Interview: Alex Pettyfer

It’s hard not to swoon over Alex Pettyfer – not only is the 23-year-old actor easy on the eye but he still believes in chivalry and is spending Valentine’s Day with his mother!

If you’re dateless this Valentine’s Day we highly recommend doing what he’s doing – taking his mum to see his new movie Endless Love, a romantic drama based on the novel by Scott Spencer.

The story follows teenage lovers David (Alex) and Jade (played by British actress Gabriella Wilde) as they fight for their first love against the wishes of Gabriella’s controlling dad.

British star Alex (who also starred in I Am Number Four and Magic Mike) chatted to us about his own first love, why he can’t talk to women and what it’s like filming those awkward bedroom scenes…

This is a Valentine’s Day movie, so what would your ideal Valentine’s Day be?

I’ve tried to get the sympathy vote today by telling every interviewer who is female that I have no date – and not one of them has turned around and said, “Oh, I’ll be your date!”

But my Mum is flying out and she’s going to be my date. I asked her, “What do you want to do on Valentine’s Day Mum?” and she goes, “I want to go see Endless Love.”

So I said I’ll set up a screening for her and she says, “No screening for me! We’re going to The Grove and we’re going to sit there and watch it in the movie theatre!”

What do you remember about your first love?
I think first love defines you and your relationships for the rest of your life. I had a great first love. My heart got ripped out of my chest, but I think that happens to everyone. When you fall in love for the first time, you’re naïve to every feeling and you’re almost obsessed or addicted to that person. It consumes you. Everything you want to do revolves around them. It’s great! 

Do you think you ever find that same emotion again?
I think your emotion changes from person to person and as you get older. A lot of people become cynical because of the experiences they’ve had and haven’t been able to let go of – like if they’ve been cheated on or it hasn’t worked out.

You may have good relationships and you may have bad ones, but you just have to still roll with it, truly believe and not be cynical.

That’s why I wanted to make this movie, because I truly believe in love and I think every relationship should start off the way that our first love did when we were 16, 17 or 18.

How comfortable are you walking up to a girl you find attractive and introducing yourself?
When I was 18, I was at a party and had just done a movie and didn’t know what it was like for someone to recognise you. This tall brunette walks up to me and goes, “Excuse me, are you Alex?” I turned around going, “Uh…. Ah…. Yeah…”

She said, “I really thought you were good in the movie and I just wanted to say ‘Hi’.”

I couldn’t even speak. I’m so terrible when it comes to talking to women. I’m the worst! I don’t know what to say and I come across very, very geeky.

In the movie, David punches a guy while sticking up for his girl…
Sometimes it’s more attractive to use your words and intelligence than your fists!
It’s so hard nowadays because I’m a hopeless romantic – I say that loudly and proudly and I get a lot of stick for it – but we live in a world where it’s so accessible to date. We have so many ways of meeting people. That’s great and I don‘t judge that, but I like to meet someone and have the chivalry and take them out on a date and actually be a gentleman. I think that’s becoming rarer and rarer.
Between my dad, my brother and all the men in my life, they have all been gentlemen and looked after their women and I don’t know that we would go as far as punching someone in the face, but we would definitely stand up for our ladies. 

How did you prepare for the kissing scenes with Gabriella?
Dude, it’s so awkward. We had a scene where we make love for the first time and she’s never done it and you think these things are romantic and sensual, but they’re not. You come in wearing you robe and it’s all quiet and then you take off your robe and start to kiss Gabriella, then you look to the right and there’s a big, burly man standing there with a light over you going, “Just move to the right a little bit mate.” You think, “Ok this is not so romantic.” The nerves go away very fast!

Daniel’s having a really hard time winning over his girlfriend’s parents. Do you have any advice on how to do that?
I’ve never been in a situation where I haven’t gotten along with my girlfriend’s parents. I’ve been very lucky to have girlfriends with amazing families and I’ve been welcomed in, so I’m a lucky, lucky man!

What were your favourite romantic comedies going into this?
Love Story, starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal, is one of my favourite love films of all time. And for romantic comedies I love Love Actually and Bridget Jones – please do not judge!

What’s your favourite song on the Endless Love soundtrack?
I love ‘Don’t Find Another Love’ by Tegan and Sara. That’s a great song!

Endless Love opens in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday 13 February.

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