Taron Egerton discovered he had a genuine fear of heights while filming the new thriller 'Apex' with Charlize Theron. The Welsh actor, who co-stars in the film directed by Baltasar Kormákur, has opened up about how the intense, wilderness-based production forced him to confront and overcome this discovery mid-production.
"I didn't really realise until this movie that I do have a fear of heights. The stuff that we shot at height was really challenging for me. I experienced the kind of cognitive fog where I couldn't really take direction up there. I couldn't really repeat simple technical moves, because the fear kind of clouded my mind a little bit," Egerton told Outside magazine.
How Taron Egerton Discovered His Fear of Heights on Set
The most harrowing moment came when director Kormákur asked him to be dropped on a wire from between 65 and 98 feet. "I wanted to do it; I wanted to give him the shot, but I was petrified. I was absolutely petrified. We did it all at my pace. I was sort of having to control my breathing and not freak out. And I did it, and it was totally exhilarating," Egerton recalled. The crew responded with a spontaneous round of applause.
"Everyone gave me a round of applause because everyone knew I was terrified. There's something about overcoming those fears that's really rewarding and growthful," he said.
Charlize Theron's Praise for Her Co-Star Taron Egerton
"He's rated very, very high in my best actors that I've ever worked with. I don't think I've ever been around someone who has that kind of natural instinct and great intuition. He's brave in the sense that he'll take big swings. Watching him from afar, I was like, Wow. It's impressive to watch," said Charlize Theron heaping praise on Taron Egerton.
What Drew Taron Egerton to 'Apex'
Egerton plays Ben, a villain whose complexity surprised many who expected a one-dimensional antagonist. He explained that the character evolved significantly from page to screen. "When I was asked about doing it, I was most intrigued about the extremity of it and making a movie out in the wilderness in the rugged terrain of Australia. And the very strange, unnerving intimacy of these two characters. The nature of Ben's pathology was something that grew organically throughout the process, and I think it's fair to say he changed quite a lot from the script that I read to what's on screen," he said.
Asked whether playing such a character felt unsettling, Egerton was refreshingly direct. "I don't think so. I think it's all play; it's all fun. It's larger than life and in some ways preposterous. Also, I think he kind of is me. He's a weird version of me. I don't engage in the behaviours that he engages in, but his expressiveness is my expressiveness. It's not like I found playing him to be a dance on the edges of madness or anything. I had a really good time. I mean, it was fucking hard work, I don't mind telling you, but it was very rewarding."
Further, the production was as gruelling as it looked. Egerton and Theron trained at an Olympic training facility for the kayaking sequences, and the climbing demanded a level of upper-body strength that required months of dedicated preparation. "They were pretty unequivocal about it. They were like, 'You can't stroll into this. You're going to need to show up, fit and ready,'" Egerton recalled. "I took that very seriously and spent a number of months getting in shape for it. It's definitely the best shape of my life in terms of just athleticism, strength, and functional strength."
What Taron Egerton Hopes Audiences Take from 'Apex'
Egerton is clear about what kind of film 'Apex' is, and equally clear about the care that went into making it. "It is a popcorn movie, but it's one that has been quite lovingly crafted. We spent a lot of time, a lot of sweat, and a lot of galleries making it something that's really crafted. There's nothing disposable about the movie, so I hope people appreciate the fact that it costs something to make," he said. "I'm a big horror guy, and I like a kind of walk in the woods away from the safety of my sofa. And I think Apex is a walk in the woods. I hope people get a buzz, get a thrill out of it."
'Apex' premiered on Netflix on April 24.
