‘Paper Tiger’ Star Reveals What It’s Really Like Working With Adam Driver

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Breakout star Gavin Goudey is making his feature-film debut in James Gray’s crime drama, “Paper Tiger.” The 20-year-old actor plays the child of Miles Teller and Scarlett Johansson, two of Hollywood’s best-known actors. However, Goudey said he was most excited to work with “Star Wars” alum Adam Driver, whom he has long admired.

Gavin Goudey Says He ‘Naturally’ Looked Up To Adam Driver

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“Paper Tiger” is a film written and directed by James Gray. It tells the story of two brothers – Gary (Driver) and Irwin (Teller) – as they pursue the American Dream in New York in the 1980s. When Gary pulls his brother into a get-rich-quick scheme involving the Russian mafia, things take a turn for the worse when Irwin’s wife, Hester (Johansson), and their two children are put at risk.

 At the New York Film Festival premiere at Lincoln Center in New York City, Goudey, who plays Driver’s nephew, revealed that he was in awe of the actor even before meeting him. “That was, you know, kind of the easiest part of my job — was to look up to him — because I already naturally do that. So I just had to be there,” Goudey told PEOPLE magazine at the premiere.

Gavin Goudey Was A Big Fan Of Adam Driver’s ‘Star Wars’ Character

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Goudey revealed that he was a big fan of seeing Driver act as the villainous First Order enforcer Kylo Ren in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy. Driver appeared in all three films: 2015’s “The Force Awakens,” 2017’s “The Last Jedi,” and 2019’s “The Rise of Skywalker.”

Driver also worked with director Stephen Soderbergh on another film called “The Hunt for Ben Solo,” which was supposed to feature the character’s return after his death in the 2019 film, but unfortunately, the film was shot down by Disney execs who didn’t see how Ben Solo could still be alive following the events of that movie.

“He’s Kylo Ren,” Goudey told the publication. “So, it was just like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Kylo Ren … I mean, I love that guy.”

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Gavin Goudey Reveals What He Learned From Adam Driver On The Set Of ‘Paper Tiger’

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While filming on location in New York City, Goudey revealed that the “Girls” alum taught him the importance of “preparation” during a particular scene where Driver plays the piano. “He plays beautifully, by the way,” the actor added.

“He was playing the piano, and, you know — each take we did of that — he did something different. He changed the rhythm, the timing, the song, and each time it was beautiful. And I also found that correlates the same with his acting,” Goudey continued.

“Take after take, he did something different. And he made a choice, and it was bold, and it all worked so well,” he recalled. “And I was like, ‘How is he doing this?’ And it just kind of instilled into me the importance of preparation — and the confidence that comes from your preparation.”

Gavin Goudey Also Reveals What He Learned From Scarlett Johansson

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Scarlett Johansson plays Goudey’s mother in the film. While speaking to E! News, he revealed that while he learned the importance of preparation from Driver, he learned “the importance of physicality” from the Marvel star.

“Before an intense scene, she would use her body — that’s our instrument as actors, our body — and she would use that to get herself there, and to get herself back out of it, too,” he explained. “To calm herself down after a take and to get ready for the next one.”

He also revealed what he learned from his on-screen dad, Miles Teller. “Miles actually taught me a lot of technical stuff,” Goudey said. “Like how to operate on set, because this was my first time being on a set of this caliber. So, just seeing how he operates as number one on the call sheet, how he treats everybody around him. It was really, really cool to witness.”

“Paper Tiger,” which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, will be released in theaters on November 13.

The ‘Paper Tiger’ Star Reveals What It’s Really Like Working With Adam Driver first appeared on The Blast