Stranger Things actor Gaten Matarazzo and his co-star Jacob Tremblay are unquestionably captivating when they put their hands to something. Better known respectively for the charismatic portrayal of Dustin Henderson and a painfully heartwarming performance in Room, the two have now teamed up to bring to life the characters of Elmer and Boris in the animation My Father’s Dragon.
Their portrayal of two characters struggling with mounting fears who are faced with enormous challenges is a sweet watch designed to do more than just entertain. The movie brings into question the concept of bravery, its true definition and a male role within that.
In an exclusive interview with Digital Spy, the pair open up about the perception of male character’s on screen and the importance of vulnerability.
My Father's Dragon is a really heartwarming watch, and so much of this film is about the true meaning of bravery. Not the absence of fear, but persevering in the face of it. Why do you think that distinction is so important?
Jacob Tremblay: I think for me, after watching this movie, I even learned something from it. One of the greatest things that you can do is, you know, bring people up with your bravery, which is something that kind of… Boris brings up Elmer, and then Elmer also brings up Boris in a way.
It's almost like they're sharing their bravery. It's not something that's for yourself, right? It's something that you can use to bring others up.
Gaten Matarazzo: I think most people, especially when you're very young, assume, initially, that their elders and the people that they admire and look up to, and the people that expect so much from them, are fearless and they believe truly.
You never see your parents afraid. They can do anything, they can conquer the world and you can't wait to get to that point when you can do that too and you start to grow up, and you realise that hasn't happened yet. You're like, "When's that part going to happen? I'm still pretty scared!"
I think it takes quite a while for you to understand that, truly, fear never really goes away but you have to preserve, and you have to keep going through it. That's exactly what this movie is about.
Of course, there's the fantastical element where Boris needs to find his fire. Then there's something that's a little bit more reserved and truthful to those watching with Elmer. He has to find himself, and he has to find where his responsibilities lie with his mum, and with his town, and with his home, and his responsibilities.
They're going through very similar things and I think a lot of what Boris goes through is how Elmer feels. He feels tied down. He feels lost. He feels scared. He feels like he can't grow. That's literally what Boris is going through.
Jacob: Yeah. He's literally tied.
Gaten: He's literally tied to an island.
Boris and Elmer are two males who are scared of their responsibilities. Why do you think it's important for children to see the vulnerability of males within fiction? What impact do you think it might have on them?
Gaten: I think a lot of stories that centre around men – and young men – and stories that seem like they're written for boys [featuring characters they can look up to] usually it is the Luke Skywalkers. It's these heroes who can conquer anything.
I think that something like this is super-essential just to let people know. To let young boys and young kids know that initially straight out the gate it is fine to be afraid. It's completely OK to be afraid. There's nothing wrong with that but that doesn't mean that you don't get up every time you fall.
You must keep walking forward through your challenges, through whatever comes your way and it is the fear in doing so that makes that accomplishment so much greater.
And, yeah, I think it just needs to be stated more. I think that the human experience should be expressed to young people a lot more than it usually is. Most of the time that you see it represented well is in animated stories, and in stories that are geared towards young people, throughout the years, which has been great.
Jacob: Yeah. It's just real. It's just closer to real life. I can't remember where I heard this from, but it's like: bravery isn't being fearless. Bravery is overcoming your fear, which I think was a big theme of this movie. They're terrified the whole time [laughs].
Gaten: [laughs] And sometimes in very funny ways.
Jacob: In very funny ways, right. They have each other, and that's how they get through it.
What animations yourself have you watched that have had an impact on you in a way that this film might have impacted you?
Gaten: I've said this nine times today, and I'm saying it again, but Finding Nemo is my favourite movie of all time. I'm not even kidding.
My favourite movie of all time. Part of the reason is because it's a story about a young kid conquering the world, and doing something that the people in his life never really thought he even could.
It's wonderful, and it looks stunning, and it's beautiful, and it's captivating, and young people see it, and they are drawn to it initially because of how it looks, and then they stay for what it says. I think that's exactly what this movie does.
Jacob: Yeah. I think animation can do something that live-action has more of a struggle to do, where they can show emotions way more powerfully.
I'm trying to think of an animation that really inspired me. I think Cars is one of them. I think that also can relate to the whole thing where it's important to show your emotions, because you have Lightning McQueen – this car hothead but he's humbled by this town.
I think that movie taught me an important message, to really stay humble, because that's what matters and humbleness is something that I really think is very important.
Gaten: I think Cartoon Saloon – all of their stuff – has just blown me away. Not just with how it looks but their themes, and what they like to tackle, and what stories they like to tell, and who they like to inspire through what they make. To be a part of something that they're making is just wonderful.
Jacob, you're no stranger to playing characters that have gone through hardship and shown bravery. What is it about these kind of roles that appeal to you?
Jacob: I think, honestly, I've always looked up to these heroic characters. What you said at the beginning of the interview about how it's rarely shown, the emotional side of it – I think that really spoke to me, because I've never really thought about that before.
I mean, everyone kind of pretended to be characters [growing up] but for me, I never did sports. I never did hockey or soccer. It was all about movies. I would just have an action figure, and just watch a movie, and just become that character.
Like, say it was Indiana Jones – that was a big one for me.
Gaten: Harrison Ford.
Jacob: Yeah. He's the GOAT.
Gaten: You've been able to tackle something that I think a lot of actors at your age would always love to. It's very uncommon for people to be able to tackle vulnerable characters, and play them to absolutely perfection.
I think it's something that is very rare and, of course, not only are you very lucky to get to play it, but the projects you work on are very lucky to have you playing them.
That's why I was so happy you get to do this, because you've blown me away with the work you've done before.
Jacob: This guy, this guy…
Gaten: Dude, I'm such a fan of you. you don't even know.
Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are now streaming worldwide on Netflix.
