The newcomer on growing up in the Australian outback, playing Jennifer Garner’s son, and his next role on American Crime Story.

Based on Joy Nicholson’s 1997 best-selling novel of the same name, Brendan and Emmett Malloys’ sophomore narrative feature, The Tribes of Palos Verdes—with Karen Croner’s capable script that exchanged several directors’ hands during its nearly two decades in development—is the story of a family in crisis, set against the spectacular backdrop of coastal Southern California.

The Masons just relocated to an affluent Palos Verdes, planting roots in an idyllic clifftop residence overlooking the Pacific surf. But as our teenage protagonist Medina (Maika Monroe) informs us in voiceover, there was trouble brewing long before the family arrived in this paradise. At 16, she’s an outcast who relies entirely too much on her effortlessly charismatic twin brother Jim (Cody fern). Medina and Jim take to the waves every chance they get—their mastery of the surfboard a reprieve from their doomy lives at home. Consider their manic depressive mother Sandy (Jennifer Garner), who grows pathologically dependent on Jim when her follow-your-bliss husband Phil (Justin Kirk) extricates himself from her “black hole moods” to be with their young, bubbly real estate agent (Alicia Silverstone). In fact, Medina and Sandy are so thrown off-balance by this adjustment from heartland Michigan to a rigid and superficial world that keeping them on an even keel takes precedence for Jim, even as he slips deeper into his own drug abuse—a seismic disaster-in-wait.

ukwe sat down with Fern, a newcomer who makes his debut performance in an American feature with The Tribes of Palos Verdes, na-atụle ya gara aga ndụ na-eto eto na obere Ngwuputa obodo nke Southern Cross na ebe ahụ dịpụrụ adịpụ nke Western Australia, na-emeri ndị Heath Ledger Ọkà Mmụta, na otú Cate Blanchett rerouted ụzọ ya si ego ka na-achụ na-eme oké ọchịchọ Hollywood.

The Tribes of Palos Verdes is in select theaters on December 1.

Ọ ga-abụ anụ ọhịa na-achọ azụ ebe i si bịa ugbu a. Southern Cross ada obere.

Yeah, it’s obere. Mgbe m na-eto, ọ bụ obere mgbe 300 ndị mmadụ. Ọ bụ ụdị dị ike itinye okwu. M nọ na-agwa onye banyere nke a ndị ọzọ ụbọchị: M chọrọ inwe ihe ochie usekwu na-etinye na, ma mgbe ahụ, olee otú ị ọbụna inwe osisi? O mere ka m na-atụgharị uche na-aga na mba n'oge oyi na-achọta osisi na mgbutu ha elu. Nke ahụ bụ otú ị na-na-na-ekpo ọkụ. Ọ na-ifiọkde, "Oo chimoo. The ndụ na m na-ebi ugbu a si ndụ m na-ebi bụ otú unrelatable. "Ha na na na otú nnọọ iche. Ọ bụ ọhịa! M nnọọ ekele maka ebe m na-eto na otú m na-eto na ihe ndị m na nwere. Ọ bụ naanị a kpamkpam dị iche iche si ebi ndụ na-akpụ akpụ L.A. na fim ma pịa tours.

Olee otú ị tufuo na olu okwu maka film?

Ọ bụ ike, yeah! Ma, m na-eche na ọ bụ nanị akụkụ na ngwugwu ma ọ bụrụ na ị na-abịa ebe a na-eme ihe na-arụ ọrụ na States. Ị mma nwere a m achọ ịma mma American ngwoolu. Ọ na-ewe a ọtụtụ ọrụ, ị mara? Ọ bụ a kpamkpam dị iche iche nkà. Ọ bụ a kpamkpam dị iche iche n'ụzọ nke na-akpụ akpụ ọnụ gị. Ị na-arụ ọrụ na ya kwa ụbọchị, Echere m. O siri ike, ma, ọ bụ fun. M n'anya na-arụ ọrụ na ihe olu okwu.

Jim maa eji Farisii dị ka a na-anagide usoro n'ihi ihe nile na-aga na-ezighị ezi n'ụlọ ya ndụ. Ndi na ị hụ ọtụtụ mmiri na-eto eto na Australia?

