English actor and model Alex Pettyfer stars in this year’s Valentine’s Day movie, Endless Love, directed by Shana Feste and costarring Gabriella Wilde. Different from his most recent roles in films I Am Number Four, Beastly, Magic Mike, and The Butler, this film is very much a love story, perfect for this particular holiday season.
“…[T]his movie was very character driven. And I love just seeing a guy who was just purely in love with a woman and wanted to do anything he could do to just be with her, and – yeah, I guess it was that,” Pettyfer said. Another reason why he wanted to do the film? “I’m a hopeless romantic. So now everyone’s laughing at me. Well, I am. I’m a hopeless romantic.”
Endless Love is based on a novel by Scott Spencer and is also a remake of a 1981 film starring Brooke Shields, which was also based on the novel and bears the same title. Participating in a film remake must be a daunting task since fan reactions can be unpredictable and harsh, but Pettyfer acknowledges this and treats it with an open mind and great attitude.
“You know, Endless Love, the movie that we have made, yes, we have the same character name, and yes, we have the same title. But the movie in itself is not the same as the last. And for better or for worse, whatever people’s decisions are… it was a subject matter that I wanted to be a part of. [I]t was something that I thought would be entertaining, and you know, I’m soppy, so I love love, and I thought this would be interesting,” Pettyfer said.
While the 1981 and 2014 versions may be different, Pettyfer did his research to prepare for his film and enable himself to point out the films’ differences.
“I watched the original and read the book. And the original movie is different from ours – I think because of the time period that Brooke Shields made that movie, it was very controversial, especially this subject matter on like, you know, the sex and the lust that David actually has for her in that movie; whereas this is more about two people in love that are finding themselves, and that journey that they both go on…” Pettyfer said.
In addition to reading and watching previous interpretations of characters David and Jade’s love story, Pettyfer and costar Wilde spent a month rehearsing together before the six months of filming.
“Shana, the director, kind of built this environment where we could, you know, really trust each other…. It’s very hit [or] miss with doing a movie like this, because – and I know that people don’t want to hear this and I’m not sometimes allowed to say this kind of stuff – but sometimes when an actor hates another actor, there can be chemistry. You never know how it’s going to turn out. Luckily, me and Gabriella get on very, very well, and she was so easy to work with. And hopefully, our chemistry comes across onscreen,” Pettyfer said.
Pettyfer added that he is happiest on set during night shoots because he claims to be a night owl. “And I need my iPod. I need my iPod to listen to music.” Obviously being the farthest thing from a diva and also having a great love for film, it is not surprising that he had a star struck moment when he had the chance to meet one of the world’s filmmaking legends.
“I’ve been star struck once. I met Steven Spielberg because he produced I Am Number Four. And just as a man, as a lover of film, to be in the presence of Steven Spielberg, you’re like, ‘Wow.’ And I shook his hand, and he was like, ‘Alex, I’m very excited for us to go on this adventure together.’ And that was – he was pretty incredible,” Pettyfer said.
Endless Love will be released in theatres on Friday, February 14th and Pettyfer coins it as a true Valentine’s movie because of its charm, fun, and its goal of “remind[ing] us of love.” But what are his Valentine’s plans? Spending time with his mother.
“Yeah, my mum is going to be my Valentine’s date,” Pettyfer said.