LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� is suddenly everywhere in Hollywood 鈥� so much so that he thinks he must be dreaming.
Amid a remarkable streak of high-profile projects with respected filmmakers 鈥� 鈥淧谤颈蝉肠颈濒濒补,鈥� upcoming adaptation of 鈥淔rankenstein鈥� and, in theaters now, 鈥淥h, Canada鈥� 鈥� the 27-year-old isn鈥檛 taking his success for granted.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be so arrogant as to say like, you know, 鈥業 choose what is befitting of me,鈥欌�� he said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. 鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful because to say you choose these things sort of seems too conscious or something. I kind of am in a constant state of like, 鈥榃ake me up from this.鈥欌��
of Leonard Fife , an acclaimed documentarian on his deathbed who, in what becomes a final act of confession, agrees to have the cameras turned toward him for a documentary about his own life.
Elordi plays a young Fife in the film, based on Russell Banks鈥� 2021 novel, 鈥淔oregone.鈥� Despite their physical differences, Elordi鈥檚 performance as a younger Gere is believable, thanks in part to the amount of effort he put into studying Gere鈥檚 mannerisms.
鈥淩ichard has such a rich career of films and a really diverse range of films so there was a lot to watch and just kind of copy him, you know? Like Simon Says or something,鈥� Elordi said. 鈥淭he best one for physicality was 鈥楢merican Gigolo,鈥� because I think he was 29 or something when he made that film. So, it鈥檚, you know, not far from where I am now.鈥�
Schrader is not known for making big-budget blockbusters. And while the filmmaker has reaped critical praise throughout his prolific career, he鈥檚 made his share of panned flops.
But that hasn鈥檛 stopped the 78-year-old from cementing his reputation as a pioneering auteur with an impressive catalog of actors who admire and work with him, including and
鈥淭here鈥檚 a list of people who have sort of given to the art form of cinema and he鈥檚 right up at the top of it,鈥� Elordi said. 鈥淎s soon as the email comes through and it says Paul Schrader, you go, 鈥極K.鈥欌��
Despite that kind of reputation, Schrader is not one to break box office records. As he has looked back on his career, he鈥檚 been frank about not prioritizing the immediate financial success of the dozens of films he鈥檚 made.
鈥淭o me, shelf life is more valuable than the box office,鈥� Schrader said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 expect that much from opening weekend.鈥�
Instead, he evaluates a different set of criteria when determining how he feels about a film in his archive: 鈥淚f I get it made, that鈥檚 the first level of success. If it鈥檚 taken seriously, that鈥檚 the second level of success. And if it actually works with audiences, that鈥檚 the third.鈥�
While his films aren鈥檛 necessarily avant-garde or experimental, Schrader makes the kinds of movies talked about more among than mass audiences. His 2017 鈥淔irst Reformed,鈥� for example, will not satiate those who crave closure or clear-cut endings. And 鈥淥h, Canada鈥� is not exactly action-packed.
But Elordi rejects the notion that Schrader鈥檚 movies aren鈥檛 accessible to a wide audience.
鈥淭hat kind of gives you like this elitist feel, you know? I hate that cinema conversation,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a language in cinema that doesn鈥檛 really take a long time to learn if you are sort of watching healthy things.鈥�
Still, Elordi acknowledged certain movies require patience and a willingness to sit with ambiguity.
鈥淢y mom says stuff like that to me all the time. She鈥檚 like, 鈥榊eah, but the movie can鈥檛 just end. Like, I need to know about this, this and this.鈥� And I鈥檓 like, 鈥楴o, no, the movie can just end, and you can go away and think about it,鈥欌�� he said.
Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press
