IN CONVERSATION WITH LEWIS PULLMAN

interview by SONNY NGO

Lewis Pullman will next be seen joining the Marvel Universe by starring in ‘Thunderbolts’, which premieres on 2nd May. He received his first Emmy nomination for his role as Calvin Evans in Apple TV+’s highly acclaimed series ‘Lessons in Chemistry’, and was also nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award and Indie Spirit Award for Supporting Actor.  

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jacket and pants ISSEY MIYAKE
shoes GRENSON

You’re set to star in Marvel’s upcoming Thunderbolts, releasing this May. Can you share what it was like stepping into such a huge franchise? 

Pretty intimidating honestly. Marvel has always occupied a space in my mind as this untouchable echelon of filmmaking. Because they are so good at capturing the magnitude of the universe it almost felt like I’d need a literal spaceship to even have access to a Marvel set. So I was terrified of how I might fit into the rhythm of the world and tone. I felt a lot of responsibility to not be a weak link but also try to do my job and bring parts of myself and give worth to my own take on the character. 

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Your character “Bob” has been kept quite a mystery, and rumours have already been swirling the internet that there is more to him than meets the eye. He seems like a fascinating character. How did you approach bringing him to life, and what aspects of him resonated with you personally? 

I was so lucky to be able to work as closely as I did with Jake Schreier (director of Thunderbolts) when taking the chisel to the marble with Bob. From the very beginning it was obvious Jake had become the expert of all things Bob and had as much care and empathy for the character as I did. So Jake was really my north star when going about building him and crafting the pace with which we unveiled his many layers and how we unstack the Russian nesting dolls of Bob throughout the course of the film.

Were there any challenges you faced while embodying Bob? Did you have to do any specific prep work – whether physically, mentally, emotionally – to fully dive into the role?  

It definitely was a significantly physically and mentally challenging experience, which I loved. 

I sort of tried to go about the prep with an athlete mentality. On a movie of this scale I figured we would be doing scenes many many times, so a lot of the training and character prep I did wasn’t necessarily what was going to be on display in the film but it was going to help me be more agile and have better stamina, physically and emotionally, when doing certain scenes over and over again and not losing steam. 

The film brings together a group of beloved characters, from Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova to Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes. What was it like on set between you and your co-stars? How was it to work with them?

I mean, this is one hell of a cast of titans. I learned so much and could fill a whole playbook of knowledge from each of them from seeing how they operate within this world and process. Florence, whether she was aware of it or not, really generously took me under her wing and helped me navigate a lot of the variables that were so new and nerve wracking for me. I really look up to her and was really fortunate to have her guidance.

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Without giving away too much, is there a particular scene or moment in the film that you are excited for audiences to experience? 

There is a scene in a very tight and cramped space that was a blast to shoot and it was where we all really built a real bond when shooting it. If there ever is a blooper reel, I’m sure 50% of it would end up being from that scene alone.

How has taking on roles in large-scale blockbusters like Thunderbolts & Top Gun: Maverick evolved you as an actor? How does the experience compare to working on more intimate projects like The Starling Girl or even Lessons in Chemistry? 

I think the most surprising thing I’ve learned is that in many ways there is no difference. It’s still about best serving the voice of whoever's turn it is to tell their story around the campfire. 

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jacket and pants DUNST
shoes GRENSON

And speaking of the now Emmy nominated Lessons in Chemistry, what was it like to play two different versions of the same character, Calvin – one which is  alive and one imagined by Brie Larson’s character Elizabeth?

It was an interesting exploration trying to distinguish the difference between the two. There was strangely a beauty and freedom in portraying Calvin after he was gone. He becomes a manifestation of Elizabeth's grief, but it’s bittersweet because there were also moments of “what could have been” and existing in the love that could have continued. There was a lot of joy in giving that part of the story life.

A lot of your characters are quite layered and complex. How do you choose your roles? Are there any specific themes, stories, or even genres that you’re drawn to? 

The goal posts are always sort of changing when it comes to what I’m drawn to. Whether it’s getting the opportunity to work with someone I admire or getting to live in a world I’ve always wanted to exist in, or getting to explore a part of myself that I’ve never had the chance or have been too scared to shine the flashlight on. Usually if something scares me about a role that's a good sign. I don't want to get too comfortable, I think I just bore everyone and myself when I do that.

I can’t not mention your father Bill Pullman, an iconic actor at this point. I imagine, but correct me if I’m wrong, that there must be a lot of pressure weighing on you to fill his shoes. How do you deal with such expectations? And do you intend to walk in his footsteps, or would you rather carve your own path in a different way?

 Phew, tell me about it. Well he’s one of my favorite actors and favorite people in this life, so I definitely felt that pressure deeply in the beginning. I think once I realized that filling his shoes was a Sisyphean task, I figured that I wasn’t going to get anywhere true by walking in his footsteps wearing his shoes. He has done, and is doing, such a singular thing and all I can do is use what he’s taught me and do my best to try and blaze my own trail and honor all that he’s taught me as an artist and my pops.

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pants SAAF GARMENTS
shoes GRENSON
glasses RAY BAN

How would you define success for yourself?

I don’t know why this is such a hard question for me. I think keeping your hunger and curiosity alive and redefining success as you go has been important for me. Sometimes I assume doing something will give me that feeling of accomplishment and once I do it I find I was wrong. So it’s just about going back to the drawing board in those moments and taking into account how much we change, zooming in and zooming out, and having patience with myself.

What projects are you hoping to bring to life through your own production company? Can you share more about that venture and what inspired you to take that step?

Our whole idea for the production company was to create a theater troupe type structure but for film. To have a space that fosters a continued collaborative process. One of the most frustrating parts about filmmaking for me is you cultivate these incredible collaborative relationships that blossom half way through the process and then you finish the film and oftentimes never work with that person again unless you’re lucky. This felt like a way to take the reins a bit in that realm, to put wind in the sails of artists we believe in.

When you’re out of work mode, how do you like to spend your time and how do you recharge?

Family. Friends. Dog. Montana. Drumming. Drawing. Reading. Sometimes living too deeply in the brain space of making movies can kind of trap me in a mode of operation where I forget that there’s actually a bowl of apples on the table if I peek my head out from behind the easel. I can lose sight of what the subject of all these stories really is in the first place. I hate when I catch myself thinking “Oh, that would make a great movie” or “I want to steal the way that person picks their nose and use it for a character”. I try to do the most non-movie stuff when I’m not making movies. I think that probably serves both sides, at least for now.

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TEAM CREDITS:

talent LEWIS PULLMAN
photography DYLAN PERLOT for EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS
styling LUCA KINGSTON for THE ONLY AGENCY
hair CHRISTINE NELLI for FORWARD ARTISTS
styling assistant TORI PETROVSKI
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial direction JANA LETONJA
interview SONNY NGO