Charlie Trairat

Better known by his nickname “Nat,” Charlie was the boy star of Fan Chan, along with his “girlfriend” in the film, Focus Jeerakul, who played a confident kid called Noinah. In Dorm, a horror film, Charlie has a very different role. His character isn’t as cheeky but, then again, the 13-year-old gets to sing. “He was born to be a star,” says Charlie’s half-Dutch father, Fred. Are those just the words of a proud dad, or can we expect great things from Charlie? Given his entirely natural performance in Fan Chan, Dorm might just be worth checking out.

So tell us about your role in Dorm.

My name is Ton and I play a boy who’s moved to another school in the middle of the semester. I’m quiet, since I’m the new boy in school. I don’t have many friends. But my role is more grown up than in Fan Chan, so it’s more fun.

How are you like your character in Dorm?

I’m not really like him. I’m not as quiet in person, I have quite a lot of friends. But I can understand how Ton feels about being thrown into a boarding school suddenly.

How did you prepare for your role?

I didn’t watch other movies or anything like that. But I read the script, and the director helped me prepare for it and gave me directions for when I had to look sad and things like that.

What’s difficult for you to do onscreen?

I have a problem with crying. Maybe I’ll have to have onions for my crying scene. And some scenes I just can’t get it right. There needs to be a lot of cuts until I get it right.

Who’s your favorite actor?

The boy who played Harry Potter – he acts well. And I like a Thai actor called Hugo [Julajak Charapong].

Did your friends treat you differently after Fan Chan?

They would tease me about being Focus’s boyfriend and call me Jaeb, my name in the film.

What were the fun parts in that movie?

The scene in which I get to play in the water.

And when you’re not acting?

I prefer staying at home with my pets. I have a dog and a cat, and some fish. But I like the fish the most.

How were you chosen?

One day the director of Fan Chan just turned up at my school, and asked if anybody wanted to audition. And then he chose me.

Did your family tell you how proud they were after they saw your first film?

Not really. We all went together to watch the film and my mum and dad told me I was good, but my brothers and sisters just teased me.

What’s your favorite subject at school?

Counseling, because you don’t have to study for it. And I like physical education, because you don’t have homework for that.

What will you be when you grow up?

A pilot. But not any old pilot. I want to fly single-engine planes. Or maybe I’ll be a motorbike racer. And if I go to university I’ll take an acting course, but I’ll still want to be a pilot in the end.

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Yes indeed, thanks Joseph.   

Charlie is one of my current favourites. He sounds rather unaffected by 'stardom' and quite down to earth.

I saw Charlie in My Girl, Sudsakorn and Dorm and I very liked his very good play in this movies. He is a very good young actor !