I'm here with Josh Wiggins at South by Southwest. Good to see you.

You too.

Wait, you're a Texas you're a Texas guy, right?

Yes.

Why is it this cold? Tell me.

It's bipolar here. You'll get you'll get used to it.

It is. Texas is very bipolar. It's a great way to describe it because it's it's either we're here and it's 80 and we're laying out in shorts or it's

So you're used to it.

and raining.

Yeah. Yeah. It's nothing new. It's it's it's definitely nothing new.

Well, what can you tell us about this town? Like what should we hit up? I mean, I know you're from Houston. But you've been to Austin before.

Yeah. Um, I've been eating at Kirby Lane.

Oh. a little bit. What's that? I've never heard of that one before.

It's like this little little uh famous kind of restaurant that's on the street called Kirby Lane. And so they named it Kirby Lane, I guess. And it's it's delicious.

So what is it like the Sixth Street kind of thing? Is it like in that area?

No, it's by uh like 37th.

Right. Do you walk Sixth Street? Do you do Have you done that?

No.

Is it allowed?

I don't know if I'm ready for that yet.

Wait a few more years. I've I've done it. I've done it.

Is it crazy?

It's a little crazy. Yeah.

I'd expect.

Yeah. You might want to wait a couple of years to do that. But I don't know. I mean, who knows? Because people your age have, you know, seen seen probably a lot more than I have in some some instances. So, let's talk about Hellion. This was your first movie.

Yes.

You had never done a movie before?

No.

You were cast off YouTube in a weird way. Can you sort of explain that?

Yeah. Um my friend was in the short film of Hellion that was at Sundance a few years ago. And by the time Cat wrote the feature, he wasn't really he wasn't interested in acting anymore. And so they were looking

Your friend wasn't interested?

No.

He was over it at what age?

It was like he was 13, 14 at the time. He's done by the time his career is over. I think I'm going to be a director now. I'm moving on. Um and so they're looking for kids to refill the part and we made we would make like little YouTube videos together.

And what were the YouTube videos?

They're a little embarrassing. From fourth grade.

This was back when you were in fourth grade?

Yeah, yeah. It was pretty early. But um so they looked at those

Early on in your career.

Yeah. Yeah. And so um they looked at those. The casting director and they asked if I wanted to come in and audition. And so, like, sure. Like, why not? I'm not going to get it, but it'd be fun to do. And so, I did it. And um I went to about three or four of them. And the last one was in L. A. with Aaron. And then about 10 seconds

Really? Aaron Paul?

Yeah. Yeah. And about 10

Just small. You might have heard of him. Maybe.

Um and about 10 seconds after I left that building, Cat called me and told me that I got the part.

So, 10 seconds?

Yeah. She we met in like a little room. And we were talking for maybe 10, 15 minutes. And it's it was me and my mom. And we're like, did we get it? Cuz they're not We're talking, but Usually they don't tell you for weeks. You're waiting and waiting, waiting.

And waiting years to get a role like that, right?

I don't know. I got I guess I got lucky.

You are a Hellion in this movie. You're very uninhibited. And it's a very seemingly different from your personality. How being, then it was your first movie, your first sort of major audition. Your process, sort of getting into it.

I mean, the script is so real and honest. It's not it's not too hard to just just kind of, you know, fall into these characters and believe believe in them and root for them. And so, you just kind of um tap into that and just research the emotions and how misunderstood he is and all the layers he has. Just kind of try to show try to show all that.

There's a little motocross action in this film. Are you good?

No, not at all.

Really?

Yeah. We uh I'd ridden a dirt bike probably two times in my life. And to for preparation, Cat gave me those little lessons. We had to do, you know, the clutch, like, hold the clutch and let go to go fast, like, right away. And so, I did the first time, and it went good. And so the guy was like, okay, let's do a little a little harder this time. And so, I did. And I did it a little too hard. And I did a wheelie.

Did you fall off the bike?

Almost. I threw myself back onto the front of it. And so I'm

So you look like a badass.

Yeah. Well, I don't know about that. But um so I'm on like Superman position on the on the seat trying to steer away from you know, anything I can. And I'm heading towards the only tree that's in that area for miles. And so, you know, I'm I'm about to hit him. I'm about to hit him. Freaking out and actually kind of teeter and and fall over and act like I wasn't totally embarrassed. But

Wow. It didn't. Did that actually make it into the final?

Surprisingly, no. Somehow it just didn't make it in.

Yeah. I know there's like there's a lot of heavy metal in this film. Are you a heavy metal guy? You're into music, right?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um I wasn't really into heavy metal until we started this. Now I kind of have an appreciation for it. I just an appreciation. Right. But cuz you know, growing up in in Cypress, Texas, you're not really like not

Metal Mania?

Yeah, it's not exactly Metal Mania. Here. So, you know, it's it's a little different at first.

