Exclusive
Interview with Haley Joel Osment : Part 3 Interviewed
by Daniel
Chia . Researched by Fair
and Daniel
Chia
Haley,
you mentioned very early in the interview that you have two film projects scheduled
for later this year. Is there anything that you can tell us about them? Haley
: Unfortunately, I really wish I could, especially to you guys who have been
so instrumental in supporting the projects before they come out, but unfortunately
sometimes the way the business works is you've got to keep your mouth shut. Actors
in the business sense are sometimes the last people allowed to release information
about it. [laughs] So I look forward to letting you know about it soon, and talking
to you about it as soon as the ball gets rolling. We
respect you for that. Do you have anything else currently in development that
might possibly be on the horizon? Haley
: There is, but the same goes for this, basically until the camera turns on,
I've got to keep it a secret. [laughs] We're
just glad to hear that there is, because it was such a long wait between Secondhand
Lions and Home of the Giants, so to hear that you have so many potential projects
lined up is fantastic! Well, this interview would not be complete without talking
about your sister, Emily, whom you mentioned earlier in the interview. She's now
really in the media eye, because of the overwhelming popularity of the "Hannah
Montana" series. Haley :
Right. How do you feel, as her
big brother, being able to step to the side and provide your support to her as
this amazing success of hers continues to unfold? Haley
: I'm really proud of her, and I think she has a lot in common with me as
I was growing up, and the fact that she is very fascinated by the Arts, and by
the performance arts, and by the exploration of the human experience. In that
sense it's really a tribute to what an amazing inspiration my dad was, in taking
me and my sister who, from a very early age, demonstrated our desire to work in
the Arts, as much as a kid wants to learn the violin. At 5 or 6 years old, my
sister wanted to learn how to portray the human experience. It's something I'm
studying at college, and it's something I see me and my sister being a part of
for the rest of our lives. She's brought a lot of fun and entertainment to kids
across the country in a time when kids are in many ways underrepresented in the
entertainment industry, and I think that her sense of comic timing is, [laughs]
as we were talking about earlier, just growing enormously. She is a very funny
and talented person, and I am really proud of her. Are
you able to give us a list of five lesser known films that you have really enjoyed
as a movie goer? | Haley
: Being an actor, it's very, very important to get out and sit in a movie
theatre as well as be up on the big screen. I think these last few years have
just been really heartening for those who are in the industry to see the diverse
group of films that have come out of Hollywood and the rest of the world. Specifically,
in 2006, I think you saw the amazing potential of Mexican filmmakers right now.
I think they really stole the show in 2006 with Babel, and Pan's Labyrinth, and
probably my favorite film of last year, Children of Men from Alfonso Cuarón.
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I
think that Mexican filmmakers just sort of blew the roof off the house last year.
That triumvirate of films, to directors who are very close personally, sort of
showed us that we have a lot to expect from that country and their filmmakers
in the future. What else did I see ….
Oh the film United 93 last year I would definitely cite as an incredibly humane
and just tactful representation of one of the most tragic and sensitive moments
in American history in recent decades. Just the way that that film just made a
record of what happened, as a tribute to all the brave people that were involved
in that event, I think it's a film that will be remembered very fondly in future
years, as difficult as it may be to watch that film, because of how close it hits
to home.
Are you able to
name us a few books that you have recently read that you've really enjoyed?
Haley
: I've been getting a little bit heavy into nonfiction recently just because
of my interest in current events globally. The book "Heat: How to Stop the
Planet from Burning" by George Monbiot is a really rare example of practical
analysis of the climate change crisis, which is now finally being universally
acknowledged as something that we have to pay attention to. That issue, along
with pretty much any other issue that you can name, is overly dealt with in a
very partisan, political way and Monbiot deals with it with just a sense of practicality.
Now we can not just set limits on ourselves, and admonish ourselves for past wrongs,
but how we can improve society by generally making our relationship with the earth
a little more healthy. It's just a great book. It's a lot of science and a lot
of procedure, but I think it's important for people to start thinking practically
about the consequences that we are going to face as we get into the 21st Century,
which is going to be full of surprises! [laughs] It
sure looks that way. Haley :
Yeah… Do you have any other
books that have meant something to you? Haley
: I'm trying to think of fiction… I've gotten really into Nabokov in
the past year. This book, "Laughter in the Dark" that he wrote, I believe,
before "Lolita", is just a terrific book. It's an example of a book
where I've read it many times in the past year, just because the talent of the
man to write it in Russian, and to pen the English translation of it, and to have
this constant sense of you knowing exactly what is going on, in the instances
that he is portraying with him saying things as simply and plainly as you can.
