It doesn’t matter
where you
come from…
In Martian Child, David Gordon
(John
Cusack), a recently
widowed science
fiction writer,
considers adopting Dennis
(Bobby Coleman), a young
orphaned
boy who claims to
be
from Mars.
Ignoring some
sage
advice about the
perils
of
parenthood from his sister
Liz (Joan Cusack) and the
qualms of
children’s group
home director Sophie
(Sophie
Okonedo), David decides he
wants to be a father to the odd
youngster
who keeps insisting
he is an
alien. Even
with the
support of
his friend, Harlee
(Amanda
Peet),
who David
finds himself
increasingly
attracted to, the
aspiring
dad
soon finds himself
in way
over
his head.
as long as
you discover…
where you belong.
On preparing for the role of Dennis . . .
Well, my mom and dad and my sister Holli Holliman (she’s also an actress) got me to
think about what it would feel like to be left
with all those foster care people. I thought
about how I would just shut down inside
and hide, so that I would not get hurt again.
On the best part of the film . . .
I loved the scene when I got to break the
plates, we did lots of takes you know - but
it was o.k. – they weren't real glass ones,
they were made out of clay. I also liked
pouring the coke on the hot dog it actually
tasted pretty good!
On the best part of been an actor . . .
I love to travel to all the different places
and meeting new people I really like working
with all the different characters on set,
it's so cool!
On working with John Cusack. . .
He taught me how to loosen -up. With him
every take is different, you never knew what
he would say next. It really taught me how
to improvise and think about the most real
thing to say in the scene.
On just having fun . . .
Usually, I play with my neighbors next door.
We all run around and play tag, hide and
seek and... oh yea! I really like legos too.
