I had solely three days to organize for the display check and audition, which wasn’t as a lot time as I’d like. So I attempted to go as broad as attainable, after which shrink it down and go as particular as attainable to find and discovering the place it’s that I, as Lewis, can relate to this character.
The place did you pull from?
What was so thrilling and terrifying was how a lot I associated to this character. When it comes to the psychological well being components of it, the anxiousness and the despair, I’ve an excellent wholesome dose of O.C.D., and simply self-doubt and that adverse self-talk that may paralyze you. I’m fortunate to have come from a terrific household that was very proactive and resourceful about serving to me determine all of it out. And so to attempt to inhabit any individual who didn’t have that — I used to be shut sufficient to these alleyways to have the ability to see what it will have seemed like had I not had these.
Have you ever had candid conversations with individuals in your personal life about psychological well being?
I used to be a social work main in school in North Carolina, and so I’ve had many conversations about these matters. Coming into this venture, it was apparent that it was a serious theme. Nevertheless it was by no means our objective to make this a P.S.A. That is nonetheless an extremely enjoyable, large-scale blockbuster movie. However by shining a flashlight on it, it turns into extra actual. In some ways, my anxiousness is one thing I’m grateful for. It’s there as a protecting mechanism. You don’t simply make a film about it, after which the dialog’s over. I’ll be speaking about it till I circle the drain. And that’s one thing I’ve come to be OK with and embrace.
Do you even have private expertise with despair?
That’s one thing that’s much less of a constant drive in my life. It is available in waves. Nevertheless it’s one thing that’s deep in my marrow as a result of, while you really feel that, it’s very arduous to neglect. I used to be capable of faucet into that in a manner that was secure, with remedy, after which mates and help.
I am going about remedy in the identical manner that I am going about performing — I assume that I by no means know something, that there’s all the time one thing to be taught. I did plenty of cognitive behavioral remedy in highschool, and now I’m in discuss remedy. I’ve realized that the instances when you must keep on with remedy essentially the most is while you suppose you’re doing the very best with out it. That’s a thoughts recreation that I’ve fallen for a few instances.
Why do you suppose the character has resonated with individuals?
That oscillation that he has between feeling this worthlessness, met with this true perception in your self, could be very resonant. That’s one thing vital about Bob: He needs to be of use, however he’s been informed his entire life that when he tries to become involved, he all the time makes issues worse. Numerous us have been informed that, in a technique or one other. And so to see this very actual particular person amongst these surreal and extraordinary circumstances is what makes it so resonant.
