LONELY HEARTS

Although Wyatt Oleff is only 19 years old, he could be considered a speleologist of the human mind, to be more exact, of its darkest and most complicated corners. Since his beginnings more than a decade ago, the young actor has become known for performances in highly complex projects. His roles have always had a complicated tone, having to face hard dilemmas or deepest fears. The world has always been a cold and cloudy place for the lonely hearts that Wyatt has brought to life, but he has always managed to bring them tenderness and sensitivity. From the tormented Stanley Uris in both films of the adaptation of Stephen King’s It, to the sweet and complicated Charlie on Josh Schwarz and Stephanie Savage’s new hit show, City on Fire, Wyatt continues to prove his courage with roles that revolve around the insecurities and fears that make us human. There is no challenge that he can resist or gloom that he cannot light, Wyatt Oleff is the most indomitable outsider of all..

You started your career very early, at only five years old. Could you tell me your first memory of a movie set?

I think my first movie might have been an independent called Someone Marry Barry. That experience was fun because I remember the point of my character in the movie was that I was being influenced by the main character who’s this guy who says whatever he wants. So I was just saying a bunch of swear words, and the crew was asking my parents, “Can he say all this?” and they were like, “Yeah, it’s fine.”

A lot of actors have always known that cinema was their true passion growing up. Having started so young, I am curious if you ever thought about putting acting aside and doing something different?

Absolutely. I think there’s been plenty of moments in my life where I thought maybe this is just a phase or something, or I wasn’t exactly sure if this was something I wanted to keep doing. That said, I don’t think there was ever a point where I was like, “I’d rather be doing this.” Acting is the thing that I always really wanted to do and the thing that I wanted to continue doing. If there was something else I could do, I would hope to be some visual artist in terms of creating a comic book or a graphic novel or working on games or movies as storyboards or something still related to creating art.

You worked during your high school years. Did you ever feel like you were missing out on experiences that your friends or classmates were living?

There were a few summers that I missed out with school friends because I was going off and filming things, but I didn’t really view those situations as missing out. It was more of me doing my own thing during the summer. And I’d say the thing I missed out most on was caused by the fact that I was working with adults from such a young age and that’s who I was more used to hanging around. So I felt like there were a lot of times where I just didn’t click with people my own age just because I just didn’t talk to them as much. I don’t want to sound pretentious here, but there’s a sense of maturity that I was forced to have at a younger age that was required for me to work with adults and that just didn’t translate to interacting with other kids.

No one better than someone who was a child actor can truly answer this question – do you think it is advisable to start working in this industry so young?

I think it has its advantages and its disadvantages. Starting so young, it works as almost a hobby where you can go to auditions and balance school with it and you’re not stressing out because this isn’t your income. It’s not the only thing that you have going on, it’s not your career yet. If elements of it become ingrained into you early, like the auditioning process, it all just becomes a part of your life. It’s easier to comprehend and easier to go to thousands of auditions. I think it’s also tough because you are losing a part of your childhood and you are losing time that is usually spent at school or with your friends. Those are still things I did while I was on set, but it was just very different.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start in the industry at such a young age?

The number one piece of advice I always try to give is to never give up. It’s cheesy, but it’s true. You’re going to hear a lot of “noes”, and that’s just the nature of the industry. Especially now, with the way that the landscape for auditioning keeps moving and changing. Now, it’s just all auditions via self-tapes and there’s going to be thousands upon thousands of people who are going to send in stuff. You just have to get used to sending in a tape and not hearing anything because that still happens to me. That is very discouraging, but it’s just a part of the process and you have to keep getting back up. So being prepared for that, I think, is very important.

Do you think that working as an actor makes you better at managing rejections in your personal life?

In some cases, I believe so. I think the rejection that you get all the time from acting is not the same as asking out someone who you like. That’s a very different rejection, but it’s similar in terms of how vulnerable you are. You’re showing a very naked version of yourself to a lot of people, and you’re just giving them all you have. I think it helps in terms of your confidence and being able to take no for an answer and being able to bounce back from putting yourself out there and getting struck down for it. I think it has helped me a little bit.

You’re a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – what is your relationship with the superhero genre? Are you a fan?

I definitely used to be a lot more. I think when I first got the part in Guardians of the Galaxy, I was so excited. I got to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that was awesome – it was everything I could have wanted as a kid. And I think as it’s become such a mainstay genre, it’s become even really something that is beyond it. It’s just what defines a modern blockbuster and that’s half of all the movies that are successful in the box office right now. I think to an extent, it’s gotten a little oversaturated. I’ve seen a lot of them. They were definitely more effective when I was younger and as I continue to get older, I feel like I’m almost growing out of it. But I still respect them. And there are always those ones that surprise you. Every time I hear good reception about one, I’m like, “Okay, yeah, I’ll go see that.”

If you could choose to play any superhero, which one would it be?

I don’t really want to go with the basic answer, but I think I will. Actually, I’ve heard people telling me “You would make a great Spiderman or Superman.” And, yeah, I think I would. I guess young Superman is still possible, but Spiderman is definitely taken. But I don’t need the responsibility of being the face of a superhero. I don’t know if I want that.

