Finding ‘Luca’: Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer weigh in on Disney/Pixar’s latest screen triumph

Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) and Luca (Jacob Tremblay)

It has all the crowd-pleasing elements guaranteed to find favor with moviegoers of all ages. But it’s the no-frills simplicity of “Luca,” Disney/Pixar’s latest animated film, that quickly swept us off our feet.

As a coming-of-age tale, “Luca” unabashedly wears its earnest big heart on its sleeve as it tackles relatable themes without a heavy hand.

The first time we were shown a 30-minute screener of the movie, we were instantly drawn to its story, set in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, about two teenage sea monsters—timid 13-year-old Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay) and his adventurous 14-year-old new pal Alberto Scorfano (Jack Dylan Grazer)—who can assume the human form while on land.

It reminded us of a bygone era and a string of bittersweet memories that transported us back to our childhood in Mindanao. In those days, we would climb trees to pick duhat (Java plum) or siniguelas (Spanish plum or jocote) in our yard, or play tigso, takyan or syatong with the kids in our neighborhood.

Whole new world

In Luca and Alberto’s case, their adventure takes place in a rustic seaside town called Portorosso on the Italian Riviera. Luca has had enough herding goatfish with his parents (Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan). So, he would rather face danger by exploring a whole new world of possibilities at the surface than get banished to the bottom of the ocean with his creepy Uncle Ugo (Sacha Baron Cohen).

But one unforgettable summer changes the humdrum course of Luca and Alberto’s lives forever after they decide to bravely venture into the forbidden world of humans, where they cross paths with, among others, teenage misfit Giulia Marcovaldo (Emma Berman) and local bully Ercole Visconti (Saverio Raimondo), the five-time champ of the Portorosso Cup race—a winning streak that Luca, Alberto and Giulia want to break.

Brimming with charm and infectious joy, the film by debuting director Enrico Casarosa is packed with as much fun and adventure as soul-stirring lessons about friendship, family, the beauty of diversity, the scourge of bullying and the sacrifices we make to find personal fulfillment in our lives.

Scene from “Luca”

Young actors

So, we were doubly pleased when we spoke to Jacob and Jack for this exclusive two-on-one interview on Zoom, because we didn’t just love “Luca,” we were also thrilled to speak to two of Tinseltown’s busiest young actors today, whose bodies of work we’re immensely impressed by.

Jacob, who turned 14 last Oct. 5, won awards for his portrayal of Jack (with Brie Larson) in Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room.” He’s also acclaimed for his appearances as Auggie (with Julia Roberts) in Stephen Chbosky’s “Wonder,” Max in Gene Stupnitzky’s “Good Boys,” Brad (with Ewan McGregor) in Mike Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep,” and as the lead character in the music video of Justin Bieber’s “Lonely.”

But 17-year-old Jack is just as accomplished: He played Eddie in Andy Muschietti’s blockbuster horror film “It,” the young Nic (with Timothee Chalamet) in Felix van Groeningen’s “Beautiful Boy,” and Freddie (with Zachary Levi) in David F. Sandberg’s “Shazam!”—that’s certainly no film oeuvre to sneeze at!

Excerpts from our Q&A with Jacob and Jack:

The movie is about how people evince growth when they begin to explore their options and discover new things about themselves. In what way are you similar to your characters, Luca and Alberto? And when was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone?

Jacob: I definitely see a little of both Luca and Alberto when I look at myself. Yeah, I’ve talked about this a lot, but I kind of stepped out of my comfort zone when I began skiing a lot this year and last year.

In the beginning, I was more cautious. But then, I got more comfortable with it while moving downward on a steep slope. But you have to stay focused, or you just might find yourself crashing … you can hurt yourself.

Jack: I’d say that I relate a lot more to Alberto. However, I still do have my Luca moments, where I’m trepidatious and reluctant to do something. But, really, it’s very rare that I’m cautious of anything. Usually, I just face every decision I make full-on. I step out of my comfort zone almost every day. It’s one of the healthiest things people can do—to always set a limit or boundary, but still be open-minded, curious and adventurous. That’s my motto: to find vulnerability and comfort while still being eager to discover more about myself and what I’m capable of doing.

Jacob Tremblay

Is voice acting more challenging or satisfying than live action?

Jacob: There are parts of live action that are more challenging than animation. But in animation, you can feel limited sometimes—especially when you don’t have an actor to bounce off or interact with in a scene.

In live action, something like that helps bring the performance up a lot. At the same time, you know you have all these lines to memorize, so there’s a bit more pressure that way. But when you’re doing animation, you can take it line by line.

Jack: I agree. With animation, I feel like this is where it’s easier. You still have to act and master the craft of it, but at least you can do it in the comfort of a studio or, in my case, in my home or in my own closet!

It’s pretty mellow, and you don’t even need to memorize your lines. You can just read them right out of the book and play the emotion through your voice—which is a whole other form of acting. But [voice work] is still a lot of fun to do.

Jack Dylan Grazer

You’re both known for your acclaimed performances in popular films. Which of your respective screen roles are closest to your offscreen personalities?

Jacob: That’s a very good question. I mean, I definitely relate to a lot of them. For me, I try to find similarities between me and whoever I’m playing, because that always helps make the process more Method. But that’s hard to decide, because when I’m filming a certain movie, I would always feel closer to that character than when I’m filming another movie.

Jack: I really relate to Alberto, I do! But I also related to Freddy when I was doing “Shazam!” OK, I’m not endorsing “Shazam!” right now, but I think [I feel closer to Freddie] because we both use our sense of humor as a self-defense mechanism.

With Alberto, I can relate to his curiosity and his being adventurous. He is eager to explore the world and discover the unknown—and that’s very much like me!.

Do you ever feel the pressure of having to live up to people’s expectations of you? Of always doing the right thing? Of not going beyond what’s expected of you?

Jacob: Oh, that’s a good question! You know, you always want to do the right thing, especially for your parents. You always want to impress them and make them feel proud. So, I just do what I can and try to do what’s right.

Jack: Yeah, I agree. But I don’t like expectations as much as I don’t like expecting things. I just like being present. I’m always thinking about what I can do to improve my potential … to gain more insight, to evolve.

I do whatever I can to get better at what I do. And that’s a helpful notion to stay committed and dedicated, to persevere when it comes to working toward a goal or anything that you’re passionate about.

From left: Giulia (Emma Berman), Luca and Alberto —PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISNEY/PIXAR

What sets “Luca” apart from your other movies?

Jacob: “Luca” and “Good Boys” are two very different movies, but these two films give boys something to talk or get nostalgic about. They explore themes of friendship and the relationships forged between them—in my movies, it’s something I hadn’t done too many of.

Jack: Yeah, “Luca” does an excellent job of exploring youth—it’s about curiosity, creativity and imagination, and how the possibilities are endless and infinite. And if you follow your dream and put your heart and mind into it, you can achieve whatever you want in life! INQ