Most child actors struggle during that awkward transition from boyz II men; but for 21-year-old Brit Nicholas Hoult, it hasn't been that hard to say goodbye to yesterday -- from his breakthrough role in "About a Boy" to "X-Men" (see what we did there?).
In fact, his future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades… of blue, as the ferocious furry Beast in "X-Men: First Class." The new mutant pseudo-prequel features Hoult as Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy, a prodigious young scientist with a bit of a Jekyll/Hyde thing going on. We get to see Hank go from meek geek to full-on badass, and by the end, all memories of Kelsey Grammer in "X-Men: The Last Stand" are torn to shreds.
After gaining notice for supporting parts in blockbuster "Clash of the Titans" and art-house drama "A Single Man," Hoult is poised to become a star. We got to chat with this proper English gentleman about his newfound fame.
How were you discovered?
My older brother and sister acted, and I did a play with my mum when I was three years old. A director saw me and said I could concentrate well, and asked if she could use me in her next play, which was "The Caucasian Chalk Circle." That was the first play I ever did. Then a series of events ended in me getting an agent, auditioning for things, and eventually getting a few roles.
Whose career in Hollywood would you like to have?
Blimey. Clint Eastwood's got a great career, and I'd like to direct. I enjoy Peter Sellers, Steve McQueen. There's so many.
Who's your acting inspiration?
I want to vary genres. I'd like to do Westerns, so obviously Clint for that. For being a cool guy, Steve McQueen -- those really subtle, small performances. For comedy, Peter Sellers. Johnny Depp for trying things out. Colin Firth for dignity and subtlety in his performances. It was a real treat to work with him [in "A Single Man"].
What is your favorite movie of all time?
That's a tough one. "Being There" is definitely up there, that's one of my favorites.
What is it about the Chance gardener character in that film that you dig?
I like the situations you find in it, the humor. It's a great little story of this guy who gets kicked out and ends on his feet and stumbles through life. I just like the tone and feel of the film. It's a good vibe.
What would you be doing if you weren’t acting?
At the moment I'd be at university studying who knows what, English or history or one of those sort of things. I guess studying something, then figuring out what I was doing after university.
What is your favorite music?
I listen to varied things from Al Green, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, to more recent bands like Muse.
Do people recognize you on the street?
Occasionally, yeah. It's more that sort of thing where they look at you and think they might know you from somewhere, but can't quite figure out where they might know you from. Someone might come up and say, "Oh, I saw you in this and thought that was good or bad or you were rubbish." Most of the time I'm fairly anonymous.
You've got "X-Men: First Class" on deck. Is that going to take things to the next level?
Obviously it's already got a massive fanbase and generally the films are very successful, so it'll be interesting to see how this film is received. Having Matthew Vaughn directing is a great attribute, and he's given a great tone and style to the film. To work with these actors is a privilege. I haven't thought of the fame side of things.
You're going to be the lead in "Jack the Giant Killer"…
We're about halfway through filming now. It's a fairy tale about a young farm boy who falls in love with a princess and gets caught up in this mission to save her from giants. It's the tale behind "Jack and the Beanstalk" and the story that develops through time to become that. It's funny. The giants are CGI, Bill Nighy is playing the lead evil giant, Bryan Singer's directing. It's going well so far.
Did you receive any special beanstalk-climbing training?
(laughs) We have, actually. They built a climbing wall for us. We haven't shot any of the beanstalk-climbing scenes yet, we're filming those maybe later this week. There has been some training for that and horse-riding training. A lot of the time, the most fun aspects of films are research, preparation and the things you learn. For "X-Men" it was fun to just sit down and read comics. That's a good job to have.
Mac or PC?
Mac, just because that's what I use.
New York or L.A.?
I spent more time in L.A., and I know it's not the right answer, but I do love to go to the ocean and have a surf in the sunshine. That's because I'm from England, so I like the warm climate; it feels like I'm on holiday more there. I do love New York. L.A., this time.
Potter or Twilight?
Potter.
Rock or rap?
Rock.
Beer or wine?
Beer.
Twitter or Facebook?
I've never had a Twitter, so I guess Facebook.
Bieber or Timberlake?
Timberlake.
Cowboys or Aliens?
Cowboys.
Werewolves or Smurfs?
(laughs) A cross-breed.
