UNITED KINGDOM: Young actor Alex Pettyfer gets a chance to shine as Alex Ryder in film Stormbreaker

Record ID: 731780

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Young actor Alex Pettyfer gets a chance to shine as Alex Ryder in film Stormbreaker
  • Date: 20th July 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR ALEX PETTYFER SAYING: "When I took it on, I knew how much Alex and Alex, both Alexes, had to take on as Alex Ryder, because it's a very challenging role. But yeah with the right people around and stuff, I'll get through it."
  • Embargoed: 4th August 2006 13:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAA85AFDISE8A94HCDDFWZP4GMJ
  • Story Text: The task of saving the world has usually fallen to the great leading men of Hollywood; Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and Sean Connery to name a few. Now there is a new kid on the block, an unknown actor from Britain, who has landed the lead role in a 40 million U.S. dollars (USD) Hollywood blockbuster, Stormbreaker, and this silver screen debutant is about to launch a movie career that could see him become a house hold name the world over.
    Reuters caught up with sixteen year old Alex Pettyfer on the set of Stormbreaker in London's Hyde Park, whilst he took on the role of Antony Horovits's young hero Alex Ryder.
    "When I took it on, I knew how much Alex and Alex, both Alexes, had to take on as Alex Ryder, because it's a very challenging role. Pettyfer told Reuters from the set of Stormbreaker. "But yeah with the right people around and stuff, I'll get through it."
    With only the UK TV drama Tom Brown Schooldays behind him prior to portraying Alex Rider in Stormbreaker, Pettyfer beat off over 500 young hopefuls from around the world to land the lead role of Alex Ryder.
    "We always knew it was going to be a huge challenge for him, because it wasn't even a series he had done before, he had done one TV film which was very good and he was very good in it. So he has kind of had to learn on the job. But then having had some weeks of rehearsal and 12 weeks of shooting, you get very good. He's also been working with some of the world's best actors and obviously some of that rubs off as well. He's done brilliantly and we're very excited."
    Pettyfer squares up against Hollywood bad man Mickey Rourke who plays Alex Ryder's nemesis Darrius Sayle.
    Sayle plans to unleash a deadly virus in the UK, with the intent of killing a generation of children. With the assistance of his American housekeeper Jack Starbright, played by Alicia Silverstone, Alex Ryder sets about stopping Sayle from executing his devious plans with the help of a collection of super cool gadgets.
    Pettyfer is also joined on screen by Ewan McGregor, Bill Kighy, Steven Fry, Missi Pyle and Andy Serkis from Lord of the Rings and King Kong.
    Working alongside this role call of actors has not intimidated the young man in the slightest.
    "When you go into like a character mode, everyone's the same even if it's Stephen Fry or Mickey Rourke, they're both the same people. It's just about who you relate better to. I think sometimes those Hollywood stars give you more to relate to than television but both are great to work with." Stormbreaker was filmed in the UK during the school summer holidays of 2005. During that time Pettyfer's UK profile began to grow as news of the boy's model good looks and charismatic personality began to circulate around the British media.
    But by the time the film neared its completion Pettyfer was determined not to let thoughts of all the media attention interfere with how his schoolmates might react to his new found stardom.
    "I'm not quite sure, I feel a bit iffy going back to school because I don't know how people take things, if people become false, if they're going to wind me up about it. I don't know, people take views of things like this differently and I hope they're mature about it, I'll be laid back, I won't say anything. But if they want to take it the wrong way its up to them."
    With over 10 million Alex Ryder books sold world wide, it was just a mater of time before Antyny Horovits's character would attract the attention of the Hollywoood studio execs. In Cannes 2005 It was announced that the newly formed Wynsteen company had backed the 40 million dollar project making Stormbreaker the biggest independent film to be made on British soil.
    Whether or not the Alex Ryder franchise becomes a global phenomena will be of little consequence to Pettyfer. This will be the only time that the young man will have the chance to take on the role as Alex Ryder, film producer Marc Samuelson explains.
    "In the Alex Ryder stories, they all take place essentially over the course of just under a year across all of the books. So the fact is we can't make them fast enough and Alex Pettyfer, by the time we get around to making film two, if we're lucky enough to a have a film two, Alex will be too old. 14 years old is a very precise age and these kids they move quickly - a year later they looked like they aged five years. Alex has grown at least two inches since we started filming."
    Pettyfer believes that not having the option of acting in a further Alex Ryder film this is a blessing in disguise.
    "I just go with the flow, I mean a lot of people wish to be in my position right now and I'm very lucky to be doing what I'm doing but if I got opportunities, then yes, I I would go ahead an pursue it. I like to do a different role every time, don't want to do the same. Maybe I will try comedy. I don't like to be typecast."
    Stormbreaker has is world premier in London's Leicester Square on July
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