Risk versus reward, this is played out across the characters in the sports drama based on the #1 New York Times bestselling non-fiction book written by Daniel James Brown, The Boys in the Boat.
The film, directed by George Clooney, is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. This inspirational true story follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world.
We sat down with Callum Turner and Joel Edgerton to talk crew, survival and a risk that paid off big.
Interviewed for Family Entourage
Family Entourage: I absolutely loved this film. I love true stories, and this was one I was largely unaware of, so it made it even more fun to check out. Callum, let’s start with you. The idea of being part of this team. I can see anyone kind of relating to that sport aspect and the excitement of it, but this was more than just being part of a team. This was like survival… your future. Talk to me about the mindset of the character.
Callum Turner: Well, Joe was abandoned by his family when he was 13 years old, and somehow miraculously ended up at college and not only to pay his tuition, but for somewhere to live and food to eat. He realized if he joined the rowing team, or at least tried, that would be provided for him. So he was there out of necessity, and then over the time that they were rowing, fell deeply in love with all the other boys and the sport itself, I mean, it’s a really grueling thing to do. We train for two months, four hours a day, every day before we shot, and we really built a professional sports outfit and bonded in a way that I didn’t think that we’d be able to.
FE: I think it definitely translates on screen. And Joel, you’re kind of having to helm this whole thing as the coach, but you’re not the nurturing coach, right? He’s developing this team with a goal in mind to talk to me about
Joel Edgerton: I think that’s one of the things that really drew me to the film was apart from the guys and George [Clooney] and like you, it was a story I’d never heard of before and I was like, this is so perfectly built for a film, the true story. But the coach is one of those coaches that I am always curious about when I watch any sport that just looks really just deeply unhappy. And I always suspect that that’s because they care too much about winning and they love their team and they really do deep down enjoy the sport somewhere. And it’s the coaching that is to me like a slightly unavailable dad that you just constantly want to please because he just looks so angry all the time, not angry, just really perplexed and grimacing all the time. So I was really excited about bringing one of those coaches to the screen rather than the warm, fuzzy, cuddly, encouraging coach. That probably makes you lose because he’s too… you guys are great. You guys are doing great, even though they come in last.
FE: One of the things that both your characters got me thinking about was the idea of risk versus reward. And when you make a bold decision, there’s that scary side of how will it turn out? We see that with Callum, your character and his entire future. And then Joel, he thought with your character and choosing who’s going to represent our country in the Olympics, maybe talk to me a little bit about a time when each of you have taken a risk and it’s paid off.
CT: Well, his character’s the real hero, I think, because that decision to put the junior boat as the lead ball. I mean, I think that’s an extraordinary leap of faith for anyone to do. He puts your whole life on the line, don’t you?
JE: My biggest, biggest risk I evert took was giving up my modeling career. [Laughter] I was going to see if I could slide that under the door. I never had a modeling career. That was a joke.
No, I used to work a lot in the theater and I was very fascinated by working in the movies. And I had this whole kind of life going on where I was working in the theater, and I realized if I had to stop doing that in order to be available, but it was a real cross my fingers. I didn’t have a job. But actually the first time I ever got an acting job, I quit my real job.
CT: What was your real job?
JE: I was working a hotel as a bellhop or a porter, and then I had an episode, one episode of a TV show, and when I went to shoot it, my character was killed and I was sent home at 11:00 AM so I worked from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM So I didn’t have a real job and my first acting job was over, so I was looking into the abyss, but it was sort of about going, all right, exhilarating. I know that I’ll fill that space somehow. And I believe in jumping off a cliff and knowing that you’ll find a way to land on your feet.
FE: I’m so glad you took that risk. Thank you guys so much. I can audience to see this film,
JE: But I’ll carry bags next time I see you. I know how.
The Boys in the Boat in theatres Christmas Day
