Reposted From B.O.Y.S.
(posted there by Festus)
This is from Latino Review, interviewer is Julian Roman. Note the comments about "Lemony Snickett" in the last 2 questions.
An Interview with Liam Aiken
Liam Aiken is a pretty sharp kid. I think of myself at 13 and I was a blabbering idiot. He makes the most of his role in Good Boy and deserves a lot of credit for it. Liam is poised for Harry Potter-esque stardom with his next role. He’s won the lead opposite Jim Carrey in Brad Silberling’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events”. That’s the title for the big screen adaptation of the wildly popular Lemony Snickett children’s books. Let’s hope Liam stays on the right track and doesn’t end up an E True Hollywood story.
What was the hardest part of making this movie?
Liam: Probably acting every day, because these dogs don’t talk back, obviously. It’s kind of confusing. There was a guy in the corner who would say the lines. So sometimes you would look over to him, because that’s how you refer to people. It was confusing but I got used to it.
Did you treat them like normal dogs or is it all the trainers?
Liam: Well, when they were working they were pretty serious. They were like on the trainer. Looking at him the whole time. You could play with them, but not the main dog. They didn’t want us to build a relationship, because in the movie he’s kind of cold with me. They didn’t him like wagging his tail or anything. All these dogs were pets; they have never been in a movie before. They were so well trained it was incredible. They could make them sneeze on command.
This is based on a book right?
Liam: Yeah, but the director wrote [John Hoffman] wrote it.
What did you like about making this film?
Liam: Well, I liked it because it had a better sense of humor than most movies I’ve seen recently. It had a sense of humor that I’m sure adults would like as well. I think it’s a good all around movie for everything. My mom thought it was really good too. That says a lot.
Are you ready to be a big star? This is your first starring role.
Liam: Yes, it’s my first starring role. It should be interesting to see what’s gonna happen.
How was it working with Molly Shannon and Kevin Nealon?
Liam: (Laughs) Oh they were so funny! They would do things they weren’t asked to do and it made the movie funnier. Their reactions, I guess from working on SNL, they got a comedic sense of humor that really shines through. They’re good serious actors too. I guess they are not known for that, but that can do that too.
You’ve made a lot of films, but not really a comedy. How was it different?
Liam: It’s a lot more enjoyable. This was my first one. It was a nice little change. I really liked it.
What do you do when you’re not acting?
Liam: I like to skateboard, a lot of normal stuff, you know. Have fun, hang out with friends.
Do you have any pets?
Liam: Actually I got a dog after the movie. I got an Italian Greyhound. It’s like Nelly in the movie. [Note: The greyhound was a gift to Liam from the movie producers.]
Did you pick which dog you liked the best?
Liam: Yeah, I liked Nelly. It’s like a nervous little runaround dog.
Did you get the one from the movie?
Liam: No, I got its cousin.
How do your friends react to your job? I take it none of them are actors?
Liam: No they aren’t. I’ve been doing it for so long they’re like used to it. They’re like I’m gonna be gone again. In the beginning they were curious to see what I was doing. But now that they know they really don't’worry about it.
Why did you want to start acting?
Liam: (Laughs) I needed a college fund. So I started off doing commercials and it expanded from that really. I was just going to do a few commercials, but I liked it so much, so I kept going.
How old were you when you started?
Liam: I was six when I did my first commercial.
What kind of movies do you like?
Liam: I like comedies and action type films. I really do like comedies actually. I like to have a good time.
What’s your favorite movie from this year?
Liam: Hmm, from this year, I really thought The Italian Job was good. I really thought that was good. It was very entertaining, kept you going, never really lagged. I was never like, when is this gonna end? I thought it was quite funny.
What was it like seeing the film all put together, with all the voices added?
Liam: It was so gratifying and cool to see how it ended up. You work on it and it’s really interesting to see how it’s put together. I was really curious how all the muzzle shots were going to look. I think it turned out pretty good.
What’s a muzzle shot?
Liam: It’s how they make their mouth movie.
What kind of film would you like to make?
Liam: I would like to make films like Good Boy. I thought it was fun. I kinda like that sort of movie, funny with serious tones. I really liked the way it turned out.
Did you know which actors were going to voice the dogs?
Liam: It’s funny kind because it happened as we went along. I know they had Matthew Broderick and Brittany Murphy. I know they wanted Carl Reiner. They were talking to all these people and then you find out they get them. It’s interesting to see. It was good. I liked it.
What’s it like being a child star?
Liam: It’s pretty interesting. Now that I think about it, if I was in school all year I’d be like restless. I’d want to be doing things, because it’s something I really like. You really do get restless. You want to do it.
Do you go to public school? Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Liam: Yeah, I go to public school. I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I’m an only child.
Who’s you favorite pro skater?
Liam: I like Eric Carson. He’s a great street skater. I like him the most.
Do you have another project lined up?
Liam: Yes, it’s called A Series of Unfortunate Events. We start filming in December. I play Klaus. We’re filming with Jim Carrey and Brad Silberling’s directing. It should be a lot of fun. It’s a big one, Lemony Snickett. I’ll be taking time off. It’s going to be a long shoot, four to five months. It’ll be a fun one.
Those are unbelievably popular books.
Liam: I know. We actually went out and saw the set work. It’s, when you see it, it’s like Lord of the Rings caliber. I thought it looked fantastic. I was like oh my god it’s so big. I read the books before I auditioned. It’ll be fun.
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