Josh Wiggins stars alongside Sylvester Stallone and Jason Patric in the new actioner Armor which is out this week. he stopped by to chat with us about the movie.
Today we’re talking about your new movie Armor; what appealed about the script?
Well, I just like the fact that it was an action movie, but at the heart of it is really just a story of a father and son trying to mend this relationship in a crazy environment. So, getting to do action, which I’ve never really done before, and drama, which is what I’ve always done, was a good opportunity.
How did you work with Jason Patric to create a father-son dynamic?
We actually didn’t have a lot of prep time beforehand. We kind of went in blind. We did a slight script read together, but other than that, it was pretty much just going in without much prep at all. But it kind of works because we’re supposed to be sort of estranged and trying to figure out our relationship. I think our characters were doing that, and we as actors were kind of doing that on the fly as well so it is more simpatico. We got lucky with that.
Did this role require any special preparation, like physical training or research?
No, luckily, I don’t do a ton of running around or anything like that, so I didn’t have to prep too hard. But I was really wanting to embrace this new genre that I’m entering and just kind of taking it as it comes.
How was working with Jason and Sly?
It was awesome. It’s very clear that they’re pros. They’ve been doing it for a long time. They each brought an air of knowledge and veteran savvy to the project. That was really interesting to watch, and I just had a great time.
Was it as hot as it looked in the film?
No, it was hotter. A lot of sweat in this movie, and most of it is real. Very real, I assure you.
Did you like to do your own stunts as much as possible?
No, I’m not Tom Cruise. I’m afraid of breaking bones, and there’s people that are well compensated to do that much better than I, so I let them handle it.
What was the most physically challenging part of this movie?
I would say nothing as far as physical movement, but bringing the energy required to maintain this state of chaos was pretty demanding and much more exhausting than I expected. So, that was the biggest part, was just bringing that energy out and staying at this max level for as long as we had to.
What was the most rewarding part of working on this film?
I think the most rewarding part is always the drama. That’s really what I’m here for at the end of the day. I don’t want to do every genre, but drama is what I’ve always done, and I just love the catharsis and the rewarding aspect of it. This movie is no different than an action movie, but it really does have a lot of heart to it, and it tells a very human story, so it was fun to be a part of.
What do you look for in a script to be interested in a project?
There’s nothing specific, really. Obviously, you want to play interesting characters that have a fulfilling arc, but I’m really open to everything. Like I said, I don’t feel bound to do any genre. There’s a lot of stuff I want to try, and I think just what makes a script good or what I look for is just kind of a feeling, just kind of an instinct that you know it either has it or it doesn’t.
How was working with director Justin Rout?
It was awesome. He really let us do whatever we wanted. As actors, we felt very free to try things and change things on the fly, and he had a lot to shoot and not a lot of time to do it, and he really breezed through it and was just really efficient and really fun to work with.
What would you like audiences to take away from the film?
Like I said, it’s a father-son story, and there’s a lot of divisiveness in the world right now for a lot of different reasons, but I think being able to nurture our relationships with our parents or our children and maintaining those in a time where it can maybe feel difficult to do that sometimes, it’s very important. So, I hope people call their parents or call their children after seeing this movie.
ARMOR will be in Theaters, On Digital and On Demand November 22, 2024.