M surfed mgbe m na-eto otú ahụ ka m nwere ahụmahụ na ya. Jim hụrụ Farisii. M na-eche Farisii na-aghọ ya ndụ. Ọ na-enye ya a okpukpu si eziokwu. Ma ọ dịghị anya na Farisii-ma ọ bụ ndụ na-na niile. The ihe na-eweta ya ezigbo ụtọ ugbu a ihe ọ na-eme iji kwado na. Ọ uu mara mma arọ ịda mbà n'obi. M na-eche na isi nsogbu maka Jim bụ, na na ọnọdụ, ihe a nke na ọ hụrụ na ọ dịghị ọbụna dị ka ọzọ n'ihi na ọ dịghị ihe dị bara uru. ma yeah, na Malloys nwere anyị na mmiri. Anyị mere a otutu anyị Farisii, nke bụ na-akpali akpali. Ma anyị nọ na-dí ndu n'oge Santa Anita ifufe, ya mere a nnọọ, dị nnọọ elu zaa. Ọ bụ dicey! [achia ochi]

Gịnị nọ na ya na-amasị na-egwu Jennifer Garner nwa? Gịnị kwuru ka i ji mee banyere ya?

Jen bụ a oké pro. She’s somebody who shows up to work ready to go. She’s such a bright light. This was such a different role to play for her. I think people are used to seeing Jen as the likable, lovely and amenable woman on screen, and this is certainly not that role. She was never afraid to go there. She was always pushing herself and challenging herself to go deeper, and remove that veil of being relatable or being liked by the audience. She certainly threw herself into that. The thing about Jen is that, when she arrives on set, ọ bụ loveliest na kasị ala-to-ala onye ị na-na na mgbe zutere. Ọ na-eme ka onye ọ bụla na-eche n'ụlọ na e nwere ihe ọ bụla "diva" banyere ya. Ọ chọghị kpọmkwem ihe ọṅụṅụ. Ọ na-elekọta a ụgbọala na-adọkpụ. Ọ bụ nri na oké nke ya na anyị niile. Anyị na-niile na-agbapụ na a obere ụlọ na Palos Verdes na anyị ga-dị nnọọ ga-esi na ọ. Ọ bụ a ezigbo trooper. Ọ na-eche banyere ya n'ihe banyere ọrụ. M na-eche na onye ọ bụla nwere ike na-asọpụrụ na.

[achia ochi] Ọ bụ a akụkọ, yeah.

Nke ahụ bụ ezigbo!

M bụ a ọtụtụ nwata karịa mgbe ahụ, Echere m. Nke a na-abịa azụ Jim na film. Echere m, M nnọọ ruru a mgbe ná ndụ m ebe ị ga-akwụsị ichegbu onwe anyị banyere ihe ndị ọzọ ndị mmadụ na-eche na ihe ị na-eche ihe ndị ọzọ ndị mmadụ na-eche, nke a echiche nke ọma na ihe ịga nke ọma bụ, na ihe ịbụ onye upstanding amaala n'aka. M bụ nnọọ a anuri mmadụ mgbe m na-arụ ọrụ na ego. M asị na ndụ m. M asị ebe m na-aga. I hated every part of it and knew that I had to do something radical—and ngwa ngwa. M na-achọ ala ndụ ndị mmadụ na-eche echiche, "Chaị. Nke a abụghị ihe m chọrọ na ndụ m na-. But I’m here and I’m doing it and I’m trying to fit in.” I had seen Elizabeth, onye mbụ na Cate Blanchett, na ya mere n'ezie ka m chọrọ ịghọ ihe omee. Then when I had gone to see The Golden Age, ọ bụ nke a iju ihe ịrịba ama m na m na ka unraveling n'ihi na bịara 10 afọ mgbe e mesịrị. Ọ harkened azụ na ihe nile nke m chere, rọrọ, chọrọ, na-ele anya n'ihi na mgbe m dị obere. Ọ bụ a ezigbo oge nke edemede. Ọ bụghị iji na-w ma ọ bụ whatnot banyere ya, ma achọpụta na na onwe gị na otú ị na-eche banyere ndụ gị na ebe ọ na-aga, m chere, "M n'ezie asị onwe m na oge." Aghọ bụ ihe m chọrọ ime. Ọ bụrụ na ị na-na na-etinyecha na-eme ya, ị nwetara otu ohere gaa na-eme ya ugbu a. Na m mere. M na-eje ije si na nri ehihie na m nnọọ mgbe gara azụ.

Ị nwetara gị mmalite na ihe nkiri. You got a lot of acclaim for War Horse. Then you were the recipient of the Heath Ledger Ọkà Mmụta in 2014. Ị na-eche dị ka nyere gị a nnukwu agbam ume?

