Garrett Hedlund is becoming a hot Hollywood star
“There's something that a lot of young actors that I've met in Hollywood just don't have. He's a man; he's masculine. There's a lot of boys in Hollywood,” Feste said of casting Hedlund. “I feel like that's very difficult to find - who is the next movie star ... that still has vulnerability and still has heart.”
Los Angeles- From racing a light cycle to strumming a guitar, rising Hollywood star Garrett Hedlund is exploring leading man territory.
The Minnesota native journeys into the digital frontier in the highly anticipated sci-fi sequel "Tron: Legacy” opening in theaters today, and channels a young Kris Kristofferson as a soulful singer-songwriter in the musical drama "Country Strong” to open Jan. 7. He will be seen later in 2011 in "On the Road ,” based on beat poet Jack Kerouac's autobiographical novel.
“Yesterday morning, I was driving across the Bay Bridge in a Hudson. Wrapped (‘On the Road' in San Francisco) at 11, jumped on a plane to get back here, cut my hair and went straight to the ‘Tron' premiere,” Hedlund said with a laugh Sunday morning during interviews for “Country Strong” at the Four Season Hotel.
Hedlund, 26, made his movie debut in the 2004 Greek myth “Troy.” He played the son of Tim McGraw's character in the football drama "Friday Night Lights,” sought revenge in the crime film "Four Brothers” and helped bring fantasy novel “Eragon” to the big screen.
“I think he's going to be one of the new big leading men over the years,” said McGraw, who reunited with Hedlund for “Country Strong.” “He's a great kid. He's a really honest kid, and it really comes across on screen.”
With “Tron: Legacy,” Hedlund gets his first leading role, playing the rebellious son of long-lost computer pioneer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who is trapped in the video-game world he created.
At the end of the arduous “Tron: Legacy” shoot, he was ready to get real with “Country Strong.”
“It was close to like a 70-day ... shoot for ‘Tron,' onstage in the suit. You can't even sit down during the day because (of) all the cables that divide the foam rubber and all the electrical circuits. ... And your back's sore. And then being able to just wear some Levi jeans and a button-up, I mean, it was exactly what I wanted.”
He was working on the “Tron” sequel in Vancouver, British Columbia, when he received the “Country Strong” script. He was in tears by the time he read to the end of it.
Writer-director Shana Feste offered Hedlund the lead role of singer-songwriter Beau Hutton, who goes from contentedly playing dive bars to finding country music fame when he gets involved with a superstar (Gwyneth Paltrow) struggling with addiction. Hedlund had to learn to play guitar and sing to fit the part.
“There's something that a lot of young actors that I've met in Hollywood just don't have. He's a man; he's masculine. There's a lot of boys in Hollywood,” Feste said of casting Hedlund. “I feel like that's very difficult to find - who is the next movie star ... that still has vulnerability and still has heart.”
Hedlund moved to Nashville, Tenn., six weeks before shooting began to immerse himself in the music scene, even playing the legendary Station Inn.
“We get up on stage ... and right in front is Gwyneth and Chris Martin and Caleb (Followill), the lead singer of Kings of Leon, and Faith Hill and Dierks Bentley. It was one of the greatest nights of my life.”
Source