The New Holden: Michael Angarano

Michael Angarano looks too young to buy the cigarettes he smokes. And the 22-year-old actor, star of the recent Gentlemen Broncos, admits it’s not just his fresh face that makes him appear underage. “If I wasn’t acting, I’d just be coming out of college,” he says. “I would already have had four years of being on my own, but now I’m kind of just starting.” Anganaro is successfully making the transition from child to adult actor (he’s been working since he was 5, and his résumé includes supporting roles in Almost Famous, Lords of Dogtown and Will & Grace). In his next film, Ceremony, Angarano plays a young Turk intent on destroying an older crush’s wedding (Uma Thurman plays the object of his desire). “It’s a coming-of-age story about a boy realizing he’s a boy,” Angarano says, “Instead of a boy realizing he’s a man.”

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Unlike many former child actors, the New York native, who moved to Los Angeles when he was 12 and still lives with his folks, insists his childhood prepared him for a career in Hollywood. “As a kid, I was able to distract myself and not have work take over my life completely,” says Angarano, who found himself splashed across tabloids when he was still dating his ex-girlfriend, actress Kristen Stewart. “If I didn’t have that experience growing up, I don’t know that I would be able to keep work from taking over now.”

You’ve been acting since you were 5 or 6?
Like 5 and a half.

Do you feel like a part of “young Hollywood?”
I just do what I like doing. And that sounds very arrogant, but in a way it’s all I can do.  I have no thoughts about being anything.

But it’s good to be you.
Of course it is. Acting is like a trade, like any other trade, so when people appreciate it for what it is and understand what you’re doing and what you’re going through, that’s what you do it for. Of course you like being acknowledged but at the same time it means nothing really.

Can you talk about making the transition from child to adult actor?
It gets harder as you get older.  The roles get harder.  Life gets harder as you get older. As a kid I always had distractions, even when I was on set I was always worrying about school. My mind was always very busy. But as an adult when I’m on set it’s all I have to do and when I’m off set that’s also all I have to do.  As a kid it’s easy not to have work take over your life completely. And it’s very important to live outside of your career.

What role have your parents played in your career?
My parents have honestly been the most supportive people as far as my own career goes.  They basically relocated my entire family when I was twelve years old so we could live in L.A. and I could have more opportunities to be seen by people.  In a way it worked out for all of us. Both of my parents grew up in Brooklyn, so I think they saw an opportunity for a better life, to go live somewhere, to live more outside of yourself, not in the same place.  My mom owned dance studios in New York all my life, but now she has a dance studio out in L.A. Both my sisters have gone to college out in L.A.  It just worked out that way, with me as the catalyst for changing our lives a little. It’s great.

How many siblings do you have?
Three. Older sister, younger sister, and a younger brother.

What’s your relationship like with your siblings?
It’s really close. It’s always been extremely close.  I have a very tight family.  Even the family I have back in New York that I don’t get to see as often, we’re all very tight.

When you’re on set and not at home do any of your family members ever drop in?
My father has actually been coming to sets with me since I was five.  This trip was the first time I was in New York on my own really.  It’s a crazy feeling.  I don’t feel sheltered at all because I’ve traveled a lot. But I’m 21, if I wasn’t acting I’d just be coming out of college, I would already have four years of being on my own, but I’m kind of just starting to be on my own.  But it’s amazing, realizing yourself.

Do you live by yourself?
No, I still live with my parents.

What do you do for fun?
I like traveling a lot. And I’ve been doing a lot of reading.  The second I stopped going to school, I started reading exponentially more.  I never read and now I read a lot. I’m reading a book called An American Dream by Norman Mailer and it’s really good.  I’ve read Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead and it changed my life completely.  I love those books so much.