Q. Thank you for wearing a shirt. I didn't need to compare abs this early in the morning.
A. You're welcome (laughs).
Q. This is your first solo starring role after the "Twilight" movies. How much strategy went into this decision?
A. I knew I wanted to go somewhere different, and challenge myself with a completely different genre and a completely different role. I was very picky for a while because I wanted to make sure it was the right thing, and by the right thing, I mean the role I was most passionate about. As soon as I heard about this, I knew it had to be my next project.
Q. Why?
A. I've always looked up to a lot of people who are known as action stars, but I don't like movies that are just action movies, with nonstop shooting and things blowing up. I'm into movies that have action in it but are surrounded by characters and a story. I see "Abduction" as an action-thriller-drama-romance.
Q. Which action stars do you admire?
A. "Braveheart" ain't just a nonsensical action movie. There's more to it than that, so Mel Gibson is one. Harrison Ford is another. "The Fugitive" is about a man going through an amazing journey, and there's action in it.
Q. You know how Hollywood works. When you get successful doing one thing, they keep wanting you to repeat yourself. I don't even want to know how many werewolf roles you've been offered.
A. (laughs).
Q. My point is that if you pull off this action role, and it makes a lot of money, you could get stuck in the action genre. Would that be OK with you?
A. I definitely enjoyed it. I had fun making this movie, and I wouldn't mind doing more of them in the future. But those actors I admire – Harrison, Mel, Tom Cruise and Leo – they have continued to challenge themselves throughout their career. They're always doing different things. Look at Tom Cruise – "Risky Business," "Top Gun" and "Born on the Fourth of July" couldn't be more different.
Q. It sounds like you have a plan, and that plan is not to take your shirt off or use your martial arts skills gratuitously in movies
A. That's right. If I fall in love with a story, I'll do it.
Q. What got you into karate?
A. When I was 6, I literally enrolled in every sport possible. It was ridiculous. I was in football, baseball, martial arts, basketball, soccer, swimming at the same time. As I got older, I kind of narrowed it down. Every year, I dropped something until I was 12, and I had it narrowed down to football and martial arts. I fell in love with martial arts because it teaches so many life lessons, like hard work and discipline.
Q. When you were doing all that martial arts training, did you ever imagine it might come in handy when you were playing an action hero?
A. It's funny. When I was younger, living in Michigan, I wanted nothing to do with the entertainment industry. It was my karate instructor who came to me and suggested it. He lived in L.A. and was a Power Ranger for a year. Eventually my family moved out here for a month and I gave it a try. I fell in love with acting.
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