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Let’s
see, Haley Joel Osment that really serious,
cute little kid who sees dead people in
The Sixth Sense, right? Used to be. The
“little kid” strolls into our
interview in Los Angeles flipping a good
luck Eisenhower silver dollar that a journalist
gave him earlier. Surely this very tall
young man can’t be Haley. Then…he
speaks! The little robot from A.I. now
talks a couple of octaves lower than we
expected.
Haley
has finally grown into that enormous acting
talent of his. He’s now 15, tall,
lanky and very cute. He’s a sophomore
in high school, runs track, plays golf
and soccer but he still blushes a bit
when asked if he’s now ready to play
Hilary Duff’s boyfriend in a film.
You’ll next see the young actor starring
with pros Michael Caine and Robert Duval
who play his eccentric retired uncles
in the new film Secondhand Lions which
he filmed while his voice was changing…just
like his character’s.
Teenhollywood:
Both you and Michael Caine were up for
Best Supporting Actor Oscars the same
year. Was it weird to be working with
him in this film?
Haley:
I think whenever Michael and I talked
about the Oscars it was with good memories
of what it was like because that was a
really fun season for both of us. Michael’s
speech, when he gave thanks after he won
the Oscar, it honored me more than if
I won the Oscar myself so we were on good
terms.
Teenhollywood:
You come from a very close-knit family.
Is it sad to think of a character like
yours whose mom just leaves him with uncles
he doesn’t know?
Haley:
Yeah it is tragic because he’s missing
out on the way he should be growing up
and that’s what makes the transition
so much happier when he meets these two
old men. He’s so low at the beginning
of the story and he makes this great turn-around.
You have to sympathize with the character.
Teenhollywood:
Do you have any great uncles or grandpas
in your family?
Haley:
I don’t have anybody that would rival
the two uncles for pure outrageousness
but I did draw on some experiences spending
the summer with crazy relatives and stuff.
I have a fairly large family.
Teenhollywood:
Last time we interviewed you, they had
to sit you on a couple of phone books.
When did you get this big growth spurt?
Haley:
[laughing] It was pretty gradual. It happened
over the last year and a half pretty much.
The change is going to be noticeable in
this film. Physically, I change a little
throughout the film. The voice and the
personality is the biggest physical change
for the character too and that’s
sort of because of what I was going through
at that time. My voice was really changing
so it was oddly good timing with this
film.
Teenhollywood:
What’s important for you in a script?
What makes you want to do a role?
Haley:
The story has to be strong. The characters
really have to come alive for you. As
an actor you need information about the
character before you play him. If a character
is one-dimensional in a script, it’s
nearly impossible to make up for what’s
missing. The script for Secondhand Lions
is what made all the difference for me
in doing it. It was amazing. There was
so much life in every page. That was the
biggest appeal.
Teenhollywood:
Are you the kind of guy who would be comfortable
out in the sticks with no t.v. and no
phone like your character?
Haley:
After this film, I’m definitely more
comfortable with it but that’s one
of the good parts about life is learning
to enjoy yourself without being occupied
by technology. Texas was fun, I found
things to do.
Teenhollywood:
There is a lion in the film. We hear you
were great with it.
Haley:
Yeah, I think I was the only person on
set who had no fear of the lion. I was
ready to go jump in a cage with it. They
were obviously pretty nervous about that.
They took a lot of precautions to make
sure everyone was safe but it looked like
it wasn’t really necessary. The lion
would walk around on a leash like a big
cat.
Teenhollywood:
What has been the biggest moment of success
for you? The Oscar nomination (for The
Sixth Sense)?
Haley:
I think there have been different types
of moments. Success is not really what’s
the most important to me. I guess there
are moments that make you feel good about
what you’ve done. Oscar night was
definitely kind of a weird reward. There
are times when you get these bonuses.
That was one of the most exciting things
I’ve done.
Teenhollywood:
You are known not to be a snobby Hollywood
actor. Do you have chores at home?
