Alex Pettyfer plays a teenager in the “Endless Love” remake.
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Alex Pettyfer is sorry to say he’s actually a hopeless romantic at heart, which actually made signing on for the remake of “Endless Love” a no-brainer. Of course, we don’t necessarily think there’s anything wrong with being a softie. The “Magic Mike” star also confesses to the gruesome rom-coms that he not-so-secretly enjoys.
This seems like a pretty intense film to make, emotionally. How did you approach it?
Well, the most difficult thing about making this movie was that when you’re 23 or 24, which is how old I am, you want to be 30. You want to be looked upon as a man. And I’m playing 18 years of age, and you kind of have to go back to that naïve way of thinking and that childlike energy. That was the hardest thing for me — the most fun, but the hardest.
I don’t remember feeling that naïve and childlike at 18.
Yeah, we all think we know everything when we’re 18. [Laughs]
The more a movie focuses on romance, the more some people will use that as an excuse to ask about your personal life. How do you cope with that?
I just say no. [Laughs] I’m very blunt. I don’t really care. I don’t really answer that.
What’s your own personal opinion of romantic films in general?
I love romantic films. I love “Love Actually,” I love “Bridget Jones.” I’m sad in that sense — I’m a sucker for a good rom-com. And I wanted to make one. I’m so lucky that I’ve been given this opportunity to do a movie like this. I’m a hopeless romantic.
It’s not that sad, to say that you like rom-coms.
Yeah, well… I mean, it’s sometimes tough for a man to admit that they’re a hopeless romantic.
I don’t know, I feel like I’ve met quite a few in my time.
You have? You’ve met some hopeless romantic men? Well that’s good. At least I’m not alone in that.
Are there any other directors you’re just dying to work with?
I’d love to work [David] Fincher. The way he makes movies I find very interesting, the technique he uses. He does a lot of takes. He believes that the mentality of the actor fades after a certain amount of takes and then rebuilds his consciousness in a different light so that the view on the scene becomes different. So he does, like, 60 or 70 takes. So I’d love to experience that.
There was talk at one point of doing a “Magic Mike” musical.
Yes, there was. I think it might be in the works. I think it was for stage, though. For Broadway. I couldn’t get on stage live. I’m terrible live. Terrible. I like the “Action!”s and “Cut!”s.
