Netflix’s film Metal Lords follows a pair of high-school friends whose decision to form a heavy metal band sets off a series of events that tests their friendship and delivers more than a few hard lessons about life, love, and what it really means to be totally metal. And yet, Metal Lords is more than just your typical coming-of-age comedy, thanks to memorable performances from stars Jaeden Martell ( It ), Adrian Greensmith, and Isis Hainsworth, who play the pair of childhood friends and the talented cellist they recruit for their band, respectively.
Directed by Peter Sollett ( Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist) from a script penned by Game of Thrones co-creator D.B. Weiss, Metal Lords features a powerful soundtrack filled with new and classic metal and a story that takes some surprising turns as Kevin (Martell) and his friend Hunter (Greensmith) deal with family drama, high school bullies, and the trials and tribulations of love and life for today’s teenagers.
Digital Trends spoke to Martell about his preparation for Metal Lords, how the experience shaped his musical tastes, his wonderfully talented co-stars, and what he learned by throwing himself into heavy metal.
Digital Trends: Congratulations on a wonderful film! What was your reaction when you first read the script for it?
Jaeden Martell: Thanks! Well, initially, I loved how funny it was and how it seemed like it was written without a care in the world. I think when Dan [Weiss] wrote it, he wasn’t trying to please anyone but himself, really, because he’s obsessed with metal music, and it was so purely him. I loved that. And I was in love with the characters he created — how intricate they were and how the story progressed, and specifically, how Kevin progressed throughout the movie.
That’s the perfect segue because Kevin changes a lot over the course of the film. How did you approach showing the way Kevin was changing?
Well, the easiest way was through the wardrobe and the hair. It all helped to show that evolution to the audience, but it also helped me, too. It was like, “Okay, I’m wearing sleeveless t-shirts now, so that means I’m a little bit more confident.” It was a good reminder of where Kevin was at in the story at any point. For me, it was just about trying to be more confident, but it really was all in the writing — how Kevin approached situations was different as time went on. He showed a little bit more anger later in the film, which is not necessarily a good thing, but in doing so, he showed more of himself rather than being so reserved.
Were you a metal fan before the film?
I was a little bit, but I wasn’t super knowledgeable. I had to get into it doing this film. Dan and Peter [Sollett] put together a playlist of all of these metal performances, and I just studied those and watched drummers play, and… yeah, I just love the genre. It comes across as this very emotional, no-holds-barred music, which it is in a way, but if you look closer and look at the details, there’s so much craft to it and it’s so precise. It’s like controlled chaos, you know?
Did you end up with any new favorites, music-wise?
Yeah, there’s always Metallica, of course. They’re the best. I listened to a lot. I can’t listen to metal too much, though. I come back to it when I’m in the mood. There’s this band Death Grips [that] I really like, which is a newer band, but they’re sort of on the metal side, and I listen to them all the time.
In terms of prepping and getting used to drumming, was that something you had some experience in already or was it new to you?
I didn’t have any experience with the drums. I always did want to be a drummer, though. Watching drummers just go off is such a satisfying thing. We can all appreciate it. When I watch someone play the guitar, I’m like, “That sounds beautiful, but I don’t completely understand what you’re doing and how that sound is coming out of that instrument, but it sounds great.” With drumming, you see everything. It’s very physical. It’s very human. It’s very barbaric, in some ways. So I always wanted to get into it, but I never did. And now I really fell in love with the instrument throughout the process of making this film.
I was surprised to learn your costars haven’t been in a lot of films before this, because they’re so great in it. What was it like to be the veteran actor in that trio?
È stato stupefacente. They’re the most lovely people. It was a great learning experience for me watching them, too. Adrian works the hardest out of any actor I’ve ever worked with. He’s so invested in his character, and he knows [Hunter] so well, and he’s constantly asking questions. He’s obsessed, and it really inspired me. The same with Isis. She’s so naturally gifted. They both have a theater background, so to see them get comfortable with the camera was really amazing.
Quali erano alcuni dei tuoi takeaway dall'esperienza del lavoro su questo film? Cosa hai lasciato con quello che non hai avuto in esso?
Bene, posso suonare il tamburo ora, di cui sono felice. Continuerò a farlo per il resto della mia vita, si spera. Lo adoro. E dal lavorare con Adrian e ISIS, e vedendo quanto funzionino, voglio replicarlo. È facile come un attore essere compiacente e suonare la stessa persona più e più volte. Questi due attori sono così diversi dai loro personaggi, e lo rispetto davvero.
Senza rovinare nulla, c'è una scena particolare in metal Lords non vedi l'ora di vedere il pubblico vedere?
Le prestazioni verso la fine del film, nella battaglia delle Bande, è piuttosto speciale. È stata un'esperienza così pazza che lo filmentò e far sbirciare nella vita di un musicista. Era fisicamente estenuante, ma sono eccitato per le persone di vederlo. È una scena così divertente.
Qual è il prossimo per te?
Ho un film chiamato mr. Harrigan's Phone uscendo anche su Netflix, diretto da John Lee Hancock. E questo è ora!
NetFlix Film Metal Lords _ è disponibile ora sul servizio di streaming._
Metal Lords (2022)
97m
Genere Commedia, Drama, Musica
Stelle Jaeden Martell, Isis Hainsworth, Adrian Greensmith
Diretto da Peter Sollett
Guarda su Netflix.
Guarda su Netflix.
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