Im just some weird guy who somehow became a part of Sean Bakers movie.

Anorais in theaters October 18.

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The young actor sits in front, while Im in the back with two of the films publicists.

A few minutes later, he exclaims, Guys, it really works!

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Lets stop in a few minutes and change seats so you could try it out.

He looks at me and asks quietly, In your eyes, who am I?

Even stranger is what he says next: Im nothing.

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So hes not nothing.

But the actor is still trying to figure out why anyone wants to talk to him.

Im just some weird guy who somehow became a part of Sean Bakers movie, he says, baffled.

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Or at least interesting ones.

This is the Mark Eydelshteyn experience.

His boyish charm, excitable nature, and youthful features make him seem even younger than his 22 years.

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Maybe its just the hair.

In person, hes a lot less ethereal and aloof than Chalamet more of a kid.

His English wasnt as evolved as it is now when we were shooting.

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But we laughed a lot, hysterically.

I knew immediately that we would have some kind of chemistry.

But all hell breaks loose when his disapproving parents sic their henchmen on the couple.

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Key toAnoras remarkable tonal balance is Eydelshteyns performance.

He put a lot of himself into the character all the best parts, though, says Madison.

The energy, his youthfulness, his quirks.

His father worked as a sports journalist and his mother as a dialect coach.

(He immediately starts doing it for me; I hear enough to believe him.)

Then he remembered how happy it made the people around him when hed recite poems and novels and plays.

Those feelings came rushing back, he says, at the films world premiere.

I thought,Thank you, Mother, for this.

(Not one of the very popular and very, very rich ones, he tells me.

We have lots of oligarchs in Russia.)

The school was bold and strict, he says.

He has a romantic fondness for the place.

Its not that difficult, really.

it’s possible for you to analyze scripts.

you’re able to build a character.

But youre not allowed to be just an actor you have to be more than an actor.

But what does it mean to be more than an actor?

We had four years to think about it.

Im still thinking about it.

He was to play a black marketer selling American music.

Turns out the shoot was an ad for a vinyl-record store.

It was very funny, he now says.

But in that moment, it was very sad.

Also in that moment, he became determined to make real films serious ones that allowed him to experiment.

But the actor couldnt afford any such outfits, and he certainly couldnt afford to ruin them.

I cant imagine a situation that Sean would just say, What?

I will cancel him!

We couldnt consider anyone else for the role, says Baker.

For all his confidence and energy, Eydelshteyn was nervous on set in his early days.

Eydelshteyn says Baker told him before rolling that he could smoke a vape pen.

The actor looked at the vape and thought,You are my closest friend here.

I will work with you.

We are going through this journey together.

You will help me, I hope.

Thank you, man.And so he started vaping incessantly, which became a trademark of his character.

He was also quite anxious about his first sex scene with Madison.

For Eydelshteyn, this had the opposite effect.

With every word, this uncomfortable feeling of shyness was just racing, racing, racing inside of me.

This also set his co-star immediately at ease.

This was the first sex scene Id ever done, says Madison.

I had no idea what it would be like.

He was so nervous, but he felt the need to confirm I wasnt nervous.

I found that very giving of him.

His parents have yet to see the film.

They know of it, obviously, and theyre proud of the awards it has won.

He has told them its basically a fairy tale and he plays a modern prince.

(Im not lying, he adds.)

I will have to explain to them, Its not your son.

Its just a role.

Then he stops again and cracks a huge smile.

Its not me, but I honestly love this character.

So yes, its your son, Mother!

And its your son, Father!

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