From Twilight to Hercules

BEVERLY HILLS — With Taylor Lautner (who visited the Philippines last year to drum up his Bench endorsement) as the friendliest Wolf, I found Kellan Lutz his equivalent among the Vampires. I have observed the two of them, along with their co-stars (Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart among them), during the four Hollywood junkets for the Twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn).

Kellan’s hunky look was perfect for his role as Emmett Cullen that required him to be naked from the waist up in most of his scenes, a body-to-die-for that served him well as endorser for Calvin Klein underwear in his pre-showbiz days. “The first time I saw the billboard,” recalled the North Dakota-born actor, turning 29 on March 15, to People mag with a laugh, “I was on Sunset Boulevard, and I looked up, and there I was. It was a little embarrassing being four stories high and you’re just in your underwear, but it quickly changed to a moment of being proud. It turned out really cool and tasteful and provocative, so yeah, I’m just really proud,” added Kellan who earned a spot in People mag’s “Sexiest Honor Roll” in 2010 (topped by Ryan Reynolds).

You will be seeing more of Kellan’s now-iconic bod in The Legend of Hercules (produced and directed by Renny Harlin; released nationwide by Pioneer Films in the Philippines starting on Wednesday, Jan. 8) in which he reprises the role of the strongman played and replayed by different body-builder actors (see accompanying story in “jump” page). Kellan gives the ancient Greek mythology hero his own magnetic charm, with his piercing (blue-green?) eyes turning fiery with fury in the action scenes, one of which shows him as the son of Zeus, God of War, tied spread-eagle between two pillars looking skyward and imploring his father for deliverance, a scene so reminiscent of the Crucified Christ panting, “…into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

If you love pure entertainment, this movie is right up your alley. (Watch it!)

There’s a certain bond between Kellan and Hercules.

“I was living on a farm,” he said during this Conversation at the Four Seasons Hotel, “and like any kid with a wild imagination, I idolized Hercules. When I became an actor,” after, at 16, working at Macy’s housewares department where with his dimples he said he could flirt and smile and make even the most reluctant shoppers part with their cash, “I dreamed about playing Hercules. Once Renny had the script, I wanted to meet with him and I almost felt like if I bugged him enough, and showed him how much this part meant to me, that I’d get the role. So I auditioned for him, and he saw something in me and here I am today just living that little boy’s dream.”

As soon as he put on the Hercules costume (that fits him to a T), Kellan said he felt like the hero and the acting came naturally. “This is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as an actor,” he broke into a bedimpled wide smile, his eyes lighting up.

Here are excerpts from my Conversation with Kellan:

What qualities of Hercules do you identify with? Is there any parallelism between you and Hercules?

“Yeah, yeah! He has been a hero to me since I was a kid. I look at him as a symbol of truth and love and compassion and humility. He’s a hero for the people, very compassionate to his loved ones. For me, those qualities are also in my heart…just getting back, coming to every situation with love, never judging anyone and always showing love to myself and to my neighbor, and trying to make the world a better place.”

You look much bigger than you were in November (2012) when I interviewed you for Breaking Dawn. Did you have to undergo special training for Hercules?

“Oh yes, I did a lot of special training in horse-riding and sword-fighting, spear-throwing and working with chains for the fight scenes. I got sore working those muscles. I did more workout as well because I’m topless in almost the whole movie. I went on a high-protein diet and deleted carbs. I feel great!”

You were amazing doing your own stunts!

“I preferred to do my own stunts, so I trained with a Bulgarian stunt team and my stunt doubles. I love doing stunts and action films which is the genre I have chosen as an actor. Some of the combat is of a grand scale, while others are hand-to-hand. I have scars as souvenirs from those action scenes. It was hard but fun all the way.”

What discipline that you learned from the Twilight Saga did you use in Hercules and are using in your future projects?

“Well, I just worked as hard as I could, and remember to keep my feet on solid ground — you know, don’t believe in the smoke, don’t let the smoke blow you away.”

In one scene, your Hercules character reminded me of Christ. What were you thinking during the filming of that scene?

“You know, I read The Bible and I feel very connected to it. And I also watched movies about the Passion of Christ and what sticks to my mind is the scene where Jesus is being crucified looking up to His father, suffering so much. For my character to call upon his father in such a way, to be granted strength, that was so powerful for me.”

You’re considered a sex symbol. How do you feel about it?

“If it’s done in a complimentary way, I say, ‘Thank you!’ But I don’t see myself as a sex symbol.”

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