If you haven't heard of Aaron Johnson yet...I promise you will very soon. That's because in director Sam Taylor Wood's Nowhere Boy, Johnson gives an amazing performance as a teenage John Lennon. And in a few months, Johnson will be everywhere, as he's one of the leads in director Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass. Trust me, this guy is going to be huge.
Anyway, at this year's Sundance Film festival, I was able to speak with Aaron Johnson and Director Sam Taylor Wood about Nowhere Boy and our conversation is after the jump. We talked about the delicate balancing act of trying to make a movie that's based on such a famous person. We also covered being at Sundance, what was it like on set, how did they prepare for the movie, and a lot more. It's a great interview so take a look.
Also, while Nowhere Boy has already been released in the UK, it's still opening around the world. I saw the film at Sundance and it's great. If you're a Beatles fan, or just curious what Lennon's life was like as a teenager, it's really worth your time.
Here's the synopsis of Nowhere Boy and the trailer. The interview is further down:
NOWHERE BOY
Imagine... John Lennon's childhood. Liverpool 1955: a smart and troubled fifteen year-old is hungry for experience. In a family full of secrets, two incredible women clash over John: Mimi, the buttoned-up Aunt who raised him, and Julia, the prodigal mother. Yearning for a normal family, John escapes into the new and exciting world of rock n' roll where his fledgling genius finds a kindred spirit in the teenage Paul McCartney. Just as John begins his new life, tragedy strikes. But a resilient young man finds his voice - and an icon explodes into the world.
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Director Sam Taylor Wood and Aaron Johnson
- When did they find out they got into Sundance and what does it mean to them
- 1:30 - How did the project come together
- 2:20 - How did Aaron Johnson come to the project
- 3:35 - How was it on set and trying to make everything feel real
- 5:30 - Sam Taylor Wood talks about balancing making a movie versus being true to what really happened
- 6:30 - Aaron Johnson talks about what he learned about John Lennon by playing him
- 9:00 - Aaron Johnson talks about how big of a year 2010 is with Nowhere Boy and Kick-Ass
- 10:15 - What will be on the DVD/Blu-ray. What got cut out?
- 11:30 - How do they feel about extended edition DVDs
- 12:25 - What do they have coming up
- 13:45 - Is Johnson paying attention to the great buzz on Kick-Ass
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