Taron Egerton discovered he had a real fear of heights while filming new thriller Apex with Charlize Theron. The Welsh actor, who co-stars in the Balthasar Kormákur-directed film, spoke about how the intense wilderness-based production forced him to confront and overcome this revelation mid-production.“I didn’t really realize until this movie that I had a fear of heights. The stuff we shot at height was very difficult for me. I had a kind of cognitive fog where I couldn’t really get my bearings there. I couldn’t really replicate simple technical movements, because the fear kind of clouded my mind a little bit,” Egerton told Outside magazine.
How did Taron Egerton discover he was afraid of heights while filming?
The scariest moment came when director Kormákur asked him to drop it onto a wire between 65 and 98 feet high.
“I wanted to do it; I wanted to give him the injection, but I was terrified. I was absolutely terrified. We did everything at my own pace. I had to control my breathing and not be afraid. And I did, and it was absolutely exhilarating,” Egerton recalls. The crew responded with a spontaneous round of applause.“Everyone applauded me because everyone knew I was terrified. There’s something about overcoming those fears that is really empowering and helpful,” he said.
Charlize Theron’s praise for her co-star Taron Egerton
Paying tribute to Taron Egerton, Charlize Theron said: “He ranks very, very highly among the best actors 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 fearless in the sense that he’ll take big swings. When I was watching him from afar, I was like, ‘Wow. That’s an impressive thing to watch.’
What attracted Taron Egerton to ‘Apex’?
Egerton plays Ben, a villain whose complexity surprised many who expected a one-dimensional antagonist.
He explained that the character developed significantly from one page to the next. “When I was asked about doing it, I was very fascinated by how dangerous it was and making a film out in the wilderness in the rugged terrain of Australia. And the strange, unnerving intimacy between 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 that it changed a lot from the script I read to what’s on screen,” he said.When asked if playing such a character seemed unsettling, Egerton was refreshingly honest. “I don’t think so. I think it’s all play, it’s fun. It’s larger than life and preposterous in some ways. I also think he’s kind of like me. He’s a weird version of me. I don’t engage in the behaviors he engages in, but his expression is my expression. It’s not like I found playing him a dance on the edge of madness or anything.”
I had a really good time. “I mean it was hard work, I don’t mind telling you that, but it was very rewarding.”Moreover, the production was as exhausting as it looked. Egerton and Theron trained at an Olympic training facility for the kayaking sequences, and the climb required a level of upper-body strength that would require months of dedicated preparation. “They were very clear about this. They were like, ‘You can’t walk around this.’
“You’ll need to show up, fit and ready,” Egerton recalls. “I took it very seriously and spent several months preparing for it.
“It’s definitely the best shape I’ve ever been in in terms of athleticism, power and functional strength.”
What Taron Egerton hopes audiences take away from ‘Apex’
Egerton is clear about what kind of film Apex is, and he’s also clear about the care that went into making it. “It’s a popcorn movie, but it’s a movie that was made with complete love. We spent a lot of time, a lot of sweat, and a lot of showrooms to make it something that’s really made. There’s nothing that can be taken away from the movie, so I hope people appreciate the fact that it costs something to make.” “I’m a big horror guy, and I love walking in the woods away from the safety of my couch.
I think Apex is a walk in the woods. “I hope people get a buzz, get a thrill.”Apex premiered on Netflix on April 24.