Skyler Gisondo on Bringing Jimmy Olsen to Life For James Gunn's Superman

What's up, Young Hollywood? Reuben Wilson, chilling at the Young Hollywood lounge. With Skyler Gisondo.

What up, yo? Thank you for having me.

Thank you for being here. You look great, very collegiate. I kind of copied your posture. I realized right off the bat, I should probably do something.

No, but that's actually really sweet, because they say when someone like kind of copies your energy, that means that you have like very welcoming energy to you.

Flattery, yeah. So, how does it feel to be like Superman?

And I get you mixing us up because David and I look alike, similar builds, physically, we're equally, I'd say, jacked. I'd like to think I'm the Superman of, of journalism, maybe. Jimmy Olsen. Jim, when we were filming the photographer. Exactly. That's my, that's my tool, that's my weapon, my secret superpowers, my camera. The very first thing we did before we shot any scenes was film all the billboard stuff, like shoot the promotional things. Yeah. And that day on set, everyone was all suited up and everyone looks so epic. And everyone like has their pose, and I was kind of trying to figure out what to do with my body and my hands, cuz I'm kind of just a guy. And so they're like, give us a little bit of Jimmy. And like I kind of just like, you know, that was pretty much it.

I, I see it. I feel it.

Thank you.

Take us back. How was it first day on set? Like were you nervous? Were you like, oh my god, do I have all my lines? Like what was going through your mind?

I, I was. Inevitably you're, yeah, you try not to be nervous, but there's just the stakes, the weight, you know, you feel, you're feeling as you're stepping onto that set, the, the, the responsibility to get it right, the scale of how big the thing is, and uh then through all of that, James Gunn our director and uh our, our the head honcho, he, he made us feel like it was summer camp from the very first day. He, he would say to me all the time, um, you are Jimmy, so whatever you do, you know.

That just eases your soul, didn't it?

Yeah, he just kind of put everyone at ease and then David and Rachel, they created uh, it was an atmosphere of such collaboration and fun and joy.

No better feeling.

Yeah, that all those nerves kind of you managed to forget somehow. Oh my god. So fun.

And the premiere was yesterday.

Yesterday, last night.

How was it? I didn't see your outfit.

I had a whole half of a tequila soda, so I'm feeling pretty crazy.

Oh, you were sauced up.

That was that constitutes a big, a big night for me. There's been a lot of uh, pinch yourself moments throughout this process, but the premiere takes the cake. Yeah, it was, um, unbelievable. Hundreds of people, uh, and you see how much the movie means to them and how excited they are to see it. I couldn't believe the day finally came. We, we shot this thing like, you know, two years ago and um,

Crazy. Two years ago?

Yeah. About that.

That's incredible. Yeah. Let, let's talk about your wiener. Your, your wiener dog.

My let's do it. Auggie.

Auggie. Thank you for bringing this up. Thank you.

He's my angel.

Like I literally was stalking you on IG and I was like, he's everything.

That's my, that's my guy. He went to like, um, an obedience kind of school sort of thing, and he came back and he wouldn't do, he wouldn't do anything. And I called them and I was like, hey man, I think he's not really and they're like, oh, we'll come over and help you cuz it's probably on you. And I was like, totally. And they came over and they were like, oh man, he really did not retain. We've never seen this. We're gonna give you your money back and we're sorry for.

That's an amazing.

Yeah, but I'll be damned if I don't love him more than anything in the world. That's a special, special boy.

If if you had to compare the two, Krypto and Auggie.

There's a ton of similarities. A ton of similarities. Yeah. And actually when I first read the script, that was one of the things I was most struck by is um, just the idea I loved of like, this dog that never listens and is unruly and you just love it so much. It's the center of your world, no matter what. I love that. I love that.

Now let's take it back to Jimmy. If he were to be on Love Island, would he last the entire duration or would he get axed episode one?

So, I'm a little bit in the dark here because I'm a okay, I'm kind of an old man. Don't tell me. You don't watch? I kind of don't know. I, I know that it's a thing. I, I know it's a big deal. I'm not I play a lot of backgammon on my phone.

