Alex Pettyfer Talks ‘Sunrise,’ Immersive Acting, and Working With Guy Pearce

Alex Pettyfer (Back Roads, Collection) sstars in the new thriller Sunrise. He plays an ex-cop turned vampire who is seeking vengeance for his lover’s killing. Directed by Andrew Baird, Sunrise is not a moody, atmospheric thriller about an ex-cop turned vampire (Pettyfer) who is seeking vengeance for the tragic killing of his family. Pettyfer talked to Deepest Dream about the movie, which hits theaters and is available on Digital and On Demand January 19.

What were your initial impressions of the Sunrise script and how did you get involved?

Alex Pettyfer: My company, Dark Dreams Entertainment, was approached originally to come on and help creatively. And then just in conversations with Andrew and his vision of what he wanted to do in telling this story. And then Guy Pearce came on board. I had worked with Guy on a movie  called The Infernal Machine. 

As an actor, when you see someone else do something really mind blowing or that’s impressive to you, what’s the thing that you see that impresses you about them? Maybe it’s something that non-actors don’t see?

Alex Pettyfer: When you are in a scene and you are acting with someone like Guy Pearce, they create a sensibility that is so real that you forget that you are acting, or you’re in a scene and you genuinely start to feel a certain way that is reacting to what this other human being is doing in front of you. 

That is a kudos to a great artist to take away the illusion of acting and actually (making you) feel a scenario where you are fully immersed into something. 

When people say, “oh, they’ve done this great thing,” it’s not so much great thing, It’s that they’ve changed your perception of reality into an immersive experience. And Guy does do that. Great actors do that. 

When you get on set or when you start talking to the other actors, does there ever become a thing where you all have to kind of get in the same lane of what the story will be. How does that sort of work out? 

Alex Pettyfer: Well, that’s Andrew’s job as  the director, to set the tone of what film he wants to make, because we all have our own perspective of what we want to play, you know, or what characters we want to manifest. 

But Andrew has to be the captain of the ship. And I think it’s pretty clear from when you speak to Andrew and the visuals that he wanted to portray in the film, what kind of tone the film is. 

Have you done any stage acting at all? 

Alex Pettyfer: I would never go on stage. 

I guess the collective combination of all those things. (It) came together and I wanted to be a part of the film. 

Oh, so it’s just strictly, strictly movies. 

Alex Pettyfer: Well, it’s strictly where I get to have an opportunity to f**k up. Because I would be absolutely petrified to be on stage. And I commend those who do go on stage. I genuinely believe that is some of the truest form of acting. I personally am not equipped to do that. 

I would be scared s**tless, but I love going to the theater. I love watching friends of mine who are in the theater. But for me to step on stage, I could not do that. 

We have a segment on the podcast called what’s in the box? And in the box we have people put in movies that they love. What’s a movie that you would like to put in the box?

Alex Pettyfer: Yeah, I think I’m going to go for A Prophet. It’s an incredible film about a guy who serves time in a prison and it deals with religious elements and . . . it’s food for thought on a lot of different levels. 

I’m looking forward for that one. Sunrise comes out in theaters and on demand on January 19th. I wish you a bunch of success in this movie and everything you do. Thanks for joining me. 

Alex Pettyfer: Thank you. I really appreciate that. 

***Sunrise, directed by Andrew Baird, hits theaters, Digital and On Demand January 19.

**Alex Pettyfer interview condcuted by CinemAddicts co-host Eric Holmes.

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