Harris Dickinson on Directing 'Urchin,' Playing John Lennon, and Navigating Hollywood

Directorial Debut: 'Urchin'

• 💡 Harris Dickinson discusses his directorial debut, 'Urchin,' a film inspired by people in his life who dealt with addiction and homelessness.
• 🎯 The film aims to humanize a complex issue by focusing on a young male character with previous convictions and a history of violence.
• 📍 'Urchin' is deeply personal, with many locations being places Dickinson grew up knowing well and where he has been involved in volunteering.
• ✍️ Dickinson emphasized the importance of scrutinizing the script, involving social workers and advisors to ensure the film's authenticity and thoroughness.

Acting vs. Directing

• 🎭 Dickinson found it challenging to act in his own film, 'Urchin,' as he believes in fully committing to either acting or directing.
• 🎬 He has always wanted to make films, starting with filming skate videos and short films as a child, and later developing scripts for features.
• 🚀 The transition to filmmaking was supported by positive feedback on his short film and encouragement from those around him.

Navigating Diverse Career Paths

• 🌟 Dickinson balances high-profile Hollywood roles, such as in 'Babygirl' and an upcoming Beatles biopic, with his personal British indie film projects.
• 🧠 He feels comfortable navigating these different worlds, attributing his growing assurance to his 30 years of age and deliberate career choices.
• ⚡ Dickinson is a restless person, not good at doing nothing, and is inspired by filmmakers he's worked with to pursue his own projects.

Portraying John Lennon

• 🎤 Dickinson acknowledges the anxiety of playing an icon like John Lennon, drawing parallels to Jeremy Allen White's experience playing Springsteen.
• ⏳ He had a long period to prepare and understand the role, aiming to take the pressure off the legacy and focus on playing the character.
• ✅ He accepts that not everyone will be satisfied with his portrayal, focusing on his own interpretation of the role.

Future Projects

• 🤫 Dickinson is developing another script but keeping it under wraps to avoid ruining it before it's ready.
• 🗓️ He plans to spend the next year or two developing this new project, similar to the process he undertook with 'Urchin.'