JSquared Photography
Interview @ouchmagazineny
You’re joining a beloved franchise with Ted Lasso and bringing Henry Lasso to life. What was your first reaction when you found out you got the role, and what are you most excited for audiences to see about Henry?
I was really excited, especially because I was already a fan of Ted Lasso. Henry has a lot more going on as he gets older, so I’m excited for people to see more of his personality and his relationship with Ted.
You’ve worked with some incredible actors at a very young age, from Ewan McGregor to Morgan Freeman and Jason Sudeikis. What’s something you’ve learned from each of them that has influenced the way you approach acting?
A lot of the best advice has just come from watching people work. Being on set with actors like them and seeing how they approach scenes and carry themselves has taught me a lot.
Playing young Luke Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi must have been an extraordinary experience. How did you approach playing such an iconic character while still making the performance feel like your own?
I was pretty young, so I wasn’t really thinking about the pressure of playing Luke Skywalker. I knew who he eventually became, but at that point he was still just a kid growing up on Tatooine, so that’s how I approached him.
Deborah Chow encouraged you to bring an authentic, youthful perspective to young Luke. Was there a particular piece of direction or advice from her that really stayed with you?
Deborah wanted Luke to feel like an actual kid and not an imitation of the older character. She gave me a lot of freedom to bring my own personality to him.
Your career has already taken you from Star Wars and Ted Lasso to horror projects like Creepshow and Five Nights at Freddy’s, as well as action with Gunner. What attracts you to such different genres and characters?
I like getting to work in completely different genres. Each one requires something different from me, and I don’t really have one type of character I’m drawn to more than another.
You grew up in Alabama and are now working on some of Hollywood’s biggest productions. How has growing up outside the entertainment industry shaped the way you see your career and handle all of this attention at such a young age?
Growing up in Alabama has kept acting pretty separate from the rest of my life. When I come home, I’m around the same friends and people I’ve known forever, and things are pretty normal.
You’ve said that watching behind-the-scenes footage from Stranger Things when you were seven sparked your interest in filmmaking. What was it about seeing the process behind the camera that fascinated you so much?
I was really interested in seeing how everything was made. Watching the behind-the-scenes footage from Stranger Things was what first got me interested in filmmaking beyond acting.
You’ve already experienced what it’s like to be an actor on major productions. What have you learned about filmmaking that makes you want to eventually write and direct your own projects?
Being on set has made me interested in a lot more than just acting. I pay attention to what’s happening behind the camera and how all the different parts of a production come together, and I’d eventually like to write and direct as well.
Looking back at everything you’ve accomplished before turning 15, is there a moment when you realized, “Wow, this could actually become a career for me”?
There wasn’t really one specific moment. It happened gradually as I kept working and acting became a bigger part of my life.
If we jumped ahead 10 years and you were able to create your dream film or series from scratch, what kind of story would you want to tell—and what role would you want to have in bringing it to life?
I don’t know exactly what kind of story I’d want to tell yet, but I definitely know I want to do more behind the scenes. I’d love to write and direct my own projects while continuing to act as well.
