Charlie discusses ‘Frankie Go Boom’, Internet Piracy, being a younger brother & more with ShockYa.com

Charlie discusses ‘Frankie Go Boom’, Internet Piracy, being a younger brother & more with ShockYa.com

Don’t miss out on Charlie’s entire interview, head on over to SHOCKYA.COM to read it now!

ShockYa: So Jordan was just telling me that this movie is the most pirated on the web this week. What do you make of that?

Charlie Hunnam: It’s just one of these unfortunate realities of this technological revolution. It’s easier to make films like this and get them out into the marketplace, for people to see them. We don’t have to have a huge distribution deal and 1,000 screens to get it out there, but the flipside of that is that it’s much easier to then go and pirate that material and send it out into the world. You know, of course, not being the financier, my feeling is that I really wish people wouldn’t pirate, because it makes it more difficult to make films… but there’s still a certain satisfaction that people are going out and seeking out the material, seeking out the thing we made. It’s a tricky thing.

ShockYa: Did you ever download illegal music via Napster or anything when you were younger?

CH: No, I really didn’t — partly because I’m not really technologically savvy, and partly because I grew up in a very backwards place, an economically and socially depressed area that was definitely 10 years behind the rest of the south of England, Newcastle Upon Tyne. I actually didn’t even really have access to a computer until I was 18 or so. I’d never sent an email or anything like that. You know, if you grew up in Los Angeles at the same age as me you would have had a computer at age 12, but it just wasn’t a reality for me. And so by the time I got connected, I was already working in this business and wouldn’t and couldn’t justify stealing the product that I was participating in making, you know? Sometimes a friend of mine and I will be talking about a new band and they’ll be like, “Will you burn that for me?” And I’ll be like, “Yeah, yeah,” but then I’ll be like, “I’d actually rather just give you the money and let you go buy it.” I actually really enjoy corporate theft — I’m not a guy who particularly has a weak stomach when it comes to crime. I have a lot of friends who are criminals – just, like, actively, everyday gangsters, and I have no problem with that whatsoever. A friend of mine robbed 32 banks and ended up [getting] caught, did his time, and is out now, and that’s behind him. But he targeted institutions that he didn’t think were righteous — big banks that are not being very nice to their customers. He was a righteous gangster. And his story I just find absolutely marvelous. But it seems like stealing from artists, knowing what it is to be a struggling artist, doesn’t seem that cool to me. Hurting the individual I really disdain; hurting big corporate America I kind of absolutely admire.

ShockYa: You’re a younger brother in real life, right? Did any of your experiences jibe with Frank’s in the movie?

CH: Yes, I’d completely forgotten about that. I definitely do feel some similarities, though. I [told Jordan my brother is] one of the toughest guys I’ve ever met — the kind of guy, at least when we were growing up together, where you’d go out on a night of drinking and you might end up on a stolen boat in the North Sea, because at some point in the night he might say, “Yo, let’s go sailing!” And this is that type of guy — totally dominated by brother. As I was. Now I have two younger brothers too, because I’m in the middle, and so for a period of time I dominated them too, because that’s how it works with brothers — you just pay it forward.

Charlie discusses Vespa vs Harley, the Brad Pitt Curse and more with ELLE.COM!

Name: Charlie Hunnam
Age: 32
Provenance: Newcastle, England
Relationship status: In a Relationship (with Morgana McNelis)

On the “Brad Pitt” curse: “I was playing pretty boys and these angelic roles like Nicholas Nickleby and all that stuff. And I was like, ‘What am I doing? This isn’t who I am, as a man or an artist.’ I had to overcome people’s belief that I was too pretty to be a badass.”

On initially resisting the role of Frankie: “It seemed too much of a stretch. I’ve been playing Jax Teller for so long and these other aggressive roles. I thought it would take me awhile to get out of that and into a place where I could play this meek, put-upon, dorky guy.”

On Vespa versus Harley: “I don’t think I’ve been on a Vespa? Oh, that’s right…for this movie! I have two motorcycles. This is my pride and joy [reveals a picture of his Harley Davidson].  No comparison. I would rather be the guy steering the big Harley. It’s empowering and makes you feel like a badass. [The Vespa] is really humiliating and makes you feel like an idiot.”

On similarities to Jax Teller: “A lot of my friends are gangsters. Not like gangsters–well, yeah, all sorts of levels of criminality—but not the types that are preying on innocent people. I have no interest in the type of criminality that has no respect for collateral damage. But I don’t condemn the guys who say,  ‘This society we’ve created is kind of [messed up], and I’m willing to take it down—for selfish gain—but also to make a point.'”.

On receiving jewelry from his girlfriend: “She told me she was making me a diamond encrusted ring—she’s a jewelry designer, not an actor—and I was like ‘Uh-oh. This is not going to go well for me.’  But I love it. It’s so discrete and beautiful. Her company is Maison de Morgana.

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Charlie Hunnam, Lizzy Caplan, and Ron Perlman Talk ‘Frankie Go Boom’ with Backstage.com

Charlie Hunnam, Lizzy Caplan, and Ron Perlman Talk ‘Frankie Go Boom’ with Backstage.com

Be sure to check out the entire interview over at Backstage.com!

How did you go about landing your roles?
Charlie Hunnam: I wasn’t really looking to do comedy, because I’m not really very funny. But Jordan approached me, and for some reason he came to the conclusion I was the guy he wanted and pursued me relentlessly. And it just seemed like there was no risk, really. We made this film for $400,000 in 19 days, and I thought, Why not? It’s either going to be a piece of shit and no one will see it, or it will be great and a fun experience.
Ron Perlman: Little did we know it was going to fall somewhere in the middle, which is our worst nightmare. It’s just good enough that we have to promote it!
Lizzy Caplan: I read the script and thought it was really funny. I think this was around the time I wasn’t super pumped about doing a tiny, tiny movie, but I heard Charlie was attached, and it was an interesting choice because they weren’t going for…
Hunnam: A funny guy?
Caplan: Well, I thought it was a great choice. And I thought it would be a challenge to do some of the weird shit Lassie has to do.
Perlman: I was brought in by Charlie, actually. We had just finished a season of “Sons,” and he said, “This is my summer vacation project, my arts and crafts thing, and the director would like me to pass it on to you.” I was supposed to look at the role Chris Noth ended up playing, but I then get to Phyllis. And there’s this gesture when he meets Frankie—I ask for my hand to be kissed. And I was just thinking of all those “Sons of Anarchy” fans. And I realized that even if I blow this performance, that shot alone will be worth the price of admission.
Caplan: I feel like we all got to play against type, and it was fun to take a swing at something with very low stakes.
Perlman: That’s why one does these little films; you get a chance to do things you wouldn’t normally get to do if the film was more mainstream.

So is Charlie really not funny?
Caplan: No. Not on purpose.
Hunnam: I’m not. Not in the least.
Perlman: I think he can be, but you can never predict it. And actually, comedy only works if you don’t play it for the laughs. You have to immerse yourself in the seriousness of it; therein lies the incongruity.