Justice Smith is flipping the script

When Justice Smith appears on our call, he tells me that he’s “not much of a morning person”. It doesn’t seem that way, though. I’m met with his beaming face, one that I’ve personally come to know thanks to films like the erotic thriller The Voyeurs and video games like The Quarry. Many will recognise him from blockbusters like Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and Jurassic World, though the release of I Saw the TV Glow is likely to change that. A film with all the makings of a future cult classic, the psychological horror has Smith taking on his most complex role yet. “This is one of the first characters I’ve played where their arc is a de-evolution,” he says.

Smith is palpably excited about this role, displaying a fervour that has fuelled his passion for acting since childhood. He frames formative film-watching experiences by how they gave him the acting itch. He recalls how he wanted to be Dakota Fanning after watching War of the Worlds. “I remember thinking, ‘That’s what I want to do. I want to get stabbed,’” he says of Haley Joel Osment’s character in Pay It Forward. Smith is refreshingly candid. While admitting morning grogginess might doom other interviews, for him it’s the norm – he’s just honest. I get the sense the industry insights he shares with me are unadulterated and unvarnished.