Oh, who? Backgammon.

It's like a board game.

What is that?

It's an old, it's like kind of it's the oldest board. It, it's like thousands of years old. Have you never played backgammon?

I don't know if I want to play.

It's not as fun as Love Island probably in a conventional sense. Okay. But it's, it's, it's, you know, um, simulating. It's, it's fun. You have a board and there's they're called pips and you roll dice and then there's um, as I'm describing it, I'm realizing it doesn't sound It's not enticing whatsoever.

Not enticing.

But it's, I swear to god, it's great. If you can get over that hump of of how boring it is, you'll come to love it.

You're truly an angel. But you still didn't answer my question.

So I don't know how I'd do. I'm I kind of feel like my, my, my understanding of the show is that they're all on an island.

Absolutely. And they're looking for love. How did you know?

Okay. What makes a person good on it?

Like they're really looking for love and some are looking for clout. But if your housemates can see that you're actually genuinely there for love, you, you stick around.

I do. I do. I think I'd do well.

Okay.

I'd be in it to win it.

Yeah. I kind of believe you. You have very kind eyes, Skyler.

Thank you.

Very sweet.

That means a lot. Thank you.

Like it's comforting. You have coming from a fellow person with kind eyes.

Oh my god. Kind eye person to kind eye person. I'm just a reflection of you, baby.

For you and your personal life, what is your kryptonite? What is this something that makes you like weak?

Taco Bell.

Yeah. Ring the bell. What's your, what's your order?

Taco, Nacho Bell Grande a lot. Pow. If I'm feeling crazy. If I'm feeling kind of like on a chill vibe, a steak quesadilla and Doritos Locos Tacos. And there's one directly next to my house, which is obviously terrible.

That's trouble.

Terrible situation. Yeah. And it's a Taco Bell KFC fusion. Pop.

Oh, that is truly everything. I, I don't think I would have said Taco Bell is my kryptonite. It's more like scented candles and men wearing flip-flops.

Oh my god. Take me higher. You, you do like flip-flops? I do. Wait a minute. I, okay. I live by the beach and I love, I surf. I always wear flip-flops and I've been told by multiple girls in my life, you can't do that. You can't wear flip-flops. And I would say like, oh, you don't get it. It's like, you know. So I can do that?

Yes, absolutely Skyler. Let, let those things free. Please. People who love them.

I haven't checked. I think my Wikifeet score is pretty good. Someone sent it to me once. So maybe it's doing.

Who sent it to you?

I think my girlfriend might have sent it.

Oh my goodness. The fact she's a real one. The fact that she actually sent you.

He was a supportive way. She's like, look at this. You know, four and a half out of five, I think. I don't remember. It's been a long time.

That is everything. Yeah. Skyler, I, I want to know if you were to form your own Justice League, which would consist of pop stars. Who would you select?

Throw Sabrina on there. Okay. I, I met her before. She was lovely. Okay. And I, I think her music's great. I got that one song stuck in my head big time. The one where it's like, is it dumb? Or is it?

Manchild.

There you go. That's the new single. Kind of, kind of boppin' that. Okay. Biebs. Maybe throw Biebs in there. Justin Bieber. Rounding it out. I've, I mean, Beyonce, that feels like a slam dunk. Done. Beyonce is in there. I don't know what this justice gang's name would be or how they would gel. But for now, their superpowers feels like a good launching off point. Okay. Yeah. Fair enough.

Wait, your birthday's coming up, right?

It is. Like two weeks or a week from now. Thank you.

What are you doing?

It's a good question. I don't know. It's 29. So I'm kind of having an existential crisis at like my twenties are ending and like, but I also feel like spiritually I've been in my thirties my whole life, arguably my forties or even my fifties.

Your Saturn return? Have you felt it?

When does it do that?

Late twenty seven, early twenty eight. And what, what, what traditionally happens in a Saturn return? Your world gets like flipped upside down. In a good way? Like flipped upside down in the sense of you being Jimmy Olsen in a huge movie like Superman.

Nice. Way to bring it back.

All right, make sure you guys check out Superman in theaters now.