Trap House is a captivating blend of genres, which is something that star Jack Champion particularly appreciated about the film. When a group of high school students decides to utilize their DEA parents’ resources to rob a local cartel, it triggers a series of events that unfold in unexpectedly emotional ways.

It was a significant challenge for Champion, who embraced the unique tonal experience. During an interview with Screen Rant, Jack Champion reflected on establishing an on-screen dynamic with Dave Bautista in Trap House, merging teenage angst with crime thriller elements, and sharing which aspects of Avatar: Fire and Ash he is most eager for fans to explore.

The Unique Tonal Fusion of Trap House Attracted Jack Champion

Trap House features a distinctive mix of tones, transitioning seamlessly from a high school drama to a crime-heavy thriller and back again between scenes. This was a core aspect of the film’s appeal to Jack Champion, who embraced the tone wholeheartedly. “I feel like it was such a unique genre, from what I read. It wasn’t a straight-up action film.”

“It wasn’t just any film [teen film], like The Breakfast Club. It had such a unique vibe that when I started filming it, I didn’t have to conform to any specific mold. It was such a blend. So I thought, ‘You know what? I’m just gonna go do my thing.’ As the character, it was so easy to be part of this friend group and be with my co-stars.”

We’d be joking around in one scene, hanging out in the cafeteria. Then, in the next scene, we’d be executing this heist as our characters. It was almost easy in a strange way because it’s such different extremes. All that school stuff and then robbing the cartels. It all felt right, it felt normal. I felt like I wasn’t having to switch up my brain too much.

The character dynamics were the easiest for Champion to connect with, describing the banter he shared with other cast members as the “easy part” of the process. While getting into character for the heist scenes wasn’t difficult, the challenge of convincingly executing heists proved to be somewhat trickier.

We really had to listen to the stunt team closely. We rehearsed countless times with them to make it look like we knew what we were doing in the moment. I think we got it right, but all the action sequences were definitely the hardest parts. I enjoyed all the banter! I mean, that was just so easy because my co-stars are so wonderful. It created such a good, natural vibe.

Jack Champion Reflects On His Dynamic With Dave Bautista

The most significant dynamic that Champion’s character, Cody, has in the film is with his father, DEA agent Ray. Portrayed by Dave Bautista, the two find themselves clashing on several levels following the death of Ray’s wife and Cody’s mother prior to the events of the film. According to Champion, Bautista’s natural energy infused their on-screen relationship.

It all came naturally in a way. Dave is so paternal and was definitely like a father figure to me throughout this entire film. When Cody and Ray struggle to communicate their feelings, it felt so nice and organic. Dave’s such a gracious actor, and we discussed our characters.

We talked about what it would feel like for him to lose a wife and for me to lose a mom, which isn’t explicitly shown in the film but is heavily implied as the source of tension in our relationship. We explored how that would feel while also recognizing that part of it involves not discussing it and just performing the scene. There’s this huge elephant in the room that no one will address.

I entered focused on Cody with his friends and robbing cartels — it sounds almost silly not to realize it sooner, but at its core, it’s as much about friendship as it is about a father-son relationship. Any father-son story hits me hard emotionally. As we were making it, I recognized that this truly centers on a father and son healing from family loss.

If you watch it again with that perspective in mind, you’ll notice things you might have missed before. You think, ‘Oh! That’s why that character would act that way,’ or ‘that’s why they’re behaving like this.’ It was such an important aspect of the film that I didn’t fully grasp until after we finished filming.

“It was such an enjoyable back-and-forth dynamic — truly rewarding as an actor. It just felt so good. Dave is an incredible actor who makes everyone shine in their scenes.” Naturally, given Bautista’s size and strength, a dramatic scene late in the film where Ray slaps Cody gave Champion some pause on set.

“That was intimidating,” Champion recalled with amusement. “Ray slaps Cody hard… He’s not someone you want to mess with! I remember reading the script and then going to see Dune where Dave smashes someone’s head on a table. I thought, ‘Oh no.’ [Laughter].

What Jack Champion Is Most Excited About For Avatar: Fire And Ash

Trap House serves as an excellent showcase for Jack Champion in a grounded setting but is far from his only performance set to impress audiences this year. Champion is also reprising his role as Spider in Avatar: Fire and Ash. The adopted son of Jake Sully and Neytiri finds himself at the center of escalating conflict threatening Pandora’s peace.

Comparing his experiences on both films, Champion remarked how “with Trap House, it was such a tightly focused story about friends and families that felt collaborative — like I was contributing significantly to steering this movie alongside everyone else. In contrast, with Avatar,I felt like I was riding a tidal wave throughout the experience.

I wasn’t directing anything myself — just being Spider and going along for the ride. There’s definitely more creative freedom with something like Trap House compared to working on Avatar which has been such an integral part of my life since childhood — it’s about supporting everything alongside my Avatar family.

Looing ahead at what he’s most excited for fans to witness, Champion teased “The Wind Traders are my favorite Na’Vi tribe, as they embody this nomadic spirit akin to Na’Vi pirates or merchant sailors. It’s such an intriguing culture! If I were Na’Vi, I’d want to be among them because they have so many fascinating cultural aspects I’m eager for everyone to see.“

You can also check out our interview with Dave Bautista.

[nospin]Here you can find the original article along with photos used here from this source for informational purposes only with proper attribution.[nospin]

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