Haley:
Definitely. I’ve got to work around
the house, taking care of the dogs, taking
out the garbage, generally cleaning up
is something that is expected of me. I’ve
got two dogs, Golden Retrievers. I’ve
got a leopard gecko, a very long-lived
animal, almost 30 years so I’ll have
him for a while. We’ve got a turtle.
My sister has a Guinea pig and sometimes
we have to take in my mom’s classroom
animals too. She’s a teacher. I’m
not a big fan of vacuuming. I keep my
room pretty clean. But the above and beyond
cleaning I’m not too much a fan of.
Me and my sister are expected to pull
our own weight around the house.
Teenhollywood:
Do you have your learner’s permit
for driving yet?
Haley:
Oh, yeah. I’ve been waiting for a
long time to get to drive. I’m in
driver’s ed right now and hopefully
by junior year I’ll be driving myself
around. Every teenager wants a really
cool car but there’s the question
of whether or not that’s going to
happen.
Teenhollywood:
How do you handle schooling?
Haley:
I go to a regular private school but I
have a tutor when I’m on a set so
I can keep up with my class back at home.
School is pretty much constant. I’m
learning the same things as everyone at
home.
Teenhollywood:
So do you get time to hang out with your
classmates?
Haley:
Yeah. This summer I’m spending a
lot of time with my friends just relaxing.
There is a really good group of kids in
my school. It’s all about who we
are as kids. They all see beyond all the
movie stuff so I can just really identify
with them just as kids.
Teenhollywood:
Now that you are older are you getting
scripts that are more for teens, not kids?
Haley:
Yeah. That’s what we want to focus
on now is age-appropriate roles. I’m
past that time where I’m getting
younger roles. I can’t go backwards.
After growing up I can’t go back
to a kid role. It wouldn’t even work
now with this voice. It’s important
to keep progressing in age. Soon I’ll
be an adult actor and I have to spread
out my options.
Teenhollywood:
So do you want to be cast as Hilary Duff’s
boyfriend now?
Haley:
[laughs and smiles] It’s all about
what I’m old enough for now.
Teenhollywood:
Have you met her? Do you want to?
Haley:
No. I haven’t met her. [He just grins
and almost blushes].
Teenhollywood:
Where do you want to be when you are 20?
Haley:
I don’t know. I definitely plan on
going to college but career-wise, I’ll
see what roles are available. I just want
to progress in the complexity and age
of characters. When I’m 20, the only
thing I hope for is to still be doing
it and with a more varied body of work
by that time. I’m aware of the difficulty
of transitioning into being an adult actor
but as long as the right roles are chosen
I expect to do okay.
Teenhollywood:
You were nominated for an Oscar. Do you
still have to try out for roles, especially
now that you are older?
Haley:
You always have to prove yourself to the
director and show them what you are capable
of doing with the character. This film
was so important for me because it’s
changing what people remember of me being
in films before. The worst thing that
can happen to an actor is to be stuck
in one place, associated with one character.
Teenhollywood:
Do you have a favorite of your roles?
Haley:
Some experiences have been really enjoyable.
A.I. was really amazing because it was
a very long and in-depth shoot. This film
too was, in it’s own way, really
enjoyable being out in Texas on a really
great, close set. Everyone got along really
well.
Teenhollywood:
Was it kind of intimidating acting with
two show biz legends (Michael Caine and
Robert Duval)?
Haley:
I pretty much just watched what they did
and reacted off it. That’s pretty
much what the character is. Walter is
just reacting off these two incredible
old men. For me, with these legendary
actors, it was just watching what they
did and staying in character. I haven’t
seen all their films but I’ve seen
as many as I could. Both have great films
and that’s what made it exciting
on set with them.
Teenhollywood:
Do you give any advice to your sister
(Emily Osment was in Spy Kids 2 and 3).
Haley:
I’ll help her when she lets me. It’s
mostly up to my dad to do that. She’s
been having a lot of fun with the Spy
Kids films. My biggest advice would just
to be having fun on the set, enjoying
the acting. Everything else just comes
as a bonus.
Teenhollywood:
Are you writing any scripts?
Haley:
There are always some ideas that I think
might be fun. I haven’t completed
a script yet but it’s something I’m
definitely interested in later.
Teenhollywood:
Who would you really love to work with?
Haley:
Recently, Johnny Depp has been really
interesting to me because I really admire
his philosophy with films. He’s one
of the assortment of people I’d like
to work with.
Teenhollywood:
There is a lot of buzz about female teen
actresses like on the cover of Vanity
Fair but the guys don’t get as much.
Is it harder being a guy?
Haley:
It’s definitely different the type
of attention you get. It’s different
historically in acting. I think what we’re
going to see soon is an increased respect
for actors and actresses. I remember when
Nicole Kidman got her Oscar she said she
really admired the writer of The Hours
because he really saw that there are a
lot of interesting roles for women out
there so I’m thinking we’ll
see a varied assortment of roles to be
played. We have a lot of young actors
and actresses that will fill these roles
as we get older. I have hope for both
actors and actresses. As for the attention
we get, I think it’s going to be
a lot more equated in the future. It doesn’t
bother me that the girls get attention.
It’s expected. I don’t feel
like I need the attention.
Teenhollywood:
If it’s not attention, what is the
big perk for you?
Haley:
Just the whole environment just being
able to meet the people you work with
and go to the places they send you to
to promote or shoot a film. I’ve
been to some pretty exotic places as a
result of this business. It’s the
great bonus of acting.
Teenhollywood:
Are people still coming up to you and
asking if you see dead people?
Haley:
[laughs]. Not so much anymore. I’m
not as recognizable now. Maybe that will
change with this film.
Teenhollywood:
You’ve done heavy drama and Secondhand
Lions has some good comedy moments. Now,
would you like to do an action hero role?
Haley:
Yeah, that would sure be fun if the right
script came along. As a kid I’ve
always liked that genre. I’m an Indiana
Jones fan so if the right film came along
I’d love to do something like that.
Teenhollywood:
Do you play sports in school?
Haley:
Yeah. I’ve run cross country six
days a week all summer. We have training
in the Fall. Our team is pretty good and
that’s a big commitment for me. I’m
on the soccer and golf teams as well.
I haven’t been a part of any school
clubs yet.
Teenhollywood:
Any idea where you will go to college?
Haley:
There are a lot of schools out there that
are interesting because of their drama
programs or their film school that are
appealing to me. This year I’ll be
seeing what’s out there. I’ll
have to wait and see. There is always
more to learn. Of course working with
Steven [Spielberg] was unforgettable and
wildly beneficial to me as an actor but
I think college is a whole different environment.
I wouldn’t be concentrating on only
one thing. I’ve always been a big
history fan. I’m taking a lot of
that this year in high school.
Teenhollywood:
What do you hope people will get from
Secondhand Lions?
Haley:
The message of the film is what men teach
boys, the importance of having someone
to look up to and passing on the knowledge
of your elders. I think we demonstrate
that through example, not just telling
everyone a message. Watching Walter [Haley’s
character] grow as a person because of
these two old men, we see the importance
of what that does for him.
Teenhollywood:
Who have you personally learned from?
Haley:
I’ve had a multitude of people that
I’ve learned from being on the set
but primarily it would have to be my parents,
just the effort that they put into raising
me and the added effort because of the
acting. My dad goes with me wherever I
have to go.
Teenhollywood:
Do you have false friends who try to get
into your life?
Haley:
It’s really easy to tell who is genuinely
your friend or not and I’ve been
lucky enough to have a really solid group
of friends. It’s not based on who
I am as an actor but as a person.
Teenhollywood:
How do you stay grounded?
Haley:
It’s all about making sure I understand
the importance of staying grounded. I
think my parents concentrate on letting
me keep myself in line. The most important
thing they’ve taught me is to learn
what is right myself and the film has
some of that as well.
Teenhollywood:
What music are you into?
Haley:
Old as well as new stuff. Today, Coldplay,
Incubus, REM and old stuff would be Led
Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Jimmi Hendrix.
Rock
on, Haley!
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