife may have put it on for the kids at one point. It didn’t get watched because they were so young. But with that said, it’s a very watchable film, and I love it to death.
So you and Christina Ricci, whom you had a kissing scene with in Casper, now have another one in Now and Then, almost back-to-back. On the cusp of both of your breakouts, and as adolescent kids, were you more focused on the stardom, or the anxiety of doing a kiss scene with a fellow teen heartthrob?
For me, it wasn’t in my head, anything about stars. At that point in my career, I was very excited and nervous because I’m 14-years-old, and here’s this cute girl, and I may have a small crush on her. And things have changed since then. Now, it’s more, when you have to do one of those scenes, it’s very professional, and you’re thinking about the cameras and whatnot all around you. But it just was exciting back then. It was exciting to be doing that.
How long did it take you to accept the teen heartthrob label growing up?
I don’t know if I ever did. I was constantly trying to get away from that label. The studios were very pro doing those teen magazines, and I was very against doing them. But it came with the package. And I did them. I never really liked doing them. I liked doing the work. I liked being in the movies. I liked acting scenes. I didn’t necessarily like being in pin-ups or anything like that. But it is what it is. I did it. It’s there.
Right. It’s there. And you’re one of the few who’ve managed to overcome that label and, as an adult, have a successful film career. When did you decide you wanted to shed the skin of that label and actually flex your acting range with more selective roles? And I realize that’s sometimes more of a can than want. When did this paradigm shift happen?
It just started as I got older. When you’re on those teen magazines, you’re the “It Guy” for a certain amount of time, and then you fizzle away when a new “It Guy” comes up. And I just got lucky. While I was fizzling away, I booked Idle Hands, and all of a sudden, I was in a new chapter.
Do you have a favorite experience as a child on set?
I have a lot. There’s so many. I generally had a great childhood because of the industry, because of the eclectic group of people I met on every set. I couldn’t have asked for a better childhood – the traveling, the people. I worked for everybody from Amblin and Warner Brothers all the way down to the smaller, independent films. And I always had a great experience. There were so many wonderful times.
Did you see the recent Pete Davidson SNL “Stan” skit?
I did. I did. I smiled from ear to ear the whole time. He did a fantastic job of making it his own. It’s great. It’s great.
I agree. My only criticism would be that they didn’t ask the original Stan to make a cameo. But there’s always next time.
Always next time. He handled it. You know what? At the end of the day, it’s Eminem’s. I always feel like people give me way too much credit for that video. The genius of that song is Eminem. And I’m glad I played a little, small part of it.
Are there any projects in which you star that you’re looking forward to coming out soon?
I just finished a film with Bruce Campbell called Black Friday!. I did a movie with Alyssa Milano [Who Are You People]. I did a small, little indie that’s due out next year.