Oh my God! Spiderman and Superman! You got a thing for outsiders!

Yeah, absolutely.

It’s time to talk about poor Stanley Uris, the character you played in It. Why do you think you were a good fit for that role?

I think I related to him on a lot of levels, especially his fears and his general insecurities. I think he plays that role in the group that’s trying to make sure everyone stays out of trouble. I very much adapt to that role when I’m with my friends in real life as well, I try to hold them back from doing something stupid. Or at least I did. That’s not me anymore. But definitely, at the time, that was why I related to him and fell into that character so easily.

It talks about our intimate fears. Stanley was a very fearful young man tormented by a Modigliani-inspired painting of a woman. Didn’t participating in that movie make you wonder about your own fears?

Sure! I mean, all the characters in the script have their own fears that Pennywise turns into. And I think we all had a moment where we were like, I wonder what would mine be? It would probably be something like spiders.

Spiders? Really?

I’d like to not be afraid of them. I’m trying to get that fear down and expose myself to it more.

Tell me about a movie that really, really scared you.

The ones that really scare me are the ones that lean more into psychological horror. Anything Ari Aster has done, for example. His movies are about keeping you on your toes and making you feel uncomfortable rather than just scaring you. Also, one of my favourite movies is The End of Evangelion, which is definitely a psychological horror that messed me up for a while. It changed my brain chemistry a little bit.

I feel you with The End of Evangelion! If I had to spend the rest of my life with a crying baby like Shinji Ikari, I would be terrified.

Us by Jordan Peele is also a very good horror movie. The concept of the doppelganger coming to kill me kept me up at night for a little bit.

Horror cinema is experiencing a new golden age, would you like to continue exploring this genre in the future?

Yes! They’re a lot of fun. It would be my answer to any genre, but I got to like the script and who’s writing it and the director. It’s got to be very intentional. I want something fresh, something new and something that really gets me going.

You have just released a new series City on Fire on Apple TV, the show developed by the creators of iconic teen dramas like The O.C. or Gossip Girl. Have you seen any of these series? What type of television interests you as a viewer?

They were kind of before my time, so I never got into them. But I did know of Josh and Stephanie [Savage]. They’re legends in this industry and to be able to work with them was so cool. They’re just so genuine, fun, sweet and so professional.

My God, you must watch The O.C.

I actually did a bit. Josh invited me to do a table for a Variety reading where I read for Adam Brody’s character. It was super fun. It was my first time watching the show and I was like, “Oh, okay. I see. I get the appeal and why it’s popular.”

In City On Fire, you play a shy and lonely boy living in New York City. Have you ever felt like an outsider?

Oh, yeah, all the time. I think that’s what attracts me to these characters. I’m very used to being an outsider and being different from how everyone else is feeling. I think that stays true as I get older and as I become more of an adult and people want to go out and party. That’s very rarely something I want to do. I just find myself unsure because everyone else is doing this thing, so why can’t I like doing that? It’s a feeling that still continues as I grow older. So playing this role is somewhat cathartic. The fact that the outsider is the protagonist makes me feel better about myself.

I think that we’re living in a moment when being an outsider is a cool thing.

But you have to own it. You can’t just be like, “Oh, I’m lonely and I’m an outsider”. You have to be like, “I’m an outsider, and that’s fine, and that’s cool, and I’m cool for that.”

But I think if you make being an outsider the cool thing, it’s going to lose its essence.

Oh, yeah. Because if everyone becomes an outsider, then no one becomes an outsider. But I don’t think outsiders will get oversaturated.

City On Fire presents the problem of classism which is palpable in a city like New York, but also in Hollywood. After working as an actor for so many years, have you ever been in a situation where you felt there was a class system in the industry?

You have to build your reputation as you go throughout the industry. And the goal, of course, is to be at a point where people are offering you roles and you can just pick and choose what you want to do. But that’s at the end of your journey. You have to climb this big ladder to get to a point where you’re able to be respected and well-known enough to be wanted by a director. That’s obviously the goal. I remember when I was younger going into auditions and the casting director would come out and say hi to someone next to me and they’d have a conversation. And then all of a sudden I would be intimidated because I didn’t know this casting director and I didn’t know what was going on. Then years later, I would be the one saying hi to that casting director and intimidating someone else. That’s just the nature and cycle of things, I think.

I have a feeling you are a restless spirit. Do you like to explore other facets such as directing or writing a script? What can the audience expect from you in the coming years?

I love the creative process and I love creating stories. I think for me right now, I’m young and my brain is not fully developed and it’s unsure of exactly the stories it wants to tell. But I would hope to be in five years or so in a place where I’m like, “Okay, I’m going to throw some stuff together and create a little movie.”

Source: behindtheblinds.be

V People: Wyatt Oleff
Hollywood’s newest hotshot is headed for the big leagues

The first thing you notice during a conversation with Wyatt Oleff is that he cares about acting. A lot. It’s not forced, either. It’s genuine. He talks about the luck of landing an early background part with the same enthusiasm as when he’s describing his latest leading role-playing the nerdy, insecure Charlie in the highly anticipated Apple TV+ series “City on Fire”.

