Maxwell Jenkins, who recently starred in the movie *Arcadian* alongside Nicolas Cage, shared his experiences with India Today, discussing the challenges of the film, the valuable lessons he learned from Nicolas, and more.
Jenkins, known for his roles in *Lost in Space* and *Good Joe Bell*, impressed audiences with his emotional depth and versatility in *Arcadian*. The film, a post-apocalyptic action horror, presented a unique set of challenges.Â
The tight filming schedule of 20 days in Ireland, notorious for its winter rains, compounded the difficulties. Jenkins reflected on the experience, "It was not an easy project to complete. The genre comes with its challenges, but on top of that, we were trying to film it in 20 days. We had to cram in all this action and these emotionally driven character scenes in a very short period. However, I prefer shooting under such conditions because you get to do all the really fun action stuff, play pretend, and fight monsters, along with the character-driven moments. When the horror and action are driven by these character sequences, it becomes enjoyable because you get to do a little bit of everything."
Working alongside Nicolas Cage, Jenkins found the actor to be both inspiring and generous. "Nicolas is incredible. I don't think I need to reiterate how amazing an actor he is because most people already know that. But I think people would be pleased to know he is a really generous person. He's a phenomenal scene partner, super-giving in a scene, and very interested in what you have to say about it."
Jenkins recalled their first day on set, where Cage’s involvement in shaping a scene left a lasting impression. "We were attempting a scene where Jaden and I get into a fight. Nicolas explained that we must look out for each other, as written. He also suggested bringing in elements from his personal life, and we spent about an hour reworking the scene on the day. It turned into one of my favorite scenes, where he stabs his knife into the table and says, ‘Are we not men?’ It cut the scene in half; it was originally twice as long, but it spoke volumes about the relationship between these three men living in the woods and how they communicate."
Jenkins also noted Cage’s genuine interest in his co-stars. "He wants to hear about your interests outside of work. He's a huge history buff, which was basically my major in school. So, we had a lot to discuss about history, which I was excited about."
One of the most impactful lessons Jenkins learned from Cage was the importance of giving one’s all. "The most impactful lesson I learnt from working with Nicolas is to give 110% of yourself every time you step into a project. He's been doing this forever and has more experience than just about anybody else working today. Before working with him, I wondered how much he would be willing and able to give to the project. After doing so many projects, I wondered how much he would show up and give. He could have given 50% and it would still have been amazing. But he showed up on his first day completely prepared, and it was a very valuable lesson for me."
*Arcadian*, directed by Benjamin Brewer, is a 2024 post-apocalyptic action horror film featuring Nicolas Cage. The film is currently streaming on Lionsgate Play.
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