But what's it like? What's what's popular there? What kind of music would you say?

Country? Yeah, I mean some country. I mean kind of suburban Texas. So there's some country, but like alternative rock and like, you know.

What are you into? I wore a Pink Floyd T-shirt.

You did.

I did. I like Pink Floyd. I like Pink Floyd. Cuz I knew I kind of read that you were into more like the old school.

Yeah. Kind of, yeah. I like, you know, Kings of Leon and you know, the Who and Pink Floyd and Journey and stuff like that.

People are talking about you a lot in Hollywood. How does that feel first of all? Cuz I know there's so much buzz. And I know people compare you to Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio, which are great comparisons.

Yeah. It's fluttering.

Is it strange coming from you say suburbia and coming into

Yeah, it's it's been weird, you know, having people talk about you. You're not really used to it and it can be kind of, you know, I don't know. It's it's very out of the norm. But um I'm just trying to have as much fun with it as I can. Yeah. And you know, I'm looking forward to.

What do your friends think about it at home?

They're excited for me. Yeah. They're excited. They've been they post pictures of some of them post pictures of with articles and stuff like that. They do. They're being really supportive and I appreciate it.

Are you into social media? Are you into the whole thing? Do you embrace it?

Yeah, I I don't have a Twitter.

I noticed that. Yeah. Why is that? It's done. Tell me because somebody from your age, tell me cuz I still think Twitter's cool. But maybe it's not anymore. I don't know.

I think it's in. I tried it and I had no idea what to do. And so after a week, I was like, okay, I guess I'll stick with Instagram.

Sticking with Instagram. Okay. But I liked it. I'd like to pick it back up again. What about Facebook? Is it just done?

Facebook's I have a Facebook. I know what you're about to say. Don. I know what you're about to say. Don. No, I like Facebook, but it's I guess Instagram is kind of all tetered towards Instagram. That's the big hot thing right now. But you know, you never know what's going to come next.

You never know. You could create the next thing. You never know.

Maybe.

Do you have that sort of creative mind?

I about some things. Yeah. Maybe. But acting. But I don't know. We'll we'll see if I create a new social networking site. It's not exactly on my agenda right now, but

Let's talk exactly what's on your agenda right now. I know you're heading to L. A. I know you can't really say much because but you're working. I know you you're working with somebody really exciting and I'm trying to pry it out of you who it is, but you're not allowed to say it now. So, I'm not going to I'm not going to. But you are. Yeah. Working on something, right?

Yeah, we're about to wrap the film we're shooting right now. But um yeah, I'm reading stuff and trying to get ready for any other role or something like that. I'm looking forward to.

So this role he's a rebel in a sense. Maybe misunderstood.

Yeah, he's definitely misunderstood.

Most rebellious thing you've ever done.

Most rebellious thing I've ever done. It's not a very long list. But yeah, let's go. Step out for a second. That's Dad's Dad's Dad's just moved leaned in closer. He wants to hear this one. That you can tell that you can tell us the most rebellious thing you've done.

Most rebellious.

I've almost stolen a little Tic Tac thing from kindergarten school that every kid has stolen.

You thief. How dare you? That's

I know. I'm still trying to get over it. But I'm working my way.

What about Aaron Paul? Did he throw some yeah bitches around this that?

Yeah. He just spiced things up and make things fun. Yeah. It was it was a lot of fun.

I can imagine. Didn't he just wrap Breaking Bad when he shot this film? Or was it around the same time?

I think I think it had been done for a little bit, but yeah, it wasn't, you know, totally far off. Right. But yeah, he was He's still

But I read you're a Bryan Cranston fan.

Yes. I love Bryan.

Did you tell Aaron that? Hey, I really like you but I love Bryan. Can you invite him over? Hey. Can we all hang out together? Can we make that happen?

No. Of course. Of course Aaron is amazing. We all know.

And did I read something about your karaoke song? Oh, yeah. White snake?

Yeah. Here I go again.

Wait, why that song? How do you know that song at your age?

I don't know. My brother tells me all these little little songs.

He's older?

Yeah, he's really into music. So he passed all these down. Then I heard him. It's it amps you up.

So you like that kind of cuz to me, is that not metal? That's not metal. Wait, is that really not

Exactly. It's it's a heavy sort of rock. I guess. 80s rock, I would say. But it's it's a lot of fun to to sing along to.

Do you want to sing it?

Let's let's hold off a little bit. Um

But you're on the spot. Right now. I won't make you do that. I won't make you do that. Maybe later. This is fantastic. Okay. So, we've covered the whole bases. You did comedy, you did the drama, Scorsese, and I love that you threw a little romance in there. Great talking with you.

You too. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Can't wait to see all the future projects that you work on.

Thank you.

I have a feeling they're going to be big. You guys got to watch.