Oleff doesn’t dabble. He commits. It’s this full-force approach that’s earned the Chicago native an enviable array of film and television credits, all before turning 20. His diverse filmography includes the 2017 horror blockbuster “It”, the irreverent superhero flick “Guardians of the Galaxy”, and Netflix’s cult-favorite dark comedy series “I Am Not Okay With This”. He notes a trend of working with directors who have strong, singular visions—and Oleff has proved his adeptness at shape-shifting to fit those visions. “It rubs off on you when you work with those people. You become passionate like that, too,” Oleff reflects. “That’s something I look for in a project, is people who really care about it.”

“City on Fire”, an adaptation of Garth Risk Hallberg’s electrifying 2015 debut novel of the same name, boasts such a team. At the helm of the intriguing crime drama are Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the creative duo behind ‘00s classics like “Gossip Girl” and “The O.C.” Oleff’s character, Charlie, must untangle the mysteries surrounding the shooting of his friend, Samantha Cicciaro (Chase Sui Wonders), uncovering the secrets of NYC’s elite and the truth behind the city’s recent fires in the process. As the show is set in 2003, Charlie also struggles to process his father’s passing in the 9/11 terror attacks. The complexity of the character presented a new challenge for the young actor, but he was eager to take on the part.

“I’ve never done a character with such a clear, big arc as Charlie has. He goes from being this nervous kid to one who’s confident,” Oleff shares. “Charlie’s still scared, but his ability to push through it is what makes this arc, I think, so interesting. Not only is there a physical transformation, but there’s a look in his eyes that has to change.” While the 19-year-old can’t relate to the dramatic events of Charlie’s life, the role still resonates with him on a personal level. Like Charlie, Oleff is reckoning with the transition from teenager to young adult.

“It’s interesting, going into this stage of my life and being able to play a character who inhabits that sense of nervousness and fear of growing up and moving on,” he says. Oleff copes with this uncertainty by continuing to push himself out of his comfort zone. Besides “City on Fire”, he recently participated in two buzzy independent films and even tried his hand at directing a short film. With each job, he’s given it his all—and his advice for aspiring creatives is to do the same.

“If you’re passionate and if you’re creative, and if you have an idea, people will see that,” he says. “People will see that you just cannot stop doing what you love.”

Source: vmagazine.com

Wyatt Oleff Goes from ‘It’ Boy to Leading Man in ‘City on Fire’

Meet the rising star of the new Apple TV+ series
How did Wyatt Oleff get his start?

Wyatt Oleff doesn’t remember the exact moment when he decided to become an actor; he was so young at the time, he has to take his mother’s word for it. “She told me that when I was about 5, I was like, ‘I want to do that,’ pointing to the TV,” he recalls. “She said absolutely not, but I just kept asking and asking.” His family’s coincidental relocation from Chicago to Los Angeles when he was 7 made that seemingly far-off dream become a lot more plausible. “Through some lucky connections, I was able to get a manager,” he says, “and I just started going out on auditions.” His first gig? “A commercial for Coldwell Banker.”
Which projects has he worked on?

Those auditions eventually led to more interesting projects, including the role of the young Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy. Oleff’s big break, though, was getting the part of Stanley Uris in 2017’s It, which had the additional benefit of giving him a Hollywood support system. “I met some of my best friends through It,” he says. “Having people who understand what it’s like to be a part of something so massive when you’re so young is really nice.” Today, Oleff often finds himself going up against those friends for roles, but he classifies it as healthy competition: “It’s just like, Oh, they got that part, and we can all be happy for each other.”

What is his role in City on Fire?

Starting this month, Oleff stars in the Apple TV+ crime drama City on Fire, based on the bestselling novel of the same name. He plays Charlie, a Long Island teenager who finds himself embroiled in the aftermath of the mysterious shooting of a friend in Central Park. “Throughout the show, we see him slowly go through this metamorphosis,” Oleff notes. “I find that so exciting.” The series features its fair share of pyrotechnics, which made the set a lively place. “It’s so exciting when they do practical effects, especially explosion work,” Oleff says. “Everyone’s getting ready to do the scene, but everyone’s really just looking forward to seeing the big explosion.”

What’s next?

Oleff has also worked with several indie filmmakers, including Jamie Sisley, whose latest movie, Stay Awake—which tells the story of two brothers attempting to navigate their mother’s opioid addiction—premieres this month. “People with that singular vision are really inspiring,” Oleff says, “and I want to be that person someday.” The 19-year-old has even taken a few small steps of his own toward directing. “I love talking to everyone on set and seeing what they do. There were a few moments on City on Fire where I got to pull focus for some of the shots. I don’t know if they’re gonna use those shots,” he adds with a laugh, “but it was fun.”

Source: hemispheresmag.com

I added outtakes to the gallery of the It cast (and some solo shots of Wyatt) for Cine Premiere back in 2017. Click on the gallery link below to see all new photos.