GOOD TO BE BAD – GARRETT HEDLUND SHEDS NICE-GUY IMAGE FOR ‘DEATH SENTENCE’

Actors often talk about wanting to mix it up, to play different types of roles.
So far, so good for Garrett Hedlund, who was born in Minnesota but moved to Scottsdale in the ninth grade. After playing decent sorts in such films as Friday Night Lights and Georgia Rule (opposite Lindsay Lohan), he portrays Billy Darley, a full-on bad guy, in Death Sentence, a brutal revenge fantasy starring Kevin Bacon.
Hedlund called from Los Angeles last week to talk about playing such a brutal character, Lohan’s on-set behavior and more.

Question: Now you’ve been in a movie with Kevin Bacon. You’re part of the six degrees of separation.

Answer: Everybody throws that around. It’s come to the point where I don’t even know what degree I am anymore.

Q: How do you prepare for a role like Darley? I assume you’re not anything like that in real life.

A: I really just kind of use my imagination. It’s definitely different. It’s not as hard as you think when you’re staying in South Carolina and all you have is that fried food and everything. … I came in with the idea of the scars and the long trench duster, and (director) James (Wan) wanted the tattoos and we both agreed on shaving the head down, and I still wanted to gain some weight. It all kind of came together step-by-step in pre-production.

Q: I don’t suppose spending some of your youth here had any part in playing this role?

A: (Laughter.) No, I don’t think so. … I loved Arizona when I was there. I lived in Minnesota and I’d go down and visit and I couldn’t wait to make the move. When I lived there I was driving around a ’91 yellow Geo Storm hatchback with no air-conditioning. So I wasn’t the happiest person on the block. Maybe I did (transfer) some of that aggression into this character, that non-AC summer.

Q: It’s a good cast in Death Sentence. Friday Night Lights as well. Is it fun working with a really good group of actors?

A: Oh, there’s no question. There’s just this level of excitement I have within myself before starting on a project with great actors. I’m so motivated to jump on the project. I can’t wait to get out there and start working with some of these guys and start learning from them. I’ve had some very fortunate opportunities out here to work with a lot of great actors, if not sharing scenes, to be on set with a lot of great actors and just sort of sit back and learn from them.

Q: Was this guy tough to shake off at the end of the day?

A: Kind of physically, yeah. … You just go to that side where nothing really matters. And then once you’ve finished the film when you still have that attitude on you you’ve really got to stop and say look, I have something to lose here from now on. It’s not the movie anymore. And physically I like to do something different. When you’re at a different state physically you’re always at a different state mentally, and I’ve been all over the boards within the past three years. I might have to go to a little psychiatry camp soon (laughter).

Q: I have to ask the question that everybody has to ask — what was it like working with Lindsay Lohan?

A: She’s a great girl, man. I wish her well in everything that’s going on now. As far as Georgia Rule goes, that was already a year ago … but it was all great.

Q: What’s next?

A: Don’t know that yet.

Q: If you have your preference, coming off something this dark would you prefer something a little lighter, or does it really just depend on the script?

A: It really does depend. For me I really never know. It’s always something when it pops off the page. But I would love to go in a whole different direction of anything else I’ve touched the base of.

Q: You were in the movie version of Friday Night Lights. Do you ever watch the TV show?

A: Yeah, yeah. I love the show. I had been talking to Peter Berg (who directed the movie and produces the TV show) about getting down and doing a cameo. … We’ll see if it happens. Either or, I love the show, and I’m so happy for Peter Berg. 

 ”I’ve been all over the boards within the past three years. I might have to go to a little psychiatry camp soon,” Hedlund jokes.

Arizona Republic, The (Phoenix, AZ)
August 30, 2007
Edition: Final Chaser
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic
Section: Calendar
Page: 8
Record Number: pho174305643