Yeah, kpomkwem! Ọ bụ otu n'ime isi ihe mere na m bụ ike na-abịa na Los Angeles. Ọ bụ nnọọ ike dị ka a mba ọzọ na-abịa n'ime mba a-ọ bụghị iji nweta kwa mgbochi opi banyere ya ugbu a, ọ bụ ezie na m nnọọ bu mgbochi opi-karịsịa dị ka ihe omee. Ị ga-nne Mmetụta anya ọtụtụ igbe. Ị ga-enwe a ụfọdụ ego nke tokwara. Ị ga-abụ na n'elu gị ubi, etcetera, etcetera. Mmeri na mfọn propelled m n'ime a ubi, nke mere ka o kwe m omume na-arụ ọrụ ebe a. enweghị na, ohere nwere ike ọ gaghị na-ọzọ maka a di na nwunye nke afọ. Mere, ọ n'ezie mere ka a launching na mpe mpe akwa m ga-esi ebe a iji Los Angeles na-amalite na-ahụ ndị na na agaghịkwa na ihe n'ime gia. Ọ bụ oké ụzọ. M nnọọ ekele maka nke.

Dị nnọọ ka na mfọn bụ a mgbe a na ndụ ihe unu, ọ ga-abụ ya mere na-akwụghachi ụgwọ maka Ledger ezinụlọ, oke. Heath ji ọrụ e mkpirikpi, ma ha nwere ike ịzụlite a ọgbọ ọhụrụ.

Ọ bụ ndị dị otú ahụ na-akpali akpali ụzọ na m maara na ọ pụtara na otutu ka Kim [Ledger] na ezinụlọ ya.

Ị ka na-na-akpọ Kim?

Ọ na-a mgbe, nke m na e-obi amamikpe banyere. [achia ochi] M ga-iru eru ya. Heath bụ ihe dị otú ahụ inspirational omee na Ihọd. Ọ bụ otú ahụ a ọnwụ. Ọ bụ n'ezie a bikon nke olileanya na Australia na okwu nke ụlọ ọrụ. Anyị na-achọ ruo ndị dị ka ya, Cate Blanchett na Jeffrey Rush, na ihe ha na-eme. Ọ na-eme ị na-eche, "Olee otú m ike pụọ n'ebe ahụ ma na-eme dị ịtụnanya na-arụ ọrụ na-anọgide [heath si] aha na-ebu ya ketara?"

Ị na-na na ihe dị mkpa crossroads ugbu a n'ihi na ị na-na na ohuru na wepụrụ ebubo dị ọcha. The nzọụkwụ ndị mbụ ga-kpebiere ihe niile na-eso. Olee otú ị na-eche mgbe a ugbu a na mkpughe?

M na-eche nnọọ obi ụtọ! M nke ukwuu omiiko banyere craft of eme na ụdị mmetụta i nwere ike n'ezie nwere. M n'anya na usoro nke mmekota. Mgbe m bịara na States, M na-enwe olileanya na-achọ inwere na-eche na-abụ omee, ma ụdị dịgasị iche iche na malitere ekewetde. M na-aga na-eduzi mbụ m mma nkiri mgbe [The Tribes of Palos Verdes] bịara site na m. Ugbu a, e nwere ihe m na-adịghị ekwe ka na-ekwu banyere. M nwere di na nwunye nke oru ngo na-abịa, nke ga-etinye m si auditioning ọzọ maka a mgbe. M na-eche ihe ndabara ọma. M obi ụtọ banyere ọdịnihu.

Achọghị m ka m na-etinye gị na ntụpọ, but can you talk about American Crime Story?

Yeah! I wouldn’t have been able to if it weren’t for the trailer that was just released. On January 17th, I’ll be in Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story and the Gianni Versace world. I play a fairly significant role in that series. I can’t say who I play or what goes down, but that’s next for me.

