What were you doing when you were twelve years old? Probably scribbling in a coloring book or cheekily nudging a competing friend, game controllers in both hands, right? Grant Feely, however, a masterfully charismatic with ruffled brown hair and a scrolling list of impressive colleagues—waving around lightsabers with Mark Hamill and spookily scaring Josh Hutcherson—is already doing so much!
We chatted with him about his new film Gunner, his interests outside of playing pretend once someone calls “action,” and since we’re so obsessed with music around here, even what’s most likely to crawl out of his earphones.
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Hi Grant! Welcome to our hive. You play the antagonist in Five Nights at Freddy’s with Josh Hutcherson at the helm alongside gaming nerd Matthew Lillard. It’s, of course, based on the video game franchise first released in 2014. As a gamer yourself, is there any specific game that you would quickly jump into the screen to be a part of its universe if given the chance?
I would love to jump into the screen of Grand Theft Auto! It is action-packed and fast-paced and allows me the freedom to create my own adventures on-screen. It is definitely a favorite for me right now.
There’s a brilliant scene in the movie where we get our first taste of Abby’s (portrayed by Piper Rubio) drawings running the show. Josh’s Mike is experiencing another vivid dream as you amp up the tension by stating that you’re willing to strike a deal: passing over Abby for the trade of being with his brother, who died when they were young. The camera then pans to Abby, cradling a teddy bear reminiscent of the haunted animatronic killers. It’s captivating to see how Abby’s drawings, a product of her imagination, can have such a significant impact on the scene. What do you think it is about a child’s imagination that thrills the horror genre?
A child’s imagination gives a sense of innocence and unpredictability to the movie. You don’t know what is real vs what is being imagined by the child when watching the film. It creates a scary setting where anything can happen, and that is exciting.
It’s then revealed that Steve Raglan is the creator of this “video game,” someone we saw hire Mike at the beginning of the movie. What’s interesting is the scene you shared with him at the very end, which kind of teased upon the parental role theme in the film through Aunt Jane wanting to adopt Abby but Mike being reluctant to let her go. What do you think Ghost Kid’s feelings are about Steve now, and do you think that scene was left open for the sequel?
I think the Ghost Kids have always been aware of William Afton’s role in their deaths. My character, specifically, is very angry and that scene foreshadows the antagonistic relationship between my character and Afton that is portrayed in the lore/games. I absolutely think (hope) the final scene leaves the opportunity for my character to return in the sequel!
#TheForceIsWithFeely
Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi is also an awesome project in your filmography. Interestingly, you’re the first person to portray Luke Skywalker as a kid. Other actors, such as Mark Hamill, only portrayed him when he was older, and Aidan Barton played him as a newborn in Revenge of the Sith. When it comes to future renditions of this age of Luke, how do you feel about others using you as a reference point for how to portray him?
Deborah Chow (the director) really focused on making sure I portrayed young Luke as an innocent, regular kid. She did not want me to watch the Star Wars movies or try to mimic the older Luke portrayed by Mark Hamill. I feel that any future renditions of a young Luke would need to maintain that he is unaware of any connection he has to The Force. He is just a regular kid doing kid things. I would be honored to be used as a reference point for that.
Mark started a hashtag, #TheForceIsWithFeely, on formerly Twitter, now X. That extends onto the many other experienced actors you’ve worked with, such as Christopher Lloyd in upcoming The Movers. How has these actors’ support helped you feel comfortable in this hard-to-navigate industry?
It could have been very intimidating to portray the younger version of one of the greatest characters in American culture. Everyone has heard of Luke Skywalker! Having Mark Hamill’s support helped me to feel less nervous and also set the tone for the Star Wars community to then give me their support. Any time a more experienced actor gives you that type of encouragement, it makes you feel more at ease and confident in the industry.
Gunner
You star alongside Luke Hemsworth and Morgan Freeman in Gunner, playing one of Luke’s sons who gets kidnapped. You might not have had interest in this role if you hadn’t watched Stranger Things, one of the first projects you watched that sparked your interest in acting. Since those characters always escape tricky situations, which character would you recruit to help Luke rescue you?
I would pick Hopper. I feel like Hopper’s character most closely resembles that of Lee Gunner (Luke Hemsworth) in the movie Gunner. He is tough, resourceful, and not someone you want to mess with!
Can you share one of your favorite behind-the-scenes memories with Luke on Gunner’s set?
There is a scene where we are camping, and I come out of my tent to have a talk with my dad (Luke). I had to unzip the door of the tent, but I couldn’t get the zipper to move! It was taking forever, and the cameras were rolling. Once I finally got the zipper to work, I realized I was unzipping the window, not the door. I was embarrassed, but everyone laughed.
Dabbling With Creativity
Through this film, your filmography spans from action to science fiction to horror. What’s your favorite genre out of the lot? What’s your dream role within that particular genre if we were to manifest now?
Horror is my favorite genre. My dream role would be to be the villain in a horror movie. I think the bad guys are usually more complex and interesting. Those types of roles are more challenging and fun for me.
You don’t just have an interest in acting but also want to write, which is obviously our passion! So it’s cool to hear you write 20-page horror scripts to film with your friends and TV pilots in your free time. Can you think of a favorite TV show of yours? How would you rewrite the pilot?
Modern Family is one of my favorite TV shows. It has 11 seasons and the characters change a lot over that time. If I could, I would rewrite the pilot to showcase some of the character development that we see in later seasons.
Finally, our hive is always buzzing with music. Do you use music to get into the headspace of your characters, and what’s your favorite artist at the moment?
I haven’t used music to get into any particular role, but I do like to listen to music on set. My favorite artist is SZA. Don’t ask me to sing, though. Singing is not one of my talents! 😊
Save your hunger for pizza for sometime next year, as Matthew Lillard recently confirmed filming for Five Nights at Freddy’s starts in October, and we’re crossing every animatronic finger that our favorite Ghost Kid is back! Meanwhile, Grant will definitely be sharing the screen with Luke in Gunner, which will premiere next Friday. What’s been your favorite project of his thus far? Let us know on our social media, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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