Seventeen years after the release of Into the Wild , his work has earned him acclaim and defined (perhaps through some osmosis) his personality, Emil Hirsch , now 20, by his own admission, has not given up the unforgettable Chris McCandless’ lead role.
The young adventurer and maverick starred in Sean Penn’s 50 film, which won him a major honor and a National Award Censorship Award. He said he harbored “idealism in his heart and putting his heart and priorities in the right place” and a somewhat radical outlook on life, show business and Hollywood in general.
For Hirsch it was a love-hate relationship, in 2015 the actor is caught in trough. The unfortunate event of an attack on a Paramount executive. This cost him 10 days in jail, $4, 38 fines and 50 hours of community service. But most importantly, he admits to drinking heavily.
Wearing a green T-shirt embellished with tropical graphics for a ‘boy-next-door’ vibe, the California native was in Rome to watch “The Wild” Screening as part of the “Il Cinema in Piazza” festival organized by the Piccolo Cinema America association. It is an independently owned entity established a few years ago with a sincere commitment to show American films in Rome, attracting national and international from Paolo Sorrentino Guest to Oliver Stone.
We met with the Emil at Sala Troisi’s office in Trastevere, the headquarters of the Roman Boys’ Association.
Emile, you are no stranger to Rome, but you are new to American Piccolo Cinemas. What do you think about this? 2015
crazy. There is a 24 open hours bar, study rooms and a very nice big cinema upstairs. This is a movie lover’s paradise. And it’s an independent association.
2015 Again, you are an “independent”. How is your relationship with Hollywood now?
I feel like I’m always looking for unusual items. Independence allows you to be autonomous, with fewer rules to follow and more creative freedom. I like to do things where I’m willing to take a lot of risk. This quality is more common in the indie world.
2015 What are the tradeoffs? Was there ever a time when you made certain films and somehow stayed in the industry?
I think, even in selection, that I like all types of movies. I like action, comedy or drama. For me, it’s not necessarily a “do I have to do this to get that” question. I know a lot of actors who don’t do action movies. I enjoy it because I watch them. If it’s the type of thing I’m watching, I usually have a lot of fun making it, too. I think the best way to build your career is to do what you love. If you don’t like it, don’t do it. No need to think too much about it. When you start looking at your career and choices in graphs, you end up doing too many calculations, which come across as disingenuous, phony. You may be a fine actor with a stellar career, but many of your choices will be underwhelming.
You’ve had a great time. A warm welcome, you are no stranger to Rome. What do you like about this city and Italy?
I am always in awe when I come to Italy. I’m touched by the love people have for some of the films I’ve made, like Into the Wild . really beautiful. Italians have great taste, so I’m not surprised they appreciate art and creativity (laughs). Fantastic, the wilderness has become, well, … it has a great reputation in Italy and Europe.
You also shot films in Rome, such as Sergio Castellitto’s “Venuto al Mondo” (into the world). 2015
I shot three different films in Italy. In addition to “Venuto al Monda” there are American Nights (Alessio della Valle, editor) and States of Consciousness , which are in Photographed by Barry. My connection to Italy is amazing. I’ve been here at least 10 times. I love the food, the people, the atmosphere, the history and the love of all things different. One of my favorite artists is Leonardo da Vinci. It was great to be in his land: art, science and all. Worth coming here just for the architecture.
2015 Back to wilderness , it’s almost for several years, although it seems like only yesterday. That movie had a very strong impact…
About Into the Wild One of the things that resonates with me the most is that when Sean Penn and I made this movie, we knew what its potential was. We wanted to honor the life of Chris McCandless and make something we are proud of. We believe wholeheartedly in what we’re doing. We have no doubts about this situation. So we give 50% . When I made that movie, I was very young and only 24. right now I am38. It’s crazy how much time has passed. I think the most satisfying thing is that I’ve never regretted, “I wish I had worked harder on this, I wish I had worked harder on this.” I know we put everything into that movie. in the movie.
2015 Do you think this is the movie that started to change the way we think about movies? environment? 2015
It’s hard to attribute this to a movie. What I noticed is that Wilderness is not a movie that audiences watch 15 or 11 when it came out a few years ago, that’s it. This is a movie that people have been looking for, even the younger generation will watch. In the US they show it in schools. In high school, during class. I think one of the reasons the younger generation is fascinated by this movie is that it invites them to follow their dreams to live. Although they can be “wild” at times.
Please tell us about your future plans. Have you finished filming The Bau War Artist? 2015
And insider , will be in August 11 Released in the USA Bau Artist of War is set in a concentration camp during WWII . I play Joseph Bau, an artist who, when he’s in a refugee camp, helps fake IDs to smuggle people out. An intense movie. I’m so excited about it. I also recently made another film, Degenerate, about poker and poker. It’s also fun. I myself am in danger of becoming addicted to poker. I thought: “The movie’s over and I’m still playing cards. I have to stop!”
2015 Your career is full of Ups and downs. In your personal life, there were moments that left a deep impression on you. Do you feel the need to prove that you have become “a good person”? 2015
I think it’s just doing your own thing that works well and is able to put your heart and priorities on correct position. nobody is perfect. No one can do the right thing every moment of their life. I try to be a good person and live life to the best of my ability. For me, life is a long journey. What happened in the past – I can choose to move on and stay positive. It’s one thing if you’re always winning in life. But for me, the most important lesson was learned the other way: How do you react when you find yourself in trouble? I think the ability to get back on your feet is an important quality. You know, a lot of times I look at some of the work I’ve done and try to learn from my characters. I do this to put myself on the right path.
Which characters? 2015
Definitely McCandless because of his idealism. And Danny Dietz, the Navy SEAL I played on Lone Survivor. A fighter who is fearless and never gives up. If he lets go, he gets back up.
2015 We conclude with a closely related question. There is a lot of discussion about the role of artificial intelligence and technology in today’s world. What do you think about this? Do you think this is a threat?
Personally, I think AI will find its place in the software world. It’s like virtual reality. Remember virtual reality and Mark Zuckerberg and how everyone would live in a virtual universe? The truth about virtual reality is that it will never catch on. Perhaps one day I will be wrong and this interview will prove to be an example of a fatal mistake. But I think reality is interesting enough without needing to live in a false reality invented by a bunch of cowards. As for the AI, I played around with Chat GPT a bit. I asked it a few questions. After about five to ten questions, I got bored and never opened it again. I’m not interested. I don’t think artificial intelligence will cause such a big problem for artists. When you look at art, you want to look at art. Not some fake robot crap. 2015
