This year, Hayden will star in two movies : The Decameron, a dramatic comedy, and Awake, a thriller with Jessica Alba. For us, the young canadian actor talks about these new projects.
Q. Which character do you play in The Decameron ?
A. The movie is based on Boccacio’s work. It’s about how in Italy, in the 14th century, ten young nobles escape from the Plague and took refuge in a remote villa in Florence. They’ll entertain each other by telling stories. I play Lorenzo, an aimless man who keeps running away because he can’t accept himself as he is and hates the world around him.
Q. You shot this movie in Italy. Did you enjoy living there for a few months?
A. I loved Italy. I really look forward to going back there. I visited Roma, Florence and also Capri. One of my grandmothers is of Neapolitan origin and she used to talk about Capri as a wonderful place. So I just rushed as soon as I could and that’s as beautiful as she told me. Italy is a fascinating country and what’s great about being an actor is that you can travel from a country to another and even from an epoch to another.
Q. What about Awake, the movie you shot with Jessica Alba?
A. It’s a psychological thriller about a pretty rare phenomenon : the fact that some patients wake up during surgery in spite of anaesthesia. They’re aware of everything that happens around them and especially of pain but unable to do any movement to warn the surgeon. In the movie, I play a man who experiences that when he undergoes heart surgery. It was a very difficult role, I had to act while lying down on a table without moving. A real challenge ! I had to learn staying very zen and still more than 30 minutes. I kept singing songs in my head and remembering memories to entertain myself.
Q. Which part plays Jessica Alba?
A. She plays my wife, who will have to deal with her own problems at the same time. Her performance is perfect in Awake and I think she will surprise the audience.
Q. In your next movie, you’ll play the singer Bob Dylan.
A. Not really. In Factory Girl, telling the story of the factory created by the artist Andy Warhol and his influence on musicians like Lou Reed, I play a character based on Bob Dylan. Actually, I believe the director didn’t get the singer’s permission, so my character bears another name. But I’ll take him as example to play the part anyway.
Q. You managed your celebrity pretty well. How is it now that you’re 25 ?
A. Apparently the same ! In any case nobody told me I became conceited ! I remember when Attack of the Clones came out, when I wasn’t used to be stared at yet. When I saw girls staring at me, I was convinced there was something wrong with my fly or I had mustard on my chin ! [laughs] Now, I’m more comfortable with that, but it took time…
Q. How did your friends react ?
A. My sudden celebrity allowed me to realize who were my real friends and who weren’t. Some people were there only for taking advantage of my success. Unfortunately, I even had a girlfriend who behaved in that way and at the moment, it really hurts.
Q. Now, do you intend to live in Hollywood?
A. It’s not in my projects and for now I plan to stay in Canada. Obviously I’ll come in L.A for work and promotion but that’s all. I don’t like life in Hollywood. People who live there define themselves only by the money they win and that’s really not my style.
Q. So, you’re not looking for things like success and money?
A. I have nothing against success and money but I really don’t want it to make me change and think only about that. Cause at the end, what being a celebrity will bring to me? Will I be luckier in life because of that? Not necessarily… For me the only things which really matter are family, friendship and one day, I hope so, the big love.