Lightning strikes for 'Percy Jackson' star Logan Lerman: The Personalities Interview (VIDEO)

"Percy Jackson's" Logan Lerman may become the next big franchise hero.

Photo: Sam Jones/Vanity Fair. "Percy Jackson" photos: TCF

 

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Will Logan Lerman become the new 'Spider-Man?'

Life is about to get interesting for 18-year-old actor Logan Lerman. His recent stirring up of the media over his interest in becoming the next 'Spider-Man' nearly overshadowed the release of another possible franchise: 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.' Cumbersome title aside, find out what this rising star has to say about adventure, teen alienation and the chance to become the next American movie hero.

Since the arrival of "Harry Potter," a generation young readers were taught to conjure dreams of a superpowered life that would make the most veteran comic book hero feel small. With Hollywood eager to seek new ways to tap into that the lucrative fantasy, it has been interesting to see how a generation raised on such tales is now the very generation starring in the film versions.

Enter 18-year-old, Logan Lerman.

A true renaissance teen on the cusp of manhood, don't let the boyish good looks and stylist-induced visage from the" Zac Efron School for Tween Dreams" fool you. Lerman is already an accomplished actor, writer, musician and comedy short auteur. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he has amassed a series of credits and co-stars (Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe, Jim Carrey, for starters) that have only reaffirmed his desire to remain a part of the entertainment industry.

"I feel like almost the only thing I want to do in my life is to make movies,” Lerman said in an interview with Jim Windolf for Vanity Fair. “But, growing up on sets, I feel like if I go to a film school I might discover that I don’t need to be there to make films.”

Lerman's biggest release entered theaters as a rousing success, debuting as the second most popular film over Presidents Day weekend with nearly $40 million at the box office.  Based on the popular Rick Riordan-penned series of books, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" taps into the zeitgeist of youth-driven projects that have given the box office much needed adrenalin.

Directed by hitmeister Chris Columbus ("Home Alone," the first two "Harry Potter" films), Lerman had the herculean task of carrying the lead role in this epic adventure of teen demigods. With Greek mythology given a post-modern twist as a metaphor for  teen angst, "Percy Jackson" is also packed with enough visual firepower and youthful zeal necessary to launch a hit franchise.

“I think I’m signed on to do three of them or something like that,” Lerman continued in the Vanity Fair piece. While the actor still has senior year to finish in high school, he relishes the on-set education of projects like "Percy Jackson" to broaden his life experiences.

"One of the best things about doing this job," Lerman said in our one-on-one interview, "is that you get to work with your heroes."

Among the heroes cited by Lerman were his "Percy Jackson" co-stars, which include Pierce Brosnan, Catherine Keener, Rosario Dawson and Steve Coogan.

"It's like a good tennis match," Lerman continued. "You just know you're playing with a really good player."

Lerman courted plenty of press in recent weeks over news that he may be in discussions to take over the role of 'Spider-Man/Peter Parker' in Sony's reboot of the blockbuster series being helmed by Marc Webb. While the rumors proved to be unfounded, the attention has given "Percy Jackson" and Lerman a boost in industry perception. And that suits Lerman just fine as he will continue to call movie and the art of filmmaking home.

"I love movie sets," Lerman continued in Vanity Fair. "It’s another home for me. Movie theaters and movie sets—they’re just the best places to be."

Here's more with my conversation with Logan Lerman from the set of "Percy Jackson" last summer in Vancouver, British Columbia.

JORGE CAREON: How much of Percy Jackson did you know before getting the role?

CARREON: Did you take the journey of reading the original Rick Riordan novel?

LERMAN: I did. I read the first book immediately and I liked it a lot. But, the movie and the book are two different things. I hope that when the fans of the books see the movie they can accept it for being a different medium, the fact that the kids aren’t 12 years old. I hope they accept it for what it is, a fun movie.

LERMAN: Yeah, this is a big movie, man! I’ve never been a part of a movie on this level. I’ve been a part of big movies, but this one takes the cake! This is a big movie and it’s just kind of, it kind of takes you back every day. It’s strange. Being a part of them is kind of scary because you never know if it’s going to be a success or failure. You don’t know if it’s going to turn out well. But when you sign on to a movie with Chris Columbus attached, Stephen Goldenblatt and all these amazing filmmakers, I personally wouldn’t want to put my career in the hands of anybody else except for these guys. It’s a good insurance plan.

LERMAN: Not at all. I didn’t realize what I got myself into when I started training for a couple months beforehand. I was working out in L.A. with (co-star) Brandon (Jackson) and going through the whole process of getting into the movie, but it never really hit me until I got to Vancouver. I saw these sets and I’m like, “Who did I fool to get to this point, man?” I must have lied to a lot of people to get here. It’s a big responsibility and I just realized you got to step up and try to do your part and make it good.

LERMAN: There are a lot of people that can relate to Percy. That’s why this movie is so lovable. You want to be in a position of what he’s going through. Everybody has that potential.  It was fun.

CARREON: Have you had your own moments of alienation or that desire to obtain your parents' approval?

LERMAN: I have to be honest, my parents have always been there for me. I’ve always had their attention. I can’t relate to Percy in that way. That’s the best thing about playing a character though. You just need to be in the position where you get that emotion. But, no. I never really had to vie for my parents you know affection or attention.

CARREON: A lot is riding on "Percy Jackson" being a success at the box office.  What's in store for audiences? 

LERMAN: Pure entertainment and that’s what movies are all about. The entertainment, the action, you know the drama, the comedy and everything. It’s just, you know it’s got, it’s got that whole package and that’s why you know people you know go see movies like this every weekend.  

For L.A. ticket and theater information on "Percy Jackson & the Olympians," click on Fandango now. 

Subscribe to Logan Lerman's YouTube channel, monkeynuts1069, to watch the comedy shorts he's created with Dean Collins. 

Keep reading the Personalities on Examiner.com for the latest celebrity and industry news. 

Go behind the scenes of "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," now playing citywide.