Video Interview: Asa Butterfield on THE SPACE BETWEEN US, not playing Spider-Man, and 007

Video Interview: Asa Butterfield on THE SPACE BETWEEN US, not playing Spider-Man, and 007

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I remember first taking notice of Asa Butterfield on 2008 with his breakout role in THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS, a heartbreaking WWII tale that really sticks with you. A few years later he wowed me again in Martin Scorsese’s HUGO, playing the title role of Hugo Cabret. He’s been cast in more big films like ENDER’S GAME and MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, and was actually one of the final candidates to play Spider-Man before Tom Holland won the role. His newest role is the lead in THE SPACE BETWEEN US, a sort of romantic road trip story book-ended by Sci-Fi elements. Butterfield plays Gardner Elliot, the son of an astronaut unaware of her pregnancy until the interstellar trip was already underway. Gardner is a boy literally born and raised on Mars who meets an Earth girl (played by Britt Robertson) through internet chatting, and eventually heads to her planet so they can meet in person. Once these two are together, it begins a fun adventure with Gardner acting as a metaphorical fish out of water. I had a chance to sit down with Asa and talk about the film, which took place the morning after we did a Q&A together at the Alamo Drafthouse. It was fun to be a part of too, as this was his first time to see how an audience reacted to it. Among the many things we discussed in the Q&A session were his desire to (maybe one day) play James Bond, him almost being Spider-Man, and how he seems to always star in these fantastical stories. I honestly feel like Butterfield is an actor to keep your eye on, as his career is just getting started, and he’s already got some impressive efforts under his belt.

THE SPACE BETWEEN US opens February 3, 2016

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.