Director D.J. Caruso knows that casting is one of the most important pieces of the filmmaking process, especially when developing a fantasy flick with the potential of becoming the next big film franchise.
However, Caruso believes wholeheartedly that he got it right with the cast of “I Am Number Four.” Alex Pettyfer stars as an alien fugitive with extraordinary abilities, one of nine living on Earth, who poses as an ordinary teenager in the hope of evading those sent to kill him.
“I really loved the fact that Alex was this strong, sort of dynamic, matinee-idol-looking character,” Caruso explains. “But the most important element was that he was vulnerable. He had sort of this great vulnerability and he had the ability to make you doubt that he can pull this off.”
And no one doubted that more than Pettyfer himself, who admits to telling Caruso during his audition that he was simply incapable of playing the lead character in “I Am Number Four.”
“He’s such a vulnerable character and you want to root for him and I didn’t feel like anyone would root for me to play this guy,” Pettyfer explains. “I really wanted that feeling of the reality as is. This guy has been given this essential power to save what he now calls home, Earth, and I just didn’t feel like I could make that believable.”
However, Caruso was quick to disagree with Pettyfer, eventually convincing the actor that he was the perfect performer to stand center stage in “I Am Number Four.” The director was equally impressed with the film's eventual female lead Danna Agron, most commonly known for her role on “Glee.”
“It was very obvious to me that she brought this wonderful intelligence and grace to Sarah,” Caruso explains. “In other actress’ hands, it might have come across somewhat bitchy because she’s someone who has sort of removed herself from the group and ostracized herself.
“Dianna was able to pull that off and not make Sarah feel judgmental or make her feel like she was an elitist. She just made it feel like it was part of who she was and understanding that she didn’t want to be part of this society that was about things that weren’t relevant to real life.”
Agron acknowledges that she was well-liked among her schoolmates but notes that her popularity was nothing like it is depicted in movies and television shows. The actress attributes her social success to simply being nice to people and refusing to get cornered into any one group of clique.
“I felt very normal and, at the same time, I was trying to explore what I really liked and what I was most p***ionate about,” Agron adds. “So, I always kind of felt awkward. But I still feel awkward, which I think is wonderful. I would never want to walk around with the false pretense of, “Look at me. I’m so cool.
“I think that we’re all privileged to be here and share an existence and I think the best part of life is just experiencing other people just like you or very not in the same boat as you. Just similar to you and find out what you do have in common.”
As for Teresa Palmer, who plays yet another alien fugitive in the film, Caruso says that the actress was “this great warrior who literally came in the audition and just blew me away because she was strong and really sort of was able to handle this kick-*** action.”
Palmer admits to looking to Angelina Jolie for inspiration, noting that her character in “I Am Number Four,” Number Six, shares the “Tomb Raider” actress's “intimidating, enchanting and intoxicating” aura.
“She has a really unique quality about her performance where she’s so captivating, you can’t take your eyes off of her,” Palmer continues. “Number Six is the same way. D. J. Caruso had actually worked with Angie before. He and I are very much on the same page about making her very... We’d call her Angie-ish.”
Finally, Caruso says Callan McAuliffe mirrored Pettyfer's vulnerability, as someone you felt sorry for, but, at the same time, wasn’t so much of a “nerd” that you understood why, ultimately, he and Number Four would become good friends.
“Well, at the beginning my character is picked on a lot,” McAuliffe says. “He’s an outsider. Then, as he experiences the things that happen throughout the movie, he becomes a lot stronger – mentally not as opposed to physically. He becomes a much stronger person. Watching and playing him and progressing as an actor and as a character was a fantastic experience.”
And Caruso would love the opportunity to work with the cast again, given, of course, that “I Am Number Four” does well at the box office. The director acknowledges that, from a literary standpoint, the characters' tales evolve through a half-dozen books.
“I Am Number Four” (PG-13 – 110 minutes) opens Friday at movie theaters throughout the Valley. Visit NCM.com for specific showtimes.
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