Keir and I met at Sundance Lab, nke bụ ihe igba melite site Sundance Institute. Ọ na-e-aga n'ihi na a di na nwunye iri afọ ugbu a. Ọ bụ ohere maka nka na-ize ndụ na-eme ka ọdịnaya na amụta ihe n'aka ibe. It’s run by Robert Redford and I took part in this film called American Animals directed by Bart Leyton. M zutere Keir site na oru ngo na anyị ghọrọ enyi. M na-nnọọ na-esiwanye-enwe nkụda mmụọ site na enweghị nke na-akpali ọrụ na na-na-apụta, karịsịa n'ihi na ndị mmadụ na ọgbọ m. M nnọọ emeghị n'ezie ka chọrọ igwu, ma jụ egwu, Ihọd ọzọ ụzọ ma ọ bụ ndị throwaway Ihọd na ụlọ akwụkwọ sekọndrị. Ọ bụghị ebe m na-aga. So I started writing and wrote Pisces, nke e mepụtara Nancy Grant na Xavier Dolan site na ha ụlọ ọrụ Ụmụ Manual. Nke ahụ bụ a dị ịtụnanya n'ezie oru ngo-anyị gbara na 35mm film. Ọ e guzobere dị ka ihe àmà nke echiche maka a mma na m na-aga na-eduzi na-eme n'ọdịnihu. Arụ ọrụ na Keir bụ oké ahụmahụ na ọ bụ a phenomenal omee. Ọ dị mma na-eme ihe ọnụ na n'ihi na m na-eche na anyị abụọ nkụda mmụọ. Now flash forward a year and he’s doing gbara gharịị on Netflix and I’ve done this film, and there’s American Crime Story. Ọ bụ ihe niile banyere ọrụ na njedebe nke oge ahụ-arụ ọrụ ọma. Nke ahụ bụ a oké n'itinyekwu nkume, dị nnọọ na-ekwu okwu n'ihi na onwe m dị ka a filmmaker. M nke ukwuu omiiko banyere ya.

M bụ ụdị ọchịchọ ịmata ihe ndị Malloy Brothers. Ha mere music videos maka nka ka avril lavigne na The White n'ọnyá na-elu ha ama. Gịnị bụ ndị ụmụ okorobịa dị ka?

Ha na-na ịrịba okorobịa. Ha nwere ihe dị otú ahụ na-akpali ike ka ụmụnna, nke a otutu nke fun na na na. Ha ọ bụla nwere onwe ha n'ọnọdụ na ihe na-eme na a idaha. Ha nwere echiche dịgasị iche iche, ma na njedebe nke ụbọchị, ha nọ n'ebe na-agwa ihe ịrịba akụkọ. Ha bụ ndị a otutu fun. Ọ dị anyị ka otu nnukwu ezinụlọ. Nke a bụ mbụ m mma ebe a na States. n'ezie, ọ bụ m mbụ feature, full stop. Ọ bụ ihe na-akpali akpali usoro n'ihi na anyị niile na-amụta ọnụ.

Dị nnọọ circling azụ ihe anyị na-ekwu banyere mbụ ke mkparịta ụka, e, ọ n'ezie nụkwa mkpọtụ mgbe ị kwapụrụ na L.A.? Gị agwa na nkiri na-aga ebe a seismic ndụ mgbanwe mgbe ọ bịarutere Palos Verdes. Bụ na ihe ị nwere ike omume na-eji dị ka ihe omee?

M ahụtụbeghị ihe dị ka ya. My oge mbụ na L.A. e mgbe m n'ezie kwatara ebe a n'ihi na m na-enwebeghị. M malie anya ụgbọelu na ọ dị ka, "M nnọọ etinyecha-eme ka a na-arụ ọrụ,"Nke bụ ihe m ga e ji na-n'ihi na m si mba obodo na na obodo ọzọ obodo Australia, M bi na Melbourne ruo nwa oge, na Brisbane. M nnọọ eji na-akpali akpali na m n'ezie ka na usoro. M na-enwe uto na mgbanwe na-ebute ná mpụga nke m nkasi obi mpaghara. M na-eche na ọ bụ ihe m ga-anọgide na-eme ná ndụ. M n'anya Los Angeles na anaghị m ahụ onwe m na-ahapụ, ma na e nwere ihe a akụkụ nke m na-na-chọrọ ịmata ihe ọ bụ ihe dị ka ya ibi na New York ma ọ bụ São Paulo. M hụrụ n'anya echiche nke ịdị ndụ dị iche iche ebe, dị iche iche omenala. ma yeah, ọ a iju mmetụta abịa L.A. Seeing the Hollywood sign for the first time was very overwhelming because you grow up with that. You dream about it in Australia and what Hollywood is, and it’s tough! [achia ochi] I didn’t know anybody here, but it didn’t take me too long to settle in. L.A.’s been very kind to me and I know L.A. can be a difficult city for some. I just made sure that I was in the company of good people—not just in the industry, but in general. I love every second of it. I’m just constantly surprised and excited by everything that’s happening.

Source