Hedlund hits a new high note

Actor digs deep for role in Death Sentence

Garrett Hedlund has played a football star in Friday Night Lights and a Mormon with a crush on Lindsay Lohan in Georgia Rules, but nothing will prepare fans for his work as gang leader Billy Darley in Death Sentence.
BostonNOW: Watching you in Death Sentence, I kept wondering what it took to get that kind of a performance.
Garrett Hedlund: A director who trusted me. Working with James Wan made it so much easier. Before this movie, I worked with Gary Marshall in a PG-13 film (Georgia Rules), where I played a Mormon, so it was fun to dig deep and find the darkness for Billy.

BN: you look like you went through a lot of physical changes for the part, too. You look a lot bigger on screen.
GH: I gained about 30 pounds for the role. I spent a lot of time in the gym, which I really didn’t like, so as we got closer to the film, I would use that anger I had about working out as part of the character. I wouldn’t go to the gym, but I’d tear up the set.

BN: Along with bulking up, you added a lot of scars and tattoos for the role, too. Your co-star, Kelly Preston, said you used to go to the local Wal-Mart in full makeup and scare people.
GH: Yeah. It was a weird experience because in real life I really don’t intimidate many people, but when I was made up like Billy Darley, people noticed, people were afraid. It’s a power trip that he enjoyed.

BN: And without giving anything away, what are your thoughts on the final scene if the film?
GH: I’m so proud of it. Working with Kevin Bacon was an amazing experience throughout the film, but working with him and James to make that last scene work was one of the best experiences I’ve had as an actor.

Published on Fri, Aug 31, 2007