The Verge: Callan McAuliffe and Madeline Carroll

In Rob Reiner's retro family film Flipped, the central, budding romance is handled in a novel way: first we see things from the perspective of aloof junior high schooler Bryce (Callan McAuliffe), and then we replay the same events through the perspective of his not-so-secret admirer, Juli (Madeline Carroll). For this edition of the Verge, then, let's check in with McAuliffe first (he's a 15-year-old Australian with a key role in the upcoming action film I Am Number Four), then hear from Carroll (already a TV and film veteran at the age of 14), two unusually self-possessed young actors.

CALLAN MCAULIFFE

So I heard you got this role in Flipped while you were on vacation in the U.S. Can you tell me how it happened?

I was actually over here to meet my manager, who I'd been recommended to, and he put me up for quite a number of auditions. The first one I did, I was lucky enough to get, but originally, they thought I wasn't right for the role because I was Australian and that causes issues with money, I didn't have my visa, I was too tall, things like that. I think I did about five callbacks before they said, "All right, he's the one we want." Rob really pushed it because I think he's the one who liked me.

What do you think it was that gave you the edge in your audition?

I have absolutely no idea. [Laughs]

Rob Reiner has shot films with young actors before, most notably in Stand By Me. Is there something about him that makes him really able to pull these terrific performances out of you guys?

He's such a beautiful man, so nice and so caring. He really tries to make the film a kid-friendly environment, and as far as I know, he works with the same people for every project, so everyone knows each other and cooperates very well. The sets are very friendly.

So tell me about I Am Number Four. I know it's been shooting for a little while.

Yeah, it started quite a while ago, and I've been in Pittsburgh -- where I am now -- for about two months. I've only got about two weeks left of my shoot, and it's been going really well so far.

I interviewed Teresa Palmer recently and she said she's been doing some insane training for the film. Have you been, too?

Not really, too much. My character is a little less adept at fighting. [Laughs] I just sort of tag along and annoy everyone throughout the journey. I'm in quite a number of action scenes, but I'm always falling over. I haven't done a lot of combat training, but I do have to keep my fitness up, because I have done a lot of running.

It's also full of actors doing American accents. You and Teresa are Australian, Alex Pettyfer is British...is that a bonding experience?

Actually, Teresa gets to keep her Australian accent. They decided that since the whole thing is about aliens who've landed, you wouldn't expect every alien to coincidentally land in America. [Laughs] So she landed in Australia.

How did you get so good at an American accent?

You know, every country needs another country to mock, and Australians seem to be pretty good at impersonating American people. Maybe it's because all the movies and music and TV you see there is from America, so we just have the knack for it. The Australian accent is sort of like going down a step in smartness, you could say, because you guys pronounce things as they're spelled. We add and abbreviate stuff.

You recently spent three months in the Australian Outback on a survival course? What did that entail?

I'm lucky enough to go to a fantastic private school, and in grade nine, every kid goes for half a year into the Outback for camping. It was so much fun. They do one intake in the first half of the year and another intake in the second half, and I was in the second intake, so we got there when it was quite hot, unfortunately. I think the hardest thing we did was a 24-hour road day when we just hiked for 24 hours in groups of kids with no teachers or instructors or anything. We just had to find markers over this huge space -- I think we walked 80 kilometers in 24 hours, or something like that? We also had a three-day solo where we just took a tent and had to make fire and shelter for three days.

So where do you spend most of your time now? Is there pressure to move to LA?

I guess so, but I don't particularly want to. I'd like to stay in Australia and come over when I'm obliged to for work. I love coming here and all that, but we'll see what happens, I guess. I think we've spent four months out of twelve in our house in Australia.

So you've had to make that punishing Australia-America flight over and over?

I actually kind of like it. [Laughs]

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