Sam Claflin has had a pretty amazing career in Hollywood across the past 15 years, including his role in the Hunger Games movies as fan-favorite Finnick Odair, Peaky Blinders and Daisy Jones & The Six, but perhaps the way it all started is the wildest thing. The actor’s first ever movie was in 2011’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with Johnny Depp. While it was obviously the experience of a lifetime, Claflin does have regrets about it.
In a new interview on Radio Andy, Claflin got honest about what it was like to star in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie at the age of 25. In his words:
Honestly I remember the feeling of imposter syndrome for the majority of that film experience and I think that then led me to work so hard at taking myself seriously and taking everything seriously, and also people pleasing to the nth degree.
Can you imagine going straight from studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts to being cast in a movie with one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars and Disney’s most massive franchise like he was? We wouldn’t know it while we’re immersed in the adventure of the Pirates of the Caribbean sequel, but Claflin was dealing with some personal struggles in the movie. As he added:
I remember sitting down with the writers and the writers were like, ‘Do you have any ideas about how to kind of bring more to this character?’ I was like,’No, no, perfect. Everything you've done is perfect.’ I didn't want to insult anybody or offend anybody rather making it collaborative. I was just very much like, ‘No, everything's perfect. I'll do whatever you ask me to do. You say jump. I'll say how high,’ but you know, I just took myself too seriously as a kid fresh from drama school.
It’s actually pretty cool that the filmmakers of On Stranger Tides actually asked the young actor if he had some ideas about what to bring to his role. However, at the time, Claflin wasn’t confident enough to stick his neck out and really dive into the process.
Can one blame him? Most of us would be the same way if we were offered the biggest opportunity one could ask for at the start of their career. Interestingly enough, Sam Claflin is expected to reteam Johnny Depp soon for Ti West’s take on A Christmas Carol coming out later this year. Claflin explained his Pirates experience further with these words:
I got asked recently how I would view my earlier years in my career and I was like, ‘Do you know what one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't have more fun with that job specifically.’ It was just like, we were shooting in Hawaii with an incredible cast and incredible crew filming on pirate ships and in the jungles and honestly, it was the most magical experience, but I think I felt so much pressure and stress and anxiety to perform that I think I just sort of overdid it in many ways and sort of, don't get wrong. I had a magical experience.
Claflin called working on On Stranger Tides as “one of the most dreamlike experiences” of his film career to this far, but he remains regretful about putting “so much pressure” on himself. Hey, it’s all part of growing up, isn’t it? In Claflin’s case, he was learning while being on a massive movie set with Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane and Geoffrey Rush.
On Stranger Tides was the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and the first time Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley were not part of the franchise as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, respectively. The Disney movie opted to bring in new talent, including Claflin’s casting as a captured missionary who serves as part of Blackbeard’s crew alongside a bunch of zombies.
After On Stranger Tides, one more Pirates movie came out six years later before the franchise was abandoned by Walt Disney Studios. There’s been a lot of talk over the years about producer Jerry Bruckheimer reportedly working on reviving the franchise (though one movie starring Margot Robbie has since died). Claflin has previously said he’s interested in returning to Pirates, but we’ll have to see what happens next for the Disneyland ride-inspired movie series.
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