He made his debut as an actor when he was 15 years old. And now, six years later, he’s starring in a film produced by Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg, among others. Twenty-one year old British actor Alex Pettyfer is riding a fortunate wave. “I don’t plan things. Even with my first film, I was on a school trip and I ended up auditioning for a film and it went well,” says Pettyfer. “Anyone who says they plan their career is lying through their teeth.”
And it is this ‘lack of planning’ that he hopes will bring him to India as well: “I haven’t been there, but am looking to visit.” As for his work principles, he wouldn’t mind acting in the British film industry or in Bollywood, as long as the stories interest him. For now, his reasons for picking Hollywood over his native industry are simple. “There’s a lot more freedom and a lot more money in Hollywood,” says the actor, adding, “And that comes from all you guys. There are a lot more opportunities here.”
He shares a similar sentiment about Bollywood, but makes it a point to enquire whether he’d be required to speak ‘Indian’ for a film. “I’d learn the language if I get offered a Bollywood film,” says Pettyfer, adding that of the little he’s seen of the industry in India, he “likes Shilpa Shetty, she was in Big Brother.”
The presence of two of Hollywood’s most reputed filmmaker-producers did add to the ‘attractiveness’ of his forthcoming, I Am Number Four, but it was the script that sealed the deal for Pettyfer. “I love the transition. I found the amazing story about this guy who starts off as an insecure boy and then turns into this warrior ,” he says, adding, “We had two great icons (Bay and Spielberg) working as producers on the action and romance. But it’s really DJ Caruso (director), who is the visionary of the film. He’s done a phenomenal job.”
{{/usCountry}}The presence of two of Hollywood’s most reputed filmmaker-producers did add to the ‘attractiveness’ of his forthcoming, I Am Number Four, but it was the script that sealed the deal for Pettyfer. “I love the transition. I found the amazing story about this guy who starts off as an insecure boy and then turns into this warrior ,” he says, adding, “We had two great icons (Bay and Spielberg) working as producers on the action and romance. But it’s really DJ Caruso (director), who is the visionary of the film. He’s done a phenomenal job.”
{{/usCountry}}Pettyfer is also dating his co-star from the film, Diana Agron, but has not had a chance to watch any episodes of her hit TV series, Glee. “She has on old movie star quality to her that she brings that to the film,” says he, adding that he himself wouldn’t mind doing television, if a story worth telling comes along. “I don’t categorise films, I just like good stories.”