Jacob Tremblay on child stardom, The Little Mermaid and Justin Bieber

I remember I was going to see the film in the theaters with my friends. I was going to take them to see it because it was a pretty cool movie to see with your friends. And these friends were also older than me because they were in my older sister's friend group. So I went with them and they wouldn't let me in because I was younger. And then I pointed to the poster that was literally right beside us at the kind of podium where you were going to see the movie. And you said I'm in it. But that's me. I was I was a lot younger when I did it. When I did Little Mermaid. I did Little Mermaid. You were younger. Yeah, I was 12 because obviously there was there was a big time period in between then and now because of COVID. But I because I was so young, I could really hit higher notes that I can't now. I mean, I like I probably can't sing at all now because my voice has changed so much and I struggle to talk regularly without voice cracking. So hopefully you guys don't catch one. No, listen, that happened to me. I sang in a choir when I was a kid. Oh, yeah. And I got kicked out of the choir because my voice changed. I'm starting to hear that. Yeah, you know, obviously, I've never gotten over it. Yeah, I could have. No, it's obviously, it's still I'm still carrying that with me somewhere. Can we play a little bit of the clip in three some of Flounder? Take a listen. Yeah, we aren't supposed to be this far from the palace, Ariel. Look at this. You okay, Flounder? Sure. You got to show him who's in charge. Jacob, you're right. Your voice is very different now than it was back then. What's it like listening back to it? It's weird because you know, you always I'm sure you know this, but it's always weird hearing your own voice. Like you always kind of get a little cringe feeling. And I think because of that, it's I don't have it as much just because it's I was so young. And sometimes when I like when I was watching the film, I've seen about three times now. Yeah. So whenever I'm watching it, it's kind of hard to even recognize my own voice. And usually something like that would take me out of the watching it. But no, it doesn't anymore. Because obviously, I'm so young. So it's a lot easier to hear my own voice now. Yeah, it's a little artifact of what you used to sound like. Yeah, for sure. And that's what's cool about acting for me is that I get to look back on all times in my life since I was so little. I got to play a bunch of different roles. And obviously, like younger roles, like Room, I played a five year old. And then in other movies, I was I was playing, you know, more 12 year olds, like in Good Boys, which is a comedy I did. And then obviously now I'm doing more, I guess, teenager roles. Yeah. Did The Little Mermaid mean anything to you? Like it meant something to me when I was a kid, I realized I'm 20 years older than you. So did The Little Mermaid mean anything to you? Yeah, it did. I mean, I mean, I didn't remember seeing it for the first time, just because I was probably shown it at such a young age. But it was definitely one that would be played very often in my household. So just I was very familiar with the songs. So it's interesting, because I don't remember ever not knowing The Little Mermaid, if that makes sense. Because obviously, it's just been such a big pop culture film. So yeah, it's really exciting to kind of, I was I was obviously a fan of the film and the songs. And then to kind of recreate that, like Kiss the Girl, like what we were just listening to. It was fun. But also I was so scared, like, because I'd never done anything musical before. I was so nervous. But um, yeah, everyone on set was so cool, and just so friendly and easy to work with and fun to work with. It just became really, really, I guess, all like very unstressful, if that makes sense, like all the stress and all the pressure was taken off me as soon as I met everyone. And it just was like, easy and fun to record. Right. You had you had stress because you were singing for the first time on Yeah, yeah. And I'm guessing you had stress because it's The Little Mermaid. Exactly. You know what I mean? It's a film that means a lot to people. I mean, it's, I guess it's always going to be stressful to kind of recreate a character, I guess, because you want to get it right. But seriously, I mean, like, I was, I was nervous going into it. But afterwards, just everyone was so friendly and so kind. And it just made for like a really fun experience. But and then obviously, like seeing the film in scenes like Under the Sea, I thought it looked so cool. Yeah. I thought it looked like, really well done in the way that these are all, all these animals just seem so familiar, because it's something that like, I was at the aquarium doing something, looking at a petting stingray, but you can see the fish. And you know, it's just like, it seems like they, I like, I really like what they did, because it makes it so that when you're watching Under the Sea, the whole music sequence, it makes it feel like it's something that could happen in the ocean just on their own. Because the way the sea life and the sea urchins or starfish kind of move along is, is they're like dancers, they're like choreographed dancers, but they're all realistic fish. But then they also don't make it so that it's too, I guess, unrealistic, too cartoony, too cartoony. And then obviously, it's not too real, where it's kind of like, I think it's that perfect mixture. And I think it's really colorful, too, for like something that's something that takes place under the water, which you have a lot of restrictions when it comes to lighting. I think they managed to do it very well with all the coral and the fish and the way that the light shines through the ocean. It makes me think about how beautiful the ocean actually is. When I was watching the Under the Sea sequence, I was thinking to myself, well, all that stuff was actually down there. Like, yeah, no, Under the Sea is great. Sebastian got a point. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he's absolutely right. Life Under the Sea really is that great. I mean, I think that was another point of the movie is they wanted to have all the sea life look real. Because another topic that kind of loops into the film is taking care of the ocean, which is something that is very important. So to kind of bring life and heart to these creatures, I think is very important. And I think was another reason why they went for that more realistic approach to it. Am I right that it was five years, you were five when you started acting? Yeah, I was five. That was when I did my first movie. How did you get into acting? It was my older sister. She kind of started, and I never did sports or anything like that. I was never an athletic little five-year-old or anything. I wasn't into any of that. I was really into playing and having fun. I was never into sports. So my sister got into it, and she started doing commercials. Is she much older than you? She's 19 now, this sister. I have two sisters. One's younger, and she's 13. Right. And she turns 14 this summer, which is crazy. Yeah. That's how people feel about you, being 16. By the way, right now, people feel that way about you. People are yelling at the radio going, he's one, he's 16. Anyway, go on. So she got into acting. Yeah, she got into doing commercials because she grew up with Hannah Montana, which is a show kind of about that, I guess, stage life. So she was really into that. So she just did it for fun. And basically, she was doing an audition for a commercial, and I was in with her, just not on my own. I was just there because I was a little baby. I think I might have been like three at this time. Right. I was just chilling because, obviously, I had to be there with them because I could be left home alone at this age. My dad was probably at work. So what happened was the casting director, casting, the casting director, I guess if that's... I'm not really too sure how the casting process of commercials really works anymore. But she, or he, I don't know if it was a she or he, but they basically were like, oh, there's a thing for, I think it was Fisher Price or something like, he should audition for that. And I was a little baby. I ended up doing it for fun because they, I guess, my sister had a good experience with it. So my parents were like, okay, well, this is working out well. And then I was a little baby trying it. And then I got this like little commercial. And it was cool because they literally just have you play with toys when you're that young. And then... You're not acting, you're just playing with toys. Exactly. Exactly. That's all it is. And then they take the clips that they like. And then after that, I kept auditioning for stuff. And I became really, really into it. Obviously, like I was been saying, I never did sports or anything like that. So I was really into it. And then I did an audition for my first movie, which was Smurfs 2. My audition was pretty cute when I look back on it, because I think in the slate, I had listed off everything that I like that's blue. And I had a list too. So I was like, I like the little tarantulas and the scorpions and the snakes. I like the blue sharks. Just like that. And I was five. And I was like, oh, did I say scorpions? So I guess they really liked that. So then they casted me. That was cool, because that filmed in Paris and Montreal. And that was my first gig. I mean, it's wild to think about back then. I mean, I know it wasn't that long ago, but the difference between five or even eight... You were eight for Room, I think? Yes. Yeah. So the difference between eight and 16 is so much more than the difference between 16 and 23, or 23 and 29. It's so long ago. But that being said, you have this big breakout role in Room when you're eight years old. Directors at the time were saying they were competing to try and get you in the films. You were at the Oscars, you were on talk shows. What's the thing you most remember from that time? I guess I was so little, I couldn't really grasp the full scope of things. When I went on these talk shows or when I went to the Academy Awards, I was so little, I couldn't really comprehend it the way I could now. So when I look back at it now, I'm like, that's crazy. And I was so little. I think I remember saying something when I was so little that people really liked, is I was so short. Whenever I was at events, all I saw were legs, because I was so short. So just a sea of legs, because I was so small. And I remember really good memories of... What was cool is that people made me feel really comfortable when I was at that age, by asking me questions about things that I liked. For example, I still love Star Wars, but back then I was obsessed with it. So people really made me comfortable by starting with questions, asking me about that. And I just remember people being so kind and so polite and so welcoming and so gentle. Because obviously when you're at that age, I guess your emotions are very delicate, if that makes sense. And people were so aware of that. So it made for a good experience. People were kind to you. And it's funny, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't remember anything from when I was eight years old. I remember, I don't know what's a real memory and what's a picture. You know what I mean? So I'm not surprised I don't remember too much. Yeah. There are things that my parents will bring up, or I'll see in a photo, or I was like, I did that. I said that. I did that. It's pretty interesting. I want to talk about another thing you did. So you appeared in the music video for Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco's song, Lonely, which is a song about getting famous at a young age. Just take a listen to this. So in the music video, you play a younger version of Justin Bieber. That was really cool because they kind of had me in his outfit for, I guess it was like his whole tour for, I think, Never Say Never. Yeah. So they had me in that kind of outfit that is iconic. The purple sweater. The purple sweater and the white jacket, the white pants, the purple shoes. And they also gave me the haircut too, which is a haircut that maybe hasn't aged well. So I ended up going real short after that. Jacob, it's interesting to me, right? I think you can have perspective on this, that two Canadian fellas who got really famous at a really early age. Did you and Justin get to talk about that? Yeah. I mean, that's the thing about him on set is I remember he was very, very