Lucas Till is on a journey. Having graduated from child actor, that dreaded minefield that has swallowed up many talented actors and actresses, he is now attempting to carve a path in the much safer world of traditional cinema. His new film, Bravetown, is a step along that journey, and it is for that reason he and I gathered to talk.
Bravetown tells the story of Josh Harvest, a talented, teenaged New York DJ who, after a near drug overdose, goes to live with his estranged father in a small army town. While there, he comes to term with his emotional pain and learns empathy for others.
"It has its charm," Till tells me. "It's more than just a dance film or a musical."
When his agent first presented him with the script, those two elements stuck out like a sore thumb. It wasn't that he necessarily was against doing it for those reasons. A meeting with director Daniel Duran made Lucas more comfortable.
Suddenly, it wasn't beyond the realm of possibility.
"I got to play a DJ, which was fun. Every job, I always try to learn something new," he says. "Sometimes, that's the entire reason I take jobs, though not always. I always wanted to check out DJ-ing and enjoyed the hell out of it."
Talking to Till, you become instantly ensnared by his infectious personality. A smart, gregarious individual who could bring a militant wallflower out of his or her shell, any director or casting agent would be a fool to pass him over if he were in the running for a role.
Bravetown boasts a stellar cast, as well. Besides Till, you'll see Josh Duhamel, Laura Dern, Maria Bello and Tom Everett Scott.
An unlikely hero gives a broken town hope. See @joshduhamel & @lucastill in @Bravetownmovie: https://t.co/JhQDOzIEJ0 https://t.co/9l8LrERG63
— Amazon Instant Video (@AmazonVideo) May 22, 2015
"Oh, yes, they were all wonderful--total pros, super nice," the young actor says of his co-stars.
Asked what did he, himself, take away from with them, and Till is quick to answer: "It was really a reaffirmation of what I already knew. They are these really awesome professionals, and they are all on that next level."
"It just proves you can be on that level and still be a working professional and a pleasure to work with."
So, what would Lucas Till like to do next? "Definitely action comedies," he admits.
"Growing up, I loved action films. And if you're going to do a film with action, you have to make it funny...like Rush Hour or any of the Jackie Chan films."
As for having that one famous entry on his resume--that is, Hanna Montana: The Movie--Lucas is more philosophical than you'd think.
According to him, "It would be so silly to just throw that opportunity away when it has done so much for me. It's hard because some people don't take me serious. At the same time, it has provided me with this opportunity to do what I want."
Speaking of perks, Till notes another kind of one. "The strange thing is, these women will walk up to me and say, 'I watched in you when I was young.'" He chuckles, as one does when they realize they're not the kid they once were.
No, indeed, actor Lucas Till is no longer just the guy opposite Hannah Montana. World, get ready.
He was a hero.
Posted by Bravetown on Wednesday, May 20, 2015
