Interviews

Garrett Hedlund Interview TRON: Legacy

By The Editor
March 31, 2011 - 04:47

AN INTERVIEW WITH GARRETT HEDLUND FOR TRON: LEGACY

Hi Garrett! How does it feel to be the star of TRON: Legacy?

It feels amazing, but it’s also really nerve-wracking. I’ve never done a movie where I’ve been in every single scene!

Did you have fun filming the movie?

The film shoot was awesome. There were lots of stunts, shoulder rolls and crazy moves. It was quite a show for everyone watching the action from the side of the set.

Was it hard work?

It was extremely intense, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I had battle scenes, disc game sequences and loads of scenes that involved a lot of imagination, agility and focus – but I’m really proud of the finished film. It’s been an awesome project to work on.

What was the scariest stunt you had to perform for the movie?

I had to do a lot of wirework for the film. You get hoisted up into the air. It’s not the most comfortable experience in the world!

How long did you spend in the harness?

I spent an eternity in the harness! It was intense.

What did you get up to between takes?

Well, there were a lot of play fights on the set of TRON: Legacy! Whenever we were given our weapons from the movie and some spare time between set-ups, you’d find me battling it out with [co-star] Olivia Wilde.

What was it like to work with Olivia Wilde?

Olivia is fantastic. We met about seven years before we started work on TRON: Legacy, so it was amazing that we got to experience this crazy film together. It was great working with her. I have a lot of respect for anybody who can do a high roundhouse kick in 4-inch heels!

What was it like to work with Jeff Bridges?

I’ve always been a huge fan of Jeff Bridges, so I was really excited to (play) the role of Sam Flynn in TRON: Legacy. Jeff has such a wonderful charisma and he’s an amazing actor – and I knew I’d get along with him from the start. He’s been great to me.

Can you tell us about the light suit you get to wear in the movie?

The light suits were amazing! I’m used to working in jeans and a T-shirt, so it was strange to put on a skin-tight suit that lights up by itself. You feel very special wearing something like that.

How hard is it to act in a light suit?

It’s pretty difficult because it’s really tight and you can’t run around easily. The helmet also gets in the way sometimes. You have to learn to walk again wearing all this crazy get-up.

Can you tell us about the special effects in the movie?

You’ll see a lot of light cycles in the movie, which are the most high-tech, amazing, futuristic motorbikes you’ve ever seen in your life. You’re going to be blown away when you see them in action. They are amazing.

Were they easy to ride?

I had to learn how to ride a motorcycle for the role, but I was fine once I knew the basics. To be honest, I had to learn a lot of things for TRON: Legacy. I had to learn how to ride a motorbike, I had to learn fight choreography and I had to learn hand-to-hand combat. I really enjoyed the physical training. I got really fit by the end of it all!

How tough was all the training for the role?

It was extremely tough, but it was also exciting. I started off my day with 90 minutes of motorcycle training before heading over to work on the fight training. After that, I’d have a break before another 90 minutes of exercise with the guy who trained the actors from the movie, 300.

How long did the training last?

I did about two months of training. After that, I was ready for anything!

How would you describe your character in the movie?

Sam Flynn is a guy whose father mysteriously disappeared 20 years ago. Sam is the biggest shareholder in a huge company called Encom, but he’s turned his back on money. He lives an independent, secluded life – but he’s about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime!

What happens to him?

A friend of the family called Alan Bradley motivates Sam to go and seek his father. That’s when Sam starts to figure things out and he puts pieces of a puzzle together… He ends up entering a whole new world filled with light bikes, discs and a crazy game grid.

Does Sam like action and adventure?

Of course he does! Sam is into all kinds of extreme things just because he can. He’s very interested in base jumping and motorcycles. There’s even a great chase scene with his bike at the beginning of the movie.

What was your toughest challenge during the film shoot?

Everybody likes to talk about how difficult it is to work with green screen because you have to act with your imagination. Personally, I think we were lucky on TRON: Legacy because there were also a lot of sets for us to work on.

Did you enjoy working on the green screen scenes?

Whenever we worked on green screen scenes, we had great direction from our director, Joseph Kosinski. He knew exactly what he wanted, which really helped, and he was always thinking ten steps ahead of us. He made the film shoot such an easy and enjoyable experience. He’s the best!

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12