Is it difficult showing such raw emotions as you did in Finding Neverland?
It was really tough doing the funeral scene because it was right under a flight path, so we’d have to stop everything halfway through and then start up again. But with the other scenes, you just think that your mom’s dead and your dad’s dead, and it’s really upsetting.
Are you having fun filming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Yes, it’s great because other kids are around. Sometimes you can feel a bit lonely, you know, when you’re just on your own, when you’re the only kid [on a set].
How does Charlie differ from the character you play in Finding Neverland?
Peter is really a quite unhappy, sad child. Charlie is more lighthearted.
How did you hear about the role of Charlie?
I heard the role was coming up, so I read the book again and went along to the auditions. And then I got the part, which was a dream come true because I was quite sad when I left Finding Neverland because I thought I’d never see Johnny [Depp, who’s in both movies] again.
Any other literary characters you’d like to bring to life?
I think it would be quite nice to just do some school for a while. –By Kristin Kloberdanz
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- TIME’s Top 10 Photos of 2024
- Why Gen Z Is Drinking Less
- The Best Movies About Cooking
- Why Is Anxiety Worse at Night?
- A Head-to-Toe Guide to Treating Dry Skin
- Why Street Cats Are Taking Over Urban Neighborhoods
- Column: Jimmy Carter’s Global Legacy Was Moral Clarity
Contact us at letters@time.com