Wyatt attended a Q&A With The Cast And Crew Of Stay Awake yesterday! Click on the gallery links below to see all new photos.

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 is featured in the current issue of ODDA Magazine. Click on the gallery link below to see all new photos.

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