Anton Yelchin on filming Odd Thomas

August 23, 2011

Here’s an excerpt form an interview with Movieline.com

You’re filming Odd Thomas right now?
Yes, I’m still shooting that. I flew in this morning from Santa Fe. I’ve shot in New Mexico before, but I’ve never shot in Santa Fe.

What drew you in about that project to begin with?
I think it’s a great character. There’s a lot going on there, because he’s given this spiritual ability that makes his world so complex. I mean, face to face with death every day, and the universe he lives in, the moral universe, is so intense. You just see him try to live a very quiet material existence, but the moral struggle of this character, of trying to constructively deal with death every day and still bring something to the world, was very interesting to me. He’s a great character. He’s of both realms; he’s a human being but he’s also within the spiritual realm at all times. So it gives you the room to sort of put him… I mean, he’s Odd Thomas. His name is ‘Odd,’ so he’s weird. It allows you to experiment with that, and at the same time, kick some ass. It’s a fun combination of a lot of things.

What kind of action scenes do you get to do in Odd Thomas?
There’s not a huge deal, but basically what happens is the movie opens with Odd beating the shit out of this guy who’s taken advantage of this little girl, so right away you know he’s not just this weird guy. Then what happens is it culminates in this huge, brutal massacre at this mall. But it’s great, Willem Dafoe’s in it…

What’s he like to work with?
Oh, he’s a pleasure. A wonderful man. The nicest man. I think he’s extraordinary; I was mesmerized by him and so pleased to find what a great man he is.

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