Kellan Christopher lutz, who will be next seen as Tarzan, talks about the challenges of reliving an iconic character, the Twilight series and his fascination for animals
Tell us about the transition from being Twilight’s Emmett Cullen to Tarzan.
When I got into acting, I just fell in love with everything about it. And for me, to step back and ask myself what would be a dream role, growing up in the Midwest, I just love the monkey man. And much like my character in Twilight, Emmett is the monkey man. To make that transition to play the monkey man was quite fun for me. And I just fell in love with the script. It was very hard for me to think they were going to recreate a Tarzan after the 10th time: How could they, even after Disney’s animated versionIJ And when I read the script, it’s so much more contemporary and modern. It’s a brilliant script, full of comedy and action.
How different was the experience of working on a motion capture technology movieIJ
Motion capture is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done: quadri-peding, running, working with Peter Elliott on how to even walk like Tarzan, which is pretty much like a ballerinaesque walk. And I’ve played football. So to break my dhun, dhun, dhun Emmett walk took a few weeks with Peter Elliott, and he was telling me how people lead with their chin, knees and chest. They roll with their back foot versus pull with the front. And stuff that I’d never really thought about. So we just did so much research. I loved the whole experience, and I’m really looking forward to it.
You have been associated with PETA and issues of animal rights since a long time. Any comments.
I love kids and animals. So I want to work with the charities that work for them. Animals are really important to me and anyway that I can spread awareness, especially with like the lab testing on animals. It just blows my mind how people can do that. So it’s just that whatever PETA is doing I want to be part of. They have my heart and anyway that I can help out, I’d love to do it.
What are your criteria while choosing a roleIJ
I am very picky with my career. I don’t need to do it for the money or the fame. I’m very choosy, which is why I haven’t played the typical role that people expect to see from someone of my stature and size, as the mean jock or the preppy. It’s very easy to see me like that. That’s why I go against it in different roles. I love playing the bad guy getting away with stuff. I was that kid who learned from my older brothers who got away with everything by smiling. People are fans and there are people who don’t like me as Emmett. If you like some of the roles I’ve done, thank you. If you don’t, well, thank you for your opinion. I’m doing the best I can. I’m happy with where my career is going and grateful for everything.
So what would be your dream roleIJ
Hercules. That was my main dream role, but to (land) Expendables 3 and get to work with all of those iconic action stars is really amazing. I’d also love to do a Jason Bourne franchise though, too.
Would you ever be into a Twilight reunion sequelIJ
Oh yeah, I mean I love everything I’ve done, but Twilight opened doors for so much and it’s been such a big part of my life, so definitely. I’d like to see some Emmett chronicles because my character’s not in it that much. It’s great to still reap all the benefits, and it allows me to do other movies where I have more than four lines. I just don’t know where else it can go, like Harry Potter, there are just so many books. But Stephanie (Meyer) told us she made little excerpts, like Midnight Sun. I would love it.