kind and very humble. Very, very kind to everyone. And it was cool to kind of be a part of something that he was obviously very, very passionate about. He was very passionate about putting out the song and expressing his feelings. So obviously, since we both have, I guess, similar experiences in the sense of getting famous at a young age and being so young, you can't really fully understand the full scope of things, I think was cool. And obviously, me being Canadian too, it was really cool to be a part of that and to get invited to be a part of that. It was really awesome. Did he talk to you about any of that stuff? Some of the hard stuff about being a child star? Did he talk to you about anything? He never got into that, I think, just because obviously, that's probably something that he keeps to himself. I mean, what's cool is that when I was with him, well, actually, the whole thing was that I was in a grocery store and I get called by him to be a part of this. And I got sent the song and it was something that was obviously about his experiences when he was younger. So I was like, yeah, I mean, obviously, it's Justin Bieber and you want to be a part of that video. Because it's a Justin Bieber music video, but also it actually has a very deep, important meaning that I myself can look at that and go, okay, well, that's a negative experience that someone had at a young age. And I can be grateful for what I had and how I was taken through it. That's beautiful. I have a question I've always wanted to know about kids who act in R-rated movies. So you were in Predator, Dr. Sleep. How does it work when you're in a movie that you're not allowed to watch in theaters? You know what I mean? Yeah. No, I know what you mean. And I actually have a funny story about this. So I think I mentioned a movie I did, Good Boys, a little earlier, which was a Seth Rogen comedy film that I'd done. This was right before I got Little Mermaid, so I think I was 12. And it was R-rated, or 14A in Canada, I believe. And I remember I was going to see the film in the theaters with my friends. I was going to take them to see it because it was a pretty cool movie to see with your friends. And these friends were also older than me because they were in my older sister's friend group. So I went with them, and they wouldn't let me in because I was younger. And then I pointed to the poster that was literally right beside us at the kind of podium where you go in to see the movie. And I was like, I'm in it. But that's me. The things that I'm not allowed to see, I did. But obviously, I didn't do anything that bad. It was really just potty humor, I guess. Yeah. And did they let you in? I had to wait for someone who was 18 to come in and watch it with us. Because I think the way it works is if you're younger than 14, you have to have an app watch it with you. Yeah, there's a story about the kid who was in The Shining that he didn't know it was a horror movie until seven years after he filmed it. Okay, well, I have something similar to that, is the movie Room. And this is kind of what worked so well when I played the character, is I was so young, I couldn't fully understand what was going on. And that worked perfectly, because that's exactly what the character Jack is going through, right? He can't understand anything that's going on. And what I remember is that during press for that, Brie Larson, obviously, when she was talking about the more mature themes of the film, I was like, what is she talking about? What does that mean? And that's when I was because obviously, I knew what those things meant. But I was confused to how it tied into the story. I was older by the time the press came out. So that's when my parents could explain to me about those things and how it tied into the film. But I guess that's what works so perfectly, is that Jack, the character I played, doesn't understand what's going on around him. He just thinks that what's going on is normal. And that's pretty much it. And since I was eight when I did that film, I just turned eight. I was seven at the beginning. And I think that's why it ended up working so well. Because you also didn't know. Because I also didn't know what was going on. And I also just, like all that stuff at the beginning of the film, where Jack's like, oh, well, hello, egg snake, and kind of jumping around. That's all stuff that we just did for fun. They just filmed me. They're like, okay, Jacob, go have fun in this room. Go play around. And then we all ended up doing that. And that's how it was made, pretty much. Well, it's beautiful. Listen, you're in The Little Mermaid now. It's really an exciting time to be getting to talk to you. I'm looking forward to talking to you. Are you 16 now? Yep. This is the, what am I going to do with the rest of my life? Or what am I going to do next portion for a lot of people's lives? You've already done a lot of stuff that people will want to do. Any thoughts about that? I definitely, and I'll tell you something cool about this is I really want to go into filmmaking. Right. Like on the other side of the camera, like writing and directing my own stuff. I've always really been passionate about that. And it's interesting because my passion from that is actually separate from my acting, if that makes sense. So when I was really young, I started in commercials. But at the same time in school, my favorite subject was always creative writing. And I love creating stories. That was like my favorite thing to do. I love creating stories and then reenacting them in real life, like with, you know, a pretend sword or whatever. And I had no idea how well those two things correlated. So now that I understand that those are pretty much the same, are working the same industry, I want to get into the other side of the camera and try directing and writing. So yeah, that's pretty much what I want to go into. I'm looking forward to like 20 years from now when you like win the Oscar for best screenplay or something like that. And I'm like, I remember when he told me he wanted to be a director, you know, and that's going to be me. Just make sure you still come on the show then, hey? Oh, I will. I appreciate it, Jacob. Thanks, buddy. Thanks for coming in, man. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. Thank you for me.