He is just a peerless writer across many languages. He's a terrific writer. Also,
I would say the book "House of Leaves" by Mark Z. Danielewski, I think
that was a recent release… 2000…2001… that book is just an example
of how, in the modern age, the potential of using so many different themes and
methods of representation to communicate a large idea, is just really a terrific
read.
Your choice of music
is quite diverse as well, you are obviously a great fan of music, can you list
five CDs that you have really enjoyed?
Haley
: Whoo! I'm going to have to get my ipod for you! [laughs] We were talking
about genre earlier, and how I really have a hope that films are going to transcend
genres more and more as the years go by. That film, Children of Men, I loved so
much, I purposely tried not to research a lot about it before I went and saw it,
because that film was constantly full of surprise and nuance throughout that film,
and I think that's what you can expect from music these days. Most people listening
to music have mp3 players full of thousands of different bands and many, many
different genres. I think that the way Art has to progress these days is by addressing
people's very diverse needs…people's palates are expanding when it comes
to Art. So in that sense, I am really going to try and think of five best, diverse
selections that I have heard this year [laughs]… My
friend runs a radio station some nights in Princeton, and he's been a big influence
for me in getting into some of the types of music I haven't listened to so much
before. I've gotten into some HipHop artistes who have really expanded my horizons
in terms of the type of music that I like. There's a California based producer
named Madlib, who's worked with MF Doom and some other artistes and have done
some just groundbreaking material. He and some of the other artistes who work
on the Stone's Throw label, Peanut Butter Wolf and some other guys are just really
exciting to follow. You know, music is getting so complex with what the Internet
has offered, with the sharing of files and everything that you can do these days,
it's truly exciting to see some of these artistes get played that they may not
have been able to have ten years ago. Man,
I'm close to putting down the phone and grabbing my iPod before I give you a list
of something [laughs]. Do you mind if I actually go into the other room and get
my iPod? I'll be right back [laughs]… Sure,
sure … no problem [Haley puts
down the phone and leaves the room for 2 minutes...] Haley
: Ok , I have my iPod … all right … one album that came out really
recently that I would overwhelmingly recommend to everybody is one of the artistes
from Animal Collective, Panda Bear, who did "Person Pitch", which is
just a type of music that is impossible to describe. Very interesting stuff. I've
really gotten into the band Tortoise, and some of their members have worked in
the group, The Sea and Cake, out of Chicago, which is some really interesting
stuff. Going up…I've
never cycled through my iPod during an interview before... [laughs] The
band Deerhunter is very out there, but they have this way with the noise rock
that really just has to be heard. Their album Cryptograms is captivating. Some
older stuff that I've gotten into… I've gotten into the band Can, from the
70s, recently. The album "Tago Mago", especially, is brilliant…
[scrolls through his iPod again…] Yeah…sorry to make you wait, this
is a recent college passion for me and I have to give it … [laughs] |  |
I
understand that you play and sing as well. Haley
: I do. As my interest in the Arts has diversified, it's something that I
really just…if not for professional use, it's just something for my own personal
enjoyment. I'm learning several instruments right now. I'm working on drums and
keyboards, and I've played guitar and bass for a couple of years now. This sort
of music that I've gotten into is stuff that transcends the traditional idea of
the band with guitar and the bassist and percussionist, and gets into some of
these artistes like Animal Collective and their members who transcend the traditional
roles of the band. Oh the hip-hop group, People Under The Stairs, are sort of
from my city, so I'll give them some attention as well. [laughs]
Well, Haley, thank you so much. I am
indebted to you for this. Haley
: Thank you, Daniel. It's been really nice talking to you. Thank
you so much for having visited all the Tribute sites. It really means a lot to
me. Haley : Thank you, you've
really worked very hard on them, and I appreciate it. It's
just a way of thanking you for all the work that you have done, to tell you how
much you are appreciated, and we will keep supporting you as you carry on your
career. I am heartened to know that you intend to keep working into your 90s. Haley
: [laughs] And thank your
parents for me. Haley : I will,
thanks! I hope to talk to you
again one day. Haley: Absolutely!
Oh and Daniel, in the music section, Radiohead is still my favorite band. I can't
go into an interview without reminding myself of that [laughs]. Well, thank you
so much, Daniel, it's been great talking to you. I'm sure we'll talk again in
the future. And we look forward
to seeing Home of the Giants on big screen. Haley
: Thank you. I'm looking forward to it too! 
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