I don’t see why not. Honestly, I don’t know what it is about Australians and English people that makes us do so well in Hollywood, generally. I think, for me, because I’m a real movie fan, for me if I’m going to watch an English person or an Australian person playing an American, I want their accent to be perfect because if not, then why not hire an American. But I don’t know. I don’t see why not. Perhaps it’s the training we receive? I don’t know. It’s something.
How have you changed since “What a Girl Wants?”
Well, I kind of got used to LA. It was a bit of a culture shock at first (laughing). I think it’s taken me a while, actually. My girlfriend is in England and my parents and family and everything, so that was a big adjustment to come over here and just sort of completely focus on work. Which I was more than happy to do, but you sort of give up things along the way.
You’ve kept up a long distance relationship for two years?
Three and half, yeah.
How do you do it? Do you visit her or does she come here?
A bit of both. I wouldn’t say it’s hard work because when you want something to work, it’s not hard. I think it takes effort. I guess I’m going to sound a bit preachy, but any relationship takes work. If you want it to happen.
You’re committing very young.
Yeah. I mean, but we haven’t really talked about committing. It’s not a case of we’re going to get engaged or we’re going to get married. (Laughing) At least I don’t think so. It hasn’t been that kind of relationship. It’s just a question of we have fun together, she’s like my best friend, and then three years have gone…
Do you think Hilary Duff’s character’s experience of coming to LA in "Raise Your Voice" was similar to your experience?
I don’t know. I think she – I mean Terri – didn’t have anyone helping her. It was almost the opposite. People were trying to hinder her in getting used to it. Whereas I had good people around me who cared about me and wanted to see that I was okay and knew where I was going. But I can relate to being in a strange place and sort of feeling on your on. Yeah. I don’t mean it as a sob story or as in “poor me.” I just mean I can see how it’s difficult to fit in in a place you’re not sure of.
Were you happy to cut your hair off after filming was done? And what about the tattoos?
Yeah, I was actually. The tattoos – I kind of thought they were cool. I mean, the hair and the tattoos were my decision. If you look at where he’s from and the kind of music that he would have grown up listening to, I think that’s kind of indicative of who he is. But yeah, I think I might regret that hair in 10 years time, but it was right for the character at the time so no regrets.
How great was it for you to be on a set with a bunch of other actors who are musicians as well?
It was cool. I got to pick up some awesome guitars. It was very cool. Sometimes I felt like – you know when you learn and you try and sort of rush ahead of yourself? Sometimes it felt like the pace was getting a bit quick. But it’s quite good to push your comfort zone when you’re learning sometimes – sort of stretch it.
Do you look for this sort of film? Is this the type of project you’re interesting in now?
I don’t necessarily look out for these kinds of movies, there they ones the sort of find me at the moment. It’s not anything I plan to do for the rest of my career either. But, at the end of the day, it’s a job. I have to work. In terms of my ambition for what I’d like to do, no I want to stretch myself. I trained classically as an actor. I’ve done Shakespeare and lots of different forms of theater. I think it would be great to get the chance to sort of spread my wings a bit and show people what I can do.
Do you feel more pressure here in Los Angeles than back home in England?
I wouldn’t say I feel pressure. I just feel it’s always about the business here. It always come back to the business, you know what I mean? For obvious reasons, this is like a one business town. It’s not like a New York or London where you get people from different walks of life.
Do you get recognized more here or back home?
It’s really weird. The only times I’ve been recognized at home are by Canadian tourists. I don’t know if there’s a formula to that, or whether it played better in Canada. It seems to be when I’m in the theater district kind of walking around, they see me and then recognize me. But most of the recognition